Fortunately, it didn't detonate. At least 12,731 aircraft were built. To the local villagers, the bomber was a relic sitting on holy land. His collection included amazing aircraft such as a B-25 Mitchell bomber and a P-40 Tomahawk. } The topography of the country negatively affects its population because it renders a singular national identity almost impossible to achieve due to the separation between the populations inhabiting the country. However, the passion for exploring something that had apparently been untouched for decades overpowered any uncertainty. Every year, war enthusiasts had flocked to the country to see for themselves the wreckage that lay strewn over many parts of the islands. While the crew hoped to make it to Fort Moresby, fuel wouldn't let them. Hagen and Tellichet’s salvaging operation was finally completed in 2006, but only four years later would they receive permission to return the aircraft to American soil. Thus, finding the remnants of war was another thing to be considered. For miles, all they could see were stretches of green but the scene changed abruptly when something white seemed to call out to the from the middle of all the thick trees. For four weeks they labored over the aircraft, dismantling it in order to ship it out of the country. Swamp Ghost at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum At first, it didn’t gain much attention and only the locals came and went. According to Hagen, the restoration of the plane was their greatest dream. They called it the Swamp Ghost. The "Swamp Ghost" nickname was coined by articles and visitors to the wreck. Despite the stripping, the aircraft structure itself remained remarkably intact. Boeing started producing the B-17 heavy bomber back in the 1930s. Even today, after heavy rains, villagers report shapes rising up in the mangrove swamps like mummies in a horror movie... Two history buffs, itching to see the area for themselves, are two ever-so-curious gentlemen who decided that the sighting that happened in 1972 was something they wanted to explore even further, regardless of how difficult it would be. One man, who also happened to be the son of a local chief, set out to make sure that the B-17 bomber wasn’t removed. They ran into some locals chopping wood who took them, completely bitten by mosquitos and infected with malaria, to their village. In order to honor the famed World War II-era B17 “Flying Fortress” affectionately named “Swamp Ghost,” artists Mike Gabriel (director, “Pocahontas,” “The Rescuers Down Under” and the Oscar-nominated short, “Lorenzo”) and Klay Hall … In November 2005, he obtained an export permit for the B-17 in return for $100,000. David felt his pulse quicken as it came into view, like a stark white dagger in the landscape. A dogfight ensued after the Swamp Ghost made its second pass on its target, which luckily was successful as they were able to finally get the bomb bay open, giving the enemy less time to counter-attack. But this wasn’t all. Once the fad of recovering WWII aircraft really took off, trekkers made it to the site and began stripping the aircraft for keepsakes and sellable items. The type of plane was a B-17E Flying Fortress. The locals even performed a ceremony to appease the spirits in the swamp. In the mid-1980s, David initiated efforts to recover the B-17E Swamp Ghost from a remote New Guinea swamp and return this historic relic of military aviation to U.S. soil. They nicknamed the plane -Swamp Ghost- and the name stuck. Creatures by Slimy Swamp Ghost/Trevor Henderson [trevorhenderson.format.com] Includes: VioletQueen\Joelias_N1\trevor_henderson\cartoon_cat.mdl VioletQueen\Joelias_N1\trevor_henderson\cartoon_dog_p1.mdl VioletQueen\Joelias_N1\trevor_henderson\cartoon_dog_p2.mdl It was thought lost until 1972, when it was spotted by a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter, completely intact, resting in a swamp. The crew was welcomed back as heroes but their celebration didn’t last long. Then, in 1972 the plane was rediscovered by Australian troops flying over the swamp. Manchac Swamp - Ponchatoula, LA Photo by Judy Kiel, via Flickr Located in Ponchatoula, locals call this swamp "Ghost Swamp" and it is said to be haunted by a Creole voodoo priestess named Julie Brown. However, the crash of 41-2446 waned from the public eye for nearly three decades until Australian soldiers -rediscovered- it in 1972. The Bridge Worms. But there were more tangible dangers ahead than the ghosts that were said to wander the marshes... “Don’t mind the danger,” they thought. The plane attracted tourists from far off places and some local cultures even formed spiritual beliefs surrounding the plane. Most people are loyal to their local clans and live a simplistic lifestyle of hunting wildlife and growing crops such as pawpaw, yams and other foods native to the area. Death Swamp is a swamp in Canada where lots of g h osts were spotted and the men wanted to see some. What was even more incredible was that it seemed to have remained intact. Many had fallen under the spell of the Swamp Ghost, but very few ever reached their destination. They weren’t familiar with the terrain and certainly did not know what the swampy marshes held in store for them. $(this).css("visibility", "hidden"); Just one day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Swamp Ghost was sent out on a special mission. A cargo cult is a system of beliefs, generally formed in highly underdeveloped societies, in which its members hold superstitious beliefs about items that fall from the sky from more advanced civilizations, such as technology or cargo. 