Rickenbacker's B-17: ditched near the Phoenix group

Jeff Victor Hayden · May 23, 2012, 05:05:25 PM

Did the Rickenbacker B17 have a name/nose art or was it just a serial number model? Be a shame if it was just a number :(

Tom Swearengen · May 23, 2012, 07:34:51 PM

Gee I dont know Jeff----Seems like they switched planes in Hawaii after a mishap. Identifying marks would be good.

Jeff Victor Hayden · May 23, 2012, 08:21:59 PM

The one they were going to use originally had problems on take off so they took this one instead Tom

Brigadier General William Lynd, commander of Hickam Field, personally drove Rick and Colonel Adamson to the airfield. As the pilot, Captain William Cherry, tried to take off a tire blew sending the plane out of control. Skillfully he managed to maneuver the big B-17 back on the runway and halt it before it could plunge into the bay beyond the airstrip.

Shortly after mid-night a replacement Flying Fortress taxied off the runway, taking Eddie Rickenbacker and seven American servicemen into the dark clouds of the sky tropical sky. Three days later the news spread around the world.

Tom Swearengen · May 24, 2012, 09:24:59 AM

Jeff ---thats the way I understand it. Geee---i wonder if any squadron pics were available of the B17?
I think I'm getting off track here---Supposed to be looking for the Electra. But---If the B17 is there, it just proves Garys theory that crash and sank could be crash, float, sink, bouyant, carried by currents, Etc. which as a whole new option to our mystery.
Thoughts Gary?

Jeff Victor Hayden · May 24, 2012, 11:29:06 AM

Well it wouldn't have had far to travel when you consider the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean. Strange as it may seem they were in contact with Palmyra Who fired anti - aircraft set to explode at 7000 ft to mark the islands location, all to no avail, they must have been hopelessly lost.

John M Kirk · May 24, 2012, 02:07:38 PM

Not sure if anyone has ever looked at this before. This is from one of many photos on this site. I used "microsoft office picture manager" and played with the brightness and contrast. If someone else could look that would be great. I do see something (maybe plane) at the very bottom right of photo from 1938.
I have attached to documents... one is the photo, and the other is a word document with the enhanced picture pasted into it... the object looks to be off away from the reef, and then the size.. this is what I am unsure of..

thanks

Tom Swearengen · May 24, 2012, 06:44:58 PM

SR. Chief Kirk--we've been looking at this pic for a while, but another set of eyes and thought processes is great! Perhaps you see something we dont---which is good!
Tom

Rich Ramsey · May 25, 2012, 11:30:59 AM

I am reminded of a reply I got on one other post when someone said they found 'wreckage' on the shore and in the water on the reef. In short it isn't there. Now that is not to say I am sold on that idea, but I have never been to the island, I don't know the environment. So I don't know if something could be on the reef for an extended period of time (Such as a B17 or Electra) and wash away. I have to take their judgement on it. However I will say this, I see something in this photo, and the others. It does look like a plane, but I don't know if it is one or what it is. Something is there... of this I am sure.

Also regarding the floating of the planes when in the water. I can see how the B17 could float its way to Gardner over time. If it was in once peace, which I understand it was. However if this is the place where AE landed the Electra, and it was on the reef then I don't think it went far. Think about it, if that ship was there taking the pounding from the surf, it can't be in one peace. I bet it is in a million peaces all up and down the cliff side of the reef.

Just my thoughts.

Tom Swearengen · May 25, 2012, 11:34:17 AM

Rich- for sure the Norwich city is in alot of pieces. Some on the reef, some in the lagoon, alot I suspect at the bottom of the ocean at the reef edge.

Rich Ramsey · May 25, 2012, 11:44:15 AM

All mingled in with a Electra I bet, now maybe a B17 too. I do not envy the team going back, they have their hands full.

Jeff Victor Hayden · May 25, 2012, 11:59:22 AM

And bits of the SS Norwich City Rich ;)

richie conroy · May 25, 2012, 05:40:50 PM

Quote from: John M Kirk on May 24, 2012, 02:07:38 PM
Not sure if anyone has ever looked at this before. This is from one of many photos on this site. I used "microsoft office picture manager" and played with the brightness and contrast. If someone else could look that would be great. I do see something (maybe plane) at the very bottom right of photo from 1938.
I have attached to documents... one is the photo, and the other is a word document with the enhanced picture pasted into it... the object looks to be off away from the reef, and then the size.. this is what I am unsure of..

thanks

there is odd anomolys in the enhanced photo i have attached, of same area ? the to little white bits u see bottom right corner my thought on them is, if it's the Electra and it's hanging on reef edge with nose gone faceing skyward out of water, then the two white objects could be the spot lights in nose cone ?

richie conroy · May 25, 2012, 05:43:28 PM

i have put arrow to object in question

Tom Swearengen · May 25, 2012, 05:58:12 PM

Richie---can you clean this up any? I'd like to think its something shiney reflecting off the sun, just wnder the water, but I have a hard time making it out.
Tom

richie conroy · May 27, 2012, 04:10:39 PM

Am gonna have ago, but the image has already been enhanced by Jeff Glickman

so i very much doubt, there is anything that i can do to enhance it more :)