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| IJN 4th Kōkūtai |
Pilot FCPO Heihachi Kawai (MIA / KIA) Co-Pilot Sea1c Hikojirō Inoue (MIA / KIA) Observer PO2c Yuichi Watarai (MIA / KIA) Observer Sea2c Shigeyuki Kuwana (MIA / KIA) Radio PO1c Ryuji Morikawa (MIA / KIA) Radio PO3c Takejirō Ueda (MIA / KIA) Mechanic PO1c Mairu Ōtsuka (MIA / KIA) Mechanic PO2c Shigeyuki Miyamoto (MIA / KIA) Crashed March 21, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Mitsubishi at Nagoya No. 3 Works. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as G4M1 Model 11 Betty manufacture number unknown. Wartime History Assigned to the 4th Kōkūtai (4th Air Group). Tail code F-??? (last three digits unknown). Mission History On March 21, 1942 in the afternoon took off from Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul piloted by FCPO Heihachi Kawai armed with bombs on an solo armed reconnaissance mission over Port Moresby. Over the target, intercepted by P-40E Kittyhawk piloted by Wilbur L. Wackett and P-40E Kittyhawk pilot F/O Barry M. Cox from No. 75 Squadron that arrived at 7-Mile Drome only two hours earlier. The pair climbed 10,000' to attack the bomber from the rear quarter with each firing ten separate bursts. To evade their fire, the bomber attempted to skid then hide in a cloud and jettisoned its bomb load. During the attack, Cox scored hits on the left engine causing it to stream black smoke and oil. Wackett hit the right engine. Damaged, the bomber exploded and crashed into the sea one mile west of Basilisk Light (Basilisk Beacon) on Nateara Reef to the south of Port Moresby. The entire crew was killed in the interception or during the crash. During the interception, Port Moresby signals held down a Morse key, in a crude attempt to jam any radio warning from the Japanese bomber that fighter planes had arrived. Later, radio messages for hours from Rabaul were heard, presumably attempting to reach this bomber and seemed to confirm they were unaware it had been shot down or had reported the presence of fighters. References Kodochosho, 4th Kōkūtai, March 21, 1942 Mitsubishi Type 1 Rikko 'Betty' Units of WWII page 39 Seek and Strike page 13 Thanks to Osamu Tagaya, Richard Dunn, Luca Ruffato and Edward Rogers for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated March 21, 2021 |
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