Unidentified Wing (San Diego, California)

[beldridg]

I decided to post this to the "Underwater Treasures" forum in hopes that somebody here might be able to help identify the wing structure that @California Diver and dove a few months ago. We believe it is possibly from a drone. I've posted pictures and photogrammetry models at the link below. I've also included a screenshot of the black-and-white version of the photogrammetry model (I find it easier to discern details than the green-hued version from the water).

Please send me a note if you have any ideas. We haven't measured it (yet) but believe the wingspan is 40+ feet.

Unidentified Wing (San Diego, California)

A few months ago, Tyler and I were out with Lora on the Marissa and she said to us “hey, have I ever told you about the wing section that somebody found?” Tyler and I looked at each oth…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

 

[Ghost95]

I decided to post this to the "Underwater Treasures" forum in hopes that somebody here might be able to help identify the wing structure that @California Diver and dove a few months ago. We believe it is possibly from a drone. I've posted pictures and photogrammetry models at the link below. I've also included a screenshot of the black-and-white version of the photogrammetry model (I find it easier to discern details than the green-hued version from the water).

Please send me a note if you have any ideas. We haven't measured it (yet) but believe the wingspan is 40+ feet.

Unidentified Wing (San Diego, California)

A few months ago, Tyler and I were out with Lora on the Marissa and she said to us “hey, have I ever told you about the wing section that somebody found?” Tyler and I looked at each oth…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

View attachment 697748

Good evening. I love the images and history you're putting out.

I'm going to take a guess at your wing and say its from an F-86. Here are my reasons.

1. The wing appears to be upside down and intact from tip to tip. The F-86 sat completely on top of the wing with no belly bulge from the fuselage hanging below the wing. Your wing looks smooth without a bulge.

2. There are interesting cut outs that are more visible in the green image that roughly correspond to the landing gear placement of the F-86. The gear on the 86 was attached mid wing and had flat plate that made it look seamless with the wing when the gear was retracted and the belly doors closed.

3. Many of these aircraft were converted into target drones, so you were right, it could be a drone.

4. Wing span...39'1", seems pretty close to 40'

If there was an aerial range near where this wing is it could be the result of a live fire training exersize. An intact wing can go a long way from other wreckage in a 30,000' fall.

The same thing could happen if the aircraft broke up at high speed or was involved in some sort of mid air collision.

It would be interesting if you could identify the plan and how that wing came to be there.

Good Luck. Please keep the posts coming.

 

[lowwall]

It could also be the F-100 Super Sabre. Some of these were turned into QF-100 aerial gunnery drones just like the QF-86..

The F-86 had a 35⁰ wing sweep, while the F-100 had a 45⁰ sweep. With your photogrammetry model you should easily be able to eliminate one or both.

F-100 (images from Wikimedia)

F-86

 

[Ghost95]

I'm leaning toward it not being an F100 just because there is no bulge of the fuselage below the wing. The bottom of the wing is the bottom of the fuselage on the 86 and the 100 the belly hangs down a bout a foot. I may be missing something though.

The only thing that gives me pause is that in the black and white picture,the right side wing tip looks like it continues aft and that would make it more of a delta type wing. But that may just be an illusion created by the editing.

 

[beldridg]

Good evening. I love the images and history you're putting out.

I'm going to take a guess at your wing and say its from an F-86. Here are my reasons.

1. The wing appears to be upside down and intact from tip to tip. The F-86 sat completely on top of the wing with no belly bulge from the fuselage hanging below the wing. Your wing looks smooth without a bulge.

2. There are interesting cut outs that are more visible in the green image that roughly correspond to the landing gear placement of the F-86. The gear on the 86 was attached mid wing and had flat plate that made it look seamless with the wing when the gear was retracted and the belly doors closed.

3. Many of these aircraft were converted into target drones, so you were right, it could be a drone.

4. Wing span...39'1", seems pretty close to 40'

If there was an aerial range near where this wing is it could be the result of a live fire training exersize. An intact wing can go a long way from other wreckage in a 30,000' fall.

The same thing could happen if the aircraft broke up at high speed or was involved in some sort of mid air collision.

It would be interesting if you could identify the plan and how that wing came to be there.

Good Luck. Please keep the posts coming.

Thanks so much for the feedback. If you haven’t done so already, maybe sign up to get updates when I publish a new post. I don’t always post to SB when I put something new out.

I think we have also looked at the F-86 as a possibility but I need to do some more research.

what are your thoughts about the “pipe” running down the trailing edge of one of the wings. Seems very odd.

Brett

 

[beldridg]

It could also be the F-100 Super Sabre. Some of these were turned into QF-100 aerial gunnery drones just like the QF-86..

The F-86 had a 35⁰ wing sweep, while the F-100 had a 45⁰ sweep. With your photogrammetry model you should easily be able to eliminate one or both.

F-100 (images from Wikimedia)

F-86

The interesting thing about the wing we found is that the wing slants back in towards the fuselage at the end and into the trailing edge. It is a little hard to see because of the damage near the tips and I think they are a bit buried in the sand.

Brett

 

[beldridg]

I'm leaning toward it not being an F100 just because there is no bulge of the fuselage below the wing. The bottom of the wing is the bottom of the fuselage on the 86 and the 100 the belly hangs down a bout a foot. I may be missing something though.

The only thing that gives me pause is that in the black and white picture,the right side wing tip looks like it continues aft and that would make it more of a delta type wing. But that may just be an illusion created by the editing.

It isn’t an illusion. It definitely has more of a delta style wing shape.

Brett

 

[RVBldr]

Looking at the tips, and potentially missing structure of the wing, I'll go with an F-4 wing based on width of fuselage area, if we assume the tips were broken off.

Note cut-away below, the pneumatic bleed air tube running forward of spar, as well as structure aft of the main wing box structure. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3b/7c/67/3b7c67d96c6ad83a9f0201b19648dc72.jpg

Finally a shot of an intact wing without tips.

 

[lowwall]

I don't think it's a from a delta wing fighter like the F-106. The wings were one large piece over much of the delta and were very steeply angled. This looks like the main section of a standard swept wing that originally had flaps and ailerons and other sections that got ripped off.

If you do google image search on plane names plus "cutaway", you'll be able to see all the sections and try to figure out something that fits what you have.

For example: https://airwingmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/F100-Cutaway.jpg

what are your thoughts about the “pipe” running down the trailing edge of one of the wings.

Do you mean the leading edge of the starboard side of the wing? The refueling probe was on that side, I don't know the path the pipe took into the tank. Or perhaps it got folded up against the main wing section in the crash.

I'd bring this to an aviation history site. There are folks who will know this at a glance. Maybe this one? MILITARY AIRCRAFT & AVIATION

 

[RVBldr]

Do you mean the leading edge of the starboard side of the wing? The refueling probe was on that side, I don't know the path the pipe took into the tank. Or perhaps it got folded up against the main wing section in the crash

If it's an F-4, it's engine bleed air for boundary layer control, not fuel lines.