Dec. 7, 1941 about 0740 HST (Hawaiian standard time): scout 1 from IJN cruiser "Tone" (pronounced toenay) radios that Lahaina anchorage is empty, confirming the report from submarine I-72 which checked the anchorage on Dec. 6. If any major U.S. ships were at Lahaina, the plans called for attack using torpedos only to maximize chances that the ships will sink in the deep anchorage with little chance for salvage.
Scene is looking north from western Lanai towards the intersection of Pailolo and Auau channels. The eastern tip of Molokai is at left and West Maui on the right.
The "JI" on the tail fin is the code for the heavy cruiser "Tone". The numeral 1 on the rudder is the aircraft number. "Tone" at the time carried three E13a1 and two E8N. The smaller and older E8N was a single-float biplane with a crew of two.
More information on this flight.
References
- Aichi E13A1 1/48 scale model
- USGS 1 degree digital elevation maps of Maui SE and Maui NE
- USNO sun position table for Lahaina, 12/7/41
- Model Art 378, (magazine) Tokyo, Japan, "Shinjuwan Kogekitai" Page 45.
- Prange, "At Dawn We Slept", (reprint) Penguin Books USA, Pages 463, 479, 490, 502
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