G4M Betty Bomber 48" Hinomaru Vet Bring Back

[StackedWings]

My long-deceased Uncle (a Sea Bee Gunners Mate attached to the Marines) cut this 48" Hinomaru off a freshly crashed G4M Betty Bomber. As best that I can remember he said it occurred on Guam. I have kept this large, rubberized fabric trophy pressed between two Plexiglass sheets for decades. The colors are very bright, these photos show front and back. Photos are my own, but some were posted on ebay a few years ago by me with a high reserve (not met) just to get some feelers. Not for sale now.

 

[mjfur]

Since it's cloth it can't be from a Betty.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Shinpachi - Your thoughts?

 

[Viking1066]

Whatever it's from, it's freaking cool!

 

[Shinpachi]

Shinpachi - Your thoughts?

I may be wrong but it looks like a home-made one because I can't find out aircraft which fits to the material and size of hinomaru. Any trainer may fit, though. Take apology if I'm wrong.

 

[Shinpachi]

If not home-made, no other aircraft comes up in my mind but this one as the hinomaru size on the wing looks match.

Yokosuka K5Y

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I may be wrong but it looks like a home-made one because I can't find out aircraft which fits to the material and size of hinomaru. Any trainer may fit, though. Take apology if I'm wrong.

Thank you for your response. The rib stitching looks pretty authentic. I'm also thinking about these two aircraft since the OP mentioned their relative thought it came from a GM4.

I'm not sure if the Ki-59 had fabric wings or fuselage...

Ku-8 "Gander"

Ki-59 "Theresa"

 

[Snautzer01]

Were these types on Guam?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Were these types on Guam?

Hard to say - 700 of the gliders were built, the Ki-59 was more limited in numbers

 

[Shinpachi]

It is known that Ku-8 flew between Japan and Philippine. Probably Guam too.
Ki-59 was made of plywood.

 

[StackedWings]

Since it's cloth it can't be from a Betty.

You are correct I'm sure as the Betty was all metal with no fabric skin. Either my boyhood memory or my aged Uncle's memory is at fault here. However, this Hinomaru came from something near the end of the war. It is authentic but still a mystery.

 

[MiTasol]

I agree with Flyboy that the stitching looks authentic. I can shed no further light on it though.