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| IJN 701 Kōkūtai Former Assignments Mihoro Kōkūtai |
Aircraft History Built by Nakajima completed October 31, 1942. Uncoded serial number 346. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 96 Land Based Attack Bomber Rikko / G3M3 Model 23 Nell manufacture number 6346. Wartime History Assigned to the Minhoro Kōkūtai (Minhoro Air Group). Markings included a pair of white vertical strips on the fuselage, and the tail marking M-325 with a single horizontal white stripe above it (indicating chutai/buntai). On November 1, 1942 redesignated 701 Kōkūtai (701 Air Group) and the "M" was painted over, leaving only the "325" tail code. Mission History On December 30, 1942 took off from Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul piloted by FPO Juhsaku Sano as one of four Nells led by W. O. Takeo Yamada bound for Lae Airfield. Aboard each bomber were personnel from the 7th Base Unit Headquarters. While landing at 11:30am at Lae Airfield, this Nell sustained damage to the rear of the left wing and was deemed as medium damage. Afterwards, stripped for usable parts and abandoned. Osamu Tagaya adds: "701's kodochosho indicates that the only recorded incident that seems to fit occurred on 30 December 1942 when four of the unit's Type 96 Rikko, under the command of Lt. Shirai Yoshimi, transported personnel of the 7th Base Unit HQ to Lae. One of the planes, commanded by W.O. Yamada Takeo (observer) and flown by Superior FPO Sano Juhsaku (Kazusa?) (senior pilot), is recorded as sustaining a medium level of damage at time of landing at Lae at 1030 JST, and only three Type 96s return to Rabaul. The unit's Type 96s are recorded as flying to Lae on a handful of occasions, but there is no other record of planes lost at Lae or of incidents such as damaged aircraft on missions over NG making an emergency landing at Lae, etc. The large hole, no doubt eaten away by fire, in the trailing half of the port wing would seem to indicate a fire in the fuel tank there, perhaps at time of landing, or possibly later due to strafing." Wreckage Afterwards, stripped for usable parts and camoflaged with vegitation the abandoned at the edge of at Lae Airfield. Likely, the bomber sustained more damage from Allied bombing and strafing but remained largely intact. In early September 1943, this Nell was captured by Allied forces relatively intact and studied by Allied intelligence that determined the horizontal and vertical tail and stabilizers were manufactured October 8, 1942. This bomber was extensively photographed by personnel in the area. Afterwards, repaired by personnel from the 5th Air Force and reportedly transported to the United States for technical evaluation. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared. References G3M production statistics, table 4 by Jim Long Kodochosho 701st Kokutai, December 30, 1942 Japanese Aircraft Makers Plates and Markings, Report No. 20, March 20, 1945, page 17 A wartime intelligence report notes this Nells as manufacture number 6345 [sic 6346] Thanks to Osamu Tagaya for additional information Contribute
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