Low Level Fix

Alvene, It is my firm belief, based on transmittals from the Air Force, my knowledge of the aircraft Bubba was flying, and a fair knowledge of hurricanes, that the aircraft did obtain low level fix as shown in the following diagram:

An observer, positioned in the port side blister, would observe the wave action of the sea and direct the pilot to keep the aircraft in a position which would place the wind at a 90-degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft's flight path. Since the radar was inoperable, this was strictly a visual flight.
After penetrating the eye of the storm, the entire crew must have been jubilant beyond description. Then, circling in the calm eye, obtaining as much information as they could, they penetrated the southwest quadrant to exit the storm for their flight to Clark Air Force base, Luzon, Philippines.

It is my firm belief that the WB-29 underwent major stresses upon the wings and flight control surfaces which are controlled by steel cables and that they again had radio problems.

It probably took both the pilot and copilot to keep this craft on a correct heading while flying very close to the phenomally high seas. I believe many of the crew members vomited while strapped in their duty stations, due to the violent turbulence.

After they exited the storm and approached the island of Leyte, within sight of the native fighermen who were themselves heading for safety of harbor, they climbed to a higher altitude and I believe the control cables to the ailerons snapped and the aircraft went into an uncontrollable roll and before anyone could bail out, the aircraft plunged into the sea while its crew was still strapped into their work stations, and quickly sank.