B-17E 41-2446 Abandoned in a swamp in Papua, New Guinea.
Numerous unsuccessful attempts at recovery.
Photo by Bill Thomson
41-2446 was accepted by the Army Air Corps in Seattle
on 06 December 1941. With Americas entry into WWII it was rushed to Townsville,
Australia and assigned to the 7 Bomb Group. It first combat mission was
on 23 February 1942, as part of a six ship attack on Rabaul, New Britain.
Weather difficulties, mechanical problems, and enemy attacks caused the
pilot to attempt an emergency landing on what turned out to be a grassy
swamp. The plane sunk into the marshy swamp with only minor damage. 41-2446
was written off and abandoned by the Army. The plane was rediscovered in
1972 by a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter crew, overgrown and weather
beaten. The Travis Heritage Museum negotiated with the New Guinea government
to acquire the abandoned bomber. An agreement was made to restore two aircraft
for a New Guinea museum in exchange for 41-2446, but politics cause the
deal to fall through. As of 1980 it still sits in the swamp abandoned as
noted in the photo above.
41-9234
B-17E 41-9234 Abandoned on a mountain side in Papua, New
Guinea. Current condition is unknown.
Photo by Bill Thomson
Photos taken in 1980 by Bill Thomson while on temporary duty in
New Guinea with the Royal Australian Air Force.
