Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi on October 4, 1941.

Mission History
Took off from Hiryu was One of thirty-six A6M2 Zero fighters that took off from Hiryu, along with others from Soryu, along with D3A Vals and 80 B5N Kates from carriers Kaga and Akagi for a strike on Darwin.

This Zero was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and force landed on Melville Island. During the crash, pilot Toyoshima suffered injuries to his face from hitting the gun site during the landing. Toyoshima wandered far from his fighter before being captured.

POW
Aboriginal Matthias Ulungura, from the Snake Bay Settlement, fist found Toyoshima and disarmed him of his pistol, then escorted him to the nearest Australian forces on Bathurst Island. He was turned over to Sergeant Leslie J. Powell of the 23rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers.

In the hopes that no one would look for his Zero. Also, he used the alias "Tadao Minami". He was assigned Australian POW number (PWJ 910.1) as the first Japanese captured on Australian soil. During his initial interrogations he tried to convince his captors that he bailed out of a bomber from Ambon, and held the rank of Sergeant pilot.

Imprisoned at Cowra POW Camp, he later die in the breakout attempt of Japanese prisoners during the night of August 4-5, 1944. Toyoshima signaled the start of the breakout with a bugle.

Wreckage
The wings and tail were recovered from the crash site, and brought to Darwin Airfield for technical evaluation.  Their whereabouts today are unknown, possibly destroyed or scrapped during or after the war.

Display
The center section remained where it crashed until the late 1960s, when it was recovered, and later became part of the Australian Aviation Heritage Center, near Darwin.

Toyoshima's flag and flight suit are displayed at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook. His bugle is displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

References
Hidden Chapters by Robert Piper
Pacific Ghosts CD-ROM (photos, history)

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Last Updated
December 16, 2008

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