Tobera Airfield

G4M Wreckage
This is the cockpit area and part of the instrument panel of a Betty bomber. Tobera was primarily a fighter base, but obviously there must have been some other aircraft and bombers occasionally based here, or that crash landed in the area.

Betty Bomb Rack
This is one of the bomb release hooks from the bomb bay of G4M wreckage. Although it is now in a pathetic state, these bomb racks likely released loads over Guadalcanal, Port Moresby and other infamous bases in the region.

Machine Guns
Here are two rusted Machine Guns. The gun on the right is an Allied Browing .50 Caliber Machine Gun. The smaller gun to the right is a Japanese 7.7mm machine gun. Both rusted, but the typical armaments of each sides aircraft.

Aircraft Bits
Other remains like propellers, wing tips form A6M2 Zeros and drop tanks were also collected. The Wing on the left was discovered a few months ago. It clearly has the Red Hinomaru with white border visible on the top camouflage green surface. It was found lying face down in the jungle, which is why it is so well preserved. To the right is the folding wingtip from an A6M3.

A6M3 Exhaust Manifold & Fuselage
This is the fuselage center section and wing of an A6M3 Zero. The missing panel in the upper center of the frame is the engine upgrade oil access panels. On the wing is part of the engine exhaust manifold.

Cockpit Area
This view is looking into the cockpit. The control stick is in the center of the frame. Although tight, the cockpit appears well layered out, and the pilot an integrated part of the cockpit. The butts of the two 7.7mm machine guns are directly in front of the pilot, although both are missing here.

Throttle Quadrant
This is the throttle quadrant of the A6M3. Although none of the instruments are there, the fittings are still present. Even in this dilapidated state, the Zero wreck still has a feeling of infamy as the famed steed of Japan's best Naval aviators. I could just imagine a gloved hand firewalling this control forward in the heat of dogfight.

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