This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
Post a reply

Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:23 am

Hey,

I ran across this great shot on another forum with no other info. Any idea what it is?

Image

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:36 am

Thats some photo! :drink3:

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:06 am

Could it be a Spit ? Where is it ?

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:22 am

I think we discussed this pic here on WIX previously, or maybe it was on the Flypast Forum. I remember the photo and a relatively long discussion thread about the type but what I don't remember is if a conclusive identification was ever made! Looks like a Firefly to my eye.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:25 am

Looks like a boat to me!

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:26 am

Looks like an Ironworks bird to me... F6F or TBF/TBM

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:04 pm

Warbirdnerd wrote:Looks like an Ironworks bird to me... F6F or TBF/TBM


That was my first thought as well, but looking closer the nearly straight LE and beginnings of rounded tips lead me to think otherwise. Also looks a bit narrow for a radial.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:35 pm

I think what you're seeing @ the left wing tip is part of the bottom rock formation. It sure looks like a TBM/TBF with the large wing and gun bays in the outboard wings, the extensive cockpit cutout ending in what looks like a turret hole, and the tail appears to be broken off/missing.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:25 pm

I'm thinking it's a Jake floatplane. I just did a quick Google image search and found shots of one submerged off Palau that looks awfully similar and may be this one.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:25 pm

Duplicate post. Sorry.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 4:07 pm

The flap spaces look different than those on a Grumman craft.

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:22 pm

I googled the Jake pics, but I'm not convinced. It seems that the aileron position to the gun bays are wrong. It seems the closest so far though.....

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:58 pm

I found the sailboat photo on the photographer's web site, where it is ID'd as a Japanese floatplane.

http://www.georgesteinmetz.com/section18

I don't know much about Japanese floatplanes. Definitely not one of the others I know -- Rufe, Rex, Pete, Serian. Looks like a 2- or more likely 3-seater, twin floats. I keep coming back to the Jake, but I definitely reserve the right to be wrong!

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Wed Feb 15, 2012 7:09 pm

Aha!

I found another reference to the sailboat photo as being taken in the Shortland Islands. A quick trip to Pacific Wrecks finds two submerged Jakes:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/ ... index.html

Presumably this is the one said in the middle of the Tuha Channel:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/e ... land2.html

Re: Any idea what plane this is?

Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:50 am

Based on the description on the Pacific Wrecks site, I would say this is not the one in the center of the channel. The depth of that one is listed at 12 meters, and it is described as being missing the outer wing panels. The wreck in the original poster's photo appears to be less than 12 meters, and the wings look to be mostly intact.
Post a reply