Hello,
I have been reading through the forums for quite some time. I do have a couple of questions and comments. Please forgive me if these have been previously addressed. I have attempted to use the forum's search feature; however, the great amount of information here may have caused me to miss any of this.
1.) In many of the post-patch photos of Earhart's Model 10 Electra, I have noticed an anomaly on the patch that appears as a shaded line following a left-to-right upward slope. It is sometimes difficult to see, but it is undoubtedly present in quite a few photos taken from multiple angles. Given the resolution and black and white nature of the images, I suppose that it would be difficult to determine whether this is a physical bend in the metal patch itself or some sort of reflection. However, the fact that the slope appears in multiple images from multiple angles (indoor and outdoor), it causes me to conclude that this was a physical indention in the patch itself. It is also found in an image of the patch found on the island.
Consider the following images. The image on the left are originals and the images on the right are inverted with "curves" adjusted to pick up the slope:
Has anyone looked into the slope on the patch and what causes it?
2.) When I was an undergraduate engineering student, I interned for NASA at NASA Langley Research Center. While there, I was able to see some of the amazing technology used by NASA for use with the wind tunnel models at Langley. During a visit to the "model shop" at Langley, I noticed their use of 3D printers for wind tunnel tests. Those 3D printers were used by NASA several years before they became well-known in the outside world. Items can be printed in different types of materials depending on the use.
Has TIGHAR considered recreating the patch via a 3D printer? I imagine that there could be some viable uses for the printed patch. For one, it could prevent further damage to the patch. A 3D printed copy can also allow a printed "patch" -- created with the exact dimensions -- to be placed next to a Model 10 Electra (which would prevent it from scratching the plane).
*EDIT - In order to better see the upward slope on the patch, I am adding links to larger versions of each image above:
Image 1:
http://i62.tinypic.com/2cr61l5.jpgImage 2:
http://i58.tinypic.com/x6nbtc.jpgImage 3:
http://i60.tinypic.com/15rnjue.jpgImage 4:
http://i62.tinypic.com/2days6c.jpg