TIGHAR
Amelia Earhart Search Forum => Artifact Analysis => Topic started by: Joe Cerniglia on January 04, 2015, 07:42:51 AM
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Hi All,
I've been looking into some of the less well known artifacts from the Seven Site. One of them that's intrigued me and some others on EPAC is a tiny blue foil. I've puzzled over it for a while. Lately, I've been thinking it might be part of a distress flare or some piece of a firework.
Attached is a summary of research on the piece. It would be most helpful for persons with any experience in fireworks or military ordnance to review. All are welcome to comment for additional research or skeptical inquiry, if so inclined.
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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Joe,
That's a very nice report; looks like all the bases are covered.
I wonder if AE was using it (them) as fire-starters? If so, there are probably others scattered around the various fire features at the Seven Site. Something to look for on the next visit.
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Well, I certainly agree with the research note! In fact, even if the flare Mrs. Gill has bears no resemblance to this artifact, it would be worth fully photographing, measuring, and otherwise documenting her flare in case it becomes relevant to future research. (We have seen so many instances where TIGHAR wishes it knew the particulars of this or that item that was linked to the flight, but the information has since been lost ...)
Has any outreach been done with her to pursue this?
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I agree, Jennifer.
Ric does too and has let me know he is on it.
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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Great research with the flare artifacts Joe.
Whilst the flare might have been used attempting to attract attention, start a fire, illumination, anti-crab defense, gone off accidentally, is it possible, rather sadly, when life was almost gone might it have been a final deed?
When Joe mentioned the foil artifact was difficult to flatten, it gave thought to ‘why‘. It seems to be a fragment that one might expect to be internally burnt & blacked, yes; but why so badly distorted and seemingly violently ruptured, particularly if it was from a (blue) hand-held type? Who would want to ignite a flare expecting it to disintegrate or explode? Might this artifact be so distorted due to unsuitable deployment? Possibly ignited in a confined space (a box), perhaps if it became wet within? Or held against something (a crab, flesh), though not oxygen excluding, possibly causing excessive temperature and particularly high internal structure-destroying pressure, aka, catastrophic failure?
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Well covered Joe,
One thing, I may have missed this, so, if it has been covered,... ignore. Was the bluish material found on the circular object analyzed?
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Great questions, Roger.
Whilst the flare might have been used attempting to attract attention, start a fire, illumination, anti-crab defense, gone off accidentally, is it possible, rather sadly, when life was almost gone might it have been a final deed?
If the Seven Site actually is what it appears to be, the last campsite of a castaway, then I would think that at least some of the artifacts, including the foil, by definition could be evidence of final deeds, yes. This is part of what makes them, in my opinion, so interesting to study.
When Joe mentioned the foil artifact was difficult to flatten, it gave thought to ‘why‘. It seems to be a fragment that one might expect to be internally burnt & blacked, yes; but why so badly distorted and seemingly violently ruptured, particularly if it was from a (blue) hand-held type? Who would want to ignite a flare expecting it to disintegrate or explode?
Well, it's not known whether the foil was a flare or torch, but we do know beyond dispute it was highly flammable. I can speculate (and do sometimes, against my better judgment). Perhaps when hope of rescue had dimmed with the passing of days or weeks, any flammable item was used for keeping fires burning or starting them. A hand torch, once burned out, could prove highly useful in this regard since some of the fuel within the cylinder might remain. The green bottle we believe to be St. Joseph Liniment (http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Research/ResearchPapers/freckleintime/Document_20_Artifact2-8-S-27.pdf) would have similar utility for starting fires (check out the ingredients on the last page of the link), as would, perhaps, the inverting eyepiece that may have been found with the bones (http://tighar.org/wiki/Inverting_eye_piece_found_on_Nikumaroro).
Might this artifact be so distorted due to unsuitable deployment? Possibly ignited in a confined space (a box), perhaps if it became wet within? Or held against something (a crab, flesh), though not oxygen excluding, possibly causing excessive temperature and particularly high internal structure-destroying pressure, aka, catastrophic failure?
All it takes is exposure to fire. Watching this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-Jk7lJSDSA) of someone using a hand torch, I can imagine foil fragments burning a bit and shaking loose, especially if they were partly but not fully separated from the torch before lighting. There are a lot of possibilities. And again, we don't know it's from a torch.
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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Well covered Joe,
One thing, I may have missed this, so, if it has been covered,... ignore. Was the bluish material found on the circular object analyzed?
