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Pilot 2nd Lt. Harold Baker |
North American P-51H Mustang |
P-51H Mustang #44-64574, crashed October 5, 1945, near Estrella, Arizona
SUMMARY: 2nd Lt. Harold Baker was a pilot
assigned to the Air Transport Command, whose job was to ferry new aircraft from
the manufacturing plants to their final destination. On the morning on October
5, 1945, Lt. Baker and another pilot, Lt. Faucett, both flying North American
P-51 Mustangs, departed Long Beach AAF in California for Coolidge, Arizona. Soon
after the pilots passed high above the Colorado River, they could see dark storm
clouds looming directly in their flight path. As the fighters approached
Tonopah, Arizona, the storm worsened and the pilots separated in an attempt to
each find their own way to Coolidge AAF. Lt. Baker had turned south in an
attempt to go around the storm while Lt. Fausett headed north. A short while
later, Lt. Faucett looked back and could see Lt. Baker's Mustang flying into a
rapidly forming wall of rain and clouds that quickly enveloped the aircraft.
Lt. Faucett landed at Coolidge AAF shortly before
the storm system hit. Lt. Baker never arrived, and soon after the storm passed,
a search was initiated. His wife was notified that he was missing, and three
days later on October 8th, she received the news she did not want to hear. The
USAAF had found his crashed plane, and tragically, he did not survive.
Investigation revealed that the left wing had
failed in flight which caused the Mustang to crash. The USAAF determined that
Lt. Baker likely experienced vertigo due to the extreme turbulence while in the
clouds, and may have placed sufficient stress on the aircraft that resulted in
structural failure.
This crash is of special interest to me as I was
contacted by Mrs. Baker in 1999 while she was researching her late husband's
crash. I supplied her with as much information as I could before she passed away
in 2008.
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| The valley where the P-51 crashed. |
Scattered debris at the impact point. |
Molten aluminum at the crash site. |
Part of the .50 cal gun assembly. |
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| Cockpit switches. |
The data plate for the Stromberg carburetor. |
Small scattered debris at the impact point. |
.50 cal ammo feed tray. |
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| The parking brake lever. |
Hydraulic pressure instrument plate, dial from the gyro
horizon indicator, and and 'OFF" button. |
Hydraulic data plate instructions. |
The "117" part number confirms it is from a NAA P-51H
Mustang. |
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| Packard Built Rolls Royce engine from the
Packard Motor Car Company. This data plate for the 1,380 hp V-1650-9
12-cylinder supercharged engine was found in the wreckage. |
This is what it should look like given better
circumstances... |
A Packard Rolls Royce engine. The data plate is affixed
on the left-hand side, towards the front on the engine. |
This part appears to be part of the oil pan on the
bottom of the engine. |
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| This cast aluminum casing might be part of the valve
cover. |
An adjustment pedal for the seat or rudder pedals. |
Various scattered debris. |
Sperry avionics mounting plate for the instrument dash. |
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| An access cover. |
Parachute buckles. |
Part of the radio. |
Why this 1922 Morgan silver dollar was heavily-hammered
really threw me at first. I later found out it was a popular way to make
silver rings back in the 1940's. |
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| The armored windscreen. |
It must be close to 3 inches thick. |
A few coins scattered amongst the debris. |
More buckles. |
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| Canopy plexiglass discolored and crazed after so many
years under the sun. |
Wing structure. |
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