Posted on 12/16/2024 3:37:52 AM PST by Duke C.
The plane was part of a 'super-secret operation'. On a cold, dark night in January 1952, a distress call went out over Death Valley.
“Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is Air Force 001 bailing out north of Barstow, California,” an official crash report would later read. Seconds later, six men jumped out of a 16-ton, two-engine, SA-16 Albatross plane into total darkness. The plane — with its backdoor hanging open — continued unmanned for a few moments, eventually crashing into a nearby desert mountain.
More than 70 years later, the metallic carcass is still there.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Where have I seen this article before?
All the folks first hand involved are long dead.
Would have been nice to hear their story.
I have a particular fascination with Death Valley and have never heard this story! I wonder if ‘Death Valley Days’ ever featured this story. I grew up in Los Angeles and ‘Death Valley Days’ never ran on local TV there . Why such a long running show did not run in L.A. remains a mystery to me.
Two engine plane that can’t fly on one engine. What idiot? That probably quadruples the crash rate because the probability of an engine failure now doubles, and then it’s worse because each engine is made more cheaply to control costs and the pilot and maintenance guys do not have the same pucker factor driving maintenance care.
Don’t know how old you are, but I remember watching “Death Valley Days” on TV growing up in the 60’s and 70’s in Orange County, which got most of it’s TV programming from LA. It was sponsored by 20 Muleteam Borax.
The entire series is available on Pluto TV for free.
I’ve enjoyed them.
I remember the 20 mule team and Boraxo, but I don't remember any plots nor scenes. Was Ronald Reagan the host?
Ping to self for later
There were several hosts, starting in 1952 was “The Old Ranger”, then Reagan (until he ran for governor), Robert Taylor, and finally Dale Robertson. They stopped filming the show in 1970.
JAMBOG!
The incredible true story of a CIA plane crash in Death Valley National Park
12/15/2024 2:46:03 PM PST · by DFG · 37 replies
SF Gate ^ | 12/15/2024 | Eric Brooks
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4284687/posts
This sounds like a story that wasn’t called in ‘enough’... like the reporter missed the real story he was suppose to find.
I LOVE ANYTHING THAT HAS DALE ROBERTSON IN IT.
He really could ride—used his own horse—Jubilee—and owned a LARGE horse ranch-—IIRC-In Nebraska.
RERUNS of WELLS FARGO are on my local Reno channel.
I think that Wonderhussy did a trip video to that site...
That wasn't my point.
Try doing a headline search on this website. Hint: "Search still works."
???
🙄
Before President Reagan hosted “Death Valley Days” it was narrated by “The Old Ranger.” A few stories were about San Francisco. I thought that those should be narrated by “The Rump Ranger.”
Show is also on an over the air (broadcast/antenna) station called “GRIT.” Air times keep changing. Currently on at 6:00 AM EST.
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