One of the "greatest mysteries in aviation history" may soon be solved

[MiddenMonster]

TIGHAR (The International Group for Historical Aircraft Recovery) may have zeroed in on Glenn Miller's doomed plane. No treasure, no human remains and probably minimal artifacts can be recovered, but it would put to rest a big mystery:

Bandleader Glenn Miller’s doomed plane possibly uncovered decades after disappearing during WWII

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[xaos]

not to be a stick in the mud...

but this hardly qualifies as "One of the "greatest mysteries in aviation history"

 

[enrada]

Can someone start a thread called "NEGATIVITY" for those persons who post with nothing positive to say.

 

[Red James Cash]

Can someone start a thread called "NEGATIVITY" for those persons who post with nothing positive to say.

Yup,sure can.Yours can be the first post

 

[Red James Cash]

I read his plane possibly went down because a large flight of bombers was headed towards Germany on a mission.The flight routes were the same and Miller's plane was knocked down because of prop wash.

 

[MiddenMonster]

not to be a stick in the mud...

but this hardly qualifies as "One of the "greatest mysteries in aviation history"

Actually, it does, and the reason is because of Glenn Miller's fame. Because radio was still in its infancy (we are further along in the Internet age than they were in the radio age during WWII ) Glenn Miller was one of the hottest things going when it came to music. Add the war zone and patriotism factor to the mix and it makes it one of the biggest stories of the time. Imagine if Lynard Skynard's plane disappeared and was never found, and no cause for the disappearance was known. That would go on the list of the "greatest mysteries in aviation history" because of who they were. Malaysian airliner? It's a big deal, but because the passengers were just ordinary people it is ultimately just another plane crash. Now, Montego Air Fllight 828 would be the biggest mystery in aviation history...if it was real. The WWII Kennedy drone mystery probably ranks up there, as well.

I read his plane possibly went down because a large flight of bombers was headed towards Germany on a mission.The flight routes were the same and Miller's plane was knocked down because of prop wash.

I heard the same thing over the years. Unfortunately, given the makeup of that type of aircraft there is probably little chance of ever determining what brought it down now that so much time has past.

 

[Au_Dreamers]

Air ship? In the water? = shipwreck?

 

[PirateLabs]

not to be a stick in the mud...

but this hardly qualifies as "One of the "greatest mysteries in aviation history"

He said "ONE" of the greatest and it certainly qualifies as such. Folks can argue if it is one of the top 5, or top 10, etc. but it is certainly one of them in my opinion.

Bill

 

[Kace]

I thought it was going to be Amelia Earhart's plane and disappearance. Wasn't that the same group researching her missing plane...and them?

The Joseph P. Kennedy,Jr plane explosion I thought happened by him or the copilot pulling that pin too early and the other planes that were escorting and filming it used their radios which caused the explosives to detonate in mid air.
Is that wrong?

Kace

 

[haxor]

I'm siding with not. A missing plane during wartime in the warzone?

(If it counts because of his fame, then no even more so. He poops too.)

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I thought it was going to be Amelia Earhart's plane and disappearance. Wasn't that the same group researching her missing plane...and them?

The Joseph P. Kennedy,Jr plane explosion I thought happened by him or the copilot pulling that pin too early and the other planes that were escorting and filming it used their radios which caused the explosives to detonate in mid air.
Is that wrong?

Kace

I recall a documentary where they tested the set-up using the same electronics and solenoids and that was pretty much determined to be the cause. It was an early radio-controlled "rudder only" remote and it was demonstrated that the arming circuit, detonator and the flight control circuits "cross-fed" from the power surge of when the safety interlock was pulled out of sequence with the start-up of the flight controls. They were supposed to do that last just before bailing out after the flight controls were on.

As we detectorists now know an electronic spark is like a broadcast on all frequencies.

Other mysteries that would be interesting to solve: the five Avengers that vanished off Florida. And of course Amelia Earhart.


And one that I have always wanted to hear solved - L'Oiseau Blanc (White Bird) and pilot Charles Nungesser (WWI Ace - 43 kills) would have been the first non-stop Paris to New York City trans-Atlantic flight two weeks ahead of Lindbergh. But he was never seen on this side of the Atlantic. Though there are reports an engine was heard at what would have been the right time and along the Great-Circle Route just inshore in the state of Maine.

But an interesting one that did not disappear in the sea is a F-89 Scorpion interceptor (1953) that vanished over Michigan - likely into Lake Superior. You'd think in 65 years someone would have come across something.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yup,sure can.Yours can be the first post

Ha. Here's the rule of thumb for definitions : If it dissents from one's own view, then that's "negative" and "nothing positive". But if it AGREES with one's own view, then ... of course... . that's just ok, positive, etc...

 

[Kace]

I recall a documentary where they tested the set-up using the same electronics and solenoids and that was pretty much determined to be the cause. It was an early radio-controlled "rudder only" remote and it was demonstrated that the arming circuit, detonator and the flight control circuits "cross-fed" from the power surge of when the safety interlock was pulled out of sequence with the start-up of the flight controls. They were supposed to do that last just before bailing out after the flight controls were on.

As we detectorists now know an electronic spark is like a broadcast on all frequencies.

Other mysteries that would be interesting to solve: the five Avengers that vanished off Florida. And of course Amelia Earhart.


And one that I have always wanted to hear solved - L'Oiseau Blanc (White Bird) and pilot Charles Nungesser (WWI Ace - 43 kills) would have been the first non-stop Paris to New York City trans-Atlantic flight two weeks ahead of Lindbergh. But he was never seen on this side of the Atlantic. Though there are reports an engine was heard at what would have been the right time and along the Great-Circle Route just inshore in the state of Maine.

But an interesting one that did not disappear in the sea is a F-89 Scorpion interceptor (1953) that vanished over Michigan - likely into Lake Superior. You'd think in 65 years someone would have come across something.

Thanks for confirming what I had thought and explaining the JPK, Jr plane explosion better than I did Charlie.

Those missing planes you mentioned would be nice to know what happened to them.

Kace

 

[Carl-NC]

I thought it was going to be Amelia Earhart's plane and disappearance. Wasn't that the same group researching her missing plane...and them?

Yes. When I was at White's we donated Surfmaster PI's to TIGHAR for the Earhart search. They were going to dive off the beaches of Nikumaroro, never heard any results so I assume it was negative.

 

[Kace]

Yes. When I was at White's we donated Surfmaster PI's to TIGHAR for the Earhart search. They were going to dive off the beaches of Nikumaroro, never heard any results so I assume it was negative.

Thanks Carl...I saw a documentary on it...I think it's on YouTube now. They showed some relics that fit the time period from the island. Some of the stuff found with detectors was for women.

That name sounded familiar...TIGHAR.

Kace

 

[Mudflap]

If your interested in planes downed in water check out the story of the B25 Mitchel that went down in the Monongahela river in Pittsburgh in 1956. The river is only 20 feet deep and they never found it leading to the story of the ghost plane. Actually went down in Homestead, PA a few miles from the golden triangle confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers forming the Ohio. This was a witnessed crash. https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/...tory/mystery-of-pittsburghs-ghost-b-25-bomber