Japanese B5N2 'Kate' s/n 5353 Combat Loss Relic Display

Very rare combat-flown piece of aluminum skin from Japanese B5N2 Type 97 'Kate' lost in action during the last battle of the Pacific War, combined with Ron Cole's original artwork of this specific aircraft in action, in this wall-hanging limited edition relic display.

Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy as Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber Kanko / B5N Kate manufacture number 5353 (the 353rd airframe constructed; the first serial digit was erroneous). This aircraft was actually license-built by Aichi in 1943 in response to delays in production of the B6N 'Jill', the intended replacement for the Type 97 B5N. 

Assigned to the 553 Kōkūtai (553 Air Group) with tail number 53-30(?). This Kate was based at Kataoka Airfield on Shumshu Island in the Kurile Islands. 

On August 18th, 1945, when Soviet forces attacked Shumshu Island, this and the other remaining Kates attacked Lopatka Point on the southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula and sank a Soviet minesweeper - depicted in this artwork.

The remains of this aircraft were abandoned on the remote island until 2006, when the center section was recovered by the Hunt brothers after negotiation with the Russian government for recovery the pair cut up the wreckage and salvaged. It was transported to the United Kingdon and remains on display as part of the Wings Museum collection in Surrey.

Ron Cole and Cole's Aircraft acquired pieces of this aircraft from the Hunt brothers in trade for artwork to display with their collection in 2010. Some of those parts were used in Cole's first ever commercial 'relic display' release that same year. In 2025 - 15 years later - the older artwork was redone to reflect the artist's creative progress over the years and a new relic display series was released. 

Limited to only 75 - though there will likely be only about 45 before material from this rare B5N2 will run out. Signed & numbered by the artist.

Size: artwork is 11x17-inches, with frame roughly 13x19-inches.