Archaeologists discover rare Pearl Harbor seaplane wreckage

New photographs obtained by NOAA and University of Hawaii archaeologists provide a rare look at one of the Catalina PBY-5​ seaplanes downed by the Japanese Imperial Navy just a few minutes prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

According to Gizmodo and Popular Mechanics, divers have been attempting to obtain such a picture for the past two decades, and now a team working in the waters of Kaneohe Bay off the coast of Oahu have successfully captured an image of one of the planes downed in the attack.

A total of 27 Catalina PBY long-range bombers were destroyed during the Pearl Harbor attack, and reports indicate another six, reports indicate. Archaeologists first tried and failed to take pictures of one such plane wreck in 1994. Another attempt 14 years later fared slightly better, but was still hampered by cloudy water and poor weather conditions.

In June, however, Hans Van Tilburg, a maritime archaeologist with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and a group of University of Hawaii students returned to the site, and thanks to improved visibility and better camera technology, were able to obtain the first clear shots and video of one of the downed Catalina PBYs.

Photos help ‘tell the story’ of a ‘forgotten casualty’

In a statement, Van Tilburg said the exact identity of the aircraft remains unknown, but we know it lies in three pieces approximately 30 feet under the water. The plane is protected by the Sunken Military Craft Act of 2004, which prohibits military planes or government-owned aircraft from being tampered with unless prior authorization is obtained.

“The new images and site plan help tell the story of a largely forgotten casualty of the attack,” said Van Tilburg. “The sunken PBY plane is a very important reminder of the ‘Day of Infamy,’ just like the USS Arizona and USS Utah. They are all direct casualties of December 7.”

“This sunken flying boat is a window into the events of the attack, a moment in time that reshaped the Pacific region,” added June Cleghorn, senior archaeologist at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. “Understanding this site sheds light on the mystery of the lost PBYs and honors the legacy of the Navy and Marine Corps Base in Hawaii.”

Exactly what happened to the downed plane is unknown, but the researchers believe it may have been downed as the crew attempted to take off during the attack. Among the images obtained by the crew were one of the starboard engine housing, the tail section and the cockpit.

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PBY anchor in anchor well and cockpit (upper right). (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)

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Cockpit detail showing portside wheel and throttle controls (left) extending downward (to the right) from the overhead. (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)

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Structure members of the tail section lie a short distance away from the starboard wingtip. (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)

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The tear in the port hull and mid-fuselage break. (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)

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Upper wing surface, leading edge to the left. (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)

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PBY-5 making a landing. (Credit: USN)

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Final site plan for the 2015 student survey. (Credit: NOAA/ONMS)

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Feature Image: A diver examines the gunner’s forward turret on a PBY-5 Catalina resting on its right side. (Credit: UH Marine Option Program)