The Swamp Ghost is a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress piloted by Captain Frederick 'Fred' C. Eaton, Jr, that ditched in a swamp on Papua New Guinea during World War II, after an attack on ships at Japanese-occupied New Britain on February 23, 1942. While flying over Rabaul, it was intercepted and eventually, having run out of fuel, had to force-land in a remote swamp near the north coast of New Guinea. All of the crew survived the crash landing and arduous trek out.[1]
| Swamp Ghost | |
|---|---|
 Swamp Ghost restoration at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, April 2014 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Owners | Delivered new to the USAAF |
| Construction number | 2257 |
| Serial | 41-2446 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1941 |
| First flight | 1941 |
| In service | 1941–1942 |
| Preserved at | Currently undergoing restoration at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (as of 2022) |
| Fate | Ran out of fuel and crash-landed in Agaiambo swamp, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea |
Discovery
editThe aircraft was rediscovered in 1972 in Agaiambo swamp, where it earned the nickname Swamp Ghost. In 1989, the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center planned to recover it.[2] It was salvaged in 2006 and moved to Lae wharf where it lay waiting for permission to be transferred to the United States.[3] By February 2010, the wreck had been cleared for import to the United States.[4]
Display and restoration
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In 2010, the aircraft was shipped to the United States, and on June 11, 2010, was shown to a public gathering in Long Beach, California, that included family members of the original crew. Plans were made to bring Swamp Ghost to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson for restoration to static display. After arriving at Long Beach, the aircraft was on indefinite loan to the Planes of Fame Air Museum at Chino Airport.[5]
The Swamp Ghost was received by the Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor on April 10, 2013.[1] As of August 2013, the museum planned to restore the aircraft for static display in Hangar 79 on Ford Island. As of February 2022[update], the aircraft is on display in Hangar 79, undergoing restoration.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Murata, A.; Koivunen, J. (2013-04-10). "Legendary Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress a.k.a. "Swamp Ghost" Arrived Today, April 10 At Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor" (PDF). press release. Pacific Aviation Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
- ^ Soberanes, Bill (11 June 1991). "The Swamp Ghost". Petaluma Argus-Courier. p. 11.
- ^ Antczak, John (11 June 2010). "World War II Bomber 'Swamp Ghost' Returns to US". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "B-17E Bomber Rescued from Papua New Guinea Swamp, Now On Display in Hawaii". War History Online. 6 February 2016. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
- ^ "Swamp Ghost Fuselage On Display at Chino" (PDF). Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ Rivette, Thomas (January 28, 2019). "Pacific Aviation Museum, Oahu 2019". Retrieved October 2, 2019 – via Flickr.
External links
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- John Weeks webpage - photo of Swamp Ghost
- The Swamp Ghost, Retrieved on April 10, 2009,
- Pacific Wrecks - B-17E Serial Number 41-2446 (aka 'Swamp Ghost'), Retrieved on April 10, 2009
- Swamp Ghost website
- Google Maps satellite image of the Swamp Ghost
- Aero Archaeology video of Swamp Ghost
- Swamp Ghost at the Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine