The I-169 Shinohara Submarine was a KD 6 A (I-168) Class submarine built for the Imperial Japanese Navy and launched 15 FEB 1934. She was built by Mitsubishi of Kobe and was renamed for her last Commanding Officer LCDR Shinohara, the only survivor of her ill fated crew. During the war the I-169 Shinohara Submarine…
The Kansho Maru was built in 1938 by the Mitsui Dockyard Company as a passenger/cargo carrier for the Mitsui and Kawasaki Lines. The Japanese Navy took control of her when the war began and she was put to work shuttling supplies between Japan and the Marshall Islands. Eventually she was retrofitted with a deck gun…
The Momokawa Maru was built in 1940, as a timber transport, and near twin to Nippo Maru. They are both remarkable in having steel bridge houses instead of normal wood or aluminum to avoid compass deviations. Her peacetime service consisted of carrying lumber from Siberia to Japan. The Japanese Navy took control of her in…
Betty was the Allied code name for the Mitsubishi G4M bomber. This aircraft designed in 1939 for the Imperial Japanese Navy, was quite successful during early part of the war, due long range and good carrying capacity. Unprotected fuel tanks proved their greatest undoing, even leading to death of famous Admiral Yamamoto ambushed while aboard…
IJN Eissen 761 was a 110 ft steam powered harbor tug that also survived the war, to be left anchored in a small cove at west side of Dublon Island. She now lies upright in just 25 ft of murky water, but has several interesting artifacts to view and photograph. Her tiny bridge house contains…
The Nagano Maru was built in 1917 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Line as a freighter. In the fall of 1937 she was drafted by the Imperial Japanese Army to carry troops to China for the war in Manchuria. She was returned to civilian service until 1941 when the Imperial…
The Shinkoku Maru was built in 1939 by the Kawasaki Dockyard for the Kobe Sanbashi K.K. Line as a modern tanker. Her construction was subsidized by the fuel starved Japanese Navy and her first voyages were carrying oil from the United States to Japan, prior to the embargo. The Imperial Japanese Navy then converted her…
IJN Sutsuk, later Patrol Boat N0. 34 was a Momi Class destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early 1920’s. Originally one of the fastest ships of their period, they were top heavy at high speed, and could only be used as second class destroyers or torpedo boats. Although nearly obsolete at the…
Zero was the Allied code name for the Mitsubishi A6M fighter. The Zero aircraft was designed in 1937 by Jiro Horikoshi for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The plane saw action throughout the war and was unmatched in speed and maneuverability until 1942 when modern Allied fighters began to appear. Later the aircraft was found to…
Emily Flying Boat was an Allied code name for the Kawanishi H8K1 Flying Boat. Emily Flying Boat came into view about mid-term of WW 2, and immediately proved a capable and deadly war tool for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It’s featured long range, greater than even a US B-29 Superfortress was impressive along with its…