B-17 Swamp Ghost Recovery
Papua, New Guinea
April-May 2006
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History
Built on December 6, 1941 by Boeing, this B-17 bomber (nicknamed "Swamp Ghost") piloted by Frederick 'Fred' Eaton flew it's one and only combat mission on February 22, 1941. Part of a planned nine bomber raid, this aircraft took off from Garbutt Airfield, late on the night February 22 to bomb shipping in Rabaul at Simpson Harbor at dawn the next morning, and return via Port Moresby's 7-Mile Drome to refuel before returning to Garbutt Airfield. Only five B-17s made it to Rabaul, the other aborted.

Over the target, Eaton's bomber had to make a second pass, due to a problem with its bomb bay, but finally dropped onto a freighter of 10,000 tons. On this second run, an anti-aircraft shell that passed thru the right wing without exploding. Results of the bombing were hard to observe due to clouds.

Off the target, the bomber was intercepted by fighters over Rabaul, and maneuvered to escape them. The tail gunner claimed one Zero, shot down at 24,000 feet after firing burst of 400 rounds from a range of 200-300 yards. Waist gunner Crawford, claimed two more. Their plane was hit by the attacker's 7.7mm and 20mm fire.

After the battle, they flew as far as the north coast of New Guinea, before running short on fuel. Eaton force landed in a kunai field with the wheels up. He thought it was was dry ground, but actually it was a swamp. As the bomber touched down, it turned slightly, pointing the nose of the bomber slightly SE, at 183 degree heading.

The crew walked away from the crash site, and with the assistance of local villagers, and Australian Resident Magistrate, Alan Champion. They arrived by boat back at Port Moresby on April 1, 1942, 36 days after the crash, and returned to combat.

Discovery & "Swamp Ghost"
 Rediscovered in 1972, during an RAAF helicopter exercise in New Guinea. "The Swamp Ghost" nickname was coined by media articles and visitors gave this wreck. (It is not the aircraft's wartime nickname.) The plane is nearly impossible to locate during the 'wet season', due to the high kunai grass and swamp around, and is half submerged in swamp water. Few visitors and no grass fires have have kept the plane in excellent condition.

Condition of Wreck Site
 In 1975 the plane was still in incredible condition. All its interior equipment was pre-WWII Air Corps issue. Even the belted .50 Caliber ammunition were manufactured in 1933, 1935 and an occasional 1938 round. Airframe corrosion was negligible and no damage aside from bent propellers during crash landing, and some broken perspex glass.

For more information about the "Swamp Ghost" and it's crew click here.


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