I appologize for being hung up on the Electra. I guess my whole theory on Amelia & Fred being on Niku depends on how they got there. Logical thinking says they flew there in the Electra. My distorted way of thinking says lets find factual evidence of the plane to show that it was there. That proves that they flew it there. Whether they landed it at the Norwich City site, or along one of the shorelines to me is irrelevent if we cant show that it was there. How do we know that we have been to the moon? Evidence left behind that we have photographed. We surmise that AE & Fred were on Niku. We know that someone of European decent was there. Items found indicate that AE was there.
Maybe I have the wrong type if inquizitive mind about this. Anything is possible. A ditching in the ocean is possible. I suppose I could make the case that they were seen by some Polynesian natives in a canoe, picked up out of the ocean, and taken to the nearest land mass---Niku. If we can find the plane--or identifiable parts of it---then we show HOW they got to Niku---and that they were THERE. We can then figure out that the NC landing, or a shoreline landing, or any of several other alternatives occured. Ok---What happens if Ric & TIGHAR find an INTACT Electra, submerged off the reef near the 7 site, photograph it and find the landing gear is UP--not extended==like one would think of doing for a ditching? With out a landing, gear down, you would NOT be able to run the engine to recharge the battery for radio use, as has been theorised. Maybe Amelia just ran the battey down using the radio with out running the engine. So --where does that put the 'reported' radio messages--if you cant recharge the battery?
There are so many things about this mystery that intrique me. Logic says that certain things have to happen in order for a conclusion. We know they left Lae, outbound and on course for Howland.
Radio traffic during the night and early morning indicate the plane was airborne, and proceeding to Howland, but the only position report was the the 157/337 sunline report. We assume that means that they were course for Howland, but didnt make it. We theorise that they came across Niku, and landed there. That theory works if we believe the radio messages post disappearence, and they could use the radio.
Something else puzzles me---Betty writes that she heard AE's voice and something like 'Norwich City". I'm wonder why other radios in the pacific alot closer didnt hear anything. Canton Island, Naru, the Itasca, the Japaneese, anyone. Granted, they would have to know the frequency she was using----but with the flight being so well publicised, I would think that alot of people would have been listening for anything. We know the Coast Guard in San Francisco and Hawaii were, and I suspect some ships, and maybe even Pan Am were also.
Someone tell me I'm crazy!