Chino’s D4Y3 Judy (WIP)
Some pix of Chino's D4Y3 Suisen (Judy). Terrible weather, but this was the first time she was out in public and got started up, so it was a case of suck it up and unlimber the camera. The airplane will never fly, due to the corrosion in the wing. they've given it a R-1830 and once they're sure of the brakes (they're using T-28 brakes) they will be able to taxi it. The ailerons and flaps are fabric-covered and not completed yet. This is one of two Judys in the world, the other being a D4Y2 at the Yasukuni Shrine that you cannot photograph. The interesting thing about it, which you can see with Steve Hinton standing in front of it, is how small it is. The wing is about the size of the Zero, and the fuselage is maybe 4-5 feet longer than the Zero. The older gent standing with it is VF-17 "Ace in a Day" Bill Hardy, who shot down two of them off Okinawa in May 1945.
Well heck, I did not know there were any Judy's around! Thank you for posting.
Hello! What is the history of this plane? It was found as wreck?
@lis - Found as a wreck somewhere in the Pacific. I think the Philippines. It wasn't used in New Guinea.
Thank You for your information! When first D4Y was used?
@lis - There was one or two pre-production D4Y-1s (with the DB 601 engine) used for reconnaissance that were with the Combined Fleet at Midway. The radial engine D4Y was the most common IJNAF Kamikaze because it could carry a bigger bomb than a Zero. Interestingly enough, when I saw this at Chino sitting next to their Zero, it wasn't that much bigger. Quite a small airplane for its job.
Thank you for your informatons! Did number of plane from Midway was known? Also possible painting?