Who was the first to land successfully (i.e. was able to take off again) on the Greenland ice cap?
Reason I ask is that it’s being claimed that the first was the Grumman J2F Duck that was recently located under the ice cap by the same group that found “Glacier Girl” (North South Polar Inc.) it was found at its crash site, but before it crashed, it made two successful landings and takeoffs while trying to rescue the crew of a crashed B-17.
This all happened in November 1942, and I find it hard to imagine that no Arctic explorer had ever done it in the years preceding that date.
By: Atcham Tower - 2nd March 2013 at 21:08
I thought that War Below Zero, co-written by Colonel Bernt Balchen, Major Corey Ford and Major Oliver La Forge, might have some mention of early landings on the Ice Cap. I’ve just found and checked my copy but it only describes the wartime incidents covered in Wieeso’s interesting link.
Max Conrad, the remarkable solo long range pilot, crash landed an American-registered Picchio on the Ice Cap in the 1960s and was fortunately rescued. I remember listening to him on VHF flying the Amber One Airway over northern England en route to Prestwick or Iceland.
By: Trolly Aux - 2nd March 2013 at 16:06
I think Lee Proudfoot has flown in an out there a few times with survey teams, I think during the late 1990s.
not sure if he looks in this place, Im sure he could enlighten about Ski landings
By: Stepwilk - 2nd March 2013 at 15:09
Thank you for that article. That’s a huge help.
By: wieesso - 2nd March 2013 at 06:24
http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/GreenlandPatrolIceCapRescueTaub2011.pdf
“The Greenland Ice Cap Rescue of B-17 âPN9Eâ”
According of this report (page 13), USCGC Northlands Grumman J2F4 Duck made the first successful landing and takeoff on Greenlands icecap.
By: Mothminor - 1st March 2013 at 19:14
I’m not sure if it was on the Greenland ice cap but I’m pretty sure Roald Amundsen used aircraft in at least one of his explorations in the 1920s. Dornier Wals I think.
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March 1, 2013 at 6:58 pm