FM1 Pete Biplane
Peter Leggett points to the location where this bi-plane ran out of fuel and ditched near another reef. The crew swam to shore and were rescued but the plane sunk.

It now rests at 87 feet and is a breathtaking site. The plane is completely intact. Only the rear gun is missing (stolen in recent years) and the main pontoon is twisted to the side. Otherwise, the plane looks as if it flying through the crystal clear water. On the way back to the surface, we found these three sea cucumbers an expensive delicacy.

Diving the wreck is an incredible experience. As you are making your descent to the wreck over the reef, the bright silver of the aluminum can be seen through the crystal clear water long before the plane comes into sight. When you approach, the plane looks like it is flying towards you, the propellers are not bent and even the guide wires that cris-cross between the wings are still present.

After a little scaping on side of the fuselage, we were able to reveal the original green paint and traces of the red hinomaru beneath the light coral regrowth. The starter battery was still present, and after cleaning growth off the connectors, they still shown bright silver!

These two WWII Japanese photos show several Pete biplanes being refueled at precicely the same area. The low photo show the two volcanoes, and you can seen ash rising from the right peak. The calm water on this side of the peninsula was a perfect harbor for seaplane operations.

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