ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 280327
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| Date: | Sunday 18 March 1945 |
| Time: | c. 14:45 LT |
| Type: | Grumman XF8F-1 Bearcat |
| Owner/operator: | NATC, US Navy |
| Registration: | 90460 |
| MSN: | D-01 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Aircraft missing |
| Location: | Chesapeake Bay, Mid-Atlantic Region, USA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, USA |
| NAS Patuxent River |
Bearcat XF8F-1 Buno.90460 was the first of two prototypes of the Grumman company's newest fighter design.
At 14:15 on the 18th of March, 1945, the fighter took off from the Naval Air Test Centre at NAS Patuxent River to carry out gun testing in an area of Chesapeake Bay designated for gunnery use. The purpose of this flight was to test the functioning of the guns, including the retention of bore sighting, and the effectiveness of new gun mounting brackets fitted to one of the guns.
The pilot was an experienced naval aviator who had flown F6F Hellcats from the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill in combat in the South Pacific. He had been awarded the Air Medal.
During the 30 minutes after departure the aircraft was observed by Navy personnel on shore to make three gunnery runs before appearing to fly out of sight in a southerly direction. The fighter was not seen again.
At 15:45 when the Bearcat had not returned an air search began, and at 16:35 a large oil slick and items of debris were seen. When a crash boat was sent out these items were found to include a flying glove marked with the missing pilot's name.
On the following day an attempt was made to locate the aircraft using grappling equipment but all that could be found and brought to the surface was a section of the engine mount.
In 2010 an archeologist/scuba diver found an aircraft wreck with features that suggested an F8F Bearcat. The wreck was minus its engine ( later discovered to be about 60 feet away ), and the sliding bubble canopy. The windshield was found to be intact and the rest of the airframe largely in one piece and upright, but substantially damaged.
In 2021 the Naval History and Heritage Command and the Naval Oceanographic Office carried out a search using side scan sonar and other equipment enabling the wreckage to be identified as that of Buno.90460.
No trace of the pilot has been found.
Lt(jg) David L. Mandt USNR missing.
R.I.P.
Sources:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201738904/david-l-mandt
https://usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/Recent/Article/2824361/bearcat-in-the-chesapeake-navys-underwater-investigatio
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Jul-2022 00:45 | angels one five | Added |
| 13-Jul-2022 01:39 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Jul-2022 02:41 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative] |
| 15-Jul-2022 02:57 | angels one five | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 07-Aug-2022 04:08 | angels one five | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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