JAAF
R Worcester 1973
B
Fenstermaker 1991
Sergei Stepanenko 2008
Wartime History
Abandoned at Babo Airfield. This
aircraft, minus its tail was dumped off a ravine near the control tower.
Bruce
Fenstermaker recalls:
"On the leading edge of the wing in the gun port fairing I observed the manufacture number. It was in the 700's series, possibly 727, i will have to check my notes."
Wreckage
Remained undisturbed until 1991. Wreckage included the wings, fuselage and engine. The fuselage was damaged or cut off beyond the cockpit. A battered Ki-61 tail section was in the same area, but unclear if it is associated with this aircraft, or another.
Recovered by Bruce Fenstermaker in 1991. The salvage was funded by the Santa Monica Museum of Flying. Shipped to California, it immediately went for auction, but did not sell.
In 1993 or 1994, Santa Monica Museum of Flying exported this aircraft to Russia, along with A6M3 Zero 3869, presumably for restoration. No work was done on this airframe for Santa Monica's project.
Several years ago, this aircraft sold on Barnstormers.com for $80,000 and remains in storage at Voenno-Patrioticheskoe Obshestvo “Vysota” in St. Petersburg as of April 2008. Photographs taken in March 2008 document these items in storage.
References
Thanks to Bruce
Fenstermaker and Gerald Yagen for information.
Barnstormers eFlyer "Backyard Treasures" by Sergei N. Stepanenko
Ki-61
Photo Archive
Backyard Treasures
