Millinocket, Maine and the Katahdin Region
Sea Fury TF 997 Photo Gallery

    The photos shown below were taken in 1979 on a hot, muggy summer day. Harry Jay, an airplane wreck investigator from Massachusetts, made contact with Frank Stratton of East Millinocket, Maine inquiring about a Canadian airplane that went down in the Katahdin Lake area in 1950. Stratton knew of the plane because he and his father Ted were in the area of the wreck when it was discovered by a man cruising timber. They came in contact with the forester who was very excited over his discovery. Stratton led a group of men into the crash site that included Harry Jay of Massachusetts, Jim Busque, Steve Lane, Danny Viollette, and Blaine McGlaughlin all of whom are from the Katahdin Area.

You may click on the image thumbnails below to view a larger size of each photo.


Left to Right: Steve Lane, Harry Jay,Frank Stratton and Jim Busque stand in the crater with the propeller the plane made when it nosed into the earth.

Steve Lane shown with the remaining blades of the propeller hub.

Frank Stratton and Harry Jay stand with one of the few complete propeller blades.

Jim Busque and Steve Lane hold 2 of the 4 20mm machine guns that were on the Sea Fury. The plane was not carrying any ammunition at the time of the crash.

This photo of the airplane wreckage shows the 2550 hp Bristol Centaurus 18 Bristal Centaurus radial engine of the Sea Fury.

View of TF 997's engine.

Steve Lane with a piece of the landing gear.

Steve Lane with one of the full length propeller blades. Notice one of the pistons (foreground) upside down with a broken connecting rod.

Lots of alumminum wreckage

The group finds a spot that contained some of Mervin Hares personal items. Found here included the zipper and buttons to his flight jacket, watch fob, his airforce decorations, his metal flight wings pin and some Canadian money ( change ).

This material was under about 6 inches of old leaves and pine needles. There were many pieces of wire buried under the forest duff as well. One could pull a piece and watch it come thru the ground for several feet away.

Back to the trucks and the end of the journey. Harry Jay insisted on bringing out this piece of propeller blade.

Back Row left to right: Jim Busque, Frank Stratton, unknown, Harry Jay and Blaine McGlaughlin.

Front Row left to right: Danny Violette and Steve Lane

   The trip to the airplane crash site took the group up thru the old Kellog Mountain Road just off the Sherman Lumber Road. This rough road was barely passable and was very much "grown in" with small trees. An old corduroy bridge across the West Branch of Mud Brook was barely crossable. Once the men reached the point of entry to the plane the 2 vehicles were parked. It was a 50 minute walk across several ridges. A young deer was jumped up from the spot it was laying as they searched for the wreckage site. Soon after the group came into various pieces of aluminum and wire which were strewed about from the wreckage.

   As we looked around the crash site including the tree tops which were broken off, we paused for  a moment in silence with respect to Lieutenant Hare. The men all stood in silence at the resting ground of 29 years for Sea Fury TF 997 and its pilot, Mervin Hare. Rest in peace Lieutenant............

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