# Dramatic picture of a Japanese Dive Bomber Shot Down at Truk



## Snautzer01 (Nov 1, 2014)

Notice tail gunner.


----------



## Jeff Hunt (Nov 1, 2014)

Appears he is looking to bail out.

Jeff

Reactions: Disagree Disagree:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Shinpachi (Nov 1, 2014)

He tried to bail out but gave up as his boss didn't.
I have ever read such a story somewhere before.

PS: Airframe in the photo looks like a B5N Mk3 carrier attacker.


----------



## Snautzer01 (Nov 1, 2014)

Too low to bail out i think


----------



## Glider (Nov 1, 2014)

Snautzer01 said:


> Too low to bail out i think



Just what I was thinking


----------



## Wurger (Nov 1, 2014)




----------



## Gnomey (Nov 1, 2014)

Interesting shot! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Wurger (Nov 1, 2014)

Yep... interesting. Notice please that there is the Hinomaru on the port wing applied only. But I have found the same pic of the kite via the net and there are both of Hinomaru signs painted on the B5N wings.

Reactions: Like Like:
3 | Like List reactions


----------



## rogerwilko (Nov 1, 2014)

Who was holding the camera?


----------



## Shinpachi (Nov 1, 2014)

Nice find, Wojtek!


----------



## VBF-13 (Nov 1, 2014)

Someone is playing tricks.


----------



## fubar57 (Nov 1, 2014)

Interesting Wojtek and nice one as well Snautzer01.

Geo


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 2, 2014)

That is an interesting comparison.

The IJN and IJA both had the insignia on both wings (upper and lower) so why is the Hinomaru edited out of the photo that snautzer posted?


----------



## Wayne Little (Nov 2, 2014)

Odd that, the missing hinomaru... it is definitely a B5N2 Kate


----------



## Capt. Vick (Nov 2, 2014)

Maybe someone felt that since it was essentially a picture of someone dying they felt it deserved some anonymity. Note also the close cropping of the port one. Just a thought.


----------



## GrauGeist (Nov 2, 2014)

It actually looks like the photo was cropped in to give it better detail. Snautzer's photo shows the gunner in better detail, but there's a few things that look weird: the Hinomaru on the starboard wing is missing (as we know) and the number(?) on the cowling looks to be altered. Perhaps that's a trick of the pixels, but to me, it looks like it's been changed from a "4" in Wurger's photo to a "6" in Snautzer's photo.

Reactions: Friendly Friendly:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Shinpachi (Nov 2, 2014)

To avoid copyright?
Just my guess.


----------



## Wurger (Nov 2, 2014)

I think Sinpachi is right.


----------



## Wurger (Nov 2, 2014)

And enlarged areas with the engine cowling...


----------



## syscom3 (Nov 2, 2014)

Shinpachi said:


> To avoid copyright?
> Just my guess.



Photo's taken by the govt are not copyrightable.


----------



## Shinpachi (Nov 2, 2014)

Since there is a number 71 on the tail wing, the airframe is thought belonged to IJN carrier Zuiho.
Zuiho had 6 B5Ns and their main mission was reconnaissance being equipped with various cameras.
A local reseacher says the photo might have been taken by another B5N to be kept privately in the post war.

Just my guess

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Milosh (Nov 17, 2017)

Old thread, but if one looks at each wing they seem to be different colors.

Did the a/c have separate wings and the right wing is a replacement?

This might explain the missing Hinomaru.


----------

