Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki", 87 Sentai

A quite interesting photo from the Dutch archives has been circulating online lately, showcasing a Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki" belonging to the 87 Sentai.

The aircraft had originally suffered a forced landing with the propeller blades bent and was found by Allied forces at the end of the war. The tail features the unit's marking, most probably in red, indicating that it belonged to the 2nd Chutai of the unit. Note that it has a white border. The individual aircraft number "72" is also applied on the bottom of the tail. Note also the iff stripe following the shape of the wind leading edge. The spinner does not seem to be the same color as the unit marking, and the aircraft doesn't seem to have any anti-glare panel; if it does, it's very faint and could have been overpainted with the top camouflage. Last but not least, note that the fuselage hinomaru has a white border, but the wing hinomaru doesn't. Some online commentators mentioned that the aircraft was flown by "Lt. Hideaki Inayama" ; nevertheless...

...Nagao-san of Lifelike Decals, has included a decal set for Inayama's aircraft in the "Nakajima Ki-44 Part 1", 48-036 set, with plenty of information. Since Inayama's plane has been, I guess, traditionally(?) been identified as carrying the number "25" and a blue diagonal band, we can safely conclude that the "Shoki" in the previous photo was not flown by Inayama but by a different pilot in the unit.

Here's another photo of the Nakajima Ki-44-II "Shoki" of the 87 Sentai seen in the top photo, taken at a later date. It had had some panels removed, perhaps by trophy hunters, the rear part of the canopy is missing and the fabric-covered rudder has deteriorated.

There are more 87 Sentai Nakajima Ki-44-II "Shoki" photos online. This one is even more interesting as it has wing hinomaru with white bands and the fuselage hinomaru surrounded by a white box! The tail marking could also be in red indicating a 2nd Chutai or in yellow showing that it belonged to the 3rd Chutai. I'm leaning towards a red, 2nd Chutai aircraft since it seems to have a white border (if it were yellow, it wouldn't need a white border). The number on the tail is probably "85" but I'm sure there will be some who disagree. In any case, we can see two details that need correcting with the Lifelike illustration of the Inayama aircraft. First, the red unit tail marking needs a white border and second, the "25" should have been repeated on the bottom of the rudder.

As for the overall color of the "Shoki" in the photo, it's anyone's guess. Perhaps brown?

A Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" is also in the foreground and a Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" behind the "Shoki".

One more photo of a 87 Sentai Nakajima Ki-44-II "Shoki" I spotted online. This one is missing its tail number. It seems that some aircraft of the unit had their tail numbers applied a bit spaciously with half the number on the rudder and half on the tail, while other numbers were more tightly spaced, applied only on the rudder. This "Shoki" has an unusual white box surround on the fuselage hinomaru as well and, this time, it definitely belongs to the 2nd Chutai, as indicated by the unit marking in red.

Here's a brief history of the unit.

The 87 Sentai was organized on March 1, 1941, in Harbin, Manchuria (present-day Northeast China). It remained stationed in the area after the outbreak of the Pacific War, continuing training in preparation for operations against the Soviet Union.

From late 1942 to early 1943, the squadron underwent reorganisation to the Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki" Model 2. Half were the Ki-44-II Hei equipped with two 40mm cannons.

In July, the sentai transferred to Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, and was soon ordered to provide air defence for the Palembang Oil Refinery.

Enjoying a period of calm and ample fuel supplies, the sentai continued its training. However, in May 1944, it was temporarily redeployed to Burma to participated in the Imphal Operation.

During engagements with P-51s and other aircraft, the unit lost a quarter of its operational aircraft and suffered six fatalities. 

Returning to Palembang, the 87 again worked to rebuild its strength during a period of relative calm and by the end of August possessed 52 aircraft. Whilst other units were successively committed to the battle in the Philippines that autumn of 1944, the 87 remained in Palembang, defending the oil refinery.

The situation finally seemed to change in January 1940, when air raids by carrier-based aircraft from a British fleet departing Ceylon occurred. The 87 Sentai engaged in aerial combat against over a hundred Avengers, Hellcats, Corsairs, and Supermarine Seafire launched from four British carriers.

The British carrier-based aircraft, bravely penetrating the air defences reinforced by barrage balloons and anti-aircraft guns,

repeatedly bombed the oil refinery, inflicting heavy damage. The sentai intercepted with full force and cooperating with anti-aircraft artillery units, claimed to have shot down 50 aircraft (British records indicate 41 aircraft lost).