Madang & the North Coast · Papua New Guinea · Wreck
B25 Bomber
Machine guns still in the nose, midships and tail of a 1943 bomber
The B25 Bomber is a North American B25 Mitchell shot down in 1943 that now lies on a sandy slope off Wongat Island. It is the best known of Madang's aircraft wrecks and one of the best-preserved plane wrecks in Papua New Guinea, completely encrusted in coral.
Also known as The Bomber, B-25 Mitchell Bomber, B25 Mitchell Bomber.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Madang & the North Coast and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The 16 m bomber rests between 15 and 22 m, about 18 m on average. Divers look into the cockpit, check the engine and propeller, find the machine guns in the nose, midships and tail, swim under the 20 m span of the wings and finish at the tall tail fins.
The wreck
- Vessel
- North American B25 Mitchell
- Type
- Bomber aircraft
- Length
- 16 m (52 ft)
- Sunk
- 1943
- Cause
- Shot down in a bombing raid and crash-landed off Wongat Island
- Lies
- On a sandy slope at 15 to 22 m off Wongat Island, encrusted in coral
During a World War II bombing raid in 1943, a North American B25 Mitchell bomber was shot down and crash-landed off Wongat Island. Five of its six crew survived the crash, but four of them were later executed by the Japanese. The plane stayed where it came down and is now one of the best-preserved aircraft wrecks in the country.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Madang & the North Coast: Diving runs all year; May to October brings the heaviest rain and run-off that clouds the sites nearest the mainland.
Dive videos
I sat in the cockpit of a B25 Bomber plane at the bottom of the ocean in Papua New Guinea · Dr. Adam Norten on YouTube
Sources
- B25 Bomber — DivePlanit
- Dive Sites — Niugini Dive Adventures
- Madang dive sites — DivePlanit
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