Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi at Nagoya No. 3 Works. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) to an unknown Kokutai, likely 702 Kokutai or 705 Kokutai.

Wartime History
Abandoned at Ballale Airfield, likely after combat damage damaged the tail section or wings. The fuselage section was abandoned in a bone yard on the eastern side of the island.

Wreckage
Fuselage only. The tail section, beyond the waist blisters is unbolted and missing. Both cockpit hatches are present. Inside the interior, all the instruments are missing, but both instrument panels are present including rudder pedals and pilot control columns (yokes missing) and cockpit seats. No cockpit glass remains, aside from a small portion in one of the cockpit window corners. Black paint is still visible on the upper surfaces of the nose.

Salvage
Moved from the island to the beach area by Australian Craig Turner / Solomon National Museum Project in December 2005, where it remained due to a dispute with locals. During the salvage, two Betty ailerons were jammed into the nose section, bending and damaging the nose framework and nose internal fittings.

Turner returned on November 6, 2007 with Gary Spoors / GJD Services Ltd. This aircraft was likely salvaged with other aircraft from the island on November 8, 2007 aboard the barge MV Tina. Transported to Honiara, the aircraft were presumably shipped overseas to either Australia or the United Kingdom.

References
OneNews "Shortland & Ballalae Aircraft Salvage" November 20, 2007
GJD Services - Solomon's (accessed via WaybackMachine.org) circa February 2008

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Last Updated
November 9, 2019