P-59 in 1957

[jmkendall]

aberdeen p-59 about to be destroyed.As a Target at APG. From Life :[attachment=0]aberdeen p-59 about to be destroyed.jpg

[Chris Brame]

Baugher lists 17 P-59s as having been sent to Aberdeen, but says they were all scrapped by 1949:

44-22612
44-22617
44-22623
44-22629
44-22634
44-22635
44-22636
44-22637
44-22639
44-22640
44-22641
44-22642
44-22643
44-22644
44-22645
44-22648
44-22654

[jmkendall]

In the original series on life, you can see them shooting at it with an M60 Machine Gun, that was trialed in 1957, as well as an AR-15 which was designed in 1959. It was blown up with a recoilis rifle on an M-38. Other vehicles actually suggest that the picture was taken in the early 60s. 1957 is the earliest date possible, though I now think I was mistaken and it was likely 1964.

Additionally I have some other pics of B-17s being destroyed there in the 50s that have record cards saying they were scrapped in 1946-8. I'm beginning to think that the date "scrapped" was just the day it was dropped from inventory.