Subic Bay · Philippines · Wreck
L2D 'Tabby' (Japanese-built DC-3)
An inverted Japanese DC-3 copy, found in 2013
The L2D 'Tabby', a Japanese-built copy of the DC-3 discovered in 2013, lies inverted at 43–45 m in Subic Bay with its fuselage intact. The depth puts it at the outer edge of recreational range, so it is run as a deep or technical dive — one of the aircraft wrecks that give the bay its second, deeper tier.
Also known as Showa-Nakajima L2D.
Where it is and how deep
14.7788° N, 120.2312° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
This is a planned deep dive, not an add-on. The airframe sits between 43 and 45 m, so bottom time is brief on air and most divers come with technical training or as part of a deep programme. You descend the line, land beside the aircraft, and work your circuit with the ascent plan already fixed — the discipline of the dive is set before you leave the surface.
The aircraft itself rewards the planning. The Tabby lies inverted at its maximum depth of 45 m with the fuselage still intact, unmistakably an aeroplane even upside down, and snapper hang around the airframe. Discovered only in 2013, it is among the newer additions to Subic's wreck roster.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Showa-Nakajima L2D 'Tabby'
- Type
- Japanese-built DC-3 transport copy
- Cause
- Not recorded in published sources
- Lies
- Inverted at a maximum depth of 45 m, fuselage intact
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Subic Bay: November–May dry season is clearest, best February–May; the July–September monsoon cuts inner-bay visibility and cancels rough days.
Know before you go
- At 43–45 m the site is beyond the standard recreational limit — dive it only with appropriate deep or technical training and a fixed ascent plan.
Sources
- Subic Bay Dive Guide: WWII & US Navy Wrecks — philippinedives.com
- Subic Bay Wreck Diving Sites | Maps, History and Dive Information — Scuba Tech Philippines
- L2D "Tabby" (Japaness DC-3) — Scubago
More dive sites in Subic Bay
Wreck
An intact carrier bomber in 72 m of blue water
An intact AD-5N Skyraider, upright at 35 m
Open cargo holds from 5 m down, for any certified diver
Wreck
A trimix wreck at 69 m, dived in blue water
Barracuda and jack schools over an upright landing ship
Over 20 nudibranch species on the bay's oldest wreck
A war-grave hellship 400 m off Alava Pier
A sheltered novice wreck inside Triboa Bay
Similar dives elsewhere
A near-intact Flying Fortress on white sand at 45 m
A Corsair upright on the sand at 54 m, dived only by tech teams
A ship at 50 m that a typhoon stood back upright
A 99 m wartime steamship at 49 m, found in 1986