Tuesday, 29 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #16 - Mitsubishi A6M "Zero with Green Crosses 零戦, 中支航空隊, 龍華飛行場 上海, 緑十字

At the end of the war a number of Zeros and other aircraft including Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" (Jack), were found in Longhua airfield in Shanghai with an unusual tail marking. It's the kanji "中" which signified the unit "中支航空隊" (Chushi Kokutai - Central China Air Group) which was organized in February 20, 1945, with various IJNAF dispatched elements of various kokutai, that were based at the time in China. It was one of the Otsu kokutai meaning it was mainly assigned to airfield/base protection duties.

The first Zero is a Model 21. Behind it is a Mitsubishi K3M "Pine" crew trainer.
Although the marking "中1" can be seen in this photo, the rest of the marking is on the piece of fabric that has been removed. In the previous photo though, it should have been visible as it is written in the oposite direction. Unfortunately the previous photo is not of the best quality and therefore I can't be 100% sure of the complete tail marking. Note the fuselage hinomaru with the white surround.

Another photo of the Mitsubishi K3M "Pine" trainers.
A photo featuring on the left the tail of a "中133" Zero, the Model 21 of the first photo in the middle and the Mitsubishi K3M "Pine" of the first photo on the right.

Another Zero found in the same location was a Model 52 Otsu.
Although the "中" part of the tail marking is not visible, the location the aircraft was found confirms the unit. So tail marking for this Zero is "中132" (no hyphen).

Another photo of the "中132" Model 52 Otsu Zero, revealing that a part of the tail number "32" was repeated on the cowling lip.

This photo features a Nakajima built A6M7 Model 62 or 63.

Again the "中" part of the tail marking is missing but a closeup reveals that there is indeed a tail marking which I believe is "中153". Actually this can be confirmed by noticing that the two last digits of the tail number are repeated on the wheel cover of the original photo (thanks Martin). 

Of particular interest is the wing hinomaru with the darker green surround and the position of the white box with the cross. Note also the white lines on the cowling.

This one...I don't know. In the background are the three aircraft in the first five photos (the "中132" Model 52 Otsu Zero, the Model 21 and the Mitsubishi K3M "Pine") but I can't identify the model of the Zero in the foreground. Any ideas? And what's with the white patch on the fuselage next to the cockpit? And where is the green cross on the wing?

Friday, 25 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #15 - Mitsubishi A6M "Zero with Green Crosses 零戦, 緑十字

The original AWM photo caption mentions:
"A Japanese A6M3 Model 22 Zero fighter aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy. This Zero, serial number 3844, was found intact by Allied forces at Kara airstrip near Buin after the surrender. On 15 September a Wirraway of 5 Squadron RAAF arrived with personnel to make an inspection. The aircraft was clearly airworthy, and had been repainted overall white with green crosses for identification as required under the surrender terms. Wing Commander William Kofoed RNZAF decided to ferry it to the RNZAF airstrip at Bougainville. The Zero remained there until mid-October, when it departed by ship for New Zealand. It is now in the collection of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, NZ."

A non-Japanese online source adds:
"Assigned to an unknown Kōkūtai (Air Group) with tail code 2-152....
"In 1945, as a morale boosting exercise for roughly sixty to seventy Japanese Navy maintenance personnel stationed at Kara Airfield, this Zero was repaired to flying condition using parts from several other Zeros including including A6M3 Zero 3616, A6M3 Model 32 Zero 3278 and A6M3 Model 32 Zero 3217. The repaired Zero retained the identity of A6M3 Zero 3844 including the manufacture number stencil on the rear fuselage.
"By July 1945, the repaired Zero was restored to flyable condition and was reported by radio to headquarters at Rabaul. Soon afterwards, Petty Officer Sekizen Shibayama was flown as a passenger aboard E13A1 Jake that took off from Rabaul and landed off Buin (Kahili) where he went ashore and was taken to Kara Airfield. Shibayama planned to test fly the Zero then fly it to Rabaul, but the Pacific War ended before this was accomplished."

A more detailed account with more photos can be found here.

Nevertheless FAOW Special #6 mentions on page 136:
"One of the Zeros built in Rabaul [we saw in part #14 of this series] with parts from various aircraft. The front of the aircraft including the engine has serial number 3835. The rear s/n 3844. The cowling s/n 3616, the machine gun and pannel s/n 3278 and 3217. Note that the spinner is clearly a Mitsubishi built for a Model 21. 
The tail marking of the aircraft was "2-182"."