9. Even though it was deemed impossible to salvage the plane, the two kept at it and weren’t going to be deterred by anything. Poor visibility separated the five in flight. The legend of the Swamp Ghost was just too tantalizing a mystery to pass up. The bomber was a strategic resource in the war and was responsible for dropping 640,000 tons of bombs (out of 1.5 million total) on Nazi Germany. Tallichet is a World War II veteran, and has lots of experience in dealing with planes and other aircraft. The B-17 was a new generation of bombers that could carry a much more sizable payload and serve remote bases around the world. While the crew of the Swamp Ghost was redeployed on a new mission, their Flying Fortress was all but forgotten, about half-submerged in the distant swamp. What happened to it and why hasn’t it been explored? The pilots decided to move the helicopter closer to the site, which was mostly composed of swampland. The B-17 bomber was part of President Roosevelt’s vision to modernize the US military. The swamp was known locally as Agaimbo, and there weren’t many willing to enter. But by that time they had already drawn in anti-aircraft fire from the Japanese troops. The team was about to find out. Completely preserved, it was like a ghost in the swamp. According to local legend, the plane’s nickname was given to the aircraft after a Seattle Times journalist saw the plane during a test flight back in 1935 and remarked that it looked like a flying fortress. Due to the terrain in Papua New Guinea, many of the sites are located in near-impossible to reach areas. $(this).css("visibility", "hidden"); Locals had been calling it the Swamp Ghost because it was so well hidden deep in the jungle. Not knowing where they were or where they were going, they set off to find civilization and help to get back to their base located in the capital. During one point of his life, he was the proud owner of over 120 planes. The invasion was a threat to all allied troops stationed in the country and something had to be done to ensure their safety. Then, suddenly, the worst happened. Since the first sighting, many have tried to explain it. They could have just left it alone, but curiosity got the better of them. In total, the cost to restore the World War II B-17 bomber might exceed $5 million. I’ve been to swamp ghost quite a few times but last I heard it was still shut down. The country quickly became a graveyard and a memorial for the war. The bomber remains as a memorial for a horrific war that claimed millions of lives. The very first showing of the B-17 Flying Fortress after it had been removed from the swamp in Papua New Guinea was a viewing in Long Beach California. Mostly because of being partially submerged in water and the difficult to get to the location. But unfortunately, not everything was what it appeared to be. Bad weather conditions also made it difficult to see up in the air for those able to takeoff. The Swamp Ghost sat abandoned and long forgotten about for 64 years. The DOJ’s original false claim, of course, was used by the Democrats and supporting Republicans in congress to dummy up a justification for an actual impeachment vote this week, a vote that was held without any due process or the holding of a single hearing prior to that vote. Since taking this, I've already sanded the lines out and will have to re-rivet the area later. When Hagen and Tellichet eventually got to the Swamp Ghost, they found that the aircraft was remarkably well preserved. At first, everything was normal and the pilots were happily chatting about random things. Even more amazing than the find and the restoration of the plane is its backstory and just how exactly the plane came to be located half-submerged in the far-off swamp. The Papuans assisted in the war effort by acting as service bearers — mainly carrying supplies and the wounded across the rugged mountainous terrain and steaming treacherous jungles. Something that would bring about the downfall of the Swamp Ghost. The Swam Ghost made its crash landing in the swamp with a relatively soft landing. But when WWII came around, they found themselves in the middle of the conflict due to their strategic location between the Japanese Empire and allied Australia. And they were also willing to face any danger that might lie ahead. What the pilot thought was a wheat field ended up being a swamp. Captain Fred Eaton thought he was setting down the bomber in a wheat field; however, they actually landed wheels-up in the middle of Agaiambo swamp. It bore an odd shape and they couldn’t make out where it was from their altitude. But how did it get there in the first place? This particular B-17 Flying Fortress (41-2446) was delivered to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on December 6, 1941-just one day before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Papua New Guinea was a very important strategic territory in the South West Pacific theater during the Second World War. This was where the plane's legend was born. From the view of a trained eye, one would know that this object held a lot of value, not only monetarily but also historically. It was used heavily during the Second World War, mostly in Europe against German forces. $(".related-view-price").each(function() { The people of Papua New Guinea had led mainly isolated lives until foreigners arrived on the island. With that in mind, both Hagen and Tallichet went to work on attempting to salvage the plane known as the “Swamp Ghost.” They started their endeavor in the 1980s, but it would take them decades to complete the extremely difficult task. Produced by the critically acclaimed Pacific Ghosts. After a very difficult journey, the team … The Swamp Ghost - B-17E 41-2446 However, nothing about this mission would go quite as planned. A task that is no easy undertaking. The only footage in situ prior to salvage Explore the complete history of Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2446 known as 'The Swamp Ghost'. As time went on and the war ended, no one thought twice about the Flying Fortress, and it was time to go home. But wait-there's more. The plane was now leaking fuel and headed for a crash landing in the New Guinean wilderness, unable to reach its destination. A swamp that was inhabited by deadly and ferocious crocodiles. The Swamp Ghost was due to return to the New Guinean capital city of Port Moresby, but there was no way that the crew could make that happen with a punctured wing and the massive leaking of fuel. After America’s first heavy bomber raid of WWII, a bullet-riddled B17 bomber crash landed in one of the most remote and inaccessible places on Earth. First Name: Brooks