Introduction
First, no, we didn’t dive this wreck — it is just a bit too deep 🙂
The Orca Maritime team found this Skyradier wreck while searching for the XP5Y for the Expedition Unknown Series 12 Episode 8 TV show we filmed a couple years ago. It is briefly shown & discussed during the episode.
We did a lot of research and could not find out how this aircraft ended up where it is. I had a few cycles, thought it was an interesting mystery, and decided to publish the information to see if anybody else can figure how this wreck got there.
The Wreck
Orca Maritime found this wreck using an AUV and then put a ROV on the target so we have underwater video footage to help identify it. It is covered in white metridiums; however, the area around the tail section is clear enough to make out the bureau number. Below are a number of clues and information that provide clear, positive identification of the wreck but the mystery is how it got there.
Bureau Number 142042
It is very clear that the Bureau Number for this aircraft is 142042. We have screenshots of both the tail and the area under the starboard horizontal stabilizer.
Modex Number 872
The modex number is used for quick visual identification of an aircraft and is used by the Navy and identifies the squadron’s mission and a specific aircraft within a squadron. It is located on the cowling of the engine and on this aircraft and we are relatively confident that it is 872.
Other Markings
There is definitely the Navy insignia on the side and part of the tail logo is visible.
This is some of the tail logo:
Tail Code
We are pretty sure that the Tail Code for the aircraft is “42” which makes a very strange coincidence of “42” for both the tail code and part of the Bureau Number. That Tail Code also doesn’t really match a common designator. USAF tail codes reference the base the plane belongs to and are typically two letters and not a number-letter.
The Mystery
The wreck is obviously Bureau Number 142042 but the real question is: how did it get there?
Number 142042 is near the end of the manufacturing cycle of the Skyraider and is the last variant produced (AD-7 / A-1J) of which there were only 72 planes built (BuNo 142010-142081). The AD-7 variant began production in 1953 and the last unit left the production line on February 18, 1957.
According to a list of a Skyraiders produced, BuNo 142042 was transferred to the Air Force and had a faux serial number of 52-142042.
One source has this happening in 1968 but we are not 100% confident in that date.
The “USAF 1st SOW” in the above citation refers to the Special Operations Wing and 4407th CCTS was under the 1st SOW and was not a combat squadron but was responsible for training almost every USAF pilot that flew the Skyraider. They were located at Hulbert Field near Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
This brings up an interesting question: If it was transferred to the Air Force, why does it still have Navy markings? I did find a reference that indicated that some Air Force converted units still had the Navy Star but if you look at an example, it still says “U.S. Air Force” above the Bureau Number on the tail and that is NOT present in the wreck. It also clearly indicates “Navy” on the fuselage. Here is an example photo of a plane that was converted:
We have done a lot of research and cannot find any accident reports for this aircraft from either the Navy or the Air Force. The Joe Baugher list (which, sadly, is no longer on his website after he passed away but exists elsewhere) of serial numbers is missing 142042:
There is another mystery which is the Modex Number of 872.
First, the leading digit of “8” is not “normal.” In a carrier air wing, the first digit corresponds to the squadron the airplane is assigned to within the air wing. These typically are numbers “1” through “7” and stop there. According to one article, the use of “8” and “9” as starting digits is generally avoided (there was a technical limitation around IFF systems).
According to the Google AI overview (search: us navy 800 series modex) results in “The 800 series MODEX is used for squadrons specializing in certain aviation ratings, such as Aviation Machinist’s Mate.” I’m not sure how accurate that is. Seems very odd to me.
I have found pictures and other basic information on a Modex in the format of 8xx but have yet to find anything conclusive specifically about Modex 872. Below is an example of a plane with Modex 877.
Finally, we get to the logo on the tail. This is mostly obscured by the metridiums, but it looks to us like part of a clover or possibly a spade. This would help us identify which squadron the plane was with when it crashed. We know that the VA-25 squadron on the west coast had some Modex numbers of 8xx and we also know that their tai logo at one point was a clover.
We have also searched through all the available Skyraider accident reports and cannot find one available for this serial number. We have also searched multiple sources for Skyraider accidents in California and have found a few but have ruled them out due to date of crash, etc.
Tyler pointed out that there are so many different, unusual markings on the same plane (US Navy marking on a USAF plane, Modex of 8xx, tail code of 42, etc).
So, the mystery remains.
We are 100% sure this BuNo 142042 and 100% sure it is located off Point Loma, California but we have no idea how it got here or how it crashed. The last known location was in Florida on the East Coast.
If anybody has additional information, please reach out to us.
References
Brett, I sent a message to Alex Holdings of Air Power. I think this would be an excellent article to cross with his audience. He reports on aircraft and with his military background maybe it would help to cast a wider net.