More photos of the aircraft from here

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #14 - Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah", Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", Nakajima B5M "Kate, Aichi E13A "Jake" with Green Crosses

Four days following Japan's surrender on September 2, 1945, the remaining forces still in Rabaul, New Britain, reached out to the Allies to indicate their intention to surrender.
Following negotiations, the only aircraft remaining in operational condition received approval for a final flight from Rabaul to Jacquinot Bay Airfield on New Britain's southern coast. 
As stated by online sources:
"On September 18, 1945 the first flight included Ki-46 Dinah 2783, A6M5 Zero 4043, A6M5 Zero 4444 and A6M5 Zero 3479 escorted by sixteen Allied fighters.
On October 14, 1945 the second flight included B5N2 Kate Tail 302 and E13A Jake 4326."
The Rabaul "Dinah" in Jacquinot Bay Airfield. On the tail, under the white paint, it had a kikusui marking designed by maintenance crew member Sgt Maj Azuma.

According to non-Japanese online sources, the "Dinah" pilot was Capt Iwanaga Nario but FAOW #38 mentions that his name was 2Lt Sato Teruo.
  
This photo taken at the end of the war when various Japanese aircraft had been surrendered to the RNZAF shows a typical dispersal and maintenance area, this time at the RNZAF's base at Jacquinot Bay. Note the RNZAF Ventura in the background, and in the foreground are a surrendered Japanese Dinah (left) and Kate. Photo: Roy Paton

This is the Japanese Ki-46-II 'Dinah' reconnaissance bomber that also passed to the RNZAF after being captured at Rabaul. It was left at Jacquinot Bay by the RNZAF, and may still be there rotting away. Photo: Roy Paton

Here's the story of the aircraft of the "Last Rabaul Airforce" from a Japanese source:
"By late 1943, the only remaining IJAAF reconnaissance units in Rabaul were parts of the 10th Sentai equipped with "Dinah" and the Dokuritsu 83 Chutai equipped with "Sonia." In March 1944, only a single 10th Sentai "Dinah" remained in Rabaul, yet three additional "Dinahs" from Wewak were dispatched to Rabaul to participate in the 17th Army's Torokina Operation. One of the three "Dinahs" suffered damage from friendly anti-aircraft fire and performed an emergency landing, resulting in three operational "Dinahs" from the 10th Sentai remaining in Rabaul. A while later, enemy forces destroyed one of them on the ground, while another was shot down right after taking off. Consequently, just a single "Dinah" was left operational in Rabaul. 
"During that period, the IJAAF conceived the notion of collecting components and constructing several aircraft. Initially, the ground teams successfully assembled two "Dinahs." 
"In a similar manner, the IJNAF succeeded in gathering five Zeros and two "Kates". Numerous tropical diseases afflicted the region, particularly malaria, prompting the "Dinahs" to take 3-4 trips to Truk to deliver medicine to Rabaul. The "Dinahs" achieved great success, and to utilize the leftover "Sonia" pilots, the remnants of the 1st and 11th Sentai chose to collect parts and successfully assembled 5-6 "Hayabusa" fighters, which were designated the "8th Area Army." Embarkments were built as well, but before their completion, all "Hayabusa" fighters and one "Dinah" were destroyed on the ground.
(source: Maru #380)

The three Zeros warming up in Rabaul ( source)

Two of the three surrendered Japanese A6M5 Model 52 Zero aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy on the move.The aircraft were painted in the surrender colours of white with green crosses. (RNZAF Official Photograph) (AWM)

Four surrendered Japanese aircraft after arrival at the RNZAF airfield at Jacquinot Bay. The formation consisted of three Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Zero fighters of the Imperial Japanese Navy (including serial numbers 3479 and 4043), and one Ki-46 Dinah reconnaissance aircraft (serial number 2783) of the Imperial Japanese Army. The aircraft were flown by Japanese crews, and departed Vunakunau at Rabaul with an escort of RNZAF F4U Corsair fighters. All the Japanese aircraft wear surrender markings, which consisted of an overall white finish with green crosses for easy recognition. (RNZAF Official Photograph.) (AWM)

A Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy. This aircraft, coded '302', was the last flyable bomber left at Rabaul by the end of the Second World War. The aircraft was operated by the 105th Naval Base Air Unit. Escorted by four RNZAF Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighters, on 14 October 1945 it was flown to Jacquinot Bay by Warrant Officer Kataoka Goro and surrendered. The photograph depicts Japanese ground crew probably at Rabaul preparing the aircraft for its last flight. (AWM)

This is the Japanese carrier-borne B5N2 "Kate" bomber which was also captured at Rabaul in September 1945. It too passed into RNZAF possession and was flown to Jacquinot Bay, but as no shipping space could be found to return it and two Zero's also captured to New Zealand, the three aircraft passed into RAAF ownership. They were left at Jacquinot Bay and according to 'Aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force' by David Duxbury, Ross Ewing and Ross Macpherson (Heinemann, 1987) were still there as late as 1972, along with the Dinah seen below and at the top of this page. Photo: Roy Paton

