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When a Strategic Air Command transport plane vanishes over the Atlantic in 1951, questions - and theories - abound, but answers are in short supply. Was the flight brought down by mechanical failure or was it deliberately sabotaged? What cargo was it carrying? What happened to the 53 men aboard Air Force Flight 5882?
This video is the first in my new Sovereignty series of short geopolitical history documentaries, focusing on important but poorly known episodes in geopolitics. If you liked the video, make sure to hit the thumbs up button, leave a comment, and subscribe for more!
Researching this topic was unfortunately very frustrating, as sources conflict on almost every aspect of this case. The reconstruction I have presented is, to my knowledge, the most complete and correct. However, since I was not able to access many primary sources, I was forced to rely on secondary sources for the majority of the research. Nevertheless, any errors or omissions in the above work are solely my responsibility.
Wikipedia Articles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Atlantic_C-124_disappearance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-124_Globemaster_II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1950_British_Columbia_B-36_crash
References
- “ASN Aircraft Accident Douglas C-124A Globemaster II 49-244 Shannon, Ireland.” Aviation Safety Network , February 9, 2021. https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19510323-0.
- Brown , Lynnita Jean. Korean War Educator: Topics - Globemaster Ditching SW of Ireland, December 3, 2019. http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topics/airplane_crashes/globemaster_ireland/p_globemaster_ireland.htm.
- Clifton, Daniel. “MEMORIAL DAY: Mystery Over the Atlantic Ocean.” 101 Highland Lakes, May 26, 2017. https://www.101highlandlakes.com/news/roy-wagner-of-burnet-investigates-mystery-of-fathers-life-and-death.
- “Find New Signs Big Plane Exploded.” The Globe and Mail. March 29, 1951.
- “Huge Air-Sea Search Underway For Missing American Plane.” Lewiston Evening Journal, March 24, 1951.
- “Missing Globemaster Sabotaged?” South China Morning Post. March 27, 1951.
- “Missing Plane Blown to Pieces, Air Force Says.” The Christian Science Monitor. March 29, 1951.
- Prime, John Andrew. “Mystery Flight Survivors Seek Answers.” Shreveport Times, July 9, 2015. https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/military/2015/07/07/lost-airmens-families-seek-answers/29802895/.
- Wagner, Donald. “Last Flight, The Missing Airmen, March 1951.” Walker Aviation Museum. Accessed February 6, 2021. http://www.wafbmuseum.org/alumni-stories/last-flight-the-missing-airmen-march-1951/.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - Opening Titles
01:33 - Flight 5882
05:23 - Evidence and Mysteries
08:52 - Fire?
10:24 - The Cargo?
12:05 - Conclusion
13:06 - End Credits