Aircraft History
Built by Aichi during mid-January 1943. Assigned to the 582nd Kokutai with tail code T3-260.

Wartime History
Abandoned at Munda Airfield. Captured by American forces after the fall of Munda during early August 1943. Examined by Allied intelligence at the airfield.

Wreckage
This wreckage was likely buried at the airfield to fill in bomb craters.

Jim Lansdale adds:
"I do not have comprehensive data on this information. However, most of the IJN aircraft with the square background to the hinomaru had these applied at the factory. During the summer of 1943, most of these aircraft were having their white-square backed hinomaru painted out in the field and, I am sure, the factories were told to stop applying these markings. I would say, with some high degree of certainty, that D3A2 3263 is out of the range for such markings to have been applied and then painted-out. It is far more likely that D3A2 3106 was marked T3-260."

References
"Serial Number & Production Sequence D3A2 Carrier Bombers" by Jim Long
Japanese Naval Air Force Camouflage and Markings, WW II page 190
Thanks to Jim Lansdale and Ryan Toews for additional information.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009