The Kee Bird was a United States Army Air Forces Boeing B-29 Superfortress, serial 45-21768, of the 46th Reconnaissance Squadron, that became marooned after making an emergency landing in northwest Greenland during a secret Cold War spying mission on 21 February 1947. While the entire crew was safely evacuated after spending three days in the isolated Arctic tundra, the aircraft itself was left at the landing site. It lay there undisturbed until 1994, when a privately funded mission was launched to repair and return it. During the attempted recovery, on 21 May 1995, a fire broke out, resulting in the destruction and loss of the airframe on the ground.
Mission background In the early years of the Cold War, some of the most important strategic reconnaissance was carried out by Strategic Air Command units deployed to Ladd Army Airfield, near Fairbanks, Alaska Territory. One of the SAC's initial missions was to plan strategic aerial reconnaissance on a global scale. The first efforts were in photo-reconnaissance and mapping. Along with the photo-reconnaissance mission, a small electronic intelligence (ELINT) cadre was operating. Weather reconnaissance was part of the effort, as was long-range detection, the search for Soviet atomic explosions.Wack, Fred J. The Secret Explorers: Saga of the 46th/72nd Reconnaissance Squadrons. N.p., 1990
In the late 1940s, strategic intelligence on Soviet capabilities and intentions was scarce. Before the development of the Lockheed U-2 high-altitude spy plane and orbital reconnaissance satellites, technology and politics limited American reconnaissance efforts to the borders, and not the heartland, of the Soviet Union. Ladd Field was one of the important staging areas for gathering what strategic intelligence could be obtained along Soviet borders.
Assigned to the 46th Reconnaissance Squadron, the Kee Bird was originally a standard Block 95 B-29 Superfortress bomber manufactured at Boeing's Wichita, Kansas, plant in 1945, c/n 13662, one of the last B-29s manufactured at the plant. It was delivered to the United States Army Air Forces as serial 45-21768, on August 9, 1945. Once delivered, though, it was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan Army Airfield in Tucson, Arizona, until mid-1946, when the 46th RS was formed. Nineteen B-29s were assigned to the 46th RS, and at that time, 768 was one of six squadron aircraft that was fitted with special camera installations for photo-reconnaissance work. It carried three K-17B, two K-22, and one K-18 cameras with provisions for others. With the reconnaissance equipment, it was redesignated an F-13 (in the F- for photo reconnaissance series). The standard B-29 bombing equipment and defensive armament were retained.American Military Aircraft – Boeing B-29 Superfortres
With growing tensions in US-Soviet relations, SAC explored the possibility of attacking Soviet targets via great circle routes over the North Pole as part of "Project Nanook". The 46th was engaged in mapping the northern section of Greenland and also to search for any Soviet military activity in this uninhabited area. The squadron was assigned to Ladd Field, near Fairbanks, Alaska, in June 1946, and began operational missions later that month. Its flights were used to develop accurate polar navigation, survey and map the Arctic, perform comprehensive weather studies, test its men and equipment in Arctic conditions, train in polar navigation and operations, and fly long-range photographic intelligence flights with B-29/F-13A Superfortresses. The story of The Impact of U.S. Aerial Reconnaissance during the Early Cold War (1947–1962):Service & Sacrifice of the Cold Warriors
Last flight
On 20 February 1947, Lt. Vern H. Arnett took Kee Bird off on a routine mission with a crew of 11 men. This was its seventh mission. All of its missions were classified "top secret". The mission on this occasion was to fly to the geographic North Pole, then fly a return route back to Ladd Field. The aircraft was carrying enough fuel to stay airborne for about 26 hours under normal conditions, having been configured for very long range missions with extra fuel tanks in the unused bomb bays. The mission was expected to last from 12 to 20 hours, making estimated arrival time at Ladd Field around 10:00 am Alaska Standard Time (AT) on 21 February 1947.Government Report on the recovery efforts concerning the Kee Bird crash in northern Greenland in February 1947
"All missions were flown with radio silence to avoid detection. No further report was received on this flight until 0756 AT, 21 February 1947, when Point Barrow CAA Radio Station picked up a radio message from Kee Bird stating that they had no means of steering as the sun was too low." Two minutes later, Arnett reported he had hit a bad storm at and was "over land but do not know where". "From this information, it was obvious that an emergency existed and plans were immediately made for starting a search-and-rescue mission if the need developed."
"Other reports were received between 0950 and 0958 AT from 768 stating that 4 minutes of fuel remained, and a crash landing would be made on land or ice. Since no position was given, it was believed that they were lost, and search areas were drawn to aid in locating the crew. From all the information available, it was reasonable to assume that the airplane had landed somewhere along the northern coast of Alaska on their return flight from the Pole".
