XP-77

43-34915/34916 Bell XP-77-BE Bell Aircraft wooden lightweight single-seat fighter.

34915 Wright Field, Dayton, OH. First flight 1Apr44. Damaged by mechanical failure taxying at
Wright Field 24May44. Accepted by USAF 22Jul44. Transfered to Class 01Z ground instructional airframe 31Jul46.

34916 Accepted by USAF 13Apr45. 4000th Base Unit, Air Materiel Command, Wright Field, Dayton, OH
Crashed Oct 2, 1945 after entering inverted spin 4 mi S of Eglin Field, Valparaiso, FL. Pilot bailed out.
Reclaim complete Oct 21, 1945

The game is afoot!!!!

Graeme said:

Good morning Holmes!

Your "Frank" is a wooden Ki-106?

Asisbiz Nakajima Ki 106 wooden Aframe Ki 84 sn T2 301 Tachikawa new production model late 1945-01

Asisbiz Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale) in a nutshell Nakajima Ki 106 wooden Aframe Ki 84 sn T2 301 Tachikawa new production model late 1945-01

www.asisbiz.com

And we have a wooden XP-77 nearby.

Is it possible Holmes, there was a place in the USA, early post war, called Wood City where wooden products were proudly displayed?
All the XP-77 photos you've uploaded - according to Peter Bowers - are captioned as Wood City, October 1946.

Yet Googling Wood City gets me nowhere? Wood County maybe?

Your ever faithful servant,
Dr Watson.

Sorry, I haven't been to Baker St recently - presently, can't climb the stairs!
Shot by Moriarty...

View attachment 647381

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Heal (pun intended) well Watson, I will take it from here!

From:

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - Wikipedia

"Two densely populated housing and service areas across Highway 444, Wood City and Skyway Park, were geographically separated from the central core of Patterson Field and developed almost self-sufficient community status. (Wood City was acquired in 1924 as part of the original donation of land to the government but was used primarily as just a radio range until World War II. Skyway Park was acquired in 1943.) They supported the vast numbers of recruits who enlisted and were trained at the two fields as well as thousands of civilian laborers, especially single women recruited to work at the depot. Skyway Park was demolished after the war. Wood City was eventually transformed[when?]​ into Kittyhawk Center, the base's modern commercial and recreation center."

Now the question may be asked: Where they still there when Kittyhawk Center was built?

Also, this may eliminate the need for the Frank to be wood as Wood City seems to have predated WWII by a bit, and not named after items made from Wood.

Radio range?

Capt. Vick said:

From:

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - Wikipedia

"Two densely populated housing and service areas across Highway 444, Wood City and Skyway Park, were geographically separated from the central core of Patterson Field and developed almost self-sufficient community status.

Click to expand...

Well found Holmes!

Now, what's behind the Bell's tail?