What do I believe is there in percentage terms ?
1. The Army Sitrep tells us: "A/C plates will be available at 0900 (with the report)", so that tells us that the Patrol A1 definitely saw aircraft wreckage and handed in "plates", the Vets could only remember the one plate that being the metal tag removed from the engine mount. They were mystified why it said "plates" (Typo ?).
2. The W/O on the patrol saw the words "Pratt and Whitney" on the detached engine "somewhere". He could not remember exactly where. He removed a Metal Tag hanging by wire from the engine mount tubing. He said it had "A string of letters and numbers on it."
3. The Vets said the reply from "the Americans" said that from the information they had given, the Americans said (in their reply) that the engine was a WASP and "Not one of theirs". If it had been a TWIN WASP then they surely would have known it was one of theirs.
4. So, as it was twin engined aircraft, there are actually TWO Wasp engines there.
5. We have "600 H/P S3H1 C/N1055" together with details of patrol A1 on a TOPO Map used by the men of "D" Coy 11th Batallion AIF. The map had always been in the possession of men from that unit. Those identifiers say that with "S3H1" being a WASP engine same as used by Earhart and the rating in H.P is correct and so is the "1055" as the sequential build number of her aircraft, the writing references (Ref
the L10E Model Electra aircraft used by Earhart.
6. 100% there is aircraft wreckage there.
7. On the evidence it is the Electra 10E aircraft which belonged to Earhart.
If anyone skilled in aircraft identification involving aircraft types from the era 1930 to 1945, can tell me of a different type of aircraft that this wreckage could be,... other than a Lockheed Model 10E Electra, I would be delighted to know what that aircraft could be.
The aircraft has to be an aircraft powered by P&W Wasp engines specifically with the designation "S3H1".