Aircraft History
This crew was number one wingman for Kaga Air Group Commander Lt.Cdr. Takashi Hashiguchi. This crew served in the same capacity over Pearl Harbor six weeks earlier.

Mission History
Took off from Kaga aircraft carrier armed with bombs for horizontal bombing. This was the first Japanese aircraft shot down over Rabaul. Shot down by the militia anti-aircraft on Frisbee Ridge on its way to the target. It crashed on the north side of the mother volcano.

Australian newspaper "Smith's Weekly" reported on the wreck:
"It was a bomber-fighter type, single engined. There were three dead Japs in it - stocky little fellows aged 24 or 25. Bombs were lying some little distance from the crashed plane."

Lt. D. M. Selby, C. O. anti-aircraft Frisbee Ridge (via Hostages p51)
"Passing the battery position they came once more into range, our guns roared again and a plane appeared to stagger, burst into flames and crash into the side of the mother."

Cpl Challis, NGVR (via Hostages, p52)
"Our AA guns manned by young militia lads had a merry time and were credited with a couple of Japs... It was pleasing to see a Jap bomber wrecked and smoking on the slopes of Mount Mother."

Wreckage
Years after the war, Tanaka's brother visited the crash site. Its propeller from this crash site was recovered to the New Guinea Club. Later, it was moved to the Kokopo Museum where it is displayed to this day.

Brian Bennett recalls:
"I visited the crash site near the top of Mt Kombiu [either 1979 or 80]. I went to the summit in a Hughes 500 helicopter, the pilot being a Gareth Bean. In regard the propeller, this is the one just inside the gate at the Kokopo Museum. I don't recall the time of recovery or who did it [probably Pacific Helicopters] but it would have been because of my nagging for it to be done. The prop was originally displayed at the bunker opposite the New Guinea Club. A compass mount from the crash site was recovered by me. This was later presented to a fellow from the Australian 2/22nd Battalion that was on the gun crew that shot it down."

References
Hostages to Freedom, page 50-54
Thanks to Bruce Gamble and Ron Werneth for additional information.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009