(All image by Seppo Enarvi, reproduced with permission)
While the War in the Pacific raged between late 1941 and September 1945, the waters around East Asia and Oceania became a graveyard of sunken military machines, creating an underwater treasure trove for generations of scuba divers. Kavieng Harbour, in the Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland, has several submerged plane and shipwrecks of its own, like this Aichi E13A reconnaissance aircraft, photographed by Seppo Enarvi.
More than 1,400 of the the Aichi E13A floatplanes, known as “Jake” to the Allies, were built during World War Two, primarily for the IJN Air Service and Royal Thai Navy. Designed originally for reconnaissance missions, the three-man aircraft served as a scout for the attack on Pearl Harbour, took part in the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway, and was even used in kamikaze missions towards the end of the war.
The aircraft pictured was likely sunk at its moorings, due to its upright position and straight, undamaged propellor. One wing still bears the unmistakable ‘Rising Sun’ ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. After each visit, divers reportedly cover the famous emblem with sand in an effort to preserve it. (Check out more sunken aircraft wrecks here.)
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