04/2022

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  INFO Eduard

  e-magazin FREE Vol 21 April 2022

  # 146

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  INFO Eduard

  # 146

  e-magazin FREE Vol 21 April 2022

• Page 3

  eduardeduard

  APRIL 2022

  CONTENTS

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  BIG

  -

  ED

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  -

  May 2022

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  HISTORY

  Spitfire Mk.Vb late ProfiPACK 1/48

  ZERO ZERO ZERO! Limited edition 1/48

  F6F-5 Weekend edition 1/48

  MiG-15bis Weekend edition 1/72

  EAGLES CALL Limited edition 1/48

  Fokker D.VII (OAW) ProfiPACK 1/72

  Bf 109E-1 ProfiPACK 1/48

  Spitfire Story: Southern Star 1/48

  BODENPLATTE 1/48

  P-51D-5 1/48

  A6M2 Zero Type 21 1/48

  F6F-5 1/48

  Z-526AFS Akrobat 1/48

  Camel and Co. 1/48

  ZERO Model 21

  USS Arizona pt.2

  Air war over Ukraine

  Black night over Gwaksan

  Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

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  EDITORIAL

  On our Facebook page, I came across the

  notion that the Zero Zero Zero title of our

  Limited Edition kit is nonsense for the

  release, as it contains two complete kits

  only, leading to a perceived incompatibility

  between name and contents. In my view, this

  is a question of the angle from which you

  are looking at this from. For someone who

  is immersed in the topic of the Zero and its

  history up to their ears, like we are, the title

  of the kit makes sense, and a pilot in the

  Pacific in ’42 would not have an issue with

  it either. In the heat of combat over the

  Pacific and Indian Oceans , the sudden cry

  of ‘Zero!’ was so common and had so many

  forms that not all of them could be placed

  on the box. At its height and in all its glory,

  the Zero was ever present in the far east,

  and this is the feeling that the title of the

  kit is designed to convey. When you think

  about it, there has generally been no deeper

  meaning attached to the nomenclature of

  kits in our industry, other than to convey the

  box contents. If the need to be a little more

  specific presented itself, then it was usually

  labeled as “something over something”.

  In this case, the obligatory Zeroes Over the

  Pacific would have sufficed. In fact, it would

  have been an excellent choice, at least lo-

  cally, thanks to the Czech translation of the

  book Samurai, about Saburo Sakai, to the

  point of having a distinctly magical flavor.

  But that would have been a somewhat com-

  mon road to go down, and we actually do try

  to put a slightly deeper, more original mea-

  ning into the names of our kits. This comes

  with the risk that an intended meaning of

  the title might be missed or misunderstood

  by some. If you pay some attention to the

  Limited Edition release Zero Zero Zero,

  and study the marking options and their

  descriptions provided therein, they may lead

  you to the article penned by Jan Bobek, that

  is an extension of the introductory section

  of the kit instructions and offers a slightly

  different perspective of the A6M2 Model 21

  than that of the norm. That norm being that

  the Zero Model 21 is basically an all-grey,

  boring subject, one that attacked Pearl Har-

  bor and cut like a hot knife through butter

  from Clark Field to Darwin, only to slam

  against the wall of its limitations at Midway

  and over Guadalcanal, to be replaced by

  more capable and more colorful models of

  the type, the A6M3 and especially the more

  popular A6M5. With the release of the kit

  today, we are trying to illustrate that this is

  not entirely accurate, that this version of the

  Zero had a bigger significance than most of

  us think, that the type remained in servi-

  ce longer than most of us are aware and

  provided better results than are generally

  perceived. In short, for us modelers, this

  realization leads to the understanding that

  this aircraft is much more interesting on all

  levels than we thought. Last, but not least,

  the stories that these aircraft can tell are

  far more interesting than can generally be

  imagined. We will hit on the classic tales in

  the next issue of our newsletter, when Jan

  Bobek will carry on from his article into the

  history of the Model 21 in a two part article

  about the life of Saburo Sakai.

  Model Kits

  There are a further three new kits for this

  month. In the ProfiPack line, we have the

  later variant of the Spitfire Mk.Vb , also the

  1:48 scale F6F-5 Hellcat and the 1:72 scale

  MiG-15bis, the latter two being Weekend

  Edition kits. The F6F-5 release signals a re-

  turn of the 48th scale Hellcat into our range.

  Besides this Weekend release, there will

  INFO Eduard4

  April 2022

• Page 5

  be other kits put together with new mar-

  king collections, for which we already have

  instructions and boxes , and next month

  we’ll see a slightly modified re-edition of the

  F6F-3.

  Besides these new kits, we have four re-

  -editions of previously released kits. The

  older of these are two ProfiPacks, the 1:72

  scale Fokker D.VII (OAW) and the 1:48 scale

  Bf 109E-1, a kit first introduced ten years

  ago. The newer kits are the 48th scale F-6D

  Mustang, and the Limited Edition kit Eagle’s

  Call in the same scale, dedicated to Ameri-

  can Spitfire Mk.Vs. When we re-released the

  1:72 scale Tornado GR.1 Desert Babe a while

  back, there was some protest put forth,

  claiming that re-releasing something under

  the label Limited Edition was nonsense. This

  is another question of how you look at it.

  I agree that if something is, in fact, limited, it

  cannot be available forever. In some cases

  with these releases, though, it is tough to

  calculate the demand for the item, and so-

  metimes, we miss. To my mind, in these in-

  stances, it seems a shame to not at least try

  to satisfy the actual demand. As an example,

  the first edition of Desert Babe had a run of

  3,000 kits, and in the second, after

  a closer look at the market, 4,000. This

  week, we packed up the last seventy, and

  that will be it. But do not expect that every

  sold out Limited Edition kit will be re-issued.

  If and when we do, it will only be for those

  that sell out extremely quickly signaling an

  initially flawed assessment of the demand,

  and a reassessment points to further de-

  mand for a given product. Instances where

  this comes about are not many. Generally,

  we are in the right ballpark with these

  assessments.

  Accessories

  Among photoetched sets, I would like to

  direct your attention to the items designed

  for Revell’s 1:48 scale SR-71 and the IBG

  Fw 190D in 1:72. Both kits are recent hits

  on internet forums, and I believe that our

  releases for them will be found to be very

  useful. There are, of course, many more

  interesting items being offered, such as

  for the 35th scale M-18 from Tamiya. There

  are two mask sets for the 1:32 scale Hawk

  81-A2 and this suggests that we are also

  working on photoetched sets for this kit, as

  well as the whole line of P-40B/Cs. These

  will be out next month. Very noteworthy are

  two landing flap sets in the Brassin line, for

  the Spitfire MkV and the Fw 190A, both sets

  being in 48th and both printed 3D items. The

  same goes for the Walter Minor 4 engine for

  the Z-126 Trener. There are some smaller

  sets for another recent hit, the P-51B in 1:72

  from Arma Hobby. In this case, we are talk-

  ing about a mix of 3D prints and cast resin,

  and the 1:48 scale cockpit set for the later

  version of the F-14A from Tamiya is cast

  resin. April releases also include a LooK set

  for this kit. This line also includes releases

  for the OV-1+ and the Vampire F.3 in 1:48., for

  which we offer the alternative Space sets.

  These Space sets are going through a con-

  stant evolution, and the latest offerings are

  to a very high standard of quality, and offer

  a very good product at a very competitive

  price. The Space line even offers up the only

  new item offered this month for ships, a set

  of international signal flags in 1:350 scale.

  As usual, there are also BigEd, BigSin and

  LookPlus sets to look at, too.

  The Mule

  If you are interested in the Mule, the lovingly

  applied label to the Avia S-199, than you

  will be pleased to learn that the kit is now

  complete. Or, at least, when it comes to the

  plastic. The first release, the Limited Edition

  kit, will be done by April 15, on Good Friday.

  We will have the Mule, along with other new

  May releases, in Prostejov for the Prostejov

  Easter Show. Those attending that show

  will have an opportunity to purchase the kit,

  along with other May releases. The whole

  May range won’t be there, but if there is

  something you want, you have the option

  of pre-ordering and we will prepare your

  order and bring it with us to the show. The

  preorder timetable will be posted to our

  Facebook page.

  A week later, the Mule and all May releases

  will be available at Moson in Hungary.

  After the show at Lingen, which we had the

  privilege of attending last week, this will be

  our second show of the year. I firmly believe,

  it won’t be the last. Another which we are

  planning is ‘Panther Cup’ on June 18.

  Articles

  In the following pages, you’ll find the afore-

  mentioned Jan Bobek article about the Zero

  Model 21, and the second, concluding, part of

  the Arizona article. This is a very expansive

  topic, as was evident from the first part in

  last month’s newsletter. I have to say that

  I find that ship extremely interesting, and

  the story behind it branches off in so many

  ways that we will add another part to the

  article next month. The third article comes

  to us from Miro Baric, covering the first

  two weeks of the air war over Ukraine. This

  article, too, will see a continuation in May’s

  newsletter, and it would be nice if no further

  updates would be necessary after that. It

  likely won’t be, but I am hopeful that the war

  ends soon, and our articles about it turn into

  historical accounts, if alarming and recent.

  When the war will end, I cannot say, but I am

  certain that when the war does come to a

  close, Ukraine will come out of it stronger

  and Ukrainians will be respected and valued

  members of Europe. For the Russians, I

  hope that they will find it in themselves to

  call the war a war, and that they end it in

  such a way as to find themselves back on

  the road to membership among civilized

  nations.

  I wish all a good read with today’s newsle-

  tter.

  Happy Modeling!

  Vladimir Sulc

  INFO Eduard

  5

  April 2022

• Page 6

  During the 1920s and 1930s the Japanese air-

  craft industry was oriented towards the pro-

  duction of foreign aircraft built under licenses.

  However, the armed forces, especially the Navy,

  with regard to the specifics of the Chinese and

  Pacific battlefields, came up with requirements

  that foreign aircraft designs did not offer. Hence,

  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries developed the Type

  96 naval fighter aircraft, better known as the

  A5M „Claude“. The head of the design team was

  a young Japanese engineer, Jirō Horikoshi. With

  an engine that lacked some power, he managed

  to design a light and fast fighter with a fixed lan-

  ding gear, which had no comparison in the world

  regarding maximum speed. In October 1937,

  Mitsubishi and Nakajima were approached to

  develop prototype 12-shi Carrier-based Fighter.

  The requirements were so extreme, and in some

  cases contradictory, that the two design teams

  investigated whether they could be less strin-

  gent. Nakajima eventually withdrew from the

  project, while the criteria for the prototype were

  even raised based on experience on the Chinese

  battlefield. In the end, Horikoshi‘s team managed

  to meet the technical specifications, not only

  thanks to the aerodynamic design and a new type

  of light alloy used for the aircraft‘s skin, but also

  thanks to the Nakajima Sakae 11 engine. During

  the flight tests, the wing surface suffered crac-

  king during overload, and aileron control during

  high-speed maneuvers had also to be addressed.

