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Author Topic: New TIGHAR Tracks  (Read 73704 times)

Ric Gillespie

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New TIGHAR Tracks
« on: February 28, 2013, 09:57:15 AM »

A new 64-page issue of our journal TIGHAR Tracks is being mailed to TIGHAR members.  The articles will eventually go up on the TIGHAR website but it's only fair that dues-paying TIGHAR members be the first to see them.  If you're not already a TIGHAR member there's still time to join and receive your copy right away.  Here's an overview of the articles and a couple of pages from the journal.

Niku VII
Excerpts from Expedition Leader Ric Gillespie’s personal journal, sonar maps of a never-before-seen underwater realm, and photographer Laurie Rubin’s stunning pictures provide a blow-by-blow account of an historic - and frustrating - expedition.


Lessons From A Buffalo
When you’re looking for something, it’s good to know what to look for.  What does airplane wreckage look like after seventy-plus years in a high-energy coral reef environment? The recent discovery of a Brewster F2A “Buffalo” at Midway Atoll provides some answers.


The Object Formerly Known As Nessie
The Bevington Object is an incredibly small speck in an impossibly obscure photograph that appears to show wreckage from the Earhart aircraft on the reef at Gardner Island in 1937. Is there other evidence that supports the idea that an object in that place at that time might be wreckage from the Electra? What can experts see in such a tiny picture that allows them to identify it so specifically?  Do we have to take their opinion on faith or can we see it for ourselves?

 
Part Number 41065
One of the elements that appears to be identifiable in the Bevington Object is part of the retraction mechanism listed in the Lockheed Model 10 Parts Catalog as “Part Number 41065 – Gear, worm.” If our identification of the part is correct, its presence in the photo guarantees that the wreckage on the reef in the 1937 photo is specifically from the Earhart aircraft.


The Dogs That Didn't Bark
Just as important as the numerous pieces of archival, photographic and artifact evidence that point to the Earhart/Noonan flight having ended at Gardner Island are the people and events that might have discovered the fate of the lost flyers – but didn’t.  These are the dogs that didn’t bark and they provide us with as many clues about what happened as the dogs that did.


Time and Tide
The available evidence suggests that Amelia Earhart landed her Lockheed Electra on a particular section of the reef at Gardner Island (now Nikumaroro) and sent radio distress calls or several days before the aircraft was lost to rising tides and surf – but was that possible?  TIGHAR Researcher Bob Brandenburg’s technical paper explains how we calculated the water levels on that part of the reef at particular times more than three-quarters of a century ago, and how we discovered the remarkable way in which those water levels correlate with the credible post-loss radio signals.

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Ted G Campbell

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2013, 09:23:26 PM »

To: Ric

Just received the latest “TIGHAR Tracks”.  Great job!

I’ve been looking at the article regarding “Nessie”.  If you accept Jeff’s interpretation of the object you will note the gear is pointing in the opposite direction of the landing suggested by the TIGHAR hypothesis. i.e. look which way the “worm” gear is pointing.

How does one explain this?  Kind'a easy and a subject for someone to put into an animation.

Look down on the aircraft and assume the landing direction is consistent with TIGHAR’s assumption:

1)   the right gear is toward the shore line and is free to rotate counter clockwise
a)   the right engine must be able to power up to drive the generator for radio power i.e. in shallow tidal waters
b)   where are the tidal forces most powerful – on the tail of the aircraft toward the shoreline- counter clockwise?  And if you don’t lock the brakes up more torque applied to the left strut
c)   the aircraft tends to rotate counter clockwise around the left gear
d)   the only resistance by the left gear is the centering cam within the strut – there is no drag link to give additional resistance.  The centering cam provides a high stress point within the oleo strut assembly i.e. a single point of rotational resistance
e)   the oleo strut fractures at the centering cam, and inertia spins the tire and lower strut counter clockwise brining the fender toward the sea view from Bevington’s camera

2)   once the lower strut fractures the aircraft is free to turn 180 degrees from the landing direction
a)   tidal forces continue to force the gear to fracture at the upper gear attach points
b)   aircraft is now free from major resistance and slides off the tidal flat
c)   upper strut with worm gear and lower strut with tire and fender are stuck in shore grove i.e. worm gear and remaining strut cylinder appears to be below water level
d)   brakelines keep the gear parts together

And Bevington snaps his picture!
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Matt Revington

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2013, 08:26:23 AM »

This may be a naive question but what is the best guess for what the Bevington object is attached to under the water line.  Would it still need to be attached to part of the wing/engine in order to stand upside down like that or could the strut be stuck in some groove or crack in the reef surface?  Are there large heavy parts attached to the landing gear not visible in standard photos of the outside of the Electra that would cause it to adopt this orientation without  requiring a big piece of intact wing?  Its just that ( to me) the bigger the aircraft fragment the more likely it would have been spotted.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2013, 08:45:12 AM »

This may be a naive question but what is the best guess for what the Bevington object is attached to under the water line.  Would it still need to be attached to part of the wing/engine in order to stand upside down like that or could the strut be stuck in some groove or crack in the reef surface?  Are there large heavy parts attached to the landing gear not visible in standard photos of the outside of the Electra that would cause it to adopt this orientation without  requiring a big piece of intact wing?  Its just that ( to me) the bigger the aircraft fragment the more likely it would have been spotted.

