Plane wreckage, Four Peaks in Cane Springs area

[mccgsm]

I came across plane wreck dating likely from 1950s or 60s on the west side of the Four Peaks Wilderness, well within the wilderness boundary. Piston engine, silver with no markings; my quick take was a single engine helo, civil. Relatively slow speed impact. however, hit had a piece of landing gear in the wreckage, which suggests fixed wing. Largest piece of wreckage looked like a helo tail boom, but also could have been a tail boom from a P-38? Or, or, or? Couldn't tell if major wreckage had been removed, tho' I found neither prop nor rotors.

Wreckage site

Anyone know anything about this site?

[mccgsm]

Its a long story, but we know now that this is an AT-6 trainer from World War II. We are almost certain it was piloted by Horace Raymond John Partoon, a 20 year old Englishman who was an RAF cadet being trained at Falcon Field. Some information suggests that he struck the mountain while flying in heavy clouds, and able assistance from some new friends suggests that the plane impacted, bounced and rotated to the right in its final impact. Unfortunately, most of the records of the British training program were lost in a fire, so we haven't been able to confirm that this was his plane, but we've eliminated most other possibilities. For those of you that poke around Four Peaks, find a quiet moment to give thanks for the men and women who served so many years ago. But for them you likely would not be wandering around in a free country and a free wilderness....

[joebartels]

Very nice update, thanks