Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" - maintenance

Another maintenance photo, this time featuring a Model 2 "Sally".

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" - maintenance

A photo today from the Arawasi collection featuring a "Sally" Model 1 and a maintenance crew member of the Tokorozawa Maintenance School.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally"

A nice in-action photo today of a Model 2 flight of bombers ready for take-off.

The photo is dated around March 1943, unknown location and unit, when all the jubakutai were very active in every front in Southeast Asia.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" - maintenance

A cool photo today of a Model 1 (probably) "Sally" undergoing engine maintenance inside one of the hangars of the Army Maintenance School.

Note the oil tank filler cap on the outboard of the engine.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally"

A quite interesting "Sally" Model 2 today with an unusual, for a "Sally", camo scheme. 

The aircraft was found at Chofu airfield and it is said that it belonged to the Giretsu. There is absolutely nothing to indicate any connection with the Giretsu, the camo is wrong, there is no tail marking and there are other details that don't fit. 

Sakurai-san, the 244 Sentai researcher, mentions that immediately after the end of the war, high ranking military officers were urgently called to Tokyo. Transport aircraft from various shireibu hikohan flew to Chofu, so maybe it belonged to one of them. I find this as more probable.

The tail marking, though, (if there ever was one, only a hole can be seen) is closer to the bottom of the rudder, an area usually reserved for a number, not a tail marking which would have been applied in the middle of the tail or higher.

A puzzing and interesting bomber.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" - "Moyuru Ozora"

The photo today features a large number of Model 1 Ko "Sallys" of the Hamamatsu School, taking part in the movie "Moyuru Ozora" (Burning Skies).

The markings are random. Many bombers have katakana on their tails, the closest to the camera, probably a Nakajima-built Ki-21, has a "ナ" (na), next to it is a "二" (ni). In the row behind them, the bombers have various bands more common with the usual school markings, but note that none of the aircraft has the Hamamatsu School marking on their tails.  

Special thanks to D. Chouinard for stitching the photo.

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally"

Another Model 2 about to take off on another mission in Burma. Note the asual ground crew members right behind the spinning prop.

Of interest is the vehicle on the right hand corner. Any ideas?

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" - Japanese Politicians

On February 24, 1939, 117 members of the House of Peers and 172 members of the House of Representatives visited the IJAAF Aviation Technical Research Department in Tachikawa.

They all boarded a special train at 09:00 in the morning and after reaching Tachikawa station, went to Tachikawa airfield where they met the Research Department's commander Maj Gen Yasuda Takeo* who introduced them to the various IJAAF aircraft types. After 11:00 they were presented with a formation flight of 34 Army airplanes and mock air battles. Following these, all of them expressed their desire to fly, but only 41 were picked for a flight on board what looks to be a Nakajima-built "Sally" Model 1, a Nakajima Ki-34 "Thora" and at least one more aircraft, wing edge visible on the left side.

Among the politicians were Ogawa Gotaro, Minister of Commerce and Industry (maybe 2nd from left in the photo), Matsudaira Yorinaga, President of the House of Peers at the time (5th from left).

Note that the Tachikawa "Sally" does not have any tail marking as was common with most, if not all, aircraft of the Research Department.

*The English Wiki mentions that Yasuda was "a strong advocate of the use of suicidal ramming tactics against American bombers.". The Japanese Wiki page says that when "suicide attacks" were proposed in March 1944, he expressed his strong opposition and that was the reason why he was relieved from duty.

Note his involvement in the "Japanese Atomic bomb".

IPMS Fort Worth "Supercon"

 IPMS Fort Worth "Supercon"

Sept. 11, 2021

After a skipping a year due to COVID, the "Supercon" is back, and so were the entries, particularly those of a Japanese flavor. The very first example of which I came upon was a nicely presented A6M-3 diorama, the camouflage being quite interesting. Standing out quite well on it's own, was an all white G4M under new management, and a green crossed Ki-51 "Sonia" followed that. There were two nice B5N "kates" and a very attractive A5M "Claude" on the tables as well. Other examples that caught my attention were a NMF Ki-44, a well weathered Ki-84 in home defense markings, a Diorama of a F1M "Pete", and a captured P-51B.

There was one entry representing the modern aspect of Japanese aviation, a Mitsubishi F-1, but it made for an interesting contrast to what is normally seen.

One other thing stood out, or more to the point, two: The tan colored Zeros. I'm not going to say too much about this, I do feel that they are off on the color (A discussion for another time). Otherwise, the models are nicely done.

Overall, a good show.

- D. Chouinard -

Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally"

Another photo from the Arawasi collection featuring a Ki-21 Model 1, probably Ko.

Note the curious absence of the radio antenna mast on the fuselage and the Ki-27 "Nate" tail on the left. Note also the absence of the whatchamacallit thingy on the tip of the spinner to connect with the starter truck.