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  F1M2 Pete    (Talili Bay)
IJN
? Kōkūtai

Click For Enlargement
National Geographic 1988

Click For Enlargement

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Bob Hampton 2000

Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi. At the factory, painted with dark green upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces. True serial number unknown (three digits). Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 0 Observation Seaplane / F1M2 Pete manufacture number unknown (four digits).

Wartime History
Assigned to an unknown Kōkūtai (Air Group) at Rabaul. No known markings or tail code.

Sinking History
This Pete was sunk off Tavui Number 1 into Talili Bay off the Gazelle Peninsula on New Britain. It is unclear why the plane sank, but was likely moored and was an operational loss.

Wreckage
This Pete is upright just past a coral reef a depth of 102' on the flat sandy bottom. The center pontoon is twisted to the side, likely when the plane impacted the bottom. The plane is a known SCUBA dive site and often dived. The rear 7.7mm machine was mounted in the plane until the 1990s when it was removed by an unknown diver. Otherwise, the plane is intact and undisturbed. Soft coral growth is located on the upper surfaces.

References
National Geographic "Ghost of the Pacific" April 1988 includes a photo of this Pete

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Last Updated
June 27, 2023

 

Tech Info
Pete

SCUBA
102'
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