IJN
105th Naval Base Unit
1945
Ray Fairfield 1971
Brian Bennett 1981
Justin Taylan 2003
Justin Taylan 2005
Pilot P.O. Goro Kataoka
Final Flight October 14, 1945
Aircraft History
This Kate was based at Rabaul. One of only a handful of aircraft to survive the war in flying condition. After Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, Japanese requested permission to surrender their remaining aircraft to an Air Force, instead of the Australian Army that occupied Rabaul. This required the aircraft to be flown to the nearest Allied airfield at Jacquinot Bay. Japanese pilots were allowed to fly the aircraft.
Mission History
On October 14, 1945, this Kate was flown by P.O. Goro Kataoka from Vunakanau Airfield to Jacquinot
Bay Airfield, escorted by four RNZAF F4U Corsairs of 16 Squadron, led by Bryan Cox. This was the last flight of a Japanese aircraft from Rabaul to fly during the war.
Wreckage
Wreckage of this Kate was abandoned at Jacquinot
Bay Airfield, where it was abandoned. In the early 1970s, it remained on its landing gear, the left outer wing panel removed. By 1981, the wreckage was disassembled and taken from the airfield and moved near shore next
to what had been the old district office, along with the wreckage of Ki-46
Dinah.
Brian Bennett adds:
"The Kate and consisted of the fuselage less the tail group, the centre section
that incorporates the main fuel tanks and both main carts, and one vertical
folding outer main plane panel. The Sakai 12 Radial engine for the Kate is
at Kokopo Museum and if you have pics of the aircraft engines at
Kokopo then the engine is the one with the good mount on it and the straight
individual exhaust stacks. I arranged to get the engine out to Kokopo
back in the mid 1980's."
Recovery
In mid-2003, it was recovered by 75
Squadron, barged to Lae where it was put in a container and exported
to Melbourne Australia, but was impounded by the PNG
Museum and its ownership resolved in a court case ending in 2005, in favor of the salvagers.
References
The Siege of Rabaul page 87 - 89
Thanks to Ray Fairfield, Brian Bennett and Richard Leahy for additional information.
Kate
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