Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
  H6K Mavis    Tanambogo (M5)
IJN
25th Air Flotilla
Yokusuka Kōkūtai
or Yokohama Kōkūtai

Click For Enlargement
Laurence Murphy 2000

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Kevin Denlay 2002

Click For Enlargement

Click For Enlargement
Howard Sawyer 2006

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.

On August 7, 1942 this flying boat moored west of Tanambogo Island. likely to mooring "M5". 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
This Mavis sank upright on a sandy, silt covered seafloor at a depth of 27 meters to 34 meters. During 2000 or 2001 discovered by SCUBA diver Franck Boulay based on Tulagi. The wreckage is largely intact and is likely the best underwater H6K Mavis in the world but silt in the area reduces dive visibility.

The flying boat is facing to the southwest and has the mooring cable still attached to the nose ring. The nose is bent upward, indicating the flying boat impacted the bottom nose first when it sank. The left wing is well preserved. The right wing is broken off and missing beyond the no. 3 engine hangs from its mount pointed downward with the outer float is missing.

The cockpit is in excellent condition, with the controls and instruments intact. Some portions of the outer skin were burned or are corroded away and allow divers to see inside the fuselage. All the machine guns were present when discovered. Soon afterwards, the guns were removed by an unknown diver to the disappointment and anger of locals and the SCUBA diving community.

Kevin Denlay adds:
"M5 may be near its mooring block, I cant recall."

Justin Taylan adds:
"I dove this Mavis on February 11, 2006 with Tulagi Dive. There was moderate silt, and visibility was average. Still, this massive aircraft was an amazing site."

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."
Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" by Michael Mcfadyen
Kanawishi H6K "Mavis" flying boat (YouTube Video)
J-Aircraft Message Board "Mavis's off Tanambogo / Gavutu"
Thanks to Ewan Stevenson, Kevin Denlay, Neil Yates (Tulagi Dive) and Howard Sawyer for additional information

Contribute Information
Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned?
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
May 27, 2023

 

Tech Info
Mavis

Map
Map
July 1942

SCUBA
27-34m

Photos
Photo Archive
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram