Summary

  • A Soviet Union-made fighter jet leaves behind an unsolved mystery about its origins and history.
  • A lieutenant Colonel predicted the Pearl Harbor attack in 1921.
  • A DC-54 Skymaster vanished in 1950 over Yukon with 44 people onboard.

More than a century of aviation would not be complete without a string of headliner mysteries. Whether it is the disappearance of some aircraft or unknown reasons why aircraft have crashed, several stories have captivated the world over the years because of their complex conundrums. While many of these perplexing occurrences have involved military units or air force aircraft from all over the world, thankfully, less has happened to commercial and passenger flights. Regardless, the mysteries of some situations have never been solved several decades after they occurred.

Space has been somewhat of an unworldly world of unknowns within itself. As astronauts and scientists have strived to learn more about what lies beyond planet Earth, several risks have been taken that have acted as teaching lessons – some ending in unfortunate cases. Additionally, the concept of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has populated the minds of many, whether they have experienced seeing them first-hand, heard stories, or seen movies about them over the years. Although some official agencies and the government may come up with conclusions and believe they know the details behind some puzzling enigmas, do they really?

1

The disappearance of an Air Force jet over the Great Lakes

On the evening of November 23, 1953, an aircraft operated by the US Air Defense Command was flying over Lake Superior in restricted airspace near the US-Canada border. According to History.com, the pilots noticed a blip on the radar indicating an unidentified object flying not too far away from Soo Locks, which is the most vital commercial aircraft gateway over the Great Lakes.

Title

Aircraft Involved

Outcome

Missing in the Keweenaw

F-89C Scorpion

Unsolved

The Flying Saucer Conspiracy

The Truax Air Force Base in Madison, Wisconsin, deployed an jet from Kinross Air Force Base to investigate the radar blip. Two crew members manned the aircraft: first Lieutenant Felix Moncla, the pilot, and second Lieutenant Robert Wilson, the copilot, but both unfortunately never returned from their mission. As they chased the UFO, radar showed that both converged into one blip and then simply disappeared about 70 miles off the Keweenaw Peninsula on the southern edge of the lake. Despite the United States Air Force (USAF), Coast Guard, and the Canadian Air Force conducting an extensive investigation and search and rescue effort, no wreckage of the aircraft or pilots was ever found.

59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Northrop F-89D Scorpions Known as the "Northeast Air Command Rocket Team"

Their disappearance, known as “one of the strangest cases on record,” was highlighted in the 1955 book The Flying Saucer Conspiracy, written by former Marine Corps naval aviator and UFO researcher Donald Keyhoe.

2

The final resting place of Pittsburgh’s “Ghost Bomber”

On January 31, 1956, Major William Dotson was flying in a B-25 Mitchell Bomber along with five crew members over the icy waters of the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to Heinz History Center, they were on a routine training flight from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to retrieve aircraft parks from Olmstead Air Force Base in Harrisburg. At around 16:00, the crew reported a loss of fuel and requested to land at Greater Pittsburgh Airport. However, it changed to Allegheny County Airport when fuel levels dipped even further. At 16:11, the fuel supply had been completely depleted, and the B-25 had glided over the Homestead Grays bridge and crash-landed on the Monongahela River.

B25 Illustration

Photo: Heinz History Center

All six crew members survived, but only four were rescued from the 34-degree water. Two pilots floated for 11 minutes but died from drowning. The aircraft eventually sunk into the water and was never seen again, sparking an unsolved mystery. A search for the aircraft ensued but was unsuccessful even though the river was only 20 feet deep and the aircraft’s height was 15 feet.

Post-Gazette front page B-25-bomber.

Photo: Heinz History Center

There have been several conspiracy theories regarding the aircraft’s whereabouts:

  • The US military secretly retrieved the aircraft’s wreckage to hide exactly what was carried onboard
  • Some believe the plane was carrying nuclear weapons or a UFO from Area 51 in Nevada
  • The highly polluted water corroded the aluminum exterior of the B-25, leaving the steel parts of the aircraft to remain

With no fact of where the aircraft went to this day, the incident remains as one of Pittsburgh’s most famous unsolved mysteries.

3

The use of a MiG-15

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, is home to several notable aircraft. One of those is a mysterious single-seat Soviet Air Force fighter jet known as the MiG-15. This particular aircraft has no bullet holes or scars from battles, which were expected as the jet was designed to intercept high-altitude strategic bombers. Russ Lee, an aeronautics curator for the museum, usually untangles aviation mysteries, but the MiG-15 had him perplexed when he spoke about it in 2000.

“There should be a little metal plate that gives the serial number for the airplane. If we can find it, the plane probably has a few more stories to tell us. It is possible that for whatever reason, between the time it was built and the time we got it, someone pulled the plate off.”

Believed to have considerable flying time.

Lee explained that the fighter jet formerly belonged to the People’s Republic of China, but where it was manufactured or how many military units it may have been assigned to remains unknown.

However, it has shown signs of corrosion, especially on the underbelly, and the wear and tear in the engine make Lee believe that the jet logged a fair number of flight hours.

4

The prediction of Pearl Harbor

A lieutenant colonel by the name of Pete Ellis was known for his eccentric behavior in the Navy during his time of service in the 1920s. According to We Are The Mighty, Ellis had a reputation for being solitary and working late into the night. He would explain that he was working on a “special project” when people would ask him why he would be in his office so late. In 1921, he reportedly appeared to “go mad” and provided a “lengthy prediction of the future.” This prophecy included the attack of Japan on several Pacific islands, including Pearl Harbor. Ellis also predicted that torpedo planes would be used despite not being invented.

Earl H. Ellis, USMC

Death in Japan.

Following his wild predictions, which happened to all be spot on, the remainder of Ellis’ life has undoubtedly established a mysterious story with many unanswered questions:

  • He requested a 90-day leave, and it was approved by the Secretary of the Navy
  • Reportedly sent off to Europe but never arrived. Instead, Ellis traveled to Japan, where he was found dead
  • Another man who knew Ellis traveled to the country to search for him, but was later found dead too

5

Douglas C-54 Skymaster vanishes without a trace

On January 26, 1950, a USAF Douglas DC-54 Skymaster carrying troops traveled from Anchorage, Alaska, to Montana. According to the CBC, the aircraft crew was instructed to check in with dispatchers about every half hour during the flight. They noticed that ice was beginning to form on the wings as the plane crossed into the Yukon and radioed the outpost of Snag to inform them of their discovery.

Title

Aircraft Involved

Outcome

1950 Douglas C-54D Disappearance

Douglas DC-54D

Unsolved

Skymaster Down

After the crew contacted the outpost, the aircraft disappeared and there has not been any trace of the wreckage of the 44 people onboard to this day. The USAF conducted a large search operation as newspapers began to report on the plane vanishing.

Original Skymaster.

Photo: CBC

The Yukon was covered with heavy snow during that time, making the search more challenging. The search ended a few weeks later and was deemed unsuccessful. A documentary titled Skymaster Down highlights the puzzling mystery.

Which air force mystery do you find the most bizarre? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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