Pearl Harbor Boeing B 17e Flying Fortress Swamp Ghost

Pearl Harbor Boeing B 17e Flying Fortress Swamp Ghost Our b 17e 41 2446 was one of the bombers in the kangaroo squadron stationed in townsville, australia. on the night of february 22 nd, 1942, five b 17’s took off from townsville with the mission of attacking ships in rabaul, a harbor of japanese held new britain. Seventy two years and thousands of miles back and forth across the pacific have finally brought her to her new and final home, pearl harbor aviation museum. she started operational life as a boeing b 17e heavy bomber, delivered to the usaaf on december 6, 1941, just one day before the japanese attack on pearl harbor.

Pearl Harbor Boeing B 17e Flying Fortress Swamp Ghost For more than seven decades, that lucky boeing b 17e flying fortress, serial 41 2446, lay intact and virtually undisturbed, all but forgotten. in 1972 it was spotted by a royal australian air force helicopter and local press dubbed it the “swamp ghost.”. On february, 23, 1942, a few months after the attack on pearl harbor, the b 17e flying fortress, piloted by capt. frederick c. eaton jr., was hit while flying over rabaul, papua new guinea, which had been invaded by japan. The four engine b 17e flying fortress was built by boeing in november 1941, flew from california to hawaii days after the japanese attack on pearl harbor, and then island hopped to australia. For 64 years, this downed b 17 flying fortress rested intact among the waist high water and kunai grass in agaiambo swamp. it had slipped out of thought until 1972 when australian soldiers spotted it. completely preserved, it was like a ghost in the swamp.

Boeing B 17e Flying Fortress Bomber Swamp Ghost On Display At Pearl The four engine b 17e flying fortress was built by boeing in november 1941, flew from california to hawaii days after the japanese attack on pearl harbor, and then island hopped to australia. For 64 years, this downed b 17 flying fortress rested intact among the waist high water and kunai grass in agaiambo swamp. it had slipped out of thought until 1972 when australian soldiers spotted it. completely preserved, it was like a ghost in the swamp. "swamp ghost" is arguably the world’s only intact and un retired world war ii era b 17e bomber, a "one of a kind example of an aircraft that played an indispensable role in winning wwii," according to the pacific aviation museum. On december 7th, 1941, the day before the japanese attacked pearl harbor, capt. frederick “fred” eaton, jr. flew the boeing b 17e flying fortress for a special mission. Although best known for leading the war against germany, boeing’s “flying fortress” was the primary bomber during the opening moves of the pacific war. japanese fighter pilots were amazed at how much damage the b 17 could endure and keep on flying.

Boeing B 17e Flying Fortress Bomber Swamp Ghost On Display At Pearl "swamp ghost" is arguably the world’s only intact and un retired world war ii era b 17e bomber, a "one of a kind example of an aircraft that played an indispensable role in winning wwii," according to the pacific aviation museum. On december 7th, 1941, the day before the japanese attacked pearl harbor, capt. frederick “fred” eaton, jr. flew the boeing b 17e flying fortress for a special mission. Although best known for leading the war against germany, boeing’s “flying fortress” was the primary bomber during the opening moves of the pacific war. japanese fighter pilots were amazed at how much damage the b 17 could endure and keep on flying.