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Shane_Currie

This plane was returning from Palau with a number of high ranking Japanese officers when it was ambushed by American planes.  It was hit heavily and repeatedly by the attacking planes before losing them in clouds.  However there were several dead after the attack including the co-pilot.

The planed limped back to Chuuk were it made an emergency landing.  Due to the damage the landing was heavy and the plane broke up and sank.  Those who survived the American attack were rescued and taken ashore.

The Emily was known as the 'Flying Porcupine' because of its fire power; 5 x 20mm canons and 4 x machine guns. It could also carry 2 x torpedoes, or 8 x 551lb bombs, or 16 x 132lb bombs or depth charges.

It was smaller than the American Superfortress, but had a longer range. It had a top speed of 276mph and range of 4,500nm at a cruising speed of 207mph.

It had self-sealing fuel tanks in the wings and fuselage, along with a fire extinguisher system.

All this added up to make the Emily a formidable weapon.

Wreck Description

The plane lies in three sections, the nose, the fuselage and the tail. The fuselage can be penetrated, but there is not much to see. All four engines are intact and still connected to the wings.

My UWATEC Aladdin Air Dive Profile for the Emily Flying Boat