Ace IJNAF Pilot Miyazaki Isamu

Ensign Miyazaki Isamu was an ace of the IJNAF that fought in most South Pacific theatres including Rabaul, Guadalcanal, the Solomons and New Guinea where he flew Zero-sen. From 1945, Miyazaki-san was assigned to the Sento (fighter) Hikotai 301 of the famous 343 Air Group flying the latest Navy fighter; Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-kai.

His autobiography entitled "Kaete kita Shiden-kai" (the Shiden-kai that came back) was released by Kojinsha in June 1993 and is full of vivid descriptions of all his War experiences.

A small extract from the chapter "saigo no shutsugeki" (the last sortie) details the very last time he flew during the War and more.
  On August 12, 1945 Miyazaki-san took off with three other pilots on a patrol mission over Yakushima with himself being the flight leader. On the way back while flying at a height of 1,000m over the city of Karatsu the Japanese pilots started receiving heavy anti-aircraft fire from the nearby IJArmy base. Perhaps the Shiden-kai were mistaken with US Grumman F6F and to their bad luck the gunners on that day were particularly accurate. The pilot of the third aircraft Okimoto was shot and had to make a belly landing on a field near the seashore while the pilot of the fourth aircraft, Izawa, crashed in the sea.
  Miyazaki-san's plane was also hit and due to the heavy shock the aircraft sustained, one of the legs deployed forcing him to land with only one leg down at Ganosu airfield where he lost consciousness during the impact. When he recovered he was furious and immediately called the IJArmy headquarters of the Western Area. His words "This is the Navy 343ku and you shot us down. The place is...Send here immediately the person responsible for this." must have certainly hit the target because eventually an Army Major arrived and apologised profusely. Fortunately both Navy pilots were rescued but Izawa suffered serious injuries and had to be taken to the hospital.
  That was Miyazaki-san's last flight of the War but it wasn't the first time Navy Shiden-kai were mistaken for enemy aircraft. During a kamikaze escort flight over Kikaijima an IJAAF aircraft was spotted approaching with his guns blazing. The Navy pilots thought "what the heck is he doing? Is he shooting at us?" So around April-June 1945 a Zero 52, a Shiden and a Shiden-kai flown by members of the 301 went to the tokotai base of Chiran to give the Army pilots a chance to see the Navy aircraft from up close and explain the tactics the IJNAF used against US aircraft.   

Arawasi had the privilage to meet Miyazaki-san on a number of occasions during the annual meetings of the "Kansai Rei-sen Tojoin-kai" (Kansai Zero Pilot's Association). We had the chance to relish the long conversations with a veteran in his 90s with a clear state of mind, remembering every small detail about either the Zero or the Shiden-kai, enjoying his beer and smoking like a chimney. Unforgettable will remain the moments when we heard all the veterans singing Navy songs on the first meeting after the death of Tanimizu-san.

Miyazaki-san (right) with "Kansai Rei-sen Tojoin-kai" president Ota-san,
a member of the 303 Fighter Hikotai of the 203 Air Group.

Miyazaki-san passed away in 2012. He will be sorely missed.

The Luigi Scarano Collection Pt. 6

Some photos of my Kawanishi N1K2-J "Shiden-kai", 343 Fighter Group, pilot Miyazaki Isamu. This is my old work (2002), Hasegawa kit 1/48 scale, Testors Model Master paints and Gunze clear paints.

Enjoy - Luigi

Gliders - Maeda "Komadori"

Around 1941 the magazine "Koku Asahi" organised an essay competition to celebrate the release of the first issue of the magazine. The subject was simply "Aviation" and students from Junior high, high school and universities could participate. The price was one glider for each school of the winners of the three categories.

In April 1941 the results were announced, no less than 733 essays were submitted, 697 of them from Junior high schools. The winner in this category was Kawamura Riuchi one of the 120 members of the glider club of his Sanbongi Nogyo (agriculture) Gakko school of Aomori prefecture.

The prize award ceremony was held on April 29, the chief editor of "Koku Asahi" was present with all 500 students and teachers of the school as well as hundreds of female students from near-by girl-schools and about 2,000 residents of the area. The ceremony started at 11:00 and from midday two glider pilots made demonstration flights for the pleasure of the spectators who had never seen gliders in flight before. The two pilots stayed for two more days to train students.

