Hello. I'm currently living on Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. I went for a hike the other day in the jungle behind my house and came across this wreck. Some locals told me that the entire plane used to be there, but everything has been scavenged now except the engines and the landing gear. I'm trying to figure out what kind of plane this was. Everyone here says its a B-29, but it looked kind of small for that to my untrained eye. I was thinking it was more likely a b-24. There was a number legible in a few places that said "205097". Is there a place I could look that up?
B24 or B29 Jungle Crash Pics
- Thread starter aomiles
- Start date
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Catch22
Major
Welcome to the forum!
Were you able to tell how many blades there were on the propellers? From the pictures I can't tell. If there were 3, it was definitely a B-24, as all B-29s had 4 blades. If it had 4, it was probably a B-29. I'm not sure if later versions of the Liberator had 4 blades or not, but I don't think so.
Were you able to tell how many blades there were on the propellers? From the pictures I can't tell. If there were 3, it was definitely a B-24, as all B-29s had 4 blades. If it had 4, it was probably a B-29. I'm not sure if later versions of the Liberator had 4 blades or not, but I don't think so.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Welcome to the forum, aomiles!
I see the person's legs in the one photo, near the engine, and using that to judge the size of the engine, I'd say it wasn't large enough to be a Wright R-3350-57. Plus there were 4 huge props on a B-29's engine.
It looks to be a Pratt Whitney R-1830 instead, which had 3 props on each engine. I also notice that those props are in remarkable condition, which is telling me that they weren't under power when the aircraft went into the jungle.
As for the number 205097, I'm not having any luck with that, perhaps one of the other guys might be able to scare up some info on that.
* Wait! I'm wrong...I just looked closer at the images, and there are 4 props...just by looking at thier position on the hub confirms that.
I didn't see the first engine pic, it was slow to load. The photo offers a much better perspective about thier size, so those must be Wright R-3350 engines *
I see the person's legs in the one photo, near the engine, and using that to judge the size of the engine, I'd say it wasn't large enough to be a Wright R-3350-57. Plus there were 4 huge props on a B-29's engine.
It looks to be a Pratt Whitney R-1830 instead, which had 3 props on each engine. I also notice that those props are in remarkable condition, which is telling me that they weren't under power when the aircraft went into the jungle.
As for the number 205097, I'm not having any luck with that, perhaps one of the other guys might be able to scare up some info on that.
* Wait! I'm wrong...I just looked closer at the images, and there are 4 props...just by looking at thier position on the hub confirms that.
I didn't see the first engine pic, it was slow to load. The photo offers a much better perspective about thier size, so those must be Wright R-3350 engines *
syscom3
Pacific Historian
Contact Sally Ann at her website.
http://b-29.org/
She can get the pics put up and hopefully some of the more knowledgeable people there can identify it.
http://b-29.org/
She can get the pics put up and hopefully some of the more knowledgeable people there can identify it.
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
I'd say B29. It cetainly looks like a four blade prop, and if the other image is of the landing gear, it appears to be a bogy type, twin wheeled.
- Thread starter
- #6
patriot66
Recruit
I would say it is definitely a B-29 from the photo of the main landing gear bogey. As far as I can remember it was the only bomber with twin bogeys (i.e 4 wheels) on each of the 2 main landing gear oleos. You can clearly see that there are 4 wheels on the photo. It would be interesting to know more of its story.
- Thread starter
- #8
...as to an absolute identification from the admittedly slim photographic evidence currently posted. Initially I thought it might have been a three bladed prop because the angle between the two blades that are actually showing APPEARS greater then 90 degrees. That was until our man on the spot confirmed that it was a four blader. Also, and I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but the engine itself appears too small to have come from a B-29 (that engine was huge)...even with all the damage. And lastly, the "landing gear"...although I can't scale it correctly it appears to have four rims in a row. The superfort didn't have that, even though patriot66 says the main gear had 4 tires, in actuality it only had two per each main gear and two tires also for the nose gear. We need more information I think.