  The new fighter had a powerful armament of two

  cannons and two machine guns, extremely long

  range (over 1,800 km) and excellent maneuvera-

  bility. The new fighter reached top speed of 533

  km/h at an altitude of 4,550 m. However, it lacked

  armor and other protective features and had

  a structural speed limit of 600 km/h.

  Surprising Zero

  The new aircraft entered service in 1940 with the

  940hp engine Sakae 12 and received the official

  designation Rei shiki Kanjō sentōki (Type 0 ca-

  rrier fighter), with the „zero“ being derived from

  the imperial year 2600 (1940). Japanese pilots

  usually abbreviated it as „Rei-Sen“. That was also

  the origin of the name „Zero“ often used by Allied

  pilots instead of the official code name, derived

  from the male name „Zeke“. As part of the Navy‘s

  system, the new machine was given the type de-

  signation A6M, where A6 meant that it was the

  sixth type of carrier fighter to enter service, and

  M stood for the Mitsubishi company name. Zeros,

  specifically the A6M2 Type 11, had been succe-

  ssfully deployed on the Chinese battlefield since

  the summer of 1940, but their existence eluded

  Western intelligence because no one wanted to

  believe reports from China that suggested the

  Japanese had a world-class fighter. Further mo-

  difications to its design were made during 1941,

  creating the A6M2 Type 21. There were several

  changes, the most visible of them being folding

  wing tips for easier handling on the decks. With

  the A6M2 Type 21 modified this way, Japan en-

  tered the war against the US and other Western

  nations. Mitsubishi needed to produce other

  aircraft in addition to the Zero, so the Nakajima

  company also began licensed production in late

  1941. Total of 740 A6M2 aircraft were produced by

  Mitsubishi by June 1942 with additional 800 de-

  livered by Nakajima by February 1944. The gun

  armament was improved and variants with ma-

  gazines for up to 150 rounds could be used on the

  Type 21. Such a Zero may have been designated

  as Type 21a.

  The Nakajima company produced 254 A6M2-N

  “Rufe” float plane fighters from December 1941 to

  July 1943. Its prototype flew on December 8, 1941,

  and the design featured a pylon with a central

  float, a solution not used in any country up to that

  time. The A6M2-N fighters were mainly used to

  defend naval bases.

  Several hundred aircraft were also modified

  from the A6M2 Zero Type 21 and A6M5 Type 52 to

  HISTORY

  The Mitsubishi Zero became the symbol of the Japane-

  se air power during WWII. The nimble and agile fighter

  had the upper hand over US aircraft at early stages of the

  war in Pacific theatre, but gradually lost its advantage

  against newer opponents. During the war, other versions

  of the Zero came along, but the Type 21, the main fighter

  plane used by the Imperial Japanese Navy at the begi-

  nning of war in the Pacific, remained in combat service

  until the end of hostilities.

  Jan Bobek

  A Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft “EII-111” takes off from board

  of HIJMS Zuikaku on April 5, 1942 during attack against Colombo.

  The plane is probably piloted by Lt. Tadashi Kaneko, 8 victory ace.

  (Photo: Kure Maritime Museum via Wikimedia Commons)

  INFO Eduard6

  April 2022

• Page 7

  the two-seaters A6M2-K and A6M5-K, produced

  from January 1943 and May 1944 respectively.

  Beginning of the Pacific War

  Thanks to the experience gained during the war

  in China, Japan was able to prepare for a large-

  -scale attack in Indochina, the Philippines and

  against the American fleet at Hawaii. One of the

  objectives of the southward campaign was even

  to land in Australia.

  The core of the Striking Force, which was to

  attack Pearl Harbor, were six aircraft carriers

  divided into three divisions: 1st Kōkū Sentai with

  the Akagi and the Kaga, 2nd Kōkū Sentai with the

  Soryū and the Hiryū and 5th Kōkū Sentai with the

  Shókaku and the Zuikaku. They belonged to the

  so-called Kidō Butai (Mobile Force) commanded

  by Vice-Admiral Chūichi Nagumo. He was also

  the commander of the 1st Kōkū Kantai (Air Fleet),

  under which the air units aboard the six aircraft

  carriers were organized. Such a large carrier

  group had never been deployed in combat in

  the history of naval operations. Two of the ships,

  Shōkaku and Zuikaku, were completed just a few

  months before.

  In total 350 machines, out of the 414 available,

  attacked Hawaii. In the first wave only three Ze-

  ros, one D3A and five B5N bombers were lost. In

  the second wave, six Zeros and fourteen D3As

  were lost. A total of 74 aircraft returned with

  damage. Hundreds of American aircraft were de-

  stroyed in the raid, but the Japanese left many

  fuel storage facilities virtually untouched. Of the

  79 fighter pilots who took part in both attack wa-

  ves, only 17 lived to see the end of the war.

  The newly organized 3rd and Tainan Kōkūtai

  with bases in Taiwan were designated to attack

  the Philippines and Indonesia with A6M2 figh-

  ters. Their core was made up of veterans of the

  disbanded 12th Kōkūtai, which had undergone

  deployment with the Zeros in China. For the Ma-

  layan campaign, a fighter unit was temporarily

  formed in French Indochina within the 22nd Kō-

  kū-sentai (Air Flotilla), which borrowed airplanes

  and also personnel from the 3rd Kōkūtai and Tai-

  nan Kōkūtai. In this context, the first undamaged

  Zero fell into enemy hands in November 1941.

