IJN
via
Ryan Toews
Aircraft
History
Built by Mitsubishi, estimated date of assembly Novemer 1942. Dark green
camoflage scheme, with tail number in white. Another tail
code was later applied, 5-136 overtop.
Wartime History
Abandoned at
Ballale Airfield.
Recovery
The fuselage section has was cut between stations 12 and 13 and was in a truncated condition also the horizontal stabalizer fairings were recovered by Robert Diemert in 1968. Also, likely the wings of this aircraft.
Wreckage
Fin was sold to the Blayd Corporation in 1990, where it remains in storage. This fin is missing its leading edge but otherwise is intact.
Ryan Toews a adds:
"The unit prefix 3- is indicated by Diemert’s notes. Neither this prefix, nor the 5- prefix that was painted over the earlier code, can be attributed to any particular formation. The paint is red primer/Kairyokushoku/sprayed green/hand painted white code 3-174/hand painted yellow code 3-174/hand painted green/sprayed yellow code 5-136. The cut marks on this fin at Station 16 link this fin with the rearmost section of an A6M3 fuselage. It is possible to establish this identification by the location of the tail cone fasteners aft of Station 16. Because of a lack of an adjustable rudder trim tab inspection panel it can be assumed that this tail came from A6M3 32 3285. The existence of two squared wingtips, a wing panel, a right flap and both left and right wing root skinning also point to the recovery of the wings from A6M3 3285."
References
Thanks to Ryan Toews for this information
Zero
Ryan
Toews Research
