Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #16 - revised

Camouflage net

A photo from a vintage publication dated October 8th, 1943, of a Nakajima Ki-43-II Ko.

Another photo taken a few seconds before this one is featured in Model Art #395, p. 79.

According to the caption the plane belonged to the 1st Chutai of the 25th Sentai and the boarding pilot is 1st Lt. Okumura Masao. On August 23, 1943, the 25th took off from their base in Hankou (Hubei province), made a stop in Yichang (Hubei province) and then proceeded to attack the then capital of Nationalist China, Chongqing.

The photo is retouched by the war-time censor and the air intake at the top of the cowling, as well as the machine gun muzzle ports are missing. Nevertheless, this angle still provides interesting information regarding the color of the wheel wells (not aotake), the camouflage pattern and the net that gives plenty of diorama ideas.

A photo from a vintage November 1943 magazine.

A Nakajima Ki-43 "Hayabusa" (Oscar) stationed in the Central China front getting some final maintenance touches before taking off for the next mission.

A photo from the November 1943 issue of the magazine "Koku Asahi" of a Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft Model 2 or Mitsubishi Ki-46-II "Dinah" taken at the front by reporter Hasegawa. Note the same kind of camouflage net seen in the previous photos and a few coconut tree branches.

The ad in the insert says:

"A1

High-quality superglue

Available everywhere in Japan from aviation-related shops, modelling stores, stationary and pharmacies.

Resin white, 21gr 50sen*

Cellulose red, 14gr 30sen

Distributed by Fujiyama Shoten - Tokyo"

*Sen was the old one-hundredth subdivision of the Yen (1Yen=100Sen).

An NHK video, dated December 18, 1942, featuring a Kawasaki Ki-48 from the 8th Sentai, in Burma. Of course, note the camo net getting removed before the aircraft gets prepped for takeoff.

A Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia", unit unknown, found in Okinawa in 1945 partially covered by a camouflage net. In all probability, it was a decoy placed out in the open to attract the attention of US aircraft. Note that it lacks many essential parts including the landing gear and the engine.

A December 28, 1944 video from the NHK collection excellently presenting a Yokosuka P1Y1 Model 11 "Ginga" (Frances).

The location is most probably the Clark Airfield in the Philippines and the unit could be one of the attack units of the 762 Kokutai. Note the 600-litre drop tanks under each wing and the camo nets covering the whole aircraft.

Mitsubishi A6M Zeros found at Aslito Airfield, Saipan. Note the same camo net covering two of them and the tarp we discussed in a previous post.

Another Zero found in Aslito Airfield, Saipan, parked at an open-top "entaigo" (bomb shelter). Note that the camo net is held into place by rocks on the ground.

The same Zero fighters, found at Aslito Airfield, Saipan, some covered in camouflage net.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #15 - revised

Tiedown

Many but not all IJAAF aircraft had special hooks under their wings so they could be tied down to the ground if needed. I was able to find mostly photos featuring Nakajima Ki-27 "Nates".

The Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" is the most common IJNAF aircraft type featured in tiedown photos.

Naturally, IJNAF types operating from aircraft carriers needed to be tied down. Again, Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" fighters offer the most photos.

But Mitsubishi A6M Zeros often needed to be tied down when on an aircraft carrier deck.

Here's a nice little diorama idea; a tied-down A6M2-N Zero seaplane. Now you know the purpose of the little ring on the tail.

A quite cool photo of a Mitsubishi B5M "Mabel". Note that in the rear it is tied down on the fuselage side.

Other interesting photo details are the bicycle on its side behind the "Mabel" and the maintenance platform.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #14 - revised

"Riyaka"
It is one of Asia's most common transport vehicles and is still widely used in Japan. The name comes from the English "rear car" and it was very popular around airfields to carry stuff or heavier equipment. It could be attached to the rear of a bicycle.

In this photo, the spokes are made of wood.

In this one the spokes are solid metal.

Bicycle tires were also very common.

IJNAF riyaka

Examples of riyaka in Japan.

Check the photo of a JIETAI guy with a riyaka.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #13 - revised

Bicycles
The first Japanese company to locally build bicycles was "Miyata" around 1890. Several other manufacturers also built bicycles for the Japanese Army and Navy including "Yamaguchi", "Okamoto", "Hidori" and "Zebra". During the Pacific War, most of these manufacturers were taken over by the Army and "Miyata", for example, built landing gear and tires for the Zero.  
Bicycles were a very efficient and cheap way to move around the airfield and they were used extensively.

Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" in the background.

Kawasaki Ki-61 "Hien" (Tony) in the background.

Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" in the foreground.

A Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) is posing on his bicycle in front of a Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" (Jack). The bag he's carrying says, top: 偵察 (teisatsu - reconnaissance), bottom: 要具嚢 (yoguno - tool bag).

Nakajima J1N "Gekko" (Irving).

Zero-sen, Rabaul.

I could find very very little documentation on the net about the various bicycle manufacturers and bicycle designs but in this link the guy has an original Yamaguchi IJA bicycle. Note the colour.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #12 - revised

IJAAF & IJNAF crank engine starter or inertia starter
To be honest, I can't remember ever seeing a Japanese aircraft model with a crank starter sticking out or even placed on the ground. A very small detail that would make any model a little bit more realistic.

