B-17 Flying Fortress – Swamp Ghost
On February 23rd, 1942, a B-17E Flying Fortress bomber crashed in one of the most remote and wild places on Earth: the impenetrable Agaimbo swamp located in the island nation of Papua New Guinea.
The plane, piloted by young U.S. Army Air Corps Captain Fred Eaton, had flown a long and dangerous mission from Australia against the Japanese Fortress at Rabaul in New Britain. This was the first long-range Allied bombing mission of World War II following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor that included the U.S.
The crew survived their ordeal and, after a six-week trek to safety, returned to combat. Their B-17E, however, remained forgotten in the swamp until it was rediscovered in 1972 by an Australian Air Force crew.
In the mid-1980s, the late World War II pilot, restaurant industry pioneer and antique aircraft collector David Tallichet initiated efforts to recover and return the plane to U.S. soil. His dream was fulfilled in 2010 through the joint efforts of his family and aircraft salvage enthusiast Alfred Hagen.
Nicknamed Swamp Ghost, the B-17E has become an icon of military aviation. In tribute to its intact state, romantic isolation and the extreme challenges involved in its salvage, it is known among historians as military aviation’s Holy Grail.
Coincidentally, the B-17E was assigned to the Kangaroo Squadron, which flew into Pearl Harbor from San Francisco during the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. This occurrence contributed to the disaster because U.S. Oahu radar personnel assumed the incoming Japanese attack wave represented the squadron’s expected arrival. Swamp Ghost was not with the squadron on that fateful day, instead flying in shortly after the attack.
Before its salvage, Swamp Ghost was considered the best-preserved unrecovered B-17E in the world. With its return to the Port of Long Beach, Swamp Ghost completed its final mission 68 years after take-off. Only four aircraft models of its type have ever been recovered. The aircraft will be restored, possibly to flying condition, for display at an aviation museum as a symbol of America’s military aviation heritage.
From Warhistoryonline.
Video is only 2½ minutes long!!
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B-17 Flying Fortress – Swamp Ghost
Disney and the Pacific Aviation Museum collaborate….
From: General Aviation News
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Military Humor –
Click on images to enlarge.
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Farewell Salutes –
Ray Anderson – Cynthiana, KY; US Army, WWII, ETO, TSgt.
Remo Belli – Mishawaka, IN; US Navy
Missing Man formation
Joseph Coffey – Philadelphia, PA; US Army & US Air Force
Albrecht Hering – Jamaica Hgts., NY; US Army,1st Lt, A/B Ranger, 3rd Infantry Division
Gerard Lanouette – Montreal, CAN; RC Air Force, WWII, Korea
Thomas McCullough – Albequerque, NM; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 187th/11th Airborne
Hector Preston (100) – Auckland, NZ; Expeditionary Navy Force # 60671, WWII, Warrant Officer
James Rooney – Toledo, OH; US Army, WWII/ US Air Force, Korea
James Schwartz – Mobile, AL; US Army Air Corps, WWII, ETO, B-17 pilot
David Walls – Phoenix, AZ; US Army, WWII
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WOW! It’s in such great condition too after all of these years!
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You might say, the jungle took it away and now was giving it back, eh?
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I would totally expect the fuselage to be far more rotted out in appearance than that. I seen pictures of crashed Huey’s stuck in jungle trees look worse than this in shorter time. That’s impressive.
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Excellent coverage of the recovery of the Swamp Ghost gp.
Great to know it’s being considered for restoration to flying status, more importantly as it being one of only four recovered.
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Thankfully its landing in a swamp is what saved the fuselage and the crew. I’m just surprised, with satellite coverage and modern technology, it took so ling to discover its location.
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hey GP – moi again – just thought you would want to see this cool plane I just saw in my feed…
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Thank you. I appreciate you thinking of me.
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🙂
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The video was great – and talk about a well edited 2 minutes! Very nice – and interesting that they were expecting an arrival during Pearl Harbor – such little yet significant things are so interesting -happy Sunday
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I was inspired to do the post by the sight of the aircraft being lifted out of the swamp – I got chills as a part of history was coming home.
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I got chills when part of it dropped back down! Lol
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My heart sank.
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I bet – and I know I already said this – but G- they edited that video so succinctly – we felt the sweat- grit – and labor – all in dos minutos
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Exactly, I wish more people had watched it. Oh well….
Have a great weekend!
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But it is awesome to bring back – and what a special joy –
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Agreed.
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💕
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Amazing post Brad, the photo of the Swamp Ghost is awesome!
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Thanks, Hollie. Watching that aircraft get lifted out of the swamp persuaded me to make this post!
