Warbird Information Exchange

Wildcat.
Mid-wing, cockpit & top deck destroyed, no straight front or rear edges on center section, gun bays look to be right, constant taper from fuselage to tips, ailerons look right shape.
Wildcat.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

Looks to me like it could be a Helldiver.

That's a tough one. I'm leaning towards helldiver, but to be honest, it's probably a lot easier to say what it is not, than what it could be.

-David

It could very easily be upside down too.

Oh wait....

I just did a google image search and came across the picture.

http://picasaweb.google.com/thomas.bran ... 8951743714

The caption for the photo says:

"View from atop the mast of the private yacht Freydis as it passes by a sunken three-seat Japanese float plane from WW2, said to have been sunk by American aircraft while anchored in the Shortland group of the Solomon Islands. This picture was taken on a six-week trip by private sailboat through the seldom-visited islands north of New Guinea, in an area of the South Pacific known as the Solomon Sea. Most of the islets here have no airport or regularly scheduled boat services, and their way of life is traditional by economic necessity."

So, a three seat Japanese floatplane. Could it be a... Aichi M6A1 Seiran?


- David

HERE YOU GO DAVID

I just saw this thread and immediately thought the same as BW...

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
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The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

I'm gonna say F6F.

Soloman Islands, Gizo

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Three-seat Japanese floatplane? I'm thinking Aichi E13A "Jake." Wing planform looks about right, and the Seiran saw very limited service. The missing panels aren't symetrical, leading me to think they're either chunks of skin that were "souveniered," or just natural deterioration.

SN

I'm still thinking a Kingfisher makes more sense...



Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Wildcat gets my vote

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Looks like a Helldiver. It has three place for three crew members. Plus the gun reloading doors on the wings are off as the SB2C did have wing cannons. And the tail is broken off. How any times have we seen a Helldiver with a broken back? Too many to count.

Either way it looks Navy......no use dreaming of recovering this one then!

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what ever it is.......... it's their to stay with all the red tape in that region

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!