View source for Aircraft lost in the vicinity of Nikumaroro

Derived from table created by [[Ric Gillespie]], [http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Forum/Highlights121_140/highlights123.html Forum, 26 January 2001.] In that same thread, Gillespie wrote:

:[[Emily|Emily's anecdote about old aircraft wreckage on the reef]] dates from sometime between her arrival on [[Gardner]] in early 1940 to her departure in November 1941. There are no known losses in the region, or the whole Central Pacific for that matter, prior to that time which could account for that wreckage --- except one.

:The chances of an unknown aircraft loss in that region prior to that time is so remote as to approach nil. Bottom line: if Emily saw aircraft wreckage, it was [[NR16020]]. 

This list is also important for tracking possible sources of the [[navigator's bookcase]] found during [[Niku I|TIGHAR's first Niku expedition in 1989.]]

{|{{Prettytable}}
|-
!Date
!Service
!Type
!BuNo
!Squadron
!Details
|- valign="top"
|align="right" style="width:10em"|<!-- date -->11 January 1938
|align="center"|<!-- service --> Pan Am
|<!-- type --> Sikorski S-42
|<!-- Bureau Number -->n/a
|<!-- squadron -->n/a
|<!-- details -->The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoan_Clipper ''Samoan Clipper'' exploded in mid-air shortly after takeoff over Pago Pago harbor in American Samoa,] which is 600+ NM from Nikumaroro.
|- valign="top"
|align="right" style="width:10em"|<!-- date -->16 March 1940
|align="center"|<!-- service --> USN
|<!-- type --> PBY-2
|<!-- Bureau Number -->0487
|<!-- squadron -->VP-25
|<!-- details -->Hit reef on takeoff from Canton.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->January 1942
|align="center"|<!-- service --> USN
|<!-- type --> PBY
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->VP-23
|<!-- details -->Lost near Canton during night takeoff.
|- valign="top"
|align="right" style="width:10em"|<!-- date -->22 June 1942
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->Boeing B-17E
|<!-- Bureau Number -->41-9208
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->"Short of Rwy, Canton Island, PAC. Written off (damaged beyond repair)."<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=97341 "ASN Wikibase Occurrence #97341."]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->October 1942
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->B-17D
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Enroute Hawaii to Canton missed Canton and ditched near the Ellice Group. (Rickenbacker on board).
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->13 November 1942
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->P-39D
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Crashed on Canton, pilot killed.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->15 December 1942
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBM
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Hit reef while taxiing at Canton.
|- valign="top"
|align="right" style="width:10em"|<!-- date -->7 February 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->AATC
|<!-- type -->C-87
|<!-- Bureau Number -->	41-23903
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->"...The C-87 rolled and dived into the water while turning on finals to Canton Island. The flight was being operated by United Airlines under contract to the Army Air Transport Command. It was deemed possible that an asymmetric flap deployment caused the accident." <ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19430207-3 "Accident Description, Sunday 7 February 1943."</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->12 February 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5
|<!-- Bureau Number -->8033
|<!-- squadron -->VP-71
|<!-- details -->Engine fire on takeoff at Canton. Crashed and sank.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->27 March 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5A of VP-54
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Destroyed in Japanese bombing attack on [[Canton]].
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->13 August 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Beached at Canton after being shot up by Japanese Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->18 September 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->P-39Q
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Spun into sea on takeoff at Canton. Pilot killed.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->5 October 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5A
|<!-- Bureau Number -->33967
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Forced landing at sea enroute to Canton. Sank while under tow to Canton.
|-  valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->20 October 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->
|<!-- type -->Consolidated PB4Y-1
|<!-- Bureau Number -->32102
|<!-- squadron -->VB-106
|<!-- details --><div id=32102>Lost at sea.</div>
* "ex USAAF B-24D 42-40882."<ref>[http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html "US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos."]</ref>
* "10/20/1943 PB4Y-1 32102 VB-106 Funafuti Canton Empire Lt Samuel I. Patella"<ref>[http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLOct43.htm "USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List.]  Patrick Gaston said that the crew consisted of Pilot Lt Samuel L. Patella A-V(N) USNR, Ens Richard H. Wood A-V(N) USNR, Ens John C. Mackey A-V(N) USNR, Amm3c John Grady Waiden, Jr. USNR, Aom3c Argus Winfield, Jr. USNR, Amm3c Donald Dean Dickey USN, Art1c Itley Dwight Winn USNR, Amm3c O. Atkinson USN, Amm3c Lloyd E. Hume USN, and Amm3c William E. Lexlon USNR [http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Forum/Forum_Archives/200409.txt (Forum, 24 September 2004).]  The list is confirmed by [http://alanc.carey.freeservers.com/photo.html "PB4Y Personnel Losses for Feb 1943 to September 1944."]</ref>
* "Missing in flight from Canton Island to Funa Futi. 9 missing"<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=81075 ASN Wikibase Occurrence #81075.]</ref> 