  During raids on the Philippines on December 8

  and 10, 1941, the Japanese naval air force clai-

  med the destruction of about 140 aircraft on

  the ground and the shooting down of nearly 70

  machines in the air. The actual losses of the U.S.

  and Philippine Air Forces, though less, were still

  severe. The Zero pilots first encountered four-

  -engine B-17 bombers, which they found very di-

  fficult to fight. Thanks to rapid advance of ground

  forces, both Kōkūtai units operating Zeroes had

  bases in the Philippines in late December, and as

  a result they engaged Dutch airmen over Borneo

  for the first time.

  During the Malaysia campaign in mid-December

  Zero pilots of 22nd Kōkū-sentai joined the fight

  for Singapore and by the end of the campaign

  they had 40 victories for the loss of two planes.

  Later, fighter squadron of 22nd Kōkū-Sentai

  briefly operated in Java, Burma, the Indian Ocean

  area as well as Thailand. Eventually it was taken

  over by Kanoya Kōkūtai. During February 1942,

  intense fighting over Java was experienced pri-

  marily by the 3rd and Tainan Kōkūtai. Their air-

  men claimed over 100 victories with the actual

  loss of only about 10 of their own. At the end of

  the month, some fighters participated in escor-

  ting the bombers that sank the former aircraft

  carrier USS Langley, converted to a seaplane

  tender. Zero pilots strafed the deck with dozens

  of new P-40E fighters stored enroute to Java.

  In the early months of the Pacific War, the Ameri-

  cans and their allies realized how much they had

  underestimated their Japanese adversaries. One

  of the main symbols of this sobering realization

  was the Zero fighter, which had developed a re-

  putation as a nearly invincible adversary early

  in the war.

  Aircraft carrier operations till the spring of 1942

  While the carriers were returning from the

  attack on Pearl Harbor, news reached Nagumo

  that the landing at Wake Atoll had been repulsed

  and a second attempt required carrier support.

  The Sōryū and Hiryū air units therefore conduc-

  ted raids on the island on December 21 to 23, 1941.

  This was the first time that Wildcats and Zeros

  were engaged in combat.

  During the January 20 to 22, 1942 carriers Akagi

  and Kaga got into action again, this time in raids

  on Rabaul and the New Guinea airfields. They

  met essentially only valiant resistance of few

  Australian crews with Wirraway aircraft. There

  was growing discontent among Japanese carrier

  aviation commanders. Unable to get into engage-

  ments with American carriers, Nagumo‘s airmen

  felt they were being deployed against targets

  with low significance.

  Air units from the ships Akagi, Kaga, Hiryū and

  Sōryū attacked Darwin Harbour on February 19

  and, with the loss of four aircraft, caused what

  is known as Australia‘s Pearl Harbor. After an

  emergency landing, Seaman 1st Class Hajime

  Toyoshima of the aircraft carrier Hiryū was cap-

  tured. He became the first living Zero pilot to end

  up in enemy hands, although his machine was

  not in a repairable condition after the crash.

  Returning to north, aviators from the ships Akagi

  and Kaga covered the landing at Tjilatjap, Java,

  on March 5, sinking eight vessels in the process.

  Kaga then returned to Japan due to minor hull

  damage.

  At the end of March, a task force which core

  consisted of Akagi, Shōkaku, Zuikaku, Sōryū,

  and Hiryū sailed for Ceylon. During April 5 to

  9, Japanese airmen claimed shooting down

  of nearly a hundred RAF aircraft, the destruction

  of a number of ground targets and the sinking of

  many vessels, including the aircraft carrier HMS

  Hermes. In doing so, they faced veterans from

  Britain, Canada, and other Commonwealth coun-

  tries. One year ago, some of the Allied airmen

  had participated in the fight against the German

  battleship Bismarck. British fighter pilots with

  Hurricanes were able to use hit-and-run tactics

  with partial success. This approach, already used

  by other Allied airmen became winning strategy

  HISTORY

  The Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi pictured underway in the summer of 1941.

  (Photo: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation)

  The second wave of attack aircraft launches from the board of HIJMS Akagi against Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

  (Photo: Mike Wegner via Ron Werneth)

  INFO Eduard

  7

  April 2022

• Page 8

  against Zeroes for the rest of the war.

  Although the Japanese had feared for some time

  that the Americans would try to attack targets di-

  rectly in Japan, Doolittle‘s raid on April 18, 1942,

  was a huge surprise. Akagi, Sōryū, and Hiryū

  were just off Taiwan and headed for Japan. Na-

  gumo changed course to the east on April 19 and

  tried to chase the attackers. However, the USS

  Enterprise and Hornet were already out of range.

  The Japanese carriers gave up the search after

  several days.

  Coral Sea, Aleutians and Midway

  The next target of the Japanese command was

  the port of Port Moresby in the southeast of New

  Guinea. It was to be a base for the planned lan-

  dings in Australia. At the same time, the Japane-

  se hoped that their invasion force would attract

  American aircraft carriers and a decisive battle

  would occur. The aircraft carrier Shōhō cove-

  red the landing on Tulagi Island off Guadalcanal

  during May 3, 1942. She then joined the vessels

  bound for Port Moresby. But on May 7 the carrier

  was attacked and sunk by aircraft from the USS

  Lexington and Yorktown.