The glider presented to Kawamura-kun was a very colourful Maeda "Komadori".  

The photos below are from the prize award ceremony.

 Note the logo of the magazine "Koku Asahi" on the tail.

 Kawamura-kun enjoying his glider.

Our good friend Zygmunt  Szeremeta created artwork especially for our blog. 

The full registration number is not visible in the photos, therefore the "B-83" is only a suggestion.

The "Komadori" (robin) was designed by Maeda Koken Kogyo and first took to the air in October 1940. It was designated Maeda Model 105kai but also Asahi-shiki "Komadori" primary glider. Maeda built about 1200 of this very successful glider but unknown numbers were also built under license by other manufacturers and even schools.

Until the introduction of Maeda 105kai it took about an hour to assemble a primary glider; "Komadori" took only five minutes. It had shock absorber and the main wing and the fuselage could fold making it especially easy to store. It was so light that it could be transported by a bicycle-drawn cart.

Drawings also by Zygmunt  Szeremeta. Dziękuję.

Vintage magazine cover

Cover of August 1930 issue of magazine "Koku Jidai". Artwork by painter Suzuki Gyosui  born 1898 in Akita prefecture and a graduate of the Tokorozawa Rikugun Hiko Gakko. In 1927 his artwork illustrated aviation stories in the magazine "King" and in 1929 contributed artwork in another magazine, "Shonen Club". A year later he dedicated himself in creating aviation subjects earning the nickname "Air Force Suzuki Gyosui".  Died in 1982.

The aircraft on the cover is a Junkers F-13 seaplane with the registration J-BALG which according to the civilian register site belonged to Teikoku Kaibo Gikai, then to Nippon Koku KK until it crashed n March 1934.

Civilian Aviation - National Foundation Day

In Japan, National Foundation Day is a public holiday celebrated on February 11 every year. In 1937 the celebrations included a commemorating flight organised by the Teikoku Hiko Kyokai (Imperial Aeronautic Association). No less than 38 civilian aircraft flew over Tokyo split into three groups and taking off from Tsudanuma (Chiba), Susaki (Tokyo) and Haneda (Tokyo) airfields.

In the photo below a group of civilian Yokosho K2Y flown by students of the Nippon Student Air League in formation over Tokyo bay. Their civilian registrations are: J-BAQP, J-BAFP (or J-BAPP) and probably J-BAMF.

Taken from the passing aircraft a photo of Sumida river with a fleet of river boats taking part in the celebrations.

A photo of the second group taking off from Susaki airfield in the Tokyo bay. The two clearly visible aircraft are Salmson 2.A2 belonging to the Asia Flying School with civilian registrations J-BFDR and probably J-BFDY.

Susaki was the lesser known airfield of Tokyo located in Koto Ward.

We hope you don't mind a touch of culture, sharing the marvellous ukiyo-e by master Hiroshige. It is the 107th image of his "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" and is entitled "Fukagawa Susaki and Jūmantsubo"

Nakajima Ki-4

A photo from the same publication of August 1st, 1938 showing an Army Type 94 Reconnaissance Aircraft or Nakajima Ki-4 liaise with ground troops.
The ground unit would set up two poles connected with a string at the top and a message canister hanging in the middle. The aircraft would make a very low pass and fish the canister with the message using a line with a hook operated by the rear observer. This was a most efficient, albeit rather primitive, method of communication at an age when the radio was not sufficiently developed. Reconnaissance aircraft like the Ki-4 and later the Tachikawa Ki-36 "Ida" would guide ground troops to their target or warn them of enemy units in the area during the Sino-Japanese War.
Any suggestions about the trucks in the photo?

The tail marking is not clear enough but the caption mentions that "after the fall of Xuzhou, Lanfeng and Kaifeng the next major target of our advancing troops is the city of Zhengzhou". From this information it is apparent that the photo was taken during the Battle of Northern and Eastern Henan province.

Monograph #96 mentions:
"Air Operations Over North China to Support the Wu-Han Operation
After the Tungshan Operation, the North China Area Army was charged primarily with keeping peace and order in the occupied areas.
  In early August, when the North China Area Army Air Unit9 was organised, the Area Army commander ordered the Sudo Unit (one fighter squadron and two light bomber squadrons)10 to Anyang and Tungshan with the mission of gathering enemy intelligence and supporting the ground operations of the 1st Army garrison groups (the 5th and 114th Divisions and the 5th Independent Mixed Brigade garrisoning Shantung Province and the area around Tungshan, the 110th Division guarding the Peiping-Tienching sector and the Cavalry Group on the east side of the New Huang Ho). 

