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Japanese Plane Found in Yap Revetment Area

Seat adjustment lever found at Japanese wreck site in Yap revetment area.

The following pictures were taken of a Japanese plane found about a ½ mile from the main airstrip used by the Japanese on Yap Island. You can clearly see from the pictures how the revetment area was dugout well away from the airstrip to hide and protect the planes. The American's relentlessly bombed and strafed the Yap airfields beginning in the spring of 1944 and the attacks were almost daily until the end of the war in September 1945. This plane was likely hit and broken in half by an American air strike during the war. The two areas of wreckage in this particular revetment area include the tail section and a second area with wings and a cockpit area including the flap lever. No engine was found within the revetment area but a Japanese engine was found between the revetment area and the air strip. It's impossible to determine if the plane was destroyed in this area or dumped during or after the war. The Japanese likely cannibalized aircraft parts from planes hit during air strikes to attempt to keep other planes flying.

Although I believe the wreckage is a Japanese Zero, I have not identified the plane at this time. Please feel free to submit comments about the pictures below to help identify the plane type. Send emails to Pat at: pat@missingaircrew.com

Tail Section	Tail Section	Inside the Tail Section	Tail Section	Tail Section
Wings and Fuselage Section	Revetment Area	Seat adjustment lever	The van and my Yapese guides stuck in the mud.	The crew waiting for help!

Copyright Notice: All images and text on this website are protected by U.S. and International Copyright Law. No images or text should be copied, downloaded, transferred, or reproduced without the written consent of Patrick Ranfranz and the Missing Air Crew Project. Please email Pat at: pat@missingaircrew.com