Matt308
Glock Perfection
Looks like a B-29 to me. The main landing gear that you see in the pic is two LARGE wheel rims on each side of a two-wheel bogie. The tires are gone (probably due to the resultant fire). What is left are the inner and outter rims on each side of the main gear strut. Given the size, that smacks of B-29. There were some other US aircraft that had two wheel bogies, but these were used for flying boats and were typically installed only when they came ashore.
The engines do look small, but I'm thinking that is because the cylinder heads likely were scavenged, thus reducing the apparent diameter. Check out the second pic and you can see one blatently missing.
The engines do look small, but I'm thinking that is because the cylinder heads likely were scavenged, thus reducing the apparent diameter. Check out the second pic and you can see one blatently missing.
Matt308
Glock Perfection
Here's a wreckage pic of the nose wheel bogie from a B-29 taken from B-29 Hunters of the JAAF/Takai Sakaida. Without some scaling it is hard to tell the size of the bogie in the pic provided above. But roughly the nose wheel/tire assembly was about 3ft in diameter. The main gear tire/wheel assembly was roughly twice that (i.e., 6ft dia). Looking at the tire profile on the main gear, the wheel hubs would be about 4ft+ or so in diameter, I would guess.
Matt308 has convinced me. Great picture showing the tire burnt away from the rim(s). I guess I was thinking too much along the line of car tire rims, discounting that the size of the tire would necessarily dictate that there should be an outer AND inner rim! Another great education from a Forum member. Thanks. A B-29 it is!
Matt308
Glock Perfection
Probably his wife. But... and I do mean that in the best way... she caught my eye too. 
Man I'm getting my eyes check...
Matt308
Glock Perfection
It's your constant and utter professionalism, Vick.
exlegeconsulting
Recruit
- 2
- May 19, 2009
That plane is B29 Serial # 44-83899 I have all of the info on this plane if you'd like it. My brother's father was killed in this crash.
Rick Dickson
[email protected]
Rick Dickson
[email protected]
syscom3
Pacific Historian
Please provide us with the information! I would also like to have it posted on the B29 forum if you agree.
Definitely a 4-blade hub and the cylinder heads are intact evidenced by the intake and exhaust stack ports. They're part of the head. The 24 had a single wheel main gear. That bogey has 2. When you get a round engine on the ground it gives the appearance of being small.
R3350 Specs:
Wright Turbo-Cyclone 18R-3350-TC (972TC18DA2)
Judging from the factory-straight remaining prop blades I'm guessing there was no fire. It ran out of fuel. Those blades would have been pretty mangled had they been turning. Also, the jugs are largely intact as are the engines, generally speaking, which are usually molten messes after a fire when the wing breaks up and the fuel is thrown forward.
I use to be part of a crash recovery team salvaging aircraft wherever they ended up. I've seen more than I care to remember but this crash looks like the result of gliding in. Mother nature has had a lot of time to reclaim what was once hers. The tires are missing because islanders would strip them off and use them for shoe soles. Every bird I've ever salvaged has been visited by locals who typically have a use for something on the wrecks. Tubing, cabling, reservoirs/bottles, skin sections, bullets (the Yapese used them for their slingshots made from inner tubes and tree branch forks), etc. I used to strip that stuff off and barter with it for local goods and services near the site.
R3350 Specs:
Wright Turbo-Cyclone 18R-3350-TC (972TC18DA2)
Judging from the factory-straight remaining prop blades I'm guessing there was no fire. It ran out of fuel. Those blades would have been pretty mangled had they been turning. Also, the jugs are largely intact as are the engines, generally speaking, which are usually molten messes after a fire when the wing breaks up and the fuel is thrown forward.
I use to be part of a crash recovery team salvaging aircraft wherever they ended up. I've seen more than I care to remember but this crash looks like the result of gliding in. Mother nature has had a lot of time to reclaim what was once hers. The tires are missing because islanders would strip them off and use them for shoe soles. Every bird I've ever salvaged has been visited by locals who typically have a use for something on the wrecks. Tubing, cabling, reservoirs/bottles, skin sections, bullets (the Yapese used them for their slingshots made from inner tubes and tree branch forks), etc. I used to strip that stuff off and barter with it for local goods and services near the site.
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Cota1992
Senior Airman
I'd like to see the story on this plane too.
Art
Art
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