9. The Order of Battle of the North China Area Army Air Unit was published on 2 August 1938. The unit was composed of the 3rd squadron of the 64th Air Regiment, 27th Air Regiment, 90th Air Regiment and two airfield battalions.
10. The original Japanese manuscript states that the Sudo Unit was composed of three air reconnaissance squadrons. This is incorrect. The unit, which was commanded by Col Einosuke Sudo, was composed of the 3rd Squadron, 64th Air Regiment (one fighter squadron) and the 27th Air Regiment (two light bomber squadrons)."

Ofcourse all this was from August after the publication of the magazine.
The 5th Rentai (Wing) moved to the China theatre in June 1938 with four chutai. In July the 1st and 2nd chutai became the 1st Daitai (Battalion) commanded by Col Shibata and equipped with Ki-4s (the 3rd & 4th chutai became the 2nd Daitai). On August 1st 1938 the 1st Daitai became the 27th Sentai, mentioned as 27th Air Regiment in Monograph. 
Therefore this author believes that the photo was taken during operations of the 1st Daitai in July in the North Eastern China Area before it became 27th Sentai in August.

Nakajima E8N "Dave"

A photo from a vintage August 1st, 1938 magazine of a Navy Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplane or Nakajima E8N "Dave". According to the caption the photo was taken during bombing operations over the city of Guangzhou (Canton).
Unfortunately the tail marking is not visible in order to pinpoint the unit.
Note the heavy anti-aircraft barrage.

VIPs

On October 26, 1922 "H.I.H. The Prince Regent (Hirohito) visited the Flying Corps, Tokorozawa.
During the day he visited the main hangar (photo) escorted by the schoolmaster of the Tokorozawa Aviation School, Maj General Arikawa and took a tour in the aircraft assembly workshop, the balloon unit, the pigeon signal unit and the artillery spotting and reconnaissance balloon unit. The programme also included a parachute drop by 1st Ltd Iijima.
A number of Army Otsu-1 Reconnaissance (Salmson 2A2) are visible in the photo.

"Evalina" by Cameron Lohmann

Our friend Cameron Lohmann "Fluffysmodels" built this brilliant Mustang using our Arawasi/Abe decals and explained:

"1/48 scale Tamiya kit number 42 "Noth American P-51B Mustang"; "Evalina" was a P51C. To get the metal finish I used Testors gloss metallic silver enamel as a base. Then, I masked some panels off and painted them with a variety of Tamiya metallic acrylics to give a different tone to dfferent parts. Other colors are also Tamiya acrylics. Kit decals first. Then the Arawasi set. It all worked so well.

That hoop antenna is from a Hasegawa P40 kit. It took some effort but it looks fine in my opinion."

 

 

Than you very much Cameron for the photos and your friendly comments. Glad our decals worked so good for you.

The decal set is available from our on-line store, HERE.

Kawasaki Type 88 Reconnaissance/Bomber KDA-2 - Aikoku #22

Aikoku #22 "TeiSei" was an Army Type 88 Reconnaissance/Bomber or Kawasaki KDA-2 that was donated by the workers of the Teikoku Seimei Hoken Kabushiki Kaisha (Imperial Life Insurance Co Ltd) on June 19, 1932 during a ceremony in Yoyogi parade grounds.
From March 1932 until May 1933 one KDA-2 model 1 Reconnaissance, five Model 2 Reconnaissance and 19 KDA-2 Light Bombers were donated as Aikoku-ki. The price of one light bomber was 30,000Yen. At that time a bottle of Johnnie Walker whiskey red label was 5.5Yen (3,580Yen or $US20 at today's prices). 

The insurance company was founded in 1888 by IJN paymaster Kakara Tameshige with Fukuhara Arinoba and members of of the IJN accounting school who had studied in the UK. In 1936 the company merged with Tokyo Seimei Hoken and in 1947 became Asahi Seimei Hoken (Asahi Mutual Life Insurance) which is now one of the biggest life insurance companies in Japan.