The Mystery Plane

Patrol plane being brought up on deck of the USS Cumberland Sound AV-17 for servicing, 1944

The four-engine seaplane pictured on the Air Operations page appears to be a captured Japanese Kawanishi H8K2 (code name – “Emily”). Another photograph and mention of this plane can be found at the PBY Memorial Foundation web site.

From the National Archives by way of the PBY Memorial Foundation - Could this be the same plane seen being hoisted aboard the USS Cumberland Sound?

 

The following two photos are from Wikipedia.

A Japanese Kawanishi H8K (Allied code name "Emily") in flight in July 1944. Seconds later it was shot down by a U.S. Navy Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator of Bombing Squadron 115 (VB-115) from which the photo was taken. Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.161.026 and 2002.019.007

A captured Japanese Kawanishi H8K Emily taking off at the U.S. Navy Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland (USA), in 1946-47. Source: U.S. Navy Naval Aviation News August 1947

2 Responses to The Mystery Plane

  1. Dan says:

    It is most likely the same plan hoisted aboard your Dad’s ship. Official records report only 1 Kawanishi N8K2 “Emily” was captured during the war. It was at one time at Oak Harbor Seaplane Station in Washington State which is where the PBY Memorial picture is from.

  2. Stephen Clay McGehee says:

    Thank you, Dan – sure appreciate the information.

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