Posted on 07/16/2024 12:56:02 PM PDT by Red Badger
July 16 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida are trying to solve the mystery of a plane found abandoned at the side of a Bay County road.
The Springfield Police Department said on social media that "a portion of a plane" -- the cockpit, nose and front propeller -- was found abandoned at the side of Transmitter Road.
The plane bears markings from ZooWorld in Panama City Beach, including giraffe logos on its seats, but the business said it got rid of the plane about a week ago.
"That used to be part of an exhibit, but it was removed to bring in something that would hold up," Jadena Terrell, ZooWorld's assistant park director, told WJHG-TV. "For you know, against kids climbing that kind of thing, to make it more user-friendly for people in wheelchairs and more compliant for people, so everyone could enjoy it."
Police said they learned the person who took possession of the plane took it to a scrap yard.
"There's some sort of material inside the instruments that causes the glow at night, and as a result, the scrap yard cannot take them," said Russell Voyles, assistant police chief for the Springfield Police Department. "So that they took a portion of the plane, but they do not take the portion behind me."
Police are now trying to determine how the remaining portion of the plane ended up at the side of the road. Voyles said a decision on whether to take civil or criminal action against the responsible party will be made once the probe is completed.
How do you suppose the prop and spinner could still be attached if the engine is gone?
Sounds like it. Or was just some local meth heads hired to get rid of rubbish.
Is that like Clown World, only with more bananas?
🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌
"to make it more user-friendly for people in wheelchairs and more compliant for people, so everyone could enjoy it."
Roadside attraction, makes sense. Roll right up.
Now that is mysterious! I wonder how it handled?
Florida has hundreds of old tourist attractions that were places to go back in the 50’s and 60’s that are now just eyesores.
Miami is one....................
Flight was smooth.
Landing was a bit bumpy..................
“How do you suppose the prop and spinner could still be attached if the engine is gone?”
I am guessing rivets.
“Oh yeah, it’s junk, but good junk............”
Not even good enough for the junk yard!
It was decapitated by a great white shark attack.
If they detect any radiation or known radioactive sources they won’t take it...........
Its not a plane its a plane fragment.
Florida Man didn’t hook the tie-down strap well enough.
Hasn’t stopped yet, so doesn’t know it fell off’n the truck.
I love how they just left the straps still attached to the plane. Must have been in a hurry, feeling a touch self-conscious about leaving it there.
Yup.
Continental IO520 and McCauley 3 blade prop
Easy $15K as a core in todays market
One wonders if the serious money was in that open valise.
So the engine may or may not be in there. For display only, you could blacksmith the propeller back on good enough no one would notice.
I am surprised the instruments were still in it, though. They should be worth something, unless the radium dials made them illegal to resell.
That model was made for short-field landings.
Florida man is going to have that engine on his airboat by morning.
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