| Swamp Ghost | |
|---|---|
 Swamp Ghost restoration at thePacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, April 2014 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Owners | Delivered new to theUSAAF |
| Construction number | 2257 |
| Serial | 41-2446 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1941 |
| First flight | 1941 |
| In service | 1941–1942 |
| Preserved at | Currently undergoing restoration at thePearl Harbor Aviation Museum (as of 2022) |
| Fate | Ran out of fuel and crash-landed inAgaiambo swamp,Oro Province,Papua New Guinea |
TheSwamp Ghost is aBoeing B-17E Flying Fortress piloted by Captain Frederick 'Fred' C. Eaton, Jr, that ditched in a swamp onPapua New Guinea duringWorld War II, after anattack on ships at Japanese-occupiedNew Britain on February 23, 1942. While flying overRabaul, 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.[1]
The aircraft was rediscovered in 1972 inAgaiambo swamp, where it earned the nicknameSwamp Ghost. In 1989, theTravis Air Force Base Heritage Center planned to recover it.[2] It was salvaged in 2006 and moved toLae wharf where it lay waiting for permission to be transferred to theUnited States.[3] By February 2010, the wreck had been cleared for import to the United States.[4]
In 2010, the aircraft was shipped to the United States, and on June 11, 2010, was shown to a public gathering inLong Beach, California, that included family members of the original crew. Plans were made to bringSwamp Ghost to thePima Air & Space Museum inTucson for restoration to static display. After arriving at Long Beach, the aircraft was on indefinite loan to thePlanes of Fame Air Museum atChino Airport.[5]
TheSwamp Ghost was received by thePacific Aviation Museum inPearl Harbor on April 10, 2013.[1] As of August 2013, the museum planned to restore the aircraft for static display in Hangar 79 onFord Island. As of February 2022[update], the aircraft is on display in Hangar 79, undergoing restoration.[6]
9°11′52″S148°39′42″E / 9.1979°S 148.6617°E /-9.1979; 148.6617