Jerry,
Glad you liked the research.
As far as I know from the communications I received, the bluish material has not been characterized by a lab.
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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Ric has contacted the Gills, who graciously agreed to photograph the flare that Mr. Albasi stated was given to him by Amelia Earhart in Miami on the second world flight attempt in 1937.
I've attached 2 of these photos.
Thank you, Mrs. Gill, and thank you, Ric.
This flare appears to be a standard 1-inch flare cartridge for a flare pistol. As such, the diameter of the piece is too wide to match up with the small circular artifact with the bluish paste in the center, as shown on p. 1 of the paper. There is no blue foil on the cartridge, either.
The hypothesis that the foil was part of a hand torch remains a credible possibility, albeit an unproven one, as does the possibility the artifacts might represent flare devices of a smaller bore, probably of the non-pistol type. But we don't know if hand torches were carried aboard the world flight.
One interesting detail of note is that the Gills' flare is marked "Made in England." Why would Earhart take the trouble of importing flares from England when they were widely available in the United States? Puzzling.
It would be difficult not at least to remark on the fact that the Gill flare has a bluish aquamarine dot in the center of the sealing cap. The diameter is wrong for matching up with the artifact with the blue paste in the center, but the fact remains that the specific aquamarine color and position of the color do line up between the artifact and the Gill flare, rather well. Could flares of different sizes have been carried? Could the outer edges of whatever the artifact used to be have rotted away, thus reducing its original diameter?
It's been credibly suggested also that the circular object with the blue center is the remnant of a dry cell battery.
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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Joe,
Is the measuring device in the photos in mm or inches?
Looking at the sample flare and the artifact, I can't miss the definite similarity to a shotgun shell.
Depending on the artifact size, and how it is speculated that the seven site has had a variety of visitors with different uses over the years, is there any record of a shotgun(s) having been on the island, either from the colonists, the officials from P.I.S.S., or the Coast Guard?
Just looking for any thread we have overlooked/ thinking outside of the box.
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Is the measuring device in the photos in mm or inches?
Hi Jeff,
The units in the photos are in millimeters.
Depending on the artifact size, and how it is speculated that the seven site has had a variety of visitors with different uses over the years, is there any record of a shotgun(s) having been on the island, either from the colonists, the officials from P.I.S.S., or the Coast Guard?
Gallagher's inventory (http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Gallagereffects2.html) of personal items lists a .22 Colt automatic.
There were shell casings retrieved from the Seven Site as I recall, but I'll need to go back and inventory the specific kinds. There is also the turtle plastron (http://ameliaearhartarchaeology.blogspot.com/2014/09/some-other-seven-site-bones-by-joe.html) with what seems to be a .22 caliber bullet hole in the center.
On a personal note, I had the chance last summer at the TIGHAR Open House to speak with Dick Evans, who served on Nikumaroro in Coast Guard LORAN Unit 92 during World War II. He said the only shooting he remembers doing was firing a pistol straight up into the air out of boredom near the base. Of course, he wasn't speaking for his whole unit.
There is noise from firearm activity at the Seven Site. My experience with excavated shell casings is decidedly limited. But is it likely that the feature of the circular remnant (bluish paste in the center) resembles a shell casing?
Joe Cerniglia
TIGHAR #3078ER
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The bluish coloring in the photos look to me like corrosion from brass or Copper. The blue dot (also corroded or oxidized) on the flare looks to be the primer that the flare pistol would strike when the flare is fired.
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I don't think we,ve ever found a shotgun shell. Several calibers of bullet casings including .22, .30, .303, and.45, but no shotgun shells. There may have been one at the Loran station.
We need to check with Ric and Tom King
The hole in the turtle plastron could also be a spear hole
Andrew
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The bluish coloring in the photos look to me like corrosion from brass or Copper. The blue dot (also corroded or oxidized) on the flare looks to be the primer that the flare pistol would strike when the flare is fired.
These were my thoughts too- looks a lot like the brass end of one of the flare cases, with the softer parts worn/eaten away. My eye caught that the center looked like a struck primer of the shell.
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Here is a YouTube video of someone lighting an old vintage wood-handle blue flare from the 20's or 30's. This flare is of a type similar to the "MK 1 Navy Light" drawing shown in the "Possible Flare.pdf" Joe Cerniglia attached to the first post of this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOJnHm4TmcE
In the video you can see clearly see the flare labeling and it appears to be similar to the "Blue Foil" artifact. The "round bluish object" shown in the L2.03.06-07-2010 photos might be the renmants of the burnt ignition end of the flare.
