Nakajima E8N1 "Dave" By Michael Furry WIP#6

Final steps on the workbench.

 

Nakajima E8N1 "Dave" By Michael Furry WIP#5

Mike had been working on his "Dave" slowly and carefully all last year and here is the work in progress.

He experimented with hairspray to achieve an oxidized look on the floats and center wing section.

The next step was to work on the fuselage. He mentioned:

"I used hairspray and GSI Creos light gray to "distress" the area around the cockpit and on the lower forward fuselage. I figured the salt water environment would give these areas a nice patina." 

 

The next step was to seal everything with a clear coat and start using water colors to add more interest. Then, it was time for the markings.

Previous WIPs: WIP#1 & #2, WIP#3, WIP#4 

IJAAF & IJNAF wrecked aircraft #17 - Atsugi pt. 3, Nakajima G5N "Shinzan"

The video today features a very rare Nakajima G5N "Shinzan" (Liz) found at Atsugi.

The photo below clearly shows the markings of the particular aircraft.

Another photo of the same aircraft. Both photos from here.

Another "Shinzan" was also found at Atsugi.

Photo above from here.

Photo NARA via Arawasi.

Here's the story of these two aircraft (source FAOW blue #90, October 1977).

First, take a look at Wikipedia, here.

The first two G5N prototypes had Mitsubishi "Kasei" engines since the development and delivery of Nakajima engines was delayed.

From the third to the sixth completed aircraft, Nakajima "Mamoru" (or "Mamori") engines were installed. These were known as "Shinzan-kai".

The type was plagued with various problems, especially with the underpowered engines and did not meet the specifications for a heavy bomber. As a result the four aircraft with Nakajima engines were modified as transports in 1943 designated "Shinzan-kai Yusoki" (yusoki=transport).

The first two Mitsubishi engine aircraft were destroyed on the ground during a raid against Yokosuka base.

The other four transports were given to the 1021 Kokutai, therefore the "21" on the tail, organized on January 1, 1944, and based on Katori airfield, Chiba Prefecture. It was also called "hato butai" (pigeon unit) and initially used the kanji "鳩" (hato-pigeon) until spring 1944. Then used the number "21". The unit used the aircraft to transport fuel drums, propellers, engines but also ammunition, medical supplies and more, 6-7 times originally to Tinian and Saipan from March 1944, and, when these was captured by the U.S. forces, later briefly to transport supplies to Manila.

The first of the four (3rd produced "Shinzan"), tail marking "21-01" together with one more "Liz" was to fly to Saipan on a transport mission (exact date unknown) but the second aircraft aborted the mission due to engine trouble. "21-01" arrived in Saipan, but the aircraft was bombed and destroyed while on the ground. 

The second of the four (4th produced "Shinzan"), tail marking "21-02" was lost during a landing accident on April 19, 1944 near Kasanohara base, which was near Kagoshima, Kyushu.

When transport missions became too dangerous, the third aircraft operated by the 1021Ku, tail number "21-03" (5th produced "Shinzan") and the fourth, tail number "21-05" (not "21-04" because the number 4 in Japan can be read as "shi" meaning death, more here) were given to SagamiKu, based in Atsugi, to be used for maintenance training. They kept their 1021Ku tail markings and this is where they were found by the U.S. forces.

In the end, both aircraft were scraped.

Photo above also from here.

IJAAF & IJNAF wrecked aircraft #16 - Atsugi pt. 2

As we saw in the previous post, some runways in Atsugi needed to be extended for the bigger U.S. transports.

In the video, here, we can see the Japanese working parties and also some very nice views of Japanese tracks.

We also took a glimpse of a 302Ku (in Japanese: san-maru-futa Kokutai) "Raiden" in the background, when the children were loaded with the 20mm cannons. Here's a still of this particular "Raiden".

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm leaning towards a "ヨD-1161" tail marking instead of "ヨD-161".

Before the arrival of the airborne divisions and General MacArthur, the Japanese aircraft had to be pushed or towed out of their hangars. In the first video below, we can see the previously mentioned detachment of the Naval Security Corps which guarded the Atsugi airfield and an A6M5 Zero, tail marking "ヨD-135" or "ヨD-136".

Some of them were put to work pushing first an A6M2-K Zero trainer. Note the trainer orange yellow on the leg covers.

 

The next aircraft pushed out of a hangar was a Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden" with tail marking "ヨD-152" with five kill markings.

 

 

 

 

The aircraft was flown by Lt Ito Susumu. The top two kill markings depict "yaezakura", a kind of cherry blossom with many layers of pedals, meaning certain kills.

Wikipedia

The lower three depict "hitoezakura" which has about five pedals, meaning unconfirmed kills.

Under the tail marking there is the name of the maintenance leader "池田一整曹" (Ikeda 1seiso - name: Ikeda, rank: maintenance petty officer 1 class).

A photo of this "Raiden" during the war, can be found in FAOW #61, p.70 but the pilot standing in front of the tail is not Lt Ito but another one from the unit. I found a nice photo from HERE. Again, the pilot on the wing is not Lt Ito but another pilot of the unit.

Following the "Raiden" is an A6M2 the full tail marking of which is not visible, but note that the "ヨD" has been overpainted a previous marking. Note also the heavy weathering on the wing root, not visible on the newer A6M5 that follows without a tail marking.

 

 

 

 

 

In the following video we see again fighters been towed out of the hangars by a tractor and taken to a nearby field.

The first aircraft is a beautiful A6M2 with tail marking "ヨD-1101".

 

Of particular interest is the repetition of the number "1101" on the wheel cover. Note also the way the green camo paint has been applied on the cover.

And then we are treated with a variety of very interesting details.

 

1. The number "1101" is also repeated on the carburettor intake.

2. There is a white data plate on the cowling side. 

3. Note the very thin yellow IFF stripes

4. Again, note the green camo applied on the wheel covers

5. Note that the front of the spinner is green, but the rear is brown.

And finally note in the photo below the very small yellow marking on the top of the tail.

The last plane featured in the clip is another Zero, an A6M5 this time with tail marking "ヨD-132". Note the red "no step" lines on the wing.

 

 

Did you notice the "Ginga" and the "Gekko" in the background?

And last but not least, compare the "color" of the area in the rear of the cockpit, under the canopy of the YoD-1101 and YoD-132.