How this for COOL things being dumped by the military. These photos were taken a couple of years ago by Bill Jeffery on a dive we did with the Chuuk Historic Preservation Office.
The purpose of the dive was to positively identify an aircraft thought to be a Nakajima B6N “Jill,” and document the site I however had received information that the aircraft could be the much rarer Nakajima C6N “Myrt.” The site lies a short distance off shore from the old Japanese seaplane base on Moen (now Weno) in Truk Lagoon.
Close inspection of the aircraft revealed that it is in fact a C6N, a very advanced high speed, high altitude, reconnaissance aircraft, built late in the war. It is also apparent that the aircraft did not crash in that spot. Even looking at the pictures one can see that the aircraft lacks an engine, controls and instruments, portions of the wing and other components necessary for flight. I would venture to guess that the aircraft was damaged on or near the airbase and subsequently, cannibalized for parts. This aircraft as well as other artifacts (I have included pictures of the more interesting ones including the Zero and a torpedo) at the site were then most likely dumped by the US military after the war in an effort to clean up the island.
Even though the Nakajima C6N was on the list of aircraft wanted for evaluation after the war this particular aircraft was probably too far gone to be saved. Others however were more fortunate and one that that was not scrapped still exists as part of the Smithsonian collection. The only other example known to have survived, crashed in a taro patch on Weno, and remained there until shortly before I arrived in Micronesia (pictures can be found on Pacific Wrecks Database). Then it disappeared. Rumors stated it was crated and last seen on the docks. I have a hunch where it went but no proof.
Enjoy
Curtis Block
P.S.
The stick is 3 meters.
Mitsubishi Zero
Torpedo (thank you Aramich, for the demonstration)