While looking for arrowheads, I found what I think are pieces of a crashed airplane

[kfields]

I walked just across the road from my house into the field looking for arrowheads. I got lucky and did find one. As I walked back across the field towards my house, I came across some small pieces of aluminum in one specific area. Here are photos of the field looking from my house:

(stay with me on this as I am slowly posting more photos of what I found)

 

[kfields]

Most of what I have found so far is aluminum. Some of it it sheet aluminum with rivets, some looks like cast pieces and one piece looks like a cast structural piece while still another looks like an aluminum molten mess. Here are some photos of what I found:

 

[kfields]

Here is a piece of plexiglass:

 

[kfields]

and this appears to be lead. Two lead connectors connected to each other by a screw:

 

[kfields]

lastly, a flang piece of aluminum with what looks like a part number on it:

 

[kfields]

When I found these pieces, I remembered that the previous homeowner had told me that a 'bomber' had crashed in the field across from my house during WWII. I live in Vandalia, Ohio, and within a mile or so of the Dayton airport. I know the airport was used by the Army Airforce during the war and the airports nearness to my house and the field location makes it plausible to a novice like me that it might have made a logical place for a pilot to attempt a landing if his aircraft were in distress and unable to circle back and attempt a landing at the airport. The field where I found these pieces is owned by the railroad so there is not a traditional type farmer (who owns the field) who I can go to and ask.

I checked the internet and there are 3-4 possible hits as far as aircraft crashes during the war years for this area (Dayton airport and Vandalia). Does anything I show here point to it being parts to an aircraft and does anything narrow it down as to type of aircraft?

Thank you for your helpful advice!
Kim

 

[evangilder]

I honestly don't know if there are enough pieces to be able to identify this, if it is even aircraft parts.

 

[Njaco]

That looks to be almost impossible without more numbers or pieces.

 

[kfields]

Thank you gentlemen. I figured this was a longshot!
I think my next approach will be to go over to Wright State University (close to me) where the Dayton Daily News has their papers archived from the 40's and attempt to find a note of a crash in the vicinity of where I found these pieces.
Maybe I will get lucky and find something!
If I hit gold, I'll be sure to report back here.
Kim

 

[A4K]

Cool, be keen to see what you can come up with! ( a search on the net turned up nothing).

Would love to see some photos of the arrow head(s) you found too if possible!

Evan

 

[kfields]

Will do Evan.
If you look closely in picture 3 - 4 - 5 - 6, you can see the small bird point I found on the day I found these metal fragments.
Kim

 

[bobbysocks]

might be worth your while to get ( borrow if you know someone who has one ) a metal detector and see what might be just inches from the surface. get the ok from the owner of the field tho first. could be interesting...

 

[A4K]

Cheers Kim - very nice find!

...and with bobbysocks re the metal detector - could be heaps of parts just waiting to be found...

 

[kfields]

Good suggestion guys. The corn in their field is now about 4 inches high and I have to stay out till the fall after the harvest.
No tramping around or digging holes for another 4 - 5 months!
Kim

 

[A4K]

What's 5 months after 70 years?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The part number matches the codex for a number of manufacturers, that is definitely an aircraft part

 

[A4K]

Good man Joe - on the right track then!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

P-38 part number IMO

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Looks like some fols at WIX found it...

Warbird Information Exchange • View topic - Name That Part!! Possible crash site located.

 

[A4K]

I suppose any twin engined aircraft would be a 'bomber' to a civilian, so could well be Joe. Be keen to see what comes of this find... could be some larger sections in there maybe.

EDIT: clashed posts! Yep, that site seems to nail it!