Warbird Information Exchange

Recovery
Beginning in 1975, Roy Worcester begin recovering parts of this aircraft for the Roy Worcester Historical Centre, removing the tail section including the stabilizer, tail and fillet were removed.

By the 1980s, all the guns and instruments were removed and there was no tail unit. The wreck was disassembled into three sections by Justin Hoisington who hoped to export it, but the pieces were not removed.

During 1984 under the direction of PNG Museum director Bruce Hoy, the pieces were air lifted by a RAAF helicopter from the crash site to Boram Airfield near Wewak and shipped by boat to Port Moresby .

Display
On November 23, 1984, the fuselage arrived at the PNG Museum and was displayed on a dolly built by Bruce Hoy. The wings and engine were delivered later, and were stored separate from the fuselage. Displayed until July 29, 2004, when exported.

Bruce Hoy adds:
"The Worcester Tony [Ki-61 379] was bought by Justin Hoisington in Chino, California. Hoisington is reported to also been the individual who disassembled Ki-61 Tony 640, and was only able to retrieve the tail section. While in the United States in 1985, I saw in Hoisington's hangar, the Worcester Tony, and two tail units, one of which I am sure was off this Tony [Ki-61 640]."

The tail section of this aircraft, including stabilizer, tail and fillet, each stamped with "640" was later acquired by Kermit Weeks / Fantasy of Flight and are in off site storage. Likely, the tail section was exported from PNG during the 1980s along with Ki-61 Tony 379.

Export to Australia
During 2004, Robert Greinert / HARS decided to export this aircraft under the pretext that it would remain the property of the PNG Museum, under an agreement that it would be restored to static condition, and returned to the PNG Museum, along with P-38F 42-12647. According to Greinert: "as part of the Minister for Culture and Tourism's plan to undertake a restoration program for the museum."

On July 29, 2004 Robert Greinert / HARS loaded this aircraft into a container himself and and shipped it to Australia.

Restoration
Since 2004, this aircraft is being restored at Precision Aerospace / Pacific Fighters Museum. The fuselage and wings were placed in separate jigs and Hinomaru markings and a white identification strip were immediately painted on the aircraft. The external skin was replaced as part of the restoration process.

Mick Grinter adds:
"It looks to be in worse shape than i imagined, we are going to repaint it in it's original colours before disassembly, for an official photo shoot and hand over. We are now looking at building a few of them as there is a museum in Japan that is showing interest in a Ki-61. Fortunately I got onto an old pilot working on a Zero in Japan who had a set of wheels and tyres. I have no idea where we might get an instrument panel, a drawing or tracing would do, the cockpit has been striped out. It is a little cockpit but well set out."

Classic Wings Vol 17 No 3 Issue 76 published during 2010 includes a photo of this aircraft, Ki-61 Tony 640 and states: " ".....this most advanced machine belongs to Jerry Yagen of Virginia Beach, USA." Commenting via email, Gerald Yagen adds: "We are rebuilding for ourselves just one [Ki-61] airplane and it is a restoration of the original one. Not sure as to the [manufacture] number."

Great info, gents!

Always thought the Ki-61 looked alot like the early P-51A.

Chappie Sinclair?