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Interesting video. Note the labeling on the outside was unburnt and readable after the burn, and the container did not melt to pieces. However who would explore an old unknown potentially unstable, possibly explosive item in a confined space . . . and even look down the 'end-of-the-barrel' (what!). Very thoughtfully he kept his legs wide apart so if it had gone off he could have instantly dropped it to get it away for his face and it would have been hotly contained between his legs! . . . and he kept the engine running for a quick getaway. Don't some folk never learn!
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I have no experience with flares or pyrotechnics so I thought it would be interesting to come at this from a very non-technical direction. I did read the report at the beginning of the thread and thought it was quite well done. However, I wonder if it might benefit us to start again with the 'see what is there, not what you expect to see' angle and do some more brainstorming on what the letters/words in yellow might read, as well as what these artifacts might be. Forgive me if it seems silly; can't hurt, though!
Could the fragment with letters be a portion of a sign/box taken from a ship/plane for use in holding over fire to cook critters? Would this metal withstand that degree of heat, and might this leave scorch marks?
The first things I thought of when reading the markings on that same bit of metal were along these lines:
HELP, SHELF, SHELL, HELD, RELEGATE, DELEGATE; LIGHT UP, NIGHT UP, HEIGHT UP, FLIGHT UP, RIGHT UP; *7.
Just my two cents!
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That item resembles a cartridge for a Coffman Device. The intense heat would be expected if on were used as a fire-starter as they contained cordite.
I read AE would have had to start the engines in order to use the radio, this could be taken as there was no battery for starting the engine via electric start, and no battery for radio use.
Cartridge starters were very common on radial engines of the day.
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The cartridge starter idea is really interesting. Do we have A Lockheed expert available that may be able to tell us if it could have been used on the L10E's P&W 1340 Wasp engine?
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Wikipedia article on Coffman Device: Coffman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffman_engine_starter)
Another article with the same data: Coffman-2 (http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/other-mechanical-systems-tech-/coffman-engine-starter-12955.html)
Linked from the Wiki article is a photo of a starting cartridge: 1935 cartridge (https://books.google.com/books?id=rNoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA339&dq=Popular+Science+1935+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&hl=en&ei=r81ETsS3KI3isQLY3dX5BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result#v=onepage&q&f=true)
It looks like a shotgun shell. Note the adjacent ruler for size. The shell appears to be just short of 3&3/4" long.
Flight of the Phoenix Starting the radial engine with Coffman cartridges
Drama (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwYzAF9bZLI)
WWII Wildcat. Shows 1943 vintage shells
Wildcat Start (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65qrzgbTTcQ)
Power Cartridge Handbook Naval Air Systems Command AD0775861.pdf
Found with this search Handbook (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CFgQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dtic.mil%2Fcgi-bin%2FGetTRDoc%3FAD%3DAD0775861&ei=ekeCVbGwIMXYoASrnqO4CA&usg=AFQjCNFAVaUwsmpmSsdaU2IFpwAD79fSiw&bvm=bv.96042044,d.cGU)
General information only.
Reading a discussion on Australian power cartridges one had the following on its base:
CART. ELEC. ENG. START No. 10 MK3 K. 71,2
The interesting word is "start." I'll guess that similar shells were also marked with their function.
Over the years many varieties of starting shells were produced in various sizes. Finding an item from 1937 will be a chore.
I was not able to find starting methods for WASP-R1340 engines.
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Thanks Daniel, I've read all that stuff and I was looking for something more specifically related to the plane in question here. I personally believe the 1340 engine was fitted with a cartridge starter, but gut feelings don't count. And I don't believe Amelia would have used it anyway. If the only way to start her aircraft engine was by propellor spinning, it would have been nearly impossible to start it once it came to a stop for any reason and the cartridges Amelia had were most likely for emergency signaling. If by some strange quirck of fate her propellors were still spinning when she landed, she would possibly have been able to use the radio, but she couldn't have turned the engines on and off with a starter device from the cockpit. If the engines were starter-capable, she might have been able to communicate a little longer until she ran out of fuel or cartridges.
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Not to be a wet blanket, but ... http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Luke_Field.html (http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Documents/Luke_Field.html) ... you might want to look over the inventory taken after her Luke Field crash. Nowhere in there are Coffman cartridges mentioned, and the inventory (in the best Air Corps fashion) is exhaustive.