If the Bevington Object is what it appears to be it is not "standing upside down."  It is the wreckage of one of the main gear assemblies that has come apart in the same way the right main gear did in the Luke Field accident.  It is not attached to any other part of the airplane.   It may be stuck in a groove in the reef but there is almost no structure hidden under the water line.  You really need to see the article in TIGHAR Tracks.
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Greg Daspit

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2013, 10:44:03 AM »

Matt, this PDF sketch is my understanding of how the top part could be resting.
I think the top part would have at least 3 spread out bearing points, plus possible support from any of the other tangled parts. Similar to the Luke Field accident.

Great issue of TIGHAR TRACKS.
Especially the adventure before the adventure, and all of the tables, figures and illustrations.

edit: I don't know how the cross bar is really attached.The sketch is to illustrate bearing points
3971R
 
« Last Edit: March 06, 2013, 08:56:07 AM by G. Daspit »
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2013, 11:23:43 AM »

Matt, this PDF sketch is my understanding of how the top part could be resting.

That's pretty good Greg.  Thanks.
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Matt Revington

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2013, 01:16:18 PM »

Thanks Greg and Ric, that clears up a lot for me and makes more sense than what I previously thought.

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Gary LaPook

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2013, 09:23:45 PM »

I paid dues this year, where is my copy of TIGHAR Tracks?

gl
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Bruce Thomas

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2013, 07:39:56 AM »

I paid dues this year, where is my copy of TIGHAR Tracks?

gl

Gary, yours is probably on the same USPS semi mine is on, rolling down the interstate highway thru the mushy snows. They will land in our mailboxes when the time is right. After all, the first report on the Forum of the receipt of one was only 34 hours ago! Let's hope they get delivered before Saturday deliveries are curtailed (in August!).  :D 
LTM,

Bruce
TIGHAR #3123R
 
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2013, 07:57:42 AM »

I paid dues this year, where is my copy of TIGHAR Tracks?

Yes, you are a dues-paying member of TIGHAR and, of course, you will get your TIGHAR Tracks.  Last year, membership in TIGHAR doubled so we're dealing with unprecedented volume and just to make life interesting, we had a hitch in the mailing that has delayed our ability to get them all out the door.  Last Friday, after the first batch went out, we discovered that we needed a new ink cartridge for the postage machine.  We paid an exorbitant $103 for overnight shipping of a new cartridge but no cartridge arrived.  After much back and forthing with the vendor it turned out that UPS had somehow lost the package. Yesterday they sent another cartridge via FedEx which should arrive today and we'll be able to resume mailing. What do you want to bet the lost UPS shipment will arrive at the same time?  Anyway,  I hope you find the new TIGHAR Tracks worth the wait.  So far, reviews have been glowing - "a tour de force, "best issue ever," and so forth.  I suspect your review will add some balance.
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Alfred Hendrickson

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2013, 09:18:41 AM »

Received mine yesterday. Started reading it last night. It is an amazing piece of work. Nice going! It has motiviated my enthusiasm for this project. I will be helping to support the next expedition.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2013, 09:43:45 AM »

Received mine yesterday. Started reading it last night. It is an amazing piece of work. Nice going! It has motiviated my enthusiasm for this project. I will be helping to support the next expedition.

That's what we like to hear!  Thanks Alfred.
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Monty Fowler

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2013, 09:55:48 AM »

I paid dues this year, where is my copy of TIGHAR Tracks?

gl

Mr. LaPook, I'm glad we've finally brought you in to the fold! So to speak, that is.  ;D

I was one of the fortunate ones who already has the issue in hand. Damn you Ric for keeping me up wayyyyyy past my bedtime! But on a serious note, there is some solid stuff in here. Stuff that I'm sure the naysayers will have at. Let'em, I say. TIGHAR will be the Last Man Standing.

LTM, whose check is in the mail, with a little extra for beer or whatever,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 CER
Ex-TIGHAR member No. 2189 E C R SP, 1998-2016
 
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Chris Johnson

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2013, 12:39:34 PM »

Well its fingers crossed and hoping that international mail and the much maligned Royal Mail deliver safely to my door this edition of TIGHAR Tracks.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: New TIGHAR Tracks
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2013, 12:44:09 PM »

Well its fingers crossed and hoping that international mail and the much maligned Royal Mail deliver safely to my door this edition of TIGHAR Tracks.

All of the international copies of TIGHAR Tracks are going out via FedEx.
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