  Airmen from Shōkaku and Zuikaku were not able

  to intervene in the battle until the following day.

  They reported shooting down 64 Allied aircraft

  and severely damaging both U.S. carriers in their

  attack on the American task force. The Lexington

  had to be sunk later. The American airmen da-

  maged the Shōkaku, and during combat air patrol

  the Japanese fighters reported 40 victories while

  losing two Zeros throughout the day. Although the

  Japanese achieved a tactical advantage in the

  battle thanks to the sinking of the heavier carrier,

  they had to cancel the landing at Port Moresby.

  The Japanese planned for an early June cam-

  paign towards Hawaii, with the target of the for-

  ces under Admiral Yamamoto being the American

  territory on the Aleutians and Midway Atoll. The

  attack on the Aleutians is often mistakenly de-

  scribed as an operation to divert attention from

  the attack on Midway. It was, however, one ope-

  ration conducted in two directions with reserve

  forces positioned about half the distance between

  the two task forces. Six carriers participated in

  the operation, and on board all of them, in addi-

  tion to their own carrier air units, were Zeros,

  ground personnel, and pilots of the land based

  6th Kōkūtai. This unit was to be based at Midway

  Atoll after its capture. The fighter pilots of the 6th

  Kōkūtai participated in both the raids on the Aleu-

  tians and the fighting during the Battle of Midway.

  Airmen from the carriers Ryūjō and Junyō con-

  ducted attacks against Dutch Harbor on the

  Aleutians during June 3 and 4, 1942, and scored

  several victories against amphibious aircraft and

  P-40 fighters. However, one of the Zeros crashed

  on Akutan Island and despite the efforts of the

  Japanese, neither the machine nor the pilot could

  be found. The lost airman was PO1c Todayoshi

  Koga, whose Zero was found by the Americans

  a month later and put into airworthy condition.

  As planned, the Japanese established a floatpla-

  ne base on the American island of Kiska.

  Nagumo´s task force with core of fleet carriers

  Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū and Hiryū launched raids on

  Midway Atoll on June 4. The Americans, however,

  were prepared for the attack by deciphering Ja-

  panese coded communications. They sailed into

  battle with the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise,

  Hornet and Yorktown, the latter urgently repaired

  after the Battle of the Coral Sea. For the engage-

  ments of the first attack wave, the Japanese

  fighters reported 35 shot down USMC airplanes

  with the loss of one Zero, shot down by AA fire.

  However, the Japanese had inaccurate data from

  reconnaissance crews about enemy vessels. In

  the critical part of the battle the Japanese aircraft

  began to come back to their carriers to change

  their armament in view of the change of targets

  from carriers to land targets and back to carriers.

  The Americans made a large number of attacks

  on the Japanese fleet with Marine Corps, Army

  Air Forces and Navy aircraft. Japanese fighters

  made dozens of launches in defense of their ca-

  rriers and claimed 90 victories with the loss of

  13 of their own aircraft, but their efforts were in

  vain. American attacks were so intensive that the

  carriers Akagi, Kaga and Sōryū were eventually

  fatally hit, just as they were replacing armament

  in their hangars. Deficiencies in the design of Ja-

  panese carriers´ passive protection and insuffici-

  ent damage control were fully exposed.

  The last vessel able to intervene effectively in

  the battle was the carrier Hiryū, which sent two

  waves of bombers against the American carriers.

  The raids damaged the USS Yorktown so badly

  that she eventually had to be sunk. Each of the

  bomber formations was accompanied by six Ze-

  ros, whose pilots claimed 18 American aircraft

  while losing five machines.

  The Americans eventually hit Hiryū, which was

  defended by twelve fighters, who could not pre-

  vent fatal consequences. Although her propulsion

  was not hit, the fires could not be brought under

  control, and she sank on June 5.

  The Japanese suffered a crushing defeat that

  was the turning point of the war in the Pacific.

  In addition to the four carriers, they lost the one

  cruiser and several other vessels were damaged.

  More than 3,000 crewmen were killed. The loss

  of 23 fighter pilots who died in combat or aboard

  their ships was not critical. However, the loss of

  bomber crews and many members of technical

  personnel had a significant impact.

  New Guinea and Australia

  In early February 1942, the 4th Kōkūtai moved

  into the newly captured Rabaul, using twin-en-

  gine bombers and A5M fighters. From the middle

  of that month, its fighter squadron began taking

  over the modern A6M2 fighters brought to Rabaul

  by the aircraft carrier Shōhō. In early March, 4th

  Kōkūtai Zeroes moved to Lae, New Guinea, and

  began escorting bombers over Port Moresby

  and to Horn Island in northern Australia. In ear-

  ly April, the fighter squadron of 4th Kōkūtai was

  taken over by Tainan Kōkūtai, which moved into

  the area. In mid-May, Tainan Kōkūtai took over

  additional 15 Zero fighters and pilots from the 1st

  and Chitose Kōkūtai. Their opponents were initia-

  lly mainly Australian airmen and American bom-

  ber crews, but later American fighter units also

  arrived in Port Moresby. Other fighter units with

  Zeros also operated over eastern New Guinea du-

  ring 1942. But the main battlefield from the middle

  of the year became Guadalcanal. Fighting over

  New Guinea intensified again at the end of 1942

  and in 1943, during the Allied advance northward.

