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Earhart Project Research Bulletin #18
11/28/99
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Update, 11/25/01
The
fire extinguisher was subsequently identified as a one and one-half
quart pump-type carbon tetrachloride unit manufactured by Fire-Gun,
a division of American LaFrance-Fomite Corporation of Elmira, New
York.
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Worth a Closer Look
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Among the many
artifacts collected during TIGHAR’s 1997 survey of the abandoned
village on Nikumaroro was the battered shell of a carbon tetrachloride
fire extinguisher. Although no longer used because of the toxic byproducts
produced, “carbon tet” extinguishers were perhaps the
most common type of fire extingusher throughout the 1930s and ’40s.
TIGHAR Artifact 2-4-V-100 (pictured right) has no surviving manufacturer’s
markings and its particular make and model are still being researched.
We do, however,
note the artifact’s apparent similarity to an object about to be
loaded aboard NR16020 at the beginning of Amelia Earhart’s second
world flight attempt. The photo reproduced below was taken by Dustin
Carter at Burbank Airport on May 20, 1937. The aircraft’s repairs,
following the accident which ended the first world flight attempt,
had been signed off as complete the day before and Amelia Earhart
and Fred Noonan are seen loading the aircraft for the start of the
second attempt to circle the globe.
Upon
inspection of these two photos, forensic imaging specialist Jeff
Glickman of Photoek, Inc. writes:
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PRELIMINARY OPINION
Thank you for sending
the preliminary images of artifact 2-4-V-100 and of F. Noonan and A. Earhart
loading their airplane. On cursory inspection there appears to be 4 canister-like
objects in the image may20dep.jpg. My preliminary opinion is that
the three left-most objects probably do not match 2-4-V-100. There is
however a possibility that 2-4-V-100 matches the right-most canister-like
object in may20dep.jpg (the canister-like object that is overexposed).
I would like to further investigate this possibility and would appreciate
your sending the original prints and/or negatives at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for assistance.
Best Regards,
Jeff Glickman
Board Certified Forensic Examiner
Fellow, American College of Forensic Examiners
Fortunately, TIGHAR
owns the original negative of the May 20 photo and, of course, we have
good photography of the artifact. We’ve now sent these to Jeff and we’ll
eagerly await his further opinion.
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