IJN
253rd Kokutai
1978
Pilot Sekizen
Shibayama (survived)
Ditched November 11, 1943
Pilot History
Shibayama was an ace with the 253rd Kokutai, with 13 victories.
Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi, estimated date of assembly December 1943.
Mission History
Took off on a ferry flight from Rabaul to Truk. The plane developed engine trouble encountered a formation of eight F6F Hellcats of VF-9 (USS Essex). Damaged in combat with bullet holes in the cockpit and engine, Shibayama was wounded
in the knee by USN Lt. A. B. Smith, who claimed two victories that day. Ditched in 50' of water, in Simpson Harbor off Matupi
Island and Shibayama escaped.
Wreckage
The American Fighter Ace Association (specifically the work
of members Eugene Valencia, Marshall Beebe and Jim
French) was
interested to acquire a Zero for their San Diego based collection. They
put in requests to the Australian Historical Aviation Association in
1967.
Salvager Bob Scott heard about the request and offered this Zero, that he had discovered while searching for a ship propeller in Simpson Harbor.
Salvage
Salvaged
with a large cradle in 1971 by Bob Scott. It was given a freshwater bath at Rabaul before being transported to Tokyo and then flown by a Hercules to Kern County Airport in Bakersfield, California.
The Zero arrived with great media attention, and the former pilot Shibayama visited the aircraft. The machine guns were restored to firing condition with only hours of work by US Navy personnel.
Display
Displayed at San Diego Aerospace Museum, Destroyed, along with the museum building in an arson fire on
February 22, 1978.
References
Thanks to Alan Renga, San Diego Aerospace Museum for additional information.
Photos of the salvage of this Zero appear in Hostages
To Freedom and
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks, page 23.
Story of its former pilot in Winged
Samurai and Imperial Japanese Navy Aces both by Henry Sakaida.
Zero
