Site 4 - Mitsubishi G4M1 Model 11 (Late production) Betty Bomber
Betty crash site survey sketch.
When you walk up to the Betty site the first thing you see is the huge tail standing like an enormous monolith at the site.
Sans glass, the tail gun compartment is remarkably intact. This style tail cone identifies the G4M as a late production Model 11.
Looking at the tail gun compartment from a slightly different angle. Surprisingly, part of the 20mm cannon still remained, including the barrel.
Tail gun compartment.
Tail gun compartment.
Walt gives an idea of the cramped space the rear gunner had to work with.
Tail gun compartment.
Looking inside the fuselage.
Looking inside the fuselage.
Looking inside the fuselage.
Looking out from inside the tail gun compartment.
The back half of the fuselage bolts together to the front half. This is another diagnostic of the G4M Model 11.
The back half of the fuselage bolts together to the front half. This is another diagnostic of the G4M Model 11.
The port side of the fuselage. Notice the circular crew hatch opening.
The starboard side of the fuselage.
The starboard side of the fuselage.
Upon closer inspection we were able to make out two different sets of numbers on the tail. The first set was:
-213 (note the dash in front) The second set had been chiseled in, probably while prepping the old paint to accept
the new coating. The number was:2?72 The ? was either a 3, 8, or possibly a curved 7.
If you look closely, slightly right of center you can make out a 3. On the left, and slightly going
off the photo you can see the chisel marks in the shape of a 7 as well as some yellow paint in places. The chisel
marks on the upper right are the start of the 2.
Here the numbers are outlined for clarity.
Look closely, on the left side of the picture you can see the chiseled 2 on top of the older - (dash)
which is followed by a non-chiseled 2 on the right side of the picture. Also the yellow number paint is slightly
more evident in this photo.
The tail section is about 20 meters away from the rest of the main wreckage. This picture is looking from the main wreck to the tail.
Looking from inside the tail towards the cockpit section in the main wreckage as John takes notes.
In this photo the main wreckage is in the far left and the tail on the far right. Farther away,
behind the trees in the center, is a bomb crater with the right wing.
What the left wing looked like when we first walked in.
The left wing after clearing the vegetation.
Again, before and after clearing vegetation. These shots are from the left wing tip looking across
the main wreckage area at the cockpit section.
Photo taken from the left wing tip looking across
the main wreckage area at the cockpit section. .
Looking across the main wreckage area from the cockpit section back at the left wing tip.
Looking at the front of the cockpit section.
Looking at the crew seats in the cockpit section.
Looking at the instrument panel, throttle quadrant, and control column.
Another view of the instrument panel, throttle quadrant, and control column.
View of the main wreckage area, all with the cockpit section in the background.
Another view of the main wreckage area.
and yet another...View of the engine next to the left wing.
Another view of the engine next to the left wing. Note the cockpit section in this picture for reference.
View of the engine next to the left wing.
There were so many parts in the main wreckage area it was somewhat overwhelming!
Here I think Gary is looking for a fender for a `58 DeSoto. (Actually he is making notes for the site map).
Gary making notes.
However it would not have surprised me if he found the fender, because we did find a tail section of an A6M Zero intermixed with the Betty wreckage.
Some instrument panels, probably from the Betty, found lying on the Zero.
The Leaning Ladder of Yap. While Gary was taking notes for the site map, I decided to climb up the other side
of the ladder to obtain overhead shots of the wreckage. Considering the heavy rains and soft ground... bad idea! I bailed
as the ladder sank, but Gary never said a word and just kept taking notes as if he didn't even notice.
Another view of the left wing along with some of the miscellaneous parts on top of it.
One of the waist gun openings.
In the foreground to the right of the cockpit is the rear portion of the top dorsal machine gun hatch. The left wing
is in the background with Gary next to it still looking for the `58 DeSoto fender.
A data plate on the left horizontal stabilizer.
Zoomed in.
A data plate on the right horizontal stabilizer.
A data plate on a gear box.
A data plate on the bomb rack.
Zoomed in.
A radio.
This is the bomb crater located in between and behind the tail section and main wreckage.
Walt gives some perspective to the size and depth of the crater.
The right wing protruding out of the edge of the crater near the top.
The right wing another view.
A fuel sight gage attached to the root of the right wing. This would have been visible inside the fuselage.
We experienced occasional heavy down pours...
..and the tail section made a relatively good shelter, barring a few holes in the roof.
