IJN
253rd Kokutai

Former Assignments
Kanoya Kokutai, Saigon

Charles Darby c1974

via Yoji Sakaida 1997

Aircraft History
This aircraft participated in the Malay attack, and then was converted to air transport for the Kanoya Kokutai (later redesignated 253rd Kokutai) and assigned to Southern Area Fleet for New Guinea Operations.

Wartime History
Force landed or crashed on Buka Island.

Wreckage
A day's jounrey from Buka Airfield, its remains were badly burned, but the camouflage is a prewar green and brown disperse pattern.

According to Josh Mcdade in 1999:
"On maps is a Betty at this airfield. It is supposed to be approximately 200 meters from the SW end in a linear line with the runway from the SNW corner. A number of Peace Monitoring Group members have made attempts to search this area which is highly overgrown with no luck. The overgrowth is thick and commonly up to six meters high. Viewing from overhead helicopter flights have not been helpful."

Justin Taylan adds:
"In September 2003, I also attempted to locate this wreck.  Locals took me to the north side of the strip, where there were a few small pieces of a Japanese aircraft.  I believe this was just wreckage or bits from another aircraft.  The Betty, no one knew about and it would take further investigations to locate, or it has been scrapped it seems."

References
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks page 28

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