  Northwestern Australia began to be the target

  of frequent Japanese naval air raids from Febru-

  ary 1942. Zeros appeared regularly over Australia

  from early March, after 3. Kōkūtai (later redesig-

  nated the Kōkūtai 202) stationed at Kupang, In-

  donesia. Until the autumn of 1943, the Japanese

  HISTORY

  Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi in April, 1942 during the Indian Ocean Raid

  as seen from an aircraft that has just taken off from her deck. The aircraft

  on the flight deck preparing for takeoff are “Val” bombers.

  (Photo: Kure Maritime Museum via Wikimedia Commons)

  Aircraft are prepared for a morning sortie on the HIJMS Zuikaku on May 5, 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Censor deleted tail markings from

  the photo, however a patriotic donation text is visible on the fuselage of Zero standing on the right side.

  (Photo: Kure Maritime Museum via Wikimedia Commons)

  INFO Eduard8

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  HISTORY

  conducted over 200 reconnaissance and bom-

  bing sorties over Australia. Because of their long

  range, the A6M2 Type 21 continued to be used in

  these missions. Actual recorded losses were clo-

  se to 1:10 in favor of the Zeros, with their frequent

  opponents being Spitfires Mk.V. This result was

  remarkably different compared to the air battles

  in the Solomon Islands and Rabaul area.

  Guadalcanal

  The Japanese started building an air base on

  Guadalcanal in July 1942, posing a serious thre-

  at to shipping between the US and Australia.

  The Americans therefore landed on Guadalcanal

  on August 7 and were soon able to begin air ope-

  rations from the occupied Japanese airfield, and

  from new ones they subsequently built.

  In terms of fighter operations, for the first weeks

  it was main responsibility of Tainan Kōkūtai.

  During bomber escort flights to Guadalcanal and

  convoys patrols, pilots flew from Rabaul, a 1065

  km distance. The Japanese command gradually

  deployed other fighter units in the area, primarily

  the 2nd Kōkūtai, part of the 3rd Kōkūtai, the 6th

  Kōkūtai and the Kanoya Kōkūtai. In September

  1942, the Japanese managed to get the airfields

  operational on the islands of Buka and Bougain-

  ville, which were closer to Guadalcanal.

  In mid-1942, a new version of the Zero designated

  the A6M3 Type 32 began arriving on the battle-

  field. It was equipped with the more powerful

  Sakae 21 engine and had a shortened wingspan.

  However, it was unsuitable for missions over

  Guadalcanal due to its shorter range. In late 1942,

  its production was discontinued and replaced by

  the A6M3 Type 22 from early 1943. Thanks to the

  modified design of the fuel tanks and wing, which

  looked similar to the Model 21, the range of this

  newer version was even extended by 160 km.

  The Type 21 Zeros, however, continued to be the

  important armament of IJN fighter units engaged

  in the Salomon Islands, whether at ground bases

  or on aircraft carriers.

  Two naval engagements occurred during the Ba-

  ttle of Guadalcanal, with aircraft carriers deplo-

  yed on both sides. The first was the Battle of the

  Eastern Solomons on August 24 and 25. Simul-

  taneously with the Japanese convoy heading for

  Guadalcanal, a task force with the aircraft ca-

  rriers Shōkaku, Zuikaku and Ryūjō headed for the

  same area. The Japanese had no intelligence on

  the location of the American carriers and there-

  fore conducted a raid on Henderson Airfield on

  Guadalcanal. Aircraft from the USS Saratoga su-

  cceeded in sinking the Ryūjō and the Japanese

  later damaged the USS Enterprise. Some Zero

  fighters from the remaining carriers then briefly

  operated from ground bases.

  During October 1942, the Japanese also deployed

  the carriers Zuihō, Junyō and Hiyō in the Salomon

  Islands in addition to Shōkaku and Zuikaku. Du-

  ring October 25 to 27, the Battle of the Santa Cruz

  Islands occurred, in which only Hiyō did not par-

  ticipate. IJN carriers were confronted by the USS

  Hornet and Enterprise. American naval aircraft

  damaged the Zuihō and Shōkaku, but Hornet was

  lost and Enterprise suffered damage. Although

  the Japanese achieved a tactical victory, their

  aircrew losses were higher than in the Battle of

  the Coral Sea. Therefore, even the carriers that

  were not damaged had to withdraw from the ba-

  ttlefield. The fighter unit of carrier Hiyō remained

  in the area. For almost the next two years, this

  was the last carrier engagement in the Pacific.

  In early November 1942, the designation of na-

  val air units with bases abroad was changed.

  They were now designated by a three-digit code

  that indicated, among other things, their purpose

  and home naval district in Japan. If the first digit

  was 2 or 3, it was the Kōkūtai, whose specialty

  was exclusively fighter aircraft. The Tainan Kō-

  kūtai became Kōkūtai 251, and similarly were de-

  signated Kōkūtai 201 (formerly Chitose Kōkūtai),

  Kōkūtai 202 (formerly 3rd Kū.), Kōkūtai 204 (for-

  merly 6th Kū.), Kōkūtai 252 (formerly Genzan Kū.),

  and Kōkūtai 253 (formerly Kanoya Kū. Fighter

  Squadron). The mixed purpose 2nd Kōkūtai was

  designated Kōkūtai 582 and retained both the

  single-engine bombers and the fighter unit. The

  former Tainan Kōkūtai moved to Japan in mid-No-

  vember to replace losses, to train reinforcements,

  and to take over new equipment. Guadalcanal,

  which the Japanese called “Ga Shima”, was a high

  risk target during any long distance flight due to

  unpredictable weather, possible engine failure,

  fatigue, or nausea caused by tropical diseases.