TX Panhandle ... Stormtrooper_08 said: ↑ I switched to 315/12.50/17 Toyo MT’s back in 2018. They called it the Swamp Ghost. Miraculously none of the crew members were seriously injured. Have you ever wondered what swamp ghost lights are? But the majestic Swamp Ghost would tragically never return from its mission. History lesson with Historian Peter Dunn of Australia @ War. Your First Name Only. The Flying Fortress It was determined that ‘swamp ghost’ was actually a B-17E Flying Fortress, plane type. But it was only when he laid his shaking hands upon it that he realized just what he'd done. The nearer they came, the wider their eyes grew. It had been sitting in the middle of the jungle in Papua New Guinea for many years, yet nobody really knew where it came from. Instead of flying with the Kangaroo Squadron that day, it was sent out on one of the earliest bombing missions of the Second World War. For a short time, the crew was based at Wheeler Field in Wahiawa and flew patrol missions for the Navy until February 1942.In February 1942, Japanese Troops invaded Rabaul on New Britain and established a base. But Boeing didn’t just stop at the B-17; they continued to improve the engineering of the aircraft. All of the mechanics and weaponry inside of the aircraft had already been looted by the time Hagen and Tellichet arrived at the plane. After a night of rest, they traveled downriver in canoes, were handed over to an Australian magistrate, and eventually arrived at Port Moresby on April 1-thirty-six days after their crash. That particular island in Papua New Guinea was not exactly hidden. From all over the world, people flocked to witness the secret that had lain in the dense marshland for decades. The entire crew devastatingly all caught malaria while attempting to traverse the dangerous swamps. But that didn’t deter the two men from finding a way to salvage the plane and, hopefully, be able to do what they do best — restore it to its old glory. if ($(this).text() =='$0.00') { The plane gained the name “Swamp Ghost” because of where it was found. The plane never received an honorary name or piece of nose art (that usually happened after a few missions). That is until it was removed from the swamp. Now that the deal is one, oh hey, they were just kiddin’. For decades the plane was known only to a few locals in nearby areas. Dunn is an expert on the B-17 "Kangaroo Squadron." So much so, that it started attracting visitors. They had to make a second pass at their target before they were able to finally get them open. Only a few bombers remained in use, mainly for secondary roles such as transport, air-sea rescue, and photo-reconnaissance. At first, it didn’t gain much attention and only the locals came and went. By February 2010, the wreck had been cleared for import to the United States. A couple days later, on February 22, 1942, nine B-17Es of the 19th Bombing Group were scheduled to take off for Rabaul. Others had believed it to be haunted, as well. The Japanese invaded the township of Rabaul, on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea. The mysterious object was challenging to get to as it lay deep within the swampy area of the Papua New Guinea jungle. They landed on one of its wings to investigate and found it “eerily untouched,” It was at this moment that the aircraft earned the name The Swamp Ghost. Still, to this day, there are many cargo cults in Papua New Guinea. During the war in the Pacific, the B-17 bomber was used in raids against Japanese shipping and airfields. A woman's apparition has also been seen here, believed to be the ghost of famed Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. Currently, there are about six million people that live in Papua New Guinea, most of whom live in remote and secluded areas. Swamp Ghost - episode: 412205 On February 23, 1942, following America's first heavy bomber offensive raid of World War II, a bullet-riddled U.S. B-17E bomber crash-landed in a remote swamp … }); For 64 years, this downed B-17 Flying Fortress rested intact among the waist-high water and kunai grass in Agaiambo swamp. Then, in May 2016, an American salvager took the bomber apart and removed it from the swamp, causing controversy. The plane’s location was probably the major reason why it was largely unexplored. The man even went as far as to organize a group of people to help him intercept the plane before it could be moved to a barge offshore. Japanese fire was intense and a flak round managed to punch a hole through the starboard wing. It had been sitting in the middle of the jungle in Papua New Guinea for many years, yet nobody really knew where it came from. Perhaps these risks were why the object had remained unexplored for so many decades. Coming up on the Own Stanley Mountains, the pilot spotted a soft wheat field which he believed would be a perfect place to make a crash landing. After a week in the hospital, the men returned to combat. Eerily blackened hulls of bombed-out planes sit beside old airstrips, and debris from hundreds of crashed planes lies camouflaged in the mountainous rain forests and lowland jungles. Dunn is an expert on the B-17 "Kangaroo Squadron." Swamp Ghost history lesson with Historian Peter Dunn of Australia @ War. But Fred Hagen and David Tallichet were about to make the discovery of a lifetime. The news hit international media and the Swamp Ghost became famous. Papua New Guinea, because of its strategic location, it became the site of many clashes between the Australians, Japanese and Americans, all of which had set up military bases in different areas. Then, just a few short months later, disaster struck. After arriving at Long Beach, the aircraft was on indefinite loan to the Planes of Fame Air Museum at Chino Airport. Local press nicknamed the plane "Swamp Ghost." This threatened the rest of New Guinea and Australia. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales. On February 23, 1942, following America's first heavy bomber offensive raid of World War II, a bullet-riddled U.S. B-17E bomber crash-landed in a remote swamp in Papua New Guinea. 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