That is an interesting find and I am a bit surprised at such light skins for the belly of a seaplane, even in the after hull.
Considering this and having looked at the Coronado example and considering the wreck of one of those in the region, I believe we should consider the Coronado carefully....
Agreed. Following that reasoning, the PBM wreck on Howland Island should also be carefully considered.
A large wing panel can be seen in the background of this photo
http://tighar.org/aw/mediawiki/images/c/c1/Plane_wreckage.jpg
Here's another surprise- WW2 wreckage found in 2006 in the Marshall Islands and alleged to be from a PB2Y Coronado. Take a look at those rivets surrounding the inspection plate- what do you think? Could they be 3/32" or 1/8"? AN455 or AN456??
http://pacaeropress.websitetoolbox.com/post/unidentified-wing-section-RoiNamur-6162613?trail
Interesting finds. Can't say for sure what the rivets are - I compared visually to some AN470s and they don't seem to have the characteristic 'flat' spot on top of the head of the universal, but I really can't be certain.
Also can't be certain of scale off-hand, but that appears to be a 5" diameter inspection plate. If so, we could be looking at a mix of #3 and #4 rivets, maybe some #5's.
Following that reasoning, the PBM wreck on Howland Island should also be carefully considered.
A large wing panel can be seen in the background of this photo
That's a wingtip float, not part of the wing.
Here's another surprise- WW2 wreckage found in 2006 in the Marshall Islands and alleged to be from a PB2Y Coronado. Take a look at those rivets surrounding the inspection plate- what do you think? Could they be 3/32" or 1/8"? AN455 or AN456??
No way to tell scale, but I don;lt think those are braziers or modified braziers.
FWIW, I'm aware of no traffic either during or after the war between Howland or the Marshals and the settlement on Nikumaroro.
Rick,
Look in the background (way out, near shore) beyond the tip float - looks like a wing hulk. Also a scattered field of debris that I first took to be building ruins - but looking closer I see fuselage frames and what may be corrugated bracing metal (not sure if this bird had that, like a C-47, etc. - but it was common) - also other metal that could relate to a hull. It is badly torn.
What was the story on this loss at Howland? Was there a fire involved?
I don't know the 'traffic pattern' for how stuff might or might not have migrated and respect if we have no knowledge of it, but it isn't terribly far away in the sense of the regional reach. Of course I realize that Howland would have been far from an afternoon outing in the family dugout...
That said, seems like the PBM ought to be considered among the possible donors.
No matter what we find - I remain convinced that we're looking at a unique piece in 2-2-V-1 regardless of what accident of circumstances produced it: that is not production quality stuff, it is clearly a repair with some degree of overcoming bad / elongated holes and misplaced / bent or straightened stiffeners - likely with some degree of laid-in sistering behind the original flanges.
In short, 2-2-V-1 is clearly a repair and / or alteration piece of material - so whatever ship contributed it ought to either bear or have some record of such work. We happen to know that Earhart's Electra did have that.