  At the same time, the Japanese faced an enemy

  that was constantly improving its technology,

  tactics, logistics, and infrastructure.

  In late 1942, the Japanese attempted to open

  an airfield on Munda Island, just 300 km from

  Guadalcanal, but Allied air raids made using

  this base very difficult. In late January 1943,

  the evacuation of Japanese troops from Guadal-

  canal was completed. At that time, the fighter unit

  of the carrier Zuikaku began operating from Bou-

  gainville and withdrew to Truk after two weeks.

  A month later, a fighter unit from the carrier Zui-

  hō was deployed in a similar way. This practice

  proved successful for the Navy and was used in

  the area for the following year.

  The Japanese command decided in late March

  1943 to achieve air supremacy in the New Guinea

  and Solomon Islands area. Therefore, the Opera-

  Aircraft prepare to launch from Japanese carrier Shōkaku during Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, October 26, 1942. In the foreground, crewmen are getting ready Zero “EI-112”.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

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  tion “I-gō” was planned, in which raids were con-

  ducted between April 7 and 14 against Guadalca-

  nal, Oro Bay, Port Moresby and Milne Bay. More

  than 200 A6M2 and A6M3 aircraft were available

  for fighter escort from Kōkūtai 204, 253, and 582

  and from the fighter units of the carriers Zuikaku,

  Zuihō, Junyō and Hiyō. The result of the action was

  judged as a great success. However, both sides

  actually suffered negligible losses. After the ope-

  ration ended, on April 18, a bomber with Admiral

  Isoroku Yamamoto on board was shot down over

  Bougainville Island during an inspection tour. Ba-

  sed on decoded radio intercepts, American P-38

  fighters were in the right place at the right time.

  The commander of the Combined Fleet and one of

  the architects of the attack on Pearl Harbor died

  exactly one year after Doolittle‘s raid on Tokyo.

  In May 1943, Kōkūtai 251 returned to Rabaul, just

  in time to join the attacks on Allied forces fighting

  their way from Guadalcanal farther northwest.

  The Japanese made a tremendous effort to stop

  the offensive, but their efforts were futile. The Ja-

  panese made their last raid on Guadalcanal on

  June 16, 1943. Of the 24 dive bombers, 13 crews

  were lost and the fighter escort of 70 Zeros had to

  write off 15 aircraft. The Allies suffered minimal

  losses.

  Retreat and defense of Rabaul

  In late June 1943, the Allies landed on New Geor-

  gia and captured Munda airfield. This was follo-

  wed by the defensive battles of Vella Lavella in

  August and Buin during September and October.

  In this period Zero pilots met F6F Hellcat fighter

  in combat for the first time. Kōkūtai 201 returned

  to the battlefield from Japan and naval fighters

  in the area were reinforced by the carrier-based

  fighter units of HIJMS Junyō and Ryūhō. The Zero

  pilots managed to keep their win-loss ratio at

  a reasonable level in combat with enemy figh-

  ters. However, bomber crews were constantly

  suffering high losses. It was a problem for which

  the high command had no solution. The „Kate“ and

  „Val“ bombers were already obsolete, and their

  design provided little protection against heavily

  armed Allied fighters.

  At the end of October 1943, the last fighter units

  withdrew from Bougainville to Rabaul. They be-

  gan to face a systematic bombing campaign by

  aviation units of Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy

  as well as other Allied air forces. The core of the

  defense of this strategic base was Kōkūtai 201,

  204 and 253. At the time, they used A6M fighters

  Type 22, 52 as well as good old 21. They were

  briefly supported or resupplied by carrier units.

  In November, for a short time, fighters arrived

  from Zuihō, Shōkaku and Zuikaku. In late Decem-

  ber 1943 they were followed briefly by Zero pilots

  from Hiyō and Ryūhō. From the Japanese point of

  view, during this period Rabaul could be likened

  to a meat grinder. In early January Kōkūtai 201

  had to be withdrawn. After less than a month ex-

  hausted Kōkūtai 204 moved from Rabaul too. Lo-

  sses were replaced by fighters from the carriers

  Jun´yō, Hiyō and Ryūhō, who together with Kō-

  kūtai 253 held out for a month in defensive aerial

  battles. In late February 1944, fighter units began

  to withdraw from Rabaul to Truk. Although the

  high command promised to turn the units back,

  this never happened, and the Allies neutralized

  the base until the end of the war. With the end of

  the fighting over Rabaul, the Japanese naval air

  force lost most of its seasoned fighter veterans.

  China, India, and Indonesia

  As Allied air raids against targets on the Chinese

  mainland and Taiwan intensified, the Japanese

  Navy decided to establish Kōkūtai 254. In Octo-

  ber 1943, it began operations in Hong Kong, and

  detachments later operated from other bases.

  In February 1944, Kōkūtai 256 was formed in

  Central China. Their opponents were primarily

  American bombers. By the end of 1944, both units

  were deployed in the defense of Taiwan and the

  Philippines. Due to heavy casualties, their re-

  maining parts were absorbed into another unit in

  January 1945.

  The Japanese Army Air Force had to focus on

  fighting for northern New Guinea in 1943. The-

  refore, the Japanese Naval Air Force took over

  their area of operations in the Indian Ocean.