New Britain, 1945. Japanese Aichi E13A1 "Jake" seaplane in surrender markings of white with green crosses. On 1945-10-14 this aircraft was flown into Jacquinot Bay and surrendered to RNZAF Forces. (RNZAF OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH.) (AWM)

This is the Japanese E13A1A "Jake" reconnaissance seaplane which was captured at Rabaul in September 1945. It passed into RNZAF possession and was flown to RNZAF Station Jacquinot Bay, where a month later it sank at its moorings. The remains are probably still there. Photo: Roy Paton

Hasegawa has released a kit of the Rabaul "Dinah" in 1/72, kit number: 02185

Monday, 21 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #13 - Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" with Green Crosses 一〇〇式司令部偵察機, 緑十字

According to the original AWM caption:
"Menado, Celebes 1945-10-03. Occupation by Menado Force. Lieutenant Colonel R. A. C. Muir, commander of the force, and Colonel De Rooy, Netherlands East Indies Army inspecting Japanese planes at Langowan. The planes have been painted with green crosses on a white background, the agreed surrender colours."
Unfortunately I have been unable to find more photos showing the tail or information about this Model 3 "Dinah".
Leave a comment if you have more.

Monday, 14 April 2025

Mitsubishi A6M2-K by Jean Barby

Here are some photos of my latest Eduard work. They have done a very good research on the subject and the kit is first class, but, in some places, a bit tricky. Everything is out-of-the-box and, for an old modeler like me, that's very pleasant. The plane is from the Tsukuba Kokutai based in Kanoya during the Cherry blossom attacks on Okinawa and was flown by Lt.JG Kaneko Tamotsu. Up to now, only Hasegawa had done a A6M2-K model, but here, Eduard has outdone themself. Colors are from Mr Color range and the green is ref C15, the very dark Nakajima green. 

Sunday, 13 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #12 - Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" with Green Crosses 一〇〇式司令部偵察機, 緑十字


Another Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" Model 3 Koh adorned with green crosses appears in this frequently reproduced but typically cropped color photograph from the Jeff Ethell Collection. Given that other aircraft are entirely painted white, it appears that in her situation, the painting process may have been incomplete or they might have run out of paint. Interestingly, the "green" cross appears blue in this image, but it might be because of the photo quality. 
Acording to a Japanese source, the site is Irumagawa Airfield but according to Jeff Ethell Collection, it's Matsuyama (松山, now Songshan, Taipei) Air Base, Formosa (Taiwan), 1945 (thank you Gary).
Notable is the range of aircraft models adorned with white green crosses: a Tachikawa Ki-54 Koh, a Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally," and two Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily." Why are there so many green cross planes? As stated in the earlier post, only the planes that were granted permission to operate in certain missions were painted in this manner. What type of tasks would they be given? 
Contrast the range of types with a comparable variety shown in the photo from the previous post. Is it possible the location to be identical?

Friday, 11 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #11 - Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" with Green Crosses 一〇〇式司令部偵察機, 緑十字

At the end of war all Japanese aircraft were banned from flying, as stated in one of the surrender conditions. Exceptions were aircraft that were to transport surrender delegations and these planes were to be painted overall white with green crosses instead of hinomaru.
A few years back the attached photo came on sale on Ebay. It features a number of surrender aircraft with a Mitsubishi Ki-46 Model 3 Koh in the foreground. Location is unspecified. The original unit tail marking is partially visible and it could be of the 17 Dokuritsu Chutai (see FAOW #38, p. 46 bottom photo) but I'm not sure because the unit didn't use numbers on its aircraft tails.
Leave a comment if you know more about the location or you have any suggestions about the unit.

Wednesday, 9 April 2025

"Toraware no Nihonki" #10 - Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" in KMT markings 一〇〇式司令部偵察機, 中華民国国民政府 - video


...Or "Captured Japanese Aircraft". This is going to be a series of posts that will need "audience participation". Therefore, don’t hesitate to comment and share details about the aircraft discussed in these posts.
First up, a very very short clip cut from the same video we saw in the 27 March 2025 post. It features General Albert Coady Wedemeyer arriving at an airfield in Nanking. Of special interest is the Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" in the background with Kuomintang (KMT) Nationalist China markings. It looks to be painted in overall white too.
I don't think I've ever seen a "Dinah" in KMT markings. Leave a comment if you know more about this particular aircraft or other "Dinahs" in KMT markings.