World War II Japanese Aircraft at the Old Colonia Airport, Yap State Federated States of Micronesia
Appendix: Site Condition Reports
Site #1
Identification: Nakajima BN5 “Kate” dive bomber based on comparison with published specifications and examples. Parts of another unidentified single engine aircraft.
The engine from the Kate and the wing from the unidentified plane are said to have been removed by collectors from Japan in the 1980s, and then returned to their present locations.
The engine and a wing portion from the unidentified aircraft are in a near by gully that may be a bomb crater; they appear not to have been moved.
Kate: The engine next to the end of the Kate fuselage is generally corroded, but not too seriously for its age. A partial propeller and exhaust system are still attached.
The steel cylinders in this engine are corroded through. The blower and accessory case are missing, having been unbolted and removed. Some rocker covers have been removed while others are broken or otherwise damaged. The cylinder heads are broken. Skins on the fuselage are low on corrosion, but the paint has been faded by long exposure to sunlight and the elements. Shrapnel damage is evident over much of the surface. Corrosion is high in areas close to or contacting the ground. All removable components (controls, instruments, placards, etc) are missing. The spar caps are highly corroded, exhibiting complete exfoliation.
A tail section that matches specifications for Kate lies badly corroded flat on the ground, damaged by shrapnel. Unidentified Plane: The right wing of the unidentified aircraft is lying upside down on ground with its gear sticking straight up. This gear appears too long to be from a Zero. The wing is highly corroded and partially crushed. The left gear is lying on top of the right wing. The gear legs are in fairly good condition, but the wheels, which appear to be magnesium, are highly corroded. The left wing – badly damaged and corroded – is located in the gully at the north end of the site.
Engine #2, also in the gully, is missing its propeller blades; its hub is intact and includes a cowl with air intake ducting. A crushed fuel tank and a possible gear leg lie nearby. There is no evidence of vandalism or other recent human damage, though it is possible that parts of the aircraft were bulldozed into the gully during airport construction.
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