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it’s really an awesome post Brad!
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This article about the plane was very interesting.
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Thank you. There are so many pieces to the puzzle to put together for us to have a clear picture of what that generation lived through.
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Riveting. The mission, the trek to escape, and the recovery of the Flying Fortress all have one hungry for much more detail. (Amazing that the dropped wing didn’t have an, ‘Oh, (censored)!’ from him, at the very least!)
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You would have thought so, wouldn’t you?!!!
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Interesting story and a spectaculary video
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Thank you very much, Mary Lou for taking the time. These men have put in a remarkable effort.
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Reblogged this on KCJones.
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Thank you, Penny. This amazing undertaking deserves attention!
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A really interesting story…thank you for sharing it with us!
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I hope you watched the video I supplied in the link – that is what inspired me! I appreciate your visit, John.
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wow
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Indeed !!
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What an incredible endeavor. I have been a student of WWII aviation for a long time but somehow missed the the tale of this recovery. Thanks for posting!
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The video is what did it for me (don’t know why it didn’t show up here besides the link). Watching that aircraft get lifted out of the swamp and the look on the men’s faces!! It doesn’t get any sweeter than that!!
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A great story of recovery of the plane.
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Thank you, I was lucky to see it as we discuss the fighting in New Guinea! Thanks for reading!
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Interesting find , eh ? My uncle was a B-17 pilot , based in England .
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The men become very attached to their aircraft – your dad would be cheering as it was carried home, eh?
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Great story. Crashing into a swamp–that must have been challenging for the crew. Good grief.
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Seeing that plane get lifted up and out of the swamp gave me chills!! I had to have it!
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The Far East must be littered with old aircraft, many will probably never be found. A massive undertaking.
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Oh, I’m sure of that. There are always articles showing up in the news about these undertakings. I just found this one, so intact, yet in a swamp difficult to work in and I have been posting articles about New Guinea – what a better match could there be?
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Absolutely. Pictures and reports do pop up all the time and the airframes are surprising intact.
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Always enjoy stories of history being preserved. Perhaps they will restore the plane and bring it to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, my home state.
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That would be nice too, easier for me to reach too.
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A very interesting story of historical importance! I wonder whether it would have been made a difference in the devastating Pearl Harbor attack, if the US squadron had not been expected on that fateful day.
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Frankly, Peter, I doubt it.
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What a amazing story and glad that they were able to bring it back. What a undertaking that was. Also loving the military humor especially ” what hook?” Great post, Everett!
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Thanks, Kathy – always a pleasure!!
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Wonderful little snippet and info on the Swamp Ghost. Its such bits of info that makes wonderful reading, things which we laypersons might never have otherwise known. Thank you
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I am glad you found it interesting.
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I wonder if the plane might end up here in Oregon at The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Aviation_%26_Space_Museum
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You never know, this is just the latest news that I’m aware of.
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That six-week trek to safety could make a good book, to go along with the restoration of this plane. I wonder how they survived, and what dangers they encountered.
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I have been trying to accumulate informative posts about New Guinea from my research and that of fellow bloggers. The trials of New Guinea were endless back then.
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That was a real labour of love. The conditions in the film look challenging, to say the least!
There is a flying fortress at the Duxford Museum, just over an hour from here. It is often flown, on special occasions and at air shows.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_B
Best wishes, Pete.
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I saw some WWII aircraft at our Boca Raton Airport (I made a post about it), and it thrills me to see them fly. I’m happy to hear you have one too.
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Wünsche dir einen schönen Nachmittag eine Umarmung Gislinde
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Danke, Gislinde, and you the same!
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Any idea which museum will end up getting this plane?
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As far as I know, the Pacific Aviation Museum in Honolulu, HI, where it is being restored.
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We have a trip to Hawaii in our five-to-ten year outlook – maybe we can catch this. It would be something I would like to see!
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Perhaps when you get there, it will be complete in the restoration!!
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What an extraordinary undertaking. I am so amazed it survived for so long.
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A whole lot of stamina and determination. Thank you for coming by, Ann.
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What a treat it would be to see that restored!
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It sure would!! I was just saying to Pierre, I hope it flies again.
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Reblogged this on My Forgotten Hobby and commented:
About the Swamp Ghost
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Thank you, Pierre. I wonder if they will create a model kit for the Swamp Ghost. I tried searching, but came up empty.
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Military humour – “I’m with stupid” hahahaha 😀
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Isn’t it great?!!!
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Absolutely, had to have a laugh at that one 🙂
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Good to know I created a smile!
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Laughter – the best medicine (I think I stole that from Readers Digest)
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I think so, but it fits!!
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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