Many of you know I search for WWII aircraft wrecks and gunnery/bombing ranges in Nebraska since this was a huge training area. With the help of a retired rancher, I was able to pinpoint the location of a gunnery range deep in the sandhills region. There used to be a wooden airplane supported on posts that was used as a ground target, but prairie fires over the years have taken it down. We were able to find .50 brass casings, clips, and bullets at this site. I collect .50 caliber casings by headstamp markings and we found five different ones at this site. Two were ones I didn't yet have, so a good day.
Here is my headstamp website: http://www.nebraskaaircrash.com/50caliber.html
Jenny and the rancher examining a short string of .50 caliber casings he had found many years ago.
The remains of the wooden airplane ground target.
Stub from a burned off post that once supported the target.
Jenny searching with one of the metal detectors.
Digging for one of the relics.
Success after digging a few inches below the surface.
A nice .50 caliber brass casing from WWII.
This one was easily found and only partially covered.
Jerry
When I was growing up there was an Airforce Base (SAC) across the river from our farm. I used to paddle across and poke through their trash dump for odds and ends. I found some old 50 caliber casings but my favorite find was a barrel from a 50 caliber machine gun. The last 6-8 inches of the barrel was either chrome or nickel plated. Those things would make GREAT survey monuments. Heavy, definitely picked up by metal detectors and chrome plated.
Andy
Nice finds.
Tell Jenny she is too good looking to be hanging around with you.B-)
