c.1945 can someone Paleeese identify this aircraft

[gary1954]

Greetings all, I have acquired this photo, and am having difficulty identifying said flying machine.
I am hoping that one of you wixards will be able to pull the wabbit out of the hat.
I do know that the picture was taken in the South Pacific, though I know not where eggzackly.

Sorry, the pony went to the glue factory, I would give a hoof, but alas, I don't have a hoof to give.

[warbird1]

Easy one. Give us a harder one next time!

That is an Aichi B7A Ryusei, code-named, "Grace" by the allies:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aichi_B7A

[Ztex]

Yep...looks like a Grace to me...

http://www.daveswarbirds.com/Nippon/Japanese.htm

[warbird1]

BTW, there is only one left in existence, not surprisingly, at the NASM's collection at the Garber facility:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b ... -nasm.html

[shrike]

Aichi B7A Ryusei (Grace)

[gary1954]

Thanks guys, I knewI'd gt an answer here. I looked through the Japanese fleet of a/c but I guess the website I looked
through was inadequate.
Thanks again.

[JDK]

Easy one. Give us a harder one next time!

Well, it took me a five minute rummage through the bookshelves and Wiki Japanese a/c list, to find a bunch had beaten me to it!

Maybe I should've started by saying 'Grace'. Hem.

[warbird1]

Thanks guys, I knewI'd gt an answer here. I looked through the Japanese fleet of a/c but I guess the website I looked
through was inadequate.
Thanks again.

No problem, glad we could help. Now, where is my pony? No pony, O.K., I'll take a Mustang instead, and not the horse! Hahaha!

[warbird1]

Easy one. Give us a harder one next time!

Well, it took me a five minute rummage through the bookshelves and Wiki Japanese a/c list, to find a bunch had beaten me to it!

Maybe I should've started by saying 'Grace'. Hem.

Ladies and gentlemen, tip your waiters well.....I'll be playing here all week.

[JDK]

Ladies and gentlemen, tip your waiters well.....I'll be playing here all week.

Only because one L Nielsen refused the gig. Well, actually he didn't answer.

[gary1954]

I was wondering if this airframe is the same one in the picture, as my original picture shows her with a white star and bar on the empenageeeee.
Also in the background, Corsairs can be seen, so this could be a clue maybe.

I found this on the National Air and Space Museum website.

Inventory number: A19630360000.
Dubbed the Allied code-name GRACE, the B7A2 Ryusei was the largest and heaviest Japanese carrier-based attack aircraft to fly in World War II.
The GRACE flew on shapely wings bent near midspan to provide clearance for a large propeller that spanned 3.5 m (11 ft).
GRACE flew and handled as well as it looked, but the B7A2 never played a significant role in the Japanese war effort.
Transferred from the United States Navy.
Manufacturer: Aichi Aircraft Company (Aichi Kokuki KK)
Date: 1944
Dimensions:
Overall: 410 x 1150cm, 3810kg, 1440cm (13ft 5 7/16in. x 37ft 8 3/4in., 8399.5lb., 47ft 2 15/16in.)
All-metal with monocoque fuselage Single-engine, torpedo bomber, shoulder-mounted, gull wing with folding outer panels and conventional cruciform tail.
Display Status:
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum, it is either on loan or in storage

Of this is the sole surviving example, wouldn't the Museum want to "know" where it is?...

[mike furline]

Display Status:
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum, it is either on loan or in storage

Of this is the sole surviving example, wouldn't the Museum want to "know" where it is?...

It's been at the Paul Garber storage facility for years. It's most likely still there unless it was recently moved to Udvar-Hazy storage.
Here's a couple small pics. I have some better ones on my home computer.
http://photo.starnet.ru/Thematic_Wallpa ... Ryusei.jpg

http://photo.starnet.ru/Thematic_Wallpa ... usei_0.jpg

Regards,

[JDK]

...
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum, it is either on loan or in storage

Of this is the sole surviving example, wouldn't the Museum want to "know" where it is?...

They do. That's just a default setting on a (public) catalogue system.

[tom d. friedman]

COOL, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT PIC BEFORE!!

[Canso42]

I was about to comment that it was probably in pieces in storage.