So, Marty, you’ll have to add the figment I posted to your collection of same.
re. The Walrus crew. You, RG are a pilot. So am I. We both know that what you can see on the ground, and remember, when you’re PIC is really limited. The observer/nav/copilot is in a better position (assuming he’s paying attention over the correct side. The Walrus seated two crew side by side – not tandem.) The probability that the Walrus crew could miss a fuselage and wings of an Electra that had been pounded by surf for 18 months, and was mainly submerged and might have been obscured with sand, growth, etc – from my standpoint – is pretty high. And the photo suggests they were at least 1000ft AGL. So my assignment of probability of their missing it is relatively high.
The probability that the NZ Survey Team could miss such an artifact is a much more serious question. If they were camped in sight of the area and could observe it at all tide stages, then I’d say that it’s a small probability that they would have missed a plane wreck halfway across the reef, even if it was flattened by surf. So, that’s why I posted. And, there’s one more reason why I posted.
In this photo, there are three (3) possible Electra artifacts.
First, Heath Smith pointed out the “interesting” image, and I suggested it had some characteristics of an empennage. To help in the visualization, after looking at Heaths pic, reef pic (1) copy.jpg, appended, see the wreck pic. of CF-HTV appended. Think about it with the elevator torn off.
Second, I pointed out the “planform” in my 29 Jan 2013 post, above.
Third, there is another artifact in the planform photo -- three parallel lines in a SE-NW direction that terminate in the planform, roughly where the landing gear would have been. Keep in mind that nature may occasionally generate two parallel lines, but seldom does she do three parallel lines. Also keep in mind prevailing wave directions. It’s a puzzle. I’m interested to discover whether I’m the only one who saw this puzzle. And, this may, indeed, be an artifact of digitizing. So:
I’d like to ask Ric if he could arrange for a copy of the 1 Dec 1938 print negative to be made using hi-res. film -- preferably 6cm medium format -- and send it to me. Maybe that will keep me out of mischief for a while. I have some experience interpreting film. No rush. Whenever.
BTW, in previous expeditions, did anyone go over this reef section with a metal detector that works underwater and is designed to detect aluminum, (See Ebinger GmbH Metallsuchgeräten at:
www.ebingergmbh.com) or even just an old fashioned one that prefers iron, nickel etc?
Appreciate your tolerance of my figments. Thanks
Mike