Hi! I'm trying to clear up an argument about the first military jet
aircraft to land in Gander Newfoundland.

According to "official history", it would seem that the first jet was an RAF
Canberra in 1951 (I remember going to see it as a very young boy!) However
I have come across a photo of an F80 parked in front of a hanger which is
said to be in Gander in 1948. The photo certainly looks "Ganderish" but it
may be some other airport.

From the photo, I can see high on the tail what seems to be the large
numbers "25" (the 5 seems too "square" to be a 6.) Underneath this is some
lettering I can't read with another line giving the number "485470". On
the fuselage rear of the cockpit can be found the numbers "FT-470". I have
found from my searches is that there once existed an aircraft identified as
"44-85470 Lockheed P-80A-5-LO Shooting Star c/n 080-1493" which I take to
be the same machine.

There was a large USAF base (Ernest Harmon AFB) located in Stephenville Nfld
and there was an other in Goose Bay so it may have come from there. As well
Gander at that time was the main ferry point to Europe. However I seem to
have seen somewhere (but not sure) that a 25 Fighter Squadron was located in
Japan or Korea at the time (and again I don't know if the 25 on the tail is
a squadron designation or not.)

So if any of you experts could give me any idea if this particular fighter
could possibly have been in the Gander area in 1948 (or even the period
1947-51), I would sincerely appreciate it!

Thanks in advance and Happy new year. Robert Pelley
(A copy sent not only to the newsgroup but also to my own emaill adress
would be most appreciated.)