While it is true that the cartridge starter assembly might have been included in the "Wasp Engine & accessories" listend in the inventory the starter cartridges would have been mentioned separately. If she had needed any, she would have packed them. Not the kind of thing you can find lying around some of the airports she was going to be visiting. My limited understanding of the Wasp engines in question is that they were perfectly capable of being started via the battery in the aircraft.
LTM, who is amazed by what you can find using Google search in here,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 ECSP
P.S. - if you want some Coffman drama, the original Flight of the Phoenix does it best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IACjOvyx5hs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IACjOvyx5hs)
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Maybe the more direct answer is the Electra had electric starters.
Engine Type Certificate Data Sheet E-143 (http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/8690e2dd941de2e08525670d005f9cce/$FILE/E-143.pdf) for the WASP S3H1 Note 3 lists a starter drive with CC (Counter-Clockwise) rotation.
Electra 10E Type Certificate Date Sheet 590 (http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/bb257a0a8ddd577886257a29005f7989/$FILE/590%20TCDS.pdf) lists 2 electric starters under Class I Equipment ('standard equipment'), item 8.
Monty makes a good point as to the value of researching this forum for more information - you might enjoy availing yourself of the many details that may be gleaned from many posts on engine and airframe details under that panel in the Earhart forum by using the search function - see "Search TIGHAR (http://tighar.org/info/)" button up top of the main forum page.
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And of the course the original "Flight of the Phoenix" movie (1965) had its own tragic tie to AE. Paul Mantz who was on the first round the world attempt died while doing stunt flying for that film.
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And of the course the original "Flight of the Phoenix" movie (1965) had its own tragic tie to AE. Paul Mantz who was on the first round the world attempt died while doing stunt flying for that film.
And to add to that, his grandson and I were literally moments ago talking about the Niku VIII expedition! Small world folks, it's a small world.
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Thanks Monty and Jeff for your interesting comments. I have read most of the letters and notes in the TIGHAR archives, so I feel fairly well informed from that standpoint. Monty, I see no mention specifically of a battery capable of starting the Electra engines in the inventory. It is my feeling(no proof, just a feelng) that Amelia would have left them behind upon re-loading anyway due to their lead weight. Or at least any auxillary battery not immediately necessary. I have also decided to ignore the inventory anyway, as some others have mentioned, since it does not represent in fact what was put back on board immediately before the second take-off. It appears she tossed the radio crystal, which is relatively light in weight, and several other seemingly important items which could have saved her life, including an emergency flare which she gave to a friend. It's surprising she didn't leave the radio!! Why would it be so hard to leave the battery, when she knew she could start the engines without outside devices simply by spinning the prop? (which of course she couldn't do if the prop was un-accessible or under water.) Couldn't she depend on the radio operating off the mag? ( Maybe that's pushing it a little) As long as the engines were running she had no worries about the radio working or having to start the engines. If the engines stopped for any reason and she still had gas, wouldn't it have been nice to have an engine capable of cartridge starting and a cartridge or two??
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Thanks Monty and Jeff for your interesting comments. I have read most of the letters and notes in the TIGHAR archives, so I feel fairly well informed from that standpoint. Monty, I see no mention specifically of a battery capable of starting the Electra engines in the inventory.
Please see the article in the Ameliapedia (http://tighar.org/wiki/Lockheed_Electra_10E_Special_-_NR16020#Battery_System) about the two batteries built into the aircraft.
Earhart routinely started her engines from the onboard batteries. She had some trouble and got one engine burning on the second leg of the second round-the-world attempt (http://tighar.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_second_round-the-world_attempt), but was undoubtedly quite proficient in her starting procedures by the time of the 30th leg, her last takeoff.
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Thanks Marty. I've got to digest all this and go have lunch..
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Maybe because at 60-some pounds, the Exide-brand 6XT-13 12-volt battery was considered integral to the aircraft?
LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 ECSP
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Marty and Monty nailed it - she had ship-board battery power a-plenty for starting the engines. The Ship battery arrangement can also be seen in the airplane TC data sheet (linked above).
Mine was not 'interesting comments' but dry, hard bones from the build-design data on the airplane. There were no cartridge-fired starters on the Electra.
A Jimmy Stewart / Flight of the Phoenix "one for the money, two for the show..." bang/whine starting drama would not have been the case for Earhart.
Mantz RIP - what a great one he was.
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Mantz RIP - what a great one he was.
Hear, hear! R.I.P.