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Originally posted by Zaphod58
If the flaps were deployed on flight 77, they would have been ripped off and torn apart. They can only be deployed below certain speeds. If you deploy the landing gear, or flaps above a certain speed you're risking major damage, or even ripping them off completely.
Originally posted by 2PacSade
I got a response back from the Smithsonian. . .
I am unaware of any research undertaken by the Smithsonian to determine from what area of the plane the museum's fragment of flight 77 originated. We
don't suggest that it was from the tail section although I guess that is possible. The provenance of the artifact is quite strong so there seems little doubt about what it is. We have spoken to American Airlines about the fragment but they did not ask to have it returned (they retain the majority of the flight 77 debris.) We have not contacted Boeing and there is no reason for the NTSB to be involved. The FBI handled the majority of the investigation of the crime scene.
The collecting curator for the fragment was Bill yeingst who can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. I doubt he has more information to pass along. The artifact is held by the Division of Military and Diplomacy. You can contact the Division through Cedric Yeh ([email protected]) or Jennifer Jones ([email protected].)
I am a bit mystified by the your query unless you are trying revive the conspiracy theory that the plane was not Flight 77. If so the Smithsonian is not interested interested in participating in such a line of inquiry. The reason the piece was collected by the Smithsonian was because of its altar like preservation by Penny Elgas. It is an interesting example of public reaction to the events of September 11 and provides insight into the construction of public memory and commemoration.
Thank you for your interest in the National Collections.
Peter Liebhold
Chair, Division of Work and Industry
National Museum of American History
Washington, DC
[email protected]
Originally posted by Griff
Have you responded that you are indeed not trying to revive the no plane theory and was just curious if the piece had been verified? If not, I think you should. It might set something off about how the Smithsonian just accepts pieces without further investigation.
Also, you might want to e-mail the response to some news stations and papers. I think they might be interested to know that the Smithsonian is charging money to see something that has not been verified. That's what is peeing me off about this story....not if there was a plane or not that hit the pentagon.
[edit on 9/18/2006 by Griff]