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Thank you Sabrejet, this is extremely helpful. I do have a few other questions regarding this, how did you get this papers? they are really interesting and I would like to find out more on how to get them for future research.The story looks interesting:
1. FAA docs show that the War Assets Administration sold "1 - Piper Airplane, Model NE-2, Manufacturer's Serial No. 13965, Identification No. 45-55199" for $1740.00 on 25 November 1946. Buyer was W. Arnet Speer of 2521 Bancroft St, San Diego CA. He duly registered the aircraft as N67633 (using s/n 13965) on 10 January 1947.
2. Looking at the aircraft's USAAF record card for 45-55199 shows 'Foreign Serial Number' (US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics No.) 29679 and the aircraft is identified as an L-4J at that time. It was accepted from Piper at Lock Haven on 7 August 1945 and delivered to San Diego CA on 9 August. The card is marked "Navy Pri 8-1" under 'allocation' and '199 was therefore allotted to the Navy with BuAer No. 29679 and initially located at San Diego (possibly transported by rail from Lock Haven rather than by air). The Navy designated the aircraft as a Piper NE-2. The San Diego links tie in with the WAA disposal at (1) above.
3. I don't have the Navy record card for your aircraft during its brief tenure August 1945 thru November 1946 but the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola can help with this:
library@navalaviationmuseum.org. They will often respond that they have no records but stress that you would like a copy of the aircraft record card via specialist researchers they have there.
Sadly the aircraft's civil registration docs show no further military service after November 1946, but the late-WW2 Navy link is interesting nevertheless.
I've dropped you a PM.Thank you Sabrejet, this is extremely helpful. I do have a few other questions regarding this, how did you get this papers? they are really interesting and I would like to find out more on how to get them for future research.
I think someone here might know something about L-4s.On the same subject - can someone recommend a good book describing the operations by the "little guys" (L-2, etc.) during WW2? You'll hear endless stories about P-51, P-47s etc. jockeys but nothing about them guys.
On the same subject - can someone recommend a good book describing the operations by the "little guys" (L-2, etc.) during WW2? You'll hear endless stories about P-51, P-47s etc. jockeys but nothing about them guys.
Bazooka Charlie's Daughter Meets Rosie the Rocketer...you know anyone here with info on Rosie the Rocketer?
I'm not sure if it was a typo or not but very few L-2's made it outside of the USA during WWII. An aircraft shot down in Belgium or Germany would most likely have been a L-4 or L-5.All this L-2 talk reminds me of a thread I have wished to nail down in my own fathers memoirs. When dad got to a military hospital back in England, a fellow patient near him discussed his similar injuries. He was an L-2 pilot shot down in Belgium or Germany on or about 9 Apr 1945. He crashed into a large haystack and both legs were broken by the engine. He was in traction at the time to get the femurs aligned. Dad had his left femur shattered by a standard 7mm Mauser Carabiner round also on 9 Apr '45. It was repaired in a lazarett in Ingolstadt using the Kuentscher intramedulary nailing technique. They were ready to remove the cast from dad the 1st week of May while this guy was still in traction.
Has anyone read a story of an L-2 pilot in that area and time who was shot down by an aircraft and crashed into a large haystack with the result being 2 broken femurs?
It's not refering to an L-2 but raather the NE-2, the Navy's version of the L-4 GrasshopperAll this L-2 talk reminds me of a thread I have wished to nail down in my own fathers memoirs. When dad got to a military hospital back in England, a fellow patient near him discussed his similar injuries. He was an L-2 pilot shot down in Belgium or Germany on or about 9 Apr 1945. He crashed into a large haystack and both legs were broken by the engine. He was in traction at the time to get the femurs aligned. Dad had his left femur shattered by a standard 7mm Mauser Carabiner round also on 9 Apr '45. It was repaired in a lazarett in Ingolstadt using the Kuentscher intramedulary nailing technique. They were ready to remove the cast from dad the 1st week of May while this guy was still in traction.
Has anyone read a story of an L-2 pilot in that area and time who was shot down by an aircraft and crashed into a large haystack with the result being 2 broken femurs?
One book I didn't see mentioned above: "Fighting Grasshoppers" by Ken Wakefield ISBN 9780904597783 Has to do mainly in Europe, though.On the same subject - can someone recommend a good book describing the operations by the "little guys" (L-2, etc.) during WW2? You'll hear endless stories about P-51, P-47s etc. jockeys but nothing about them guys.
The Fighting Grasshoppers book has a photo of an L-4 that crashed into a haystack while evading a 109. It was 44-80603.
Very interested in those records.
I have 4480321. Like many others, it remained in France after the war and was brought to the UK in the early 80s.
I would love to find some of its service history, before it went on the French civil register.