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  R4D-1 Dakota Bureau Number 01981  
USMC
MAG 25
VMJ-253

Click For EnlargementNicolas Duprey 2001

Pilot  Major Skip Kimball (KIA)
Crew Chief  Charlie Mottram (KIA) OH
Passenger  6 passengers (KIA)

Crashed  October 9, 1942

Aircraft History
Construction Number 4437. US Navy Bureau Number 01981.

Wartime History
Crashed into Ousassio Hill after a night take off from Tontouta Airport. One engine failed, the crew of eight were all killed. Ousassio Hill was then named Mount Kimball after that accident, and a park was named Mottram park in the home town of the crew chief in Ohio.

There are around 20 inscriptions (from the left stab to the door) presumably from passengers. Among them are: "USS Ibex", a tanker ship. "Joan Harlow" the actress. Three are names and addresses.

Nicolas Duprey adds in 2001:
"Three of the inscriptions contain an address, we have send letters to these adress since july, only one of the 3 letter came back. One is:
Carol J. McCutcheon
3940 - 4th Ave
Sacramento California"

References
Thanks to Nicolas Duprey for this information, photographs and research. Thanks to Ewan Stevenson for Bureau Number and Construction Number.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

 

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R4D1

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