Google Earth is a wonderful thing for many reasons, not the least of which is the Google Earth Community - users who post all kinds of interesting info onto the maps for the general public's perusal.
My job has been taking me to various locations in the Skylands region of North Jersey, so I'll often take a quick look at the area in GE to see if there's anything noteworthy near my project sites. Sure enough, I found this posting from user RobbyR of various sites mentioned in Weird N.J. - particularly about what might be the remains of a World War II era Horsa Glider in the woods above Thompson's Auto Body on Rt. 46 between Oxford Furnace and Hackettstown.
I had searched for site a few times in the summer, finding Thompson's (even though RobbyR's location is a bit off, it's actually between mileposts 15 & 16) but not daring to actually park and look around. But a couple of weeks ago (during the same excursion when I captured the migration shots), I actually pulled up on the shoulder of Rt. 46 outside of Thompson's, and looked up the hill.
And there it was! The dense summer foliage probably hid it from view on my earlier trips, but now it's plain as day ("plane" as day? har har).
The numerous "No Tresspassing" signs would seem to indicate that this is the correct site. Whether or not this is actually the remains of a WWII military glider is debatable (it appears to be in awfully good condition for something allegedly 60+ years old), though the shape is seemingly appropriate.
I took these shots from the bed of the pickup truck I was driving, but I believe the frame would be visible from ground level on either side of the highway (so if you seek it out, leave the good folks at Thompson's - and their property - alone).
The location is at 40°51'52" N, 74°55'17" W.
2 comments:
It is not a British build (wooden)Horsa glider but an American Built Waco CG4 glider. After the war Farmers / locals bought the gliders very cheap for the crates they were packed in. They dumped the gliders in de woods going home. I would not be surprised if there are more remains of these gliders in the woods.
Jim is Correct. If those parts are any good, they could be valuable. Several museums have been trying to locate glider parts to complete the surviving CG4s. These aircraft are EXTREMELY rare. The parts for them if useable are almost invaluable.
In fact, in the case of one CG4 i was reading about, the museum really did go up to a farm house and ask for the plane. I think i have it in an Aviation History magazine.
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