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  H6K Mavis (M12)   
IJN
25th Air Flotilla
Yokusuka Kōkūtai
or Yokohama Kōkūtai

Aircraft History
Built by Kawanishi Kokuki K. K. at Naruo. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 97 Large Flying Boat / H6K Mavis manufacture number unknown. This flying boat was either model H6K4 or H6K5.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 25th Air Flotilla to either that Yokusuka Kōkūtai (Yokusuka Air Group) or Yokohama Kōkūtai (Yokohama Air Group) operating from Tulagi Seaplane Base (Gavutu / Tanambogo). Most likely, this plane was assigned to the Yokohama Kōkūtai. No known markings.

Sinking History
On August 7, 1942 this flying boat was likely moored to mooring M12 off Gavutu Island in Gavutu Harbor. At 6:00am, U.S. Navy (USN) F4F Wildcats from Fighting Squadron 71 (VF-71), 2nd Division including Lt. S. Down Wright (claimed 3 VP) and Ensign Roland H. Kenton (claimed 3 VP) strafed moored flyingboats, causing them to burn and sink.

Wreckage
The wreckage of a Mavis is sunk from the surface to a depth of two meters south of mooring M12 to the southeast of Gavutu Island in Gavutu Harbor. Little remains of this Mavis aside from scant, almost unrecognisable wreckage. During 1999, this wreckage was discovered by ArchaeHistoria Solomons Expedition divers Ewan Stevenson and Kevin Denlay.

Kevin Denlay adds:
"This is the 'remains' of a Mavis that Ewan Stevenson says was sunk pre August 7th. Almost nothing left of it, just bits an pieces on the reef. Only a snorkel 'dive'. and hardly worth that."

References
The First Team And the Guadalcanal Campaign (1994) pages 36-37
"To the east Wright discovered the other nest of four flying boats anchored in a semicircle around Tanambogo's north coast. On the first pass he and Roland Kenton set on fire four targets: a mixture of flying boats, lighters, and fuel barges gray and indistinct in the darkness except for the dazzling flames again, Wright sank a silver rubber boat full of flight personnel who bravely set out northeast from Gavutu. In the meantime, Kenton burned two more floating object. Together they tallied six flying boats, but in fact they destroyed all four remaining Type 97s."
J-Aircraft Message Board "Mavis's off Tanambogo / Gavutu"
Thanks to Ewan Stevenson and Kevin Denlay for additional information

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Last Updated
May 27, 2023

 

Tech Info
Mavis

Map
Map
July 1942

SCUBA
0-2m
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