* "CFAW-2 JUN; VB-106 JUL-OCT; Flight Canton Island to Funafuti, crashed at sea 400 mi. SW of Canton Isl. Loss date 18 Oct 1943. Stricken 20 OCT 1943."<ref>[http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/PB4Y.htm Aviation Archaeology, "PB4Y USN Aircraft Airframe History List."]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->23 October 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->IJN
|<!-- type -->Kawanishi H8K "Emily"
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Shot down by P-40s 70 miles south of Baker. Two other Emilies had previously been shot down by F-6-Fs from the light carrier USS Princeton CV-22 in the vicinity of Howland and Baker.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->18 November 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->
|<!-- type -->PB4Y-1
|<!-- Bureau Number -->32123
|<!-- squadron -->VB-108
|<!-- details -->Non-combat mission. "Ex-USAAF B-24D 42-40950 ... Ditched at sea "near Funa Futi."<ref>[http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries4.html "US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos."]</ref> Entire crew of ten rescued six days later.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=81085 Aviation Safety Net #81085.]</ref> One passenger missing. Pilot Lt. P. Hard & 9 crew survived.<ref>Pat Gaston, [http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Forum/Forum_Archives/200409.txt Forum, 24 September 2004.]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->17 December 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->C-47A
|<!-- Bureau Number -->43-30739
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Crashed at Sydney Island during sightseeing flight. Nine fatalities.<ref>[http://www.tighar.org/Publications/TTracks/14_2/14-2Sydcrash.html "Crash of a C-47 on Sydney Island."]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->30 December 1943
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5A
|<!-- Bureau Number -->3393
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Missing enroute from Baker to Makin.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->11 January 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBJ (B-25)
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Missing enroute from Canton to Tutuilla, Samoa.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->16 February 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBY-5
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Sank off Canton
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->19 July 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->B24J Liberator
|<!-- Bureau Number -->41029
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->"Crashed after takeoff from Canton Island, Pacific Ocean, Jul 19, 1944 near the reef edge.  5 killed"<ref>[http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html "1944 USAAF Serial Numbers."]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->10 June 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBM-3D
|<!-- Bureau Number -->48199
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Engine fire, forced landing, beached at Howland. Aircraft burned.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->2 August 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PV-1
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Gear up landing after aborted takeoff at Canton.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->5 September 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBM-3D 
|<!-- Bureau Number -->45236
|<!-- squadron -->VP-200
|<!-- details -->Engine failure, forced landing at sea (exact location unknown); flooded and sank in high seas.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->22 October 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBJ (B-25)
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Destroyed in taxiing accident on Canton.
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->31 October 1944
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USN
|<!-- type -->PBJ (B-25)
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Destroyed in taxiing accident on Canton.
|- valign="top"
|align="right" style="width:10em"|<!-- date -->23 April 1945
|align="center"|<!-- service -->USAAF
|<!-- type -->B-24M-35-CO
|<!-- Bureau Number -->44-42473 
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Damaged in landing accident at Topham Field, Canton Island.<ref>[http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html "1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-40049 to 44-70254)."]</ref>  Pilot: Edward A. Dibler, Jr.<ref>[http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Apr1945O.htm "April 1945 USAAF Overseas Accident Reports."]</ref>
|- valign="top"
|align="right"|<!-- date -->26 April 1962
|align="center"|<!-- service -->FAA
|<!-- type -->Lockheed L-749A Constellation
|<!-- Bureau Number -->
|<!-- squadron -->
|<!-- details -->Crashed during touch and go landing at Canton.
|}

== To do ==

[http://tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Archives/Forum/Forum_Archives/200112.txt Forum.]

<pre>
Date:         Wed, 19 Dec 2001 19:26:21 EST
From:         Woody
Subject:      Re: Titanic confusion

Ric, I'd like to take exception to one of this guy's statements. Baker
Island is 38 miles south of Howland Island. It was used as a staging and
refueling base in WW2 from November of 1943 to the end of the war in 1945
when it was abandoned. B24's used Baker via Canton to stage bombing raids
into the Marshall Islands. Baker was a regular route for refueling planes
that were being ferried into the Pacific Theater of Operations up to the
cessation of hostilities. There are parts of a B-24 that crashed on Baker
Island on December 6, 1943--I have the 7th AF mission report on it. I have
many of the AF mission reports for flights in that area, anyone that says
there was no military activity in the area during the war doesn't bother
with that most basic of all tools--research!
</pre>

== References ==
<references />

== Links ==
* [http://www.pacificwrecks.com ''Pacific Wrecks.'']


[[Category:Nikumaroro]]