The Mystery Engine Part in the Pentagon Photo
by Christopher Bollyn
September 14, 2003
Official photographs taken at the 9-11 Pentagon crash site show what appears to
be part of a small jet engine, but no one seems interested in identifying it.
Due to the secrecy surrounding the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon and the lack of
evidence that a large passenger jet smashed into the reinforced concrete and
stone wall of the massive building, a host of conspiracy theories have cropped
up. A photograph from the crash site could easily settle the debate, but no one
seems to care.
A
series of photographs taken by an official federal photographer at the Pentagon
crash site show what appears to be an easily identifiable piece of a
small-diameter turbofan engine. If the government wants to prove that a Boeing
757-200 crashed into the Pentagon, why is no one willing to identify which part
from which engine this is?
The
photographs show a part of a turbofan jet engine and were taken by Jocelyn
Augustino, a photographer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), at
the Pentagon crash site on September 13, 2001. The round piece appears to be
less than 3 feet in diameter and is propped up against what appears to be part
of the engine housing and thick pieces of insulating material.
A
Boeing 757 has two large engines, which are about 9 feet in diameter and 12 feet
in length. A Pratt & Whitney PW2043 engine, used on some 757 aircraft, has a fan
tip diameter of 78.5 inches. Nothing this large is to be seen in the FEMA
photographs. The photo ID numbers are 4414 and 4415 and can be seen on-line:
http://www.photolibrary.fema.gov/photolibrary/advancedsearch.do
The
available evidence does not support the official version that a Boeing 757-200,
with two large engines and massive landing gear, flew close to ground-level and
smashed into the wall of the Pentagon. For example, passenger jet landing gear
are heavy and durable, yet none were seen being removed from the Pentagon. On
the other hand, military personnel were photographed removing from the crash
site a large light-weight object shrouded by a blue tarp. What was under the
tarp and why was it kept hidden?
Five
photographs taken from a video camera on the grounds of the Pentagon show a
small white object approaching the Pentagon and a massive explosion, yet no
plane is seen. Conspiracy theorists ask: If a 155 foot-long, 60-ton Boeing 757
caused the explosion at the Pentagon, why does it not appear in the photographs?
And where is the debris that would have resulted from its impact with the
limestone clad concrete wall?
One
of the eyewitnesses at the Pentagon told the Washington Post that the
plane he saw was small: “Steve Patterson, who lives in
“He
said the plane, which sounded like the high-pitched squeal of a fighter
jet…appeared to hold about eight to 12 people.”
For
those who say a smaller plane or unmanned drone, such as a Global Hawk, was
involved in the Pentagon attack, identifying the engine part in the photo could
prove what kind of aircraft hit the building. The Global Hawk is a singe-engine
drone that uses a Rolls Royce Allison engine hand-built in
Because the Global Hawk is a surveillance drone, the engine is contained in a
heavily insulated housing to be extremely quiet. This corresponds with
eyewitness reports. I asked eyewitness Steve Riskus, who said he was within 100
feet of the aircraft, what he heard. He said he “did not recall hearing
anything.” If a 757 or jet fighter flew at high speed 100 feet from an
eyewitness the roar would be deafening.
I
also contacted the U.S. Air Force, American Airlines, Rolls Royce in
John
W. Brown from Rolls Royce said, “It is not a part from any Rolls Royce engine
that I’m familiar with, and certainly not the AE3007H made here in Indy.”
Capt.
Roger Burdette (USAF) from Arnold AFB,
Col.
Alvina Mitchell, Air Force spokesman at the Pentagon, said, “There are many
issues with photos,” suggesting they may not be authentic. For “legal reasons”
she could not respond to any questions. Mitchell said questions regarding
Global Hawk should be sent to Sue Baker at the
I
then turned to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) in
But
Josh at the FAS could not say what part of a 757 engine is seen in the
photograph from the Pentagon.