Wreckage of a D3A dive bomber in the Gilbert Islands, late 1943; US souvenir hunters were most likely the reason for the missing fuselage panels

Caption     Wreckage of a D3A dive bomber in the Gilbert Islands, late 1943; US souvenir hunters were most likely the reason for the missing fuselage panels ww2dbase
Photographer    Unknown
Source    ww2dbaseUnited States Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation
Identification Code   1977.031.085.083
More on...   
D3A   Main article  Photos  
Photo Size 891 x 643 pixels
Added By C. Peter Chen
Licensing  Public Domain. According to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government".

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Colorized By WW2DB     Colorized with Adobe Photoshop



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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
16 Mar 2013 05:27:16 PM

No ... Aichi Val 3DaYes A6M Cero
2. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
13 May 2013 09:09:09 AM

PERMANENT FIXTURE: FINDERS KEEPERS: Aircraft is a stripped Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Looks to me like a A6M3, Model 32 (Hamp) During the Pacific war, GIs were souvenir hunters anything that was Japanese were taken. STRIPPED TO THE BONE: Allied Air Intelligence had a difficult time trying to reach downed aircraft, before they were stripped to the bone. The Zero above leaves very little for Allied Air Intelligence to work with, except to identify it as an A6M3, Model 32 (Hamp) on the other hand, the Zero could have been inspected by Air Intelligence, its personnel left, once out of sight the GIs went on a souvenir hunt. Looks like the Hamp was here for a long time
3. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
16 May 2013 05:31:39 PM

CHASING WRECKS: TECHNICAL AIR INTELLIGENCE During the Pacific War Air Intelligence units recovered and gathered information on crashed or captured Japanese aircraft. Aircraft were studiedand examined and their technical and tactical capabilities helped Allied pilots fight against older or improved aircraft. HARD LESSONS: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ENEMYBefore the war the U.S. possessed almost nothing about Japanese military aircraft. What reports were sent to Washington, were filed away or dismissed.Those reports sent, were just to fantastic to believe, after all it was widely known that Japan had a third-rate aircraft industry and copied foreign designs. Allied pilots and aircrews would pay for this total lack of intelligence and capabilities of the Japanese. PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER: After the Pearl Harbor attack both the US Army and Navy setup their own analysis of Japanese aircraft shot down over Pearl. Each service didn'tassist the other in what information was found.What aircraft were salvaged, were shipped back to the U.S. for further study and examination. With the loss of the Philippine Islands the need for Intelligence about Japanese aircraft was desperate and there was little activity by the U.S. until 1942. WAR PRIZE: MILITARY SECRET'S ARE THE MOST FLEETING OF ALL... In June 1942 the US found a Mitsubishi A6M2,Model 21 Zero Fighter, that made a forced landing on the Island of Akutan, in the Aleutian's after an attack on Dutch Harbor. Its pilot killed in the crash.The Zero was shipped back to the US and rebuilt and tested the secret's about the zero were found out. Finding this aircraft helped Allied pilots combat Japan's most famous wartime fighter. During this time the Japanese had the advantage incaptured U.S. and Allied equipment. With the capture of the Philippines, Java, Burma, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies, Allied equipment fellinto Japanese hands. P-40's and B-17's were flownand evaluated as well as British aircraft. Captured aircraft were shipped back to the Empirefor further study at the Air Technical Research Laboratory, Tachikawa, Japan. During this time theImperial Japanese Navy had four B-17's airworthyfor testing.As the war progressed each side learned more about the other and captured aircraft played an important part in the air battles over the Pacific.
4. Commenter identity confirmed Bill says:
14 Dec 2016 06:44:09 PM

TARAWA ZERO: SOVENIORS ANYONE Mitsubishi A6M3, Model 32 (Hamp) stripped to the bone by GI's. TAIU-SWPA raced as fast as possible to inspect any downed Japanese aircraft for new intelligence about enemy aircraft.Information gained, was passed on to Allied pilotsPhotograph taken on Tarawa Zero tail number looks like Y-2-1 not completely identified

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