Lost gold shipment West Africa 1946

Problem is my back shelf is getting pretty crowded  stuff is starting to fall off the sides!

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Thanks Xavier

Did you ever come to any conclusions as to if the plane crashed or was "misplaced" on purpose?

I wonder if any of the local populations in the suspect area have found or seen wreckage? Sounds like the area is fairly remote?

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The water crash scenario makes a lot of sense.   If I remember correctly DC-3's/C-47's, despite their ability to fly when they shouldn't, wouldn't have been very seaworthy and would not stay afloat for long even empty.   Add to that the fact that the pilot, co-pilot, and every passenger on board with flight experience was Army Air Force (no Naval Aviators) and the odds of their being able to execute a safe waterditching even under the best of circumstance becomes very close to nil   (not something they would have learned and practiced during flight training---except possibly as a book drill).  Chances are even a naval aviator would have a had time keeping the craft afloat under the scenario Xavier lays forth.

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One landed with half a wing missing. But in rough seas? any how they were not made to float for very long. But they were great planes that's for sure
 

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Xavier

I went to Ghana once but I was I Ivory coast a few times and the vegetation and terrain are very similar so is the climate while I was in Ghana I experienced a weather change from a nice sunny day to a down pour but in Ivory coast I saw the roads transformed into rivers within seconds never have I seen so much water in so little time.
On that fateful day that the B47 disappeared the weather forecast was scattered rain fall and thunder so it could very well be like it was stated on a few occasions that he may have flown under the cloud cover and got sucked down very suddenly. Now to find an aircraft in that vegetation is like trying to find a pin in a hay stack as for the craters I was looking with google earth at Ghana and Liberia and I did find some I also found a lake close to Liberia but I don't have a good graphics card on my PC and therefore could not make nice close up's but they are there.
When they did the search they asked the locals if they had seen an aircraft or heard one they all said no but if it was raining then they would have all been inside and with tin roofs I doubt it very much that any one could have heard any thing now not all have tin roofs but even on thatch roof there is noise and probably enough to smother the sound of an aircraft unless of course it's over head. And also remember that there were important people on board that probably knew what the cargo was.  The list of all the passengers was posted and I think that there is a file in the download area take a look if you like.

Xavier         

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Xavier