Lt. Arnett and crew had survived the crash landing without sustaining any injuries. They had landed on a small frozen lake in northern Greenland, which was covered with of hard-packed snow. A later debriefing of the crew indicated that the aircraft had reached the Pole, then made a 70° turn to the southeast, then a 120° turn to the southwest. The pilot became disoriented over the polar icepack just north of 85°N, then began to fly to the south, then east until turning west over northern Greenland, where an emergency landing was successful. The crew had sufficient food and clothing to last them about two weeks.
Rescue Search aircraft were dispatched from Ladd Field on 21 February. Two B-29's (45-21871 and 45-21761), one B-17 Flying Fortress, and one long-range OA-10A Catalina reconnaissance aircraft were launched. Also available was an Air Transport Command C-74 Globemaster, which was at Ladd in temporary status from Morrison Field, Florida, performing cold-weather testing. All other long-range aircraft in Alaska were alerted for the search, and nine B-29s of the 28th Bomb Group at Elmendorf Field responded to the call to aid in the search, and arrived at Ladd Field on 22 February 1947. Since these aircraft were not equipped with bomb-bay fuel tanks, though, they did not have sufficient range to fly to Greenland. The aircraft returned to their proper station on 23 February 1947. The first plane to take off on the search was the B-17, flown by personnel of the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron. This plane went directly to Point Barrow and originally was to have participated in the coastline search, but due to later developments, returned to Ladd Field and was not active in the search mission.
The first B-29 to take off was 45-21871. This crew was to search an area from MacKenzie Bay westward for about inland. When the flight arrived in its search area, a report was received from Barrow Airways stating that they were in contact with a crashed airplane, and a position report would follow shortly. This position report was received about 10 minutes later, and when plotted, indicated that the missing airplane was down on Daugaard-Jensen Land, Greenland, at position 80°N, 61°W, roughly north of Thule, Greenland (Bluie West Six).
Course was set for the last position received, after consulting the flight engineer about the fuel situation. The coast of Greenland was reached about 2345 AT and a systematic search was started. The twilight period was just beginning when the aircraft reached the search area, which added to the difficulty of sighting activity from the aircraft to the ground. At the completion of the last flight line, at 0130 AT, 22 February 1947, a message was received from the Barrow Airways with instructions for the aircraft to discontinue its search and start its return flight to Ladd Field.
The second search flight took off at 2310 AT, 21 February 1947, in B-29 45-21761 (Boeing's Boner). As the Kee Birds navigators were constantly making celestial observations to aid the search planes in locating them, the mission was much easier, since more information was received as to the lost airplane's approximate position. In addition, more time was available in which to plan the mission, and a direct course was set to Greenland. On reaching the area where Kee Bird had landed at 0745 AT, a search was started, with information from the lost crew. The first actual sighting was made at 0830 AT. Eight runs were made over the downed plane, dropping the supplies carried for that purpose. Kee Birds crew requested that some coal be dropped to them so they could build a fire for warmth and cooking. The crew was instructed to destroy the radar, Loran, and the IFF sets, and to bring back, when they were evacuated, all exposed film, airplane files, and maps. The 21761 then returned to Ladd and landed safely.
Around 1900Z, 22 February 1947, Headquarters, Air Transport Command received notification that a SAC B-29 very long range reconnaissance aircraft had made a crash landing in Greenland, at position 80°N, 61°W, about north of Thule (Bluie West Six). This was the first information received by the Atlantic Division, and plans were made to give every possible assistance.
Two C-54D Skymaster aircraft (42-72640, 42-72643) were alerted for immediate departure from Westover Field, Massachusetts, to Thule (Bluie West Six). The first aircraft, 2640, carried JATO rockets and was ordered to proceed directly to Thule via Goose Bay Airfield, Labrador, with whatever survival equipment and Arctic kits were available at Westover and pick up any additional equipment at Goose Bay flown there from Stephenville by Newfoundland Base Command aircraft. The aircraft was then to proceed direct to Thule and from there to the scene of the crash and search until contact was established. Radio frequencies of the B-29 aircraft were to be furnished as soon as they became available. When contact with the downed B-29 was established, the crew of the C-54 was to airdrop such survival equipment as was available. The aircraft was then to return to Thule for additional supplies as required to be air dropped.
The second C-54 aircraft (2643) was to load Arctic kits at Westover, proceed to Goose Bay, and then proceed to Thule and assist the first aircraft in shuttling between Westover. Goose Bay, Bluie West-1, Bluie West-8, and Bluie West-6 (Thule) for the purpose of laying down Arctic kits, survival equipment, and supplies that may be needed to aid in the rescue of the B-29 crew. The plan of operation was confirmed by teletype to Newfoundland Base Command and all base units in Newfoundland and Greenland Base Command areas.