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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Douglas O-38/A-6/BT-2
    Latest Model:O-38F
    Last Military Serial:33-0324 USAAC
    Construction Number:1177
    Compressed ID:Douglas O-38F sn 33-0324 USAAC cn 1...
    Latest Owner or Location:National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio

    EDIT THE HISTORY HERE    		 If you can add to the history or would like to submit a correction please use the editor to do so.

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as an O-38F.

    Circa 1933

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Corps with s/n 33-0324.

    October 1940

    Transferred to Ladd Field, AK.
    One of the first military aircraft assigned to Alaska.

    October 1940

    The first airplane to land at Ladd Field near Fairbanks, Alaska. This aircraft flew various missions.

    16 June 1941

    Crashed.
    Crashed on June 16, 1941, due to engine failure about 70 miles southeast of Fairbanks, at Salcha River. Uninjured, the pilot, Lt. Milton H. Ashkins, and his mechanic, Sgt. R.A. Roberts, hiked to safety after supplies were dropped to them. The abandoned aircraft remained in the Alaskan wilderness.

    1941

    Written off.

    June 1968

    Recovered.
    Recovery by helicopter.

    1968

    To United States Air Force Museum, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier

    From 1968 to 1974

    Restored.
    Despite being exposed to the Alaskan weather for 27 years, the aircraft remained in remarkable condition. Only the wings required extensive restoration.

    3 September 1971

    To National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
    View the Location Dossier

    13 June 1977


    Photographer: Peter Nicholson
    Notes: Douglas O-38F as seen on display in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in the Summer of 1977.

    12 September 2002


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    4 December 2006


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    19 April 2013


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Internet Sources
     Airbus, Boeing, Convair and Douglas Production List
    National Museum of the United States Air Force
    Individual Contributors
     Glenn Chatfield
    Mike Henniger
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