Hi C6
This is what I believe is the story behind these 2 Corsairs, if I am wrong I am sure someone will correct me. A squadron of Corsairs took off from the nearby Quon Hill airstrip to escort a long range bombing raid, during the mission they were involved in a firefight with some Japanese aircraft and consequently became low on fuel – running out just before reaching home. The sunken aircraft is only about 3 or 4 metres deep but is unlikely to be recovered as it brings in money to the locals when they take tourists like me out there. The one on the surface was very complete until a few years ago when the main fuselage was recovered in exchange for a very small tractor for the local village, only the wings, centre section and engine remain. There are quite a few wrecks around Vanuatu but once again the tourist value of them is high so will probably not be recovered. While I was there we also went to Million Dollar Point which was quite extraordinary in itself, lots of aircraft engines, bulldozers, trucks, cranes and other war paraphenalia, half of the nearby town consists of Quonset huts from when it was the huge US staging base known as ‘Buttons’. I have attached a photo of Quon Hill airstrip.
Paul