Still from ROV video

[C.W. Herndon]

There has also been much discussion about whether one of the ventral antennas was removed before the second trip left Florida. The attached photo taken somewhere along the route, I'm not sure where, appears to show both of the rear antenna masts still installed. It is not obvious if the second antenna wire is still there. If both wires were still there, both A/S indicators could have been off.

Gary, I don't mind if you quote me but if you do so please qoute what I really said. Thanks!

[Tom Swearengen]

Gentlemen: Been an interesting day with all the back and forth stuff. The fact is, we dont know what happened to the Electra. Because we dont have that FACTUAL, DOCUMENTED information, we cant say for sure that AE was on Gardner. I want to paraphase Ric in 'Finding Amelia" page 241. Epologue. Speaking of bones that were discovered on Gardner --"Bones look more than four years old to me but there seems to be very slight chance that this may be the remains of Amelia Earhart." Gallagher obviously knew of the lost flight, and 'suggested' that this may be her. Along with some other artifacts, he may very well be right.
My contention all along has been if we can find INDENTIFIBLE WRECKAGE of the Electra on Nikumaroro, then we prove she was there-without question. Like others on this forum, I think there may be other explanations as to what may of may not be in the still pictures that Jeff & Richie have uncovered. I feel pretty certain that the Electra is there. Whether there are other bones there that can be identified or not, is best left to Ric and the archelogy team. They ae experts in their field.
I'm not an expert in anything that pertains to this mystery, other than to approach it from a logical troubleshooting exercise. Some of the thing posted here, including some of my way out statements, are not logical. WE were not there in July, 1937, so we dont know what transpired to cause this mystery. But, 75 years later, here we are. In my view, we have to look at all possibilities. A reef landing at Gardner, or on another island it plausible. A ditch at sea is plausible. A combination of both is also possible. Being picked up by the Japaneese and taken to Saipan, is a stretch, but again possible. ANYTHING could have happened.
Its still a mystery. Working together, we will find the answers. My suggestion, if I can make one, is to bring your theories and documents to the Symposium in DC--and lets figure it out together.
Including video, stills, airpeed computations, navigation and weather data, or like me several ink pins an a big notebook.
Opinions welcome.
Tom

[richie conroy]

jeff h look in box top left any ideas what the objects are were seeing, i think 1 is fuel inlet pipe but there is sum sort ov grid just bottom left of it any idea's 

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

jeff h look in box top left any ideas what the objects are were seeing, i think 1 is fuel inlet pipe but there is sum sort ov grid just bottom left of it any idea's

Could be part of the manifold although I would have expected that to have rusted away long ago.

[richie conroy]

jeff also if u get chance in the pic av posted in top left box were arrow points to there is a bar, thats upright an it has sum kind of either sprocket or cog on it can ye check it out  :)

will try myself but av found sumthink that if i can get good enuff image of it will be worth the work  :) 

[richie conroy]

do any of u guys have this picture ov electra in flight

want it for my bacground image on computer but u cant save this one cos its got a block on it  :(

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item2317955a09&item=150719519241&nma=true&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&rt=nc&si=K381DoJOhj6%252B6HeNjNEaVUisZfY%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_1392wt_952

[Jeff Victor Hayden]

Richie
See if you can get anything from the area I have circled, it doesn't look right to me

[C.W. Herndon]

Here you go Richie.

[Harry Howe, Jr.]

Richie
In Woody's pic notice the RDF loop antenna atop the cockpit roof.  That's the way it would look when ya had a "null" and the station was on your nose.  Inside, on  the direction card the needle would be pointing at the nose, i.e. 0 degrees

[richie conroy]

thx Clarence  :)

[richie conroy]

Richie
In Woody's pic notice the RDF loop antenna atop the cockpit roof.  That's the way it would look when ya had a "null" and the station was on your nose.  Inside, on  the direction card the needle would be pointing at the nose, i.e. 0 degrees

thx i just wondered about it, because if it was suppose to be centre to nose cone like in the drawing i have highlighted

then when u look at photo of, take off at lae the RDF looks to be turned more to an angle than what the plane is

an wondered even if she could get bearing it would put he off course ?

as i couldnt image her putting hand out hatch to rotate it at that speed  :o

[C.W. Herndon]

Richie, she probably was not using the radio for any kind of navigation at the time of takeoff but she would not have to open the hatch to rotate the loop antenna. If you look at the attachment, in the lower center portion of the instrument panel there is a rectangular box with a white knob in each corner. This is the control box for the loop antenna. There is a dial in the center that shows you which direction the loop is pointed and has, among other controls, a knob to rotate the loop antenna on top of the aircraft. Short course in rdf operation.

[richie conroy]

Richie, she probably was not using the radio for any kind of navigation at the time of takeoff but she would not have to open the hatch to rotate the loop antenna. If you look at the attachment, in the lower center portion of the instrument panel there is a rectangular box with a white knob in each corner. This is the control box for the loop antenna. There is a dial in the center that shows you which direction the loop is pointed and has, among other controls, a knob to rotate the loop antenna on top of the aircraft. Short course in rdf operation.

thx am on it now

cheers  :)

[Gary LaPook]

Richie, she probably was not using the radio for any kind of navigation at the time of takeoff but she would not have to open the hatch to rotate the loop antenna. If you look at the attachment, in the lower center portion of the instrument panel there is a rectangular box with a white knob in each corner. This is the control box for the loop antenna. There is a dial in the center that shows you which direction the loop is pointed and has, among other controls, a knob to rotate the loop antenna on top of the aircraft. Short course in rdf operation.

Nope, that's the remote control for her radio receiver. That photo was taken before the loop was installed. The radio control is clearly visible in this September 20, 1936 photo.

gl

[Harry Howe, Jr.]

Woody
Yeah, too bad that she didn't turn on her RDF and tune into the Lae station when she reached cruising altitude.  If her RDF  wasn't working  she might have gone back and have it looked at and fixed before she continued on.  After all it was their lifeline and she knew from the test flight the day before that there were problems.

Or, if she still thought she was still  too close she might have tuned another station, like Rabaul to test and be sure that the RDF was working bwfore she flew 2360 miles and find out when she needed it that it wasn't working.