RCAF Nomad 3521 Found after 71 years

J Boyle:

Thanks for the tip about The Northrop Story — that series of planes have long been a favorite of mine, as with the Lockheed Plywood Bullets. Then there’s the link between them: Jack Northrop. Another Lockheed alumnus was Gerry Vultee and his V-1A airliner looked a lot like a metal Lockheed Orion.

Another Canadian Nomad (a bit later):

http://www.canadianwings.com/Aircraft/aircraftDetail.php?NOMAD-174

http://www.ody.ca/~bwalker/RCAF_10261_10287_detailed.html

There are those (like myself) who didn’t know what aircraft type you were discussing… as the only association “Nomad” and aircraft had to me was the Vietnam-era Aussie light transport built by GAF.

Kids today, what are you gonna do?… 😀

All the prewar Northrops Alphas, Deltas, Gammas…were great.
Allow me to make a recommendation to anyone interested in prewar civil and military aviation…
The Northrop Story 1929-1939 by Richard Sanders Allen.

Not only does it include all the mail planes, racers and explorer aircraft, it details Canadian Deltas and Danish N3PB in Iceland.

Like his similar book on prewar single-engine Lockheeds, the book is not only informative but very well written.

There are those (like myself) who didn’t know what aircraft type you were discussing… as the only association “Nomad” and aircraft had to me was the Vietnam-era Aussie light transport built by GAF.

So, for those like me:

The Northrop Gamma 2F was an attack bomber derivative of the Northrop Gamma transport aircraft, developed in parallel with the Northrop Gamma 2C, (of which one was built, designated the YA-13 and XA-16. The Gamma 2F had a revised tail, cockpit canopy and wing flaps compared with the Gamma 2C, and was fitted with a new semi-retractable undercarriage. It was delivered to the United States Army Air Corps for tests on 6 October 1934, and after modification, including fitting with a conventional fixed undercarriage, was accepted by the Air Corps. A total of 110 aircraft were ordered as the A-17 in 1935.

The resulting A-17 was equipped with perforated flaps, had fixed landing gear with partial fairing. It was fitted with an internal fuselage bomb bay that carried fragmentation bombs and well as external bomb racks.

Northrop developed a new undercarriage, this time completely retractable, producing the A-17A variant. This version was again purchased by the Army Air Corps, who placed orders for 129 aircraft. By the time these were delivered, the Northrop Corporation had been taken over by Douglas Aircraft Company, export models being known as the Douglas Model 8.

The A-17 entered service in February 1936, and proved a reliable and popular aircraft. However, in 1938, the Air Corps decided that attack aircraft should be multi-engined, rendering the A-17 surplus to requirements.

From 14 December 1941, A-17s were used for coastal patrols by the 59th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.

In June 1940, 93 ex-USAAC aircraft were purchased by France, and refurbished by Douglas, including being given new engines. Not having been delivered before the fall of France, 61 were taken over by the British Purchasing Commission for the RAF and given the name Nomad. They were assessed as being obsolete and sent to South Africa for use as trainers. The remaining 32 aircraft from the French order were transferred to Canada, where they were also used as advanced trainers and target tugs.

The last remaining A-17s, used as utility aircraft, were retired from USAAF service in 1944.

Thanks for the update – appreciate anything else that comes to light.

Paul here is an update

Been off the board for months and only finding time to update some of these threads:

Updates on what the OPP (Ontario Prov Police) pulled from the wreck last summer:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/mobil/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=4449

Updates on the dive that the DND undertook this past October to search again for any remains.

http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/news/article/1527823–doubts-linger-over-possible-human-remains-in-world-war-ii-plane-wreck

Lee
CAHS.ca
Toronto

Lee
Molson has no USAAF ID only

3503 was Civil Reg NX-N40, 3512 was NX-N44 and 3521 (the one found) was NX-N46

Paul

photo from google earth of Browning Island

This Nomad is resting in 120 feet, one wing came off and is nearby as well as the engine. Person effects were found at the site by the Ont Provincial Police Underwater Search and Rescue and will be returned to the families. Unclear if the family from one crew member in the UK has been found.

Photo is from Google Earth of Browning Island. Exact location is not being revealed and unclear if the DND will raise this aircraft.

Waiting to obtain the RCAF AIB on this crash. More news later…

Paul do know the USAAF serials?

Paul I don’t have a copy of of Griffin’s book that would reveal the USAF serials?

I am going to contact the USAF museum to acquire the USAF movement card for the two aircraft involved in this accident. I can’t do this without the US serials.

I can’t find them online anywhere. Do you know if Griffin’s RCAF’s Serials reveals these numbers?

Lee

Lee

Thanks

In was 8 minutes in

It confirms that the 3 aircraft were lost over 2 days – 1 day before (3503) the collision the day after 3521 & 3512 and they have found 3521 largely intact upright on lake floor with an engine and one wing detached (but nearby)

Paul

CBC has an interview with Matt Fairbrass

this aired July 25

see part 2 around 7 mins in

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/

Lee
Toronto