Our chief researcher, Michael John Claringbould, has an impressive and long-standing association with Pacific WW2 aviation. Raised in Papua New Guinea, in 1976 he conducted numerous surveys of crash sites in Papua New Guinea when based at Lae, including discovery of intact A-20G The Hell'N Pelican II. In 1977 he conducted surveys of crash sites in the Solomon Islands. In 1984 he was a key member of a RAAF salvage team which salvaged and recovered A-20G The Hell'N Pelican II. From 1995 to 1999 he surveyed numerous crash sites in Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands whilst Pacific-based. These surveys identified, inter alia, Wildcat F4F-4 Bu 5192 of VF-5, the first US aircraft shot down in the Guadalcanal campaign. They also resulted in the recovery of Japanese aircrew from two 705th Kokutai G4M1 bombers. In December 2003 he visited B-17E Swamp Ghost, as presented on this site.

In 1997 Michael became an honorary member of the Zero Fighter Pilots Association (proposed by the former Japanese Ace Saburo Sakai). He is also a Consultant to the US military JPAC recovery program - and has been a guest presenter at regional U.S mlitary conferences held in the U.S and overseas.

In 2001 Michael was appointed by pacificghosts.com as chief consultant to a ground-breaking series of pacific aviation archaeology. He is currently contributing editor and Pacific correspondent for Flightpath Magazine, Australasia's mainstream aviation historical and warbird magazine. He is co-author of 'Rampage of the Roarin' 20s', to be published by International Research & Publications of Colorado in late 2008.

He made numerous discoveries of more Fifth AF sites in New Guinea from 2003 until 2006. Through agreement with the U.S military recovery program managed under JPAC, we have agreed not to publish details of these sites until the remains are identified, and the nearest-of-kin are informed. To see a range of photos of Michael in New Guinea, click here.