|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| JAAF 9th Hikodan 61st Sentai   USMC Dec 29, 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Negi (survived) Force Landed December 16, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Nakajima during early August 1943. Uncoded serial number 297. Delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber Donryu / Ki-49-II Helen manufacture number 3297. Painted in mottled green upper surfaces unpainted lower. No tail markings were pained, aside from a white fuselage strip near the tail. When lost, right engine serial number 876 and left engine serial number 884 both manufactured during May 1943. Mission History On December 16, 1943 took off from Dagua Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Negi as one of seven Ki-49s on a bombing mission against Arawe. Escorted by sixteen Ki-43 Oscars flying close escort (including nine from 248th Sentai), plus eighteen Ki-61 Tonys flying as top cover. Inbound, one bomber aborted the mission. The Japanese formation was flying at an altitude of 13,000' over the Dampier Strait when spotted by P-38 Lightnings escorting B-24 Liberators on a bombing mission against Cape Gloucester. To evade the fighters, the Ki-49s attempted to climb to 20,000' but were intercepted by twenty-five P-38 Lightnings from 431st FS and 432nd FS east of Umboi Island (Rooke) within sight of Cape Gloucester Airfield. Five of the bombers were shot down before reaching their target, and were incorrectly claimed as "Betty bombers" by the Lightnings. This bomber was the sole survivor of the interception and force landed wheels up on Cape Gloucester II (No. 2 Strip, East Strip, New Airfield). The pilot survived. During the crash landing or afterwards to destroy the bomber, the front half was burned. Wreckage The wreckage of this Helen was abandoned at Cape Gloucester No. 2 Strip and photographed in the middle of December 1943 by U.S. photographic reconnaissance. On December 29, 1943 the wreckage was captured by U.S. Marines from 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV). Afterwards, the wreckage was investigated by U.S. intelligence noting the manufacture number and engine serial numbers. They noted the bomber was in burned out condition, and was apparently burned by the Japanese after the force landing. References "Nakajima Ki-49 Serial Numbers" by Jim Long for production data Tuluvu's Air War by Richard Dunn Landings in Western New Britain | Aircraft of Tuluvu Setting Suns (2007) page 34 Setting Suns II (2009) page 96 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated February 19, 2024 |
 Ki-49 |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
