Still from ROV video

[Phil T Martin]

  Though I have found this thread very interesting, and can see where a couple of the stills (the gear fork especially) makes one wonder if the ROV actually was filming bits of the Electra, I stop myself short of saying this stilll is a wheel, that still is a hatch or wing spar - to me that is reading into the picture a little too far. SOMETHING is there for sure, whether it is aircraft parts or just outrageous coral growth. Time will tell.
  Jeff Hayden's comment about the choice of a reef or lagoon landing being their's to make made me think; with all I have read about Amelia, her spirit and/or reckless abandon - I gotta believe she saw that reef and immediately pictured being found, refueling the Electra, and flying that sucker right back off of it to complete the trip to Howland. Failure was not an option - landing in the lagoon = end of trip, period. From the air, she may have thought the reef looked like it could sustain a landing and future take-off attempt. Just a thought...

[Randy Reid]

Jeff,

I have done a bit of diving, on sand, rock, coral, and ships. I do have an idea about what years on the bottom does to materials from the surface.

I guess what I am getting at is, I think every statement on identification of the aircraft pieces in the stills should be prefaced by "to me it looks like".  The next observer might see something else.

trying hard not to offend anyone, I'm new here.

Randy

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

Jeff,

I have done a bit of diving, on sand, rock, coral, and ships. I do have an idea about what years on the bottom does to materials from the surface.

I guess what I am getting at is, I think every statement on identification of the aircraft pieces in the stills should be prefaced by "to me it looks like".  The next observer might see something else.

trying hard not to offend anyone, I'm new here.

Randy

Point taken Randy. Any name given to something is arbitrary and, like you say different people see different things. All we are trying to do is to sort out what are natural objects from possible man made ones. I have no idea what I am looking at, it's in too many bits but, those bits have signs of man made origin. I have sent some of stills to be checked by an airframe fitter/aircraft restoration guy to see if we are working in the right direction. All comments in this forum are welcome so, don't be afraid to have your opinions. That's how we get the correct outcome. Nothing is for certain so all input is valuable.
P.S Are you any good at 300 metre diving?

Jeff

[Harry Howe, Jr.]

Jeff Victor
You mentioned 5 stages in the path to identification and gave the first.  In your estimation, what are the next 4?
Any further expeditions must include the ability to capture, and bring to the surface for examination and analysis, pieces of the debris that are clearly man-made and suspected of being from an aircraft.  My first choice would be the piece that appears to be an RDF Antenna.

For what it's worth.

[Randy Reid]

Jeff,
only good to 150 feet, then not for very long. ROV or SUB is the answer at Nikumaroro. If only I were born rich instead of so good looking. ;)
Randy

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

Jeff Victor
You mentioned 5 stages in the path to identification and gave the first.  In your estimation, what are the next 4?
Any further expeditions must include the ability to capture, and bring to the surface for examination and analysis, pieces of the debris that are clearly man-made and suspected of being from an aircraft.  My first choice would be the piece that appears to be an RDF Antenna.

For what it's worth.

Stages
1. Locate debris field, yes, go to 2
2. Is it aircraft debris, yes, go to 3
3. is it Electra debris, yes, go to 4
4. Is it AE and FN electra debris, yes, go to 5
5. Raise money and get that sucker up

Of course Harry if any of the outcomes are no then it's back to the drawing board. Could possibly, at a stretch, do 1 to 3 without having to get feet wet. 4 and 5 are the tough ones.
Anyhow I think we are done with stage one and are working on stage 2 now. (fingers crossed) :)

Jeff

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

  Though I have found this thread very interesting, and can see where a couple of the stills (the gear fork especially) makes one wonder if the ROV actually was filming bits of the Electra, I stop myself short of saying this stilll is a wheel, that still is a hatch or wing spar - to me that is reading into the picture a little too far. SOMETHING is there for sure, whether it is aircraft parts or just outrageous coral growth. Time will tell.
  Jeff Hayden's comment about the choice of a reef or lagoon landing being their's to make made me think; with all I have read about Amelia, her spirit and/or wreckless abandon - I gotta believe she saw that reef and immediately pictured being found, refueling the Electra, and flying that sucker right back off of it to complete the trip to Howland. Failure was not an option - landing in the lagoon = end of trip, period. From the air, she may have thought the reef looked like it could sustain a landing and future take-off attempt. Just a thought...

And a good one Phil which has been mentioned before. Shame that it didn't turn out that way for them both. It's a story full of if onlys i.e. radio communication, navigation etc...
Jeff

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

I have outlined some of the unusual bits of ? in this still

[richie conroy]

hope u guys can see these ok, its so hard to get these images visable but worth the wait  :)

[richie conroy]

that was meant to say behind propeller  :)

[Chris Johnson]

To my mind the problem of the footage is that the ROV people and possibly TIGHAR in general have concentrated on the wire/rope (as I have done).  Then there is a group of people who are trying to look outside of the box so to speak.

Lookingin outside of the box you can see a 'pig head', 'clouds, 'aircraft peices' or anything else that you might want to see.  Until TIGHAR go back we just won't know but maybe, just maybe we are seening a debrise field and hundreds or thousands of feet below are engines.

Even TIGHAR missed Nessie so who knows?

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

hope u guys can see these ok, its so hard to get these images visable but worth the wait  :)

Good work Richie, can you post the non inverted image as I am not at home at the moment so don't have access to ROV footage. Using I-pad :(
The wheel and strut looks promising though, lot of metalwork there.

Jeff

[John Joseph Barrett]

Richie,  What you have highlighted in your last posts do resemble a wheel and strut. I'm going to guess that this was a dark area of the footage that you had to bring out, causing the more lit area to become whited out. The area that you have indicated as "fins behind the propeller" is very pixillated but, sitting back a bit, seems to have a semi-circular overall shape. Letting my imagination stretch a bit and continuing the curvature all the way around it strikes me that this could possibly be one of the engines. The photo of the Electra on its belly conveniently has the port side gear folded under next to the engine. Comparing the size of the wheel there to the engine shows a similarity in scale to the possible strut and engine in the still. Not saying that is what they are but impossible to say they aren't. Keep looking. If the plane is there it is possible to find something more definitive in the video.  LTM- John

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

Yet more unexplained...
Have a look in the red box?

[Dan Swift]

In response to Jeff's reply #426 as to any guesses regarding "whoknows".jpg: 

Coiuld it be a headset.