Aircraft History
Built by Mitsubishi. Manufacture number unknown. Delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF). Assigned to an unknown Sentai.

Wartime History
This Ki-21 was abandoned at Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. It was abandoned on the side of Lakunai Airfield with both engines removed.

Wreckage
This bomber remains in situ at Lakunai Airfield. Nearby is the forward fuselage of a Ki-43 Oscar and another less complete Ki-21 Sally is located to the west.

Postwar until the 1994 eruption, it was a short walk fro the airport terminal and frequently photographed by visitors.

Charles Darby visited this aircraft in 1963:
"I really searched the Lakunai Ki-21 for an i/d in 1963 when I first visited it, but never found a trace of any numbers."

After the 1994 eruption that closed the airport, the wreck gets fewer visitors, but survived the eruption undamaged aside from being coated in ash. The local landowners diligently clean the wreckage off so as to encourage tourist to visit and pay them a fee to view the wreckage.

Justin Taylan visited this aircraft in 2000:
"It survived the 1994 eruption, although coated in ash. The Hinomaru is still visible on the lower surface of the starboard wing, and the tail of the aircraft is broken off and located behind the fuselage and wings, on its side."

References
Production Record for the Type 97 Heavy Bomber (Ki-21) (Sally) by James Long
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks page 79 (middle left, lower)

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Last Updated
February 19, 2019