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Shane_Currie

This wreck lies is relatively shallow water, about 15m at the end of the old runway on Eden Island.  The overall wreck is still in good condition, however the wreck has been totally stripped. The nose was broken off in the crash and was recently totally ripped off by a yachts anchor.

The Betty Bomber was a fairly successful bomber for the Japanese.  It was nicknamed the 'Flying Cigar' partly because of its shape and secondly because it had unprotected fuel tanks that exploded when hit.

The Betty was originally designed for the Navy; there was no separate air force in Japan. The first prototype took to the air in 1939 and mass production began in 1940. Although designed as a twin engine tactical bomber, it could also carry torpedoes.

The location of the wreck off the end of the runway and the direction it is facing, suggests it was either shot down or developed engine trouble on approach. The engines were running when the plane crashed as they detached from the wings and continued forward some 100 metres.

This wreck is interesting solely because it lies almost intact on the floor of the lagoon.  However, it becomes boring very quickly as there is nothing to see in or on the plane; the fuselage is aluminium so nothing grows on it.

My UWATEC Alladin Air Dive Profile for the Betty Bomber