Wiki says: 
"An aero engine inertia starter uses a pre-rotated flywheel to transfer kinetic energy to the crankshaft, normally through reduction gears and a clutch to prevent over-torque conditions. Three variations have been used, hand driven, electrically driven and a combination of both. When the flywheel is fully energised either a manual cable is pulled or a solenoid is used to engage the starter."

Ground crew using a crank starter on a Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" ground attack and liaison aircraft.

Same scene but this time the aircraft is a Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah".

I bet you didn't know that the Nakajima Ki-43 "Hayabusa" (Oscar) had the crank starter hole inside the starboard wheel well.

One more "Hayabusa" photo, this time a 64 Sentai fighter.

This photo of a Kawasaki Ki-100 gives a very clear image of an IJAAF crank starter.

With the IJNAF fighters, very often, the crank starter was placed in the undercarriage leg as depicted by illustrator Sato Kunihiko in Model Art #857 or Profile #13.

This practice was not uncommon with the Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" (Jack) too.

Or it was casually placed on the tarmac, like in this photo of a Zero.

A Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" and a Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" have their engines started by crank starters.

A short clip showing a Navy Type 90 Crew-trainer or Mitsubishi K3M "Pine" having its engine started. This is the only video I could spot where the sounds of the flywheel and the starter can be clearly heard.

The girls we saw in a previous post, here, start the engine of a Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah".

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #11 - revised

Dining

IJNAF & IJAAF ground crews and pilots on standby often dined out at the airfield, so it wouldn't be unusual to find them sitting under the shade of an aircraft wing having a meal.

Ground crew members enjoying their food near their Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" fighters. Note the various food containers.

Pilots have just had a meal and are relaxing enjoying a cigarette. Note the buckets mentioned in a previous post and the various different chairs.

Similarly, in this video, these 87 Sentai pilots are having a meal next to their Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki" fighters, ready for takeoff.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #10 - revised

Buckets, tin cans and pots
IJAAF & IJNAF ground crews used various buckets to bring liquids near the maintained aircraft. They contained water to wash the dirt off the wheels or other parts of the plane, lubricant oil, gasoline and old oil to remove stains.

The most common bucket is the one seen in the attached photos made of metal. The writing, whenever there was one, either said "防火用バケツ" (bokayo baketsu - bucket with water for extinguishing fires) or the name of the unit that used it.

The bucket in the photos is called "teoke" in Japanese and is made of wood. It is a more traditional way to carry water, now seen only in Buddhist temples when the Japanese visit the graves of their ancestor during Obon and clean them using water carried in these buckets available at the temple. In time the teoke became darker in color. Note the guy in the top photo using a teoke and a brush to wash the wheels of a "Lilly". Note also the metal ladder always seen with "Lily" bombers described in a previous posting.

Another means to transport water or other liquids like lubricating oil was with old tin oil cans with the top removed and either two holes on the sides and a piece of rope as a handle or a piece of wood running the length of the open top, again to use as a handle.

The two tin cans seen in the photos say "bokayo baketsu" (bucket with water for extinguishing fires).

This one says "3rd shotai". Note the tarp mentioned in a previous post beside it.

There was also a short open pot called "kanadarai" used to wash clothes by hand, as seen in the attached photo. It could be with short handles or without.

While all the previous photos featured IJAAF ground crews, the IJNAF maintenance guys used similar buckets and cans. In the photo, trainee pilots and maintenance crew members wash a Yokosuka/Kawanishi K5Y1 "Willow" belonging to the Kasumigaura Kokutai.

Similarly at the front, like in this case Rabaul, ground crews used any bucket, cans and pots available to service the aircraft.

Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #9 - revised

Tarps & covers
IJAAF & IJNAF ground crews used tarps to protect their planes from the elements, especially the engine area. When the aircraft were maintained or were ready for take-off, these were removed and discarded on the ground near the aircraft. As the attached photos show, sometimes the ground crews were more tidy and neatly folded them, and sometimes just casually threw them around.

In this photo, tarps cover the cockpit, cowling and propeller of a Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate". The number "157" applied on the cowling cover and the propeller is the same with the serial number of the aircraft.

In this photo, the number painted on the tarp cover is the number on the tail of the Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki". Perhaps also part of the serial number of the aircraft?

Neatly folded tarps beside a Kawasaki Ki-45 "Toryu" (Nick).

When tarps were unavailable, other fabric covers were incorporated as this photo of a Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" testifies. But these really depended on the theatre and the time. Home-based units, for example, are never seen without proper tarps.

Of course, IJNAF also used tarps to protect its aircraft from the elements. Note how neatly wrapped and tied the tarp is on this Mitsubishi G45M "Betty" bomber. Note also the barrels, mentioned in a previous post, that helped the ground crew reach the engines.

Similarly a Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" is having its port engine maintained while the starboard is still covered with a tarp.

A variety of IJNAF aircraft with their cowling under tarps of different colour found at the end of the war at Oppama Base, Yokosuka.

As we saw before, the IJNAF too used various fabric covers to protect its aircraft. In this case, the cowling of a Mitsubishi A6M7 Model 62 or 63 of the Yatabe Kokutai is under a quilted cover.

A short clip taken in Rabaul, featuring a Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bomber getting serviced as well as an Aichi D3Y "Val". Note the tarps, the barrels and the platforms mentioned in earlier posts.