 | ||
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 the Second World War, after a raid 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.
Discovery
The aircraft was rediscovered in 1972 in Agaiambo swamp, where it earned the nickname Swamp Ghost. It was salvaged in 2006 and moved to Lae wharf where it lay waiting for permission to be transferred to the United States. By February 2010, the wreck had been cleared for import to the United States.
In 2010, the aircraft was shipped to the U.S., 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. The Swamp Ghost was received by the Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor on April 10, 2013. As of August 2013, the museum plans to restore the aircraft for static display in Hangar 79 on Ford Island.