Nakajima B5N Survivor?

[Jimbobtheflimbob]

So, last year i was in Indonesia on Bali, and on the way to the airport we drove past a WW2 2 seat (or more) single engined aircraft. i thought it was a T6, but recently i remembered about it and tried to find a photo. I could not find any photos, but then decided to look on google maps.

Looking on google maps, it was quite clearly not a T6 Texan, as the wing, cockpit, cowl and tail were all the wrong shape. after a bit of searching i could only find one aircraft it could be. It appears to resemble a Nakajima B5N. However, on Wikipedia it says no complete examples survive. the only evidence there is of it is google maps and street view, and there is no clear view.

Have i discovered the final complete B5N?

Or is it a different aircraft?

 

[GrauGeist]

I noticed right off, that there's no cooler at the base of the cowl as on the B5N types.

This honestly looks more like a Vultee.

 

[Shinpachi]

Not B5N.
Looks like a Vultee too.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Not B5N.
Looks like a Vultee too.

With the landing gear removed!

 

[Jimbobtheflimbob]

Yeah. its a vultee. i checked on Wikipedia and it says there is one there. thanks.

 

[GrauGeist]

Sorry to bring down your hopes!

There are actually a considerable amount of airframes resting in the jungles of the south Pacific still...

Perhaps a little expedition is in order?

 

[MiTasol]

Sorry to bring down your hopes!

There are actually a considerable amount of airframes resting in the jungles of the south Pacific still...

Perhaps a little expedition is in order?

Monty Armstrong salvaged a B5N2 in Papua New Guinea in the early 70's.

The PNG government declared it National Cultural Heritage.

It ended up pushed into the bay and used as fill for a new wharf.

I will try and pry some photos out of him but they may be long lost.

It is possible that some of the photos of the B5N are in Darby's book "wrecks of the pacific and where not to find them". Many (most) of the photos were taken by Armstrong or Ian Whitney - neither get any credits as their photos were stolen and used without permission.

One of the photos is of a P-39 floating down a river on a raft and is labeled something like "one of the authors salvage jobs".

Darby was not even in PNG at the time and the first time he touched them is when Armstrong employed him to assist crating to send to Yesterdays Air Force at Chino, California.

Armstrong had the same photo in an article in an English publication from several months after the event. I will try and pry that loose too.