  In July, Kōkūtai 331 was established with this

  task. The main base was Sabang, north of Sumat-

  ra and the unit also used airfields in the Anda-

  man and Nicobar Islands, where it primarily faced

  the RAF. However, it also operated in Thailand and

  Burma. For a short time, it was a mixed unit that

  also used single-engine bombers.

  In October 1943, Kōkūtai 381 was formed. Its main

  task throughout the following year was the defen-

  se of the oil refineries in Borneo. With A6M2 Type

  21 fighters, Kōkūtai 381 conducted about half of

  its fighter sorties at night. Phosphorus air-to-air

  bombs were often used during the interception

  missions. The Kōkūtai 381 was gradually expan-

  ded to include other parts that used twin-engine

  night fighters and single- and twin-engine bom-

  bers. Nevertheless, it retained its designation as

  an interceptor unit.

  Marshall, Caroline, and Mariana Islands

  In early 1943, Kōkūtai 201, which had withdrawn

  from Rabaul, was stationed with its Zeros in the

  Marshall Islands. After transfer to Japan, this area

  was taken over in February 1943 by Kōkūtai 252.

  It had bases primarily on the islands of Kwajalein,

  Maloelap, Nauru, Roi, and Wake. The Unit mostly

  encountered American four-engine bombers, but

  in the fall of 1943, it went through heavy combats

  with US Navy “Hellcats”. Therefore Kōkūtai 281

  arrived in November as a reinforcement. During

  the capture of the Marshall Islands in February

  1944, Kōkūtai 281 was completely destroyed, and

  its last pilots were killed in ground combat. Part

  of Kōkūtai 252 was evacuated to Japan. At the be-

  ginning of 1944 Zero Type 21 began to be used also

  as fighter-bomber. One of the first units to take

  over the Zero for this purpose was the bomber

  Kōkūtai 501. From January 1944, fighter-bomber

  pilots were trained at Truk. Kōkūtai 201 and 204

  also withdrew to this area from Rabaul. However,

  after fighting with US Navy aircraft, the remnants

  of these units flew to the Philippines in March or

  were absorbed by other units. They were replaced

  by several newly organized Kōkūtais. Some were

  already to be armed with the new “George” and

  “Jack” fighters, but all ended up using A6M Zeros,

  primarily Type 52, partly also Type 21. Prior to the

  Battle of the Marianas, Kōkūtai 261 was stationed

  in the area of Saipan and Meleyon, Kōkūtai 263 on

  Guam, Kōkūtai 343 on Tinian, Kōkūtai 202 on Moen

  and Truk, and Kōkūtai 253 on Eten.

  A major reorganization took place in the carrier

  units. Within new organization they were divided

  into three Kōkūtai units. The bombers, fighters,

  fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft on

  the HIJMS Taihō, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku fell under

  Kōkūtai 601. Kōkūtai 652 operated from the decks

  of HIJMS Jun‘yō, Hiyō, and Ryūjō, and Kōkūtai 653

  airmen were assigned to the carriers Chiyoda,

  Chitose, and Zuihō. Among the new specialties

  of the carrier units were the fighter-bombers.

  Their mission was to attack vessels that were

  protecting enemy carriers. The purpose was to

  damage or sink them and draw part of the AA

  fire from bombers. For this purpose, seven of the

  above vessels had on board squadrons of A6M2

  Model 21 fighter-bombers.

  The Battle of the Philippine Sea, which occurred

  on June 19 and 20, 1944, was the largest carrier

  engagement in history. A Japanese task force of

  nine carriers faced fifteen American “flat tops”.

  Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō under attack by U.S. Navy carrier aircraft in the late morning of May 7, 1942. It was the first Japanese aircraft

  carrier lost in combat.

  (Photo: Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives)

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  HISTORY

  It was also the last combat action in which Zero

  Type 21 was deployed as a carrier embarked air-

  plane. In a devastating defeat Japanese lost more

  than 600 aircraft and three carriers. The inade-

  quate experience of the newly trained airmen

  was on full display. Also contributing to the defeat

  was the fact that many of the ships‘ commanding

  officers were ten years younger in seniority than

  their predecessors in 1942 battles. A large num-

  ber of them also had no extensive flying experi-

  ence.

  The Philippines and the defense of Japan

  Since early Fall 1944, the Japanese Army and Na-

  val Air Forces faced air raids on the Philippines,

  culminating in the landing in Leyte on October

  20, 1944. At that time, the Japanese command

  came to a difficult decision that had long been

  discussed and was intended to help increase the

  effectiveness of the fight against enemy vessels.

  The first Kamikaze units were formed, whose

  airmen were to sacrifice themselves by crashing

  into enemy ships. All types of aircraft were used

  for this purpose until the end of the war, including

  the A6M2-K two seat trainers and A6M2 Model

  21 fighters. Kamikaze units were formed from

  both combat and training Kōkūtai units. Nearly

  4,000 Japanese Army and Navy aviators sacrifi-

  ced their lives in this manner. The Allies were

  initially surprised by this tactics. Kamikaze pilots

  caused approximately 80 % of Allied ship losses

  in the last ten months of the war. They destroyed

  aircraft carriers USS St. Lo, Ommaney Bay and Bi-

  smarck Sea, along with 14 destroyers and about

  30 other vessels. Several hundred ships were

  damaged, some beyond repair. Kamikaze attacks

  cost the lives of 5,000 Allied crew members and

  about the same number were injured. Even this

  ultimate measure, however, did not prevent Ja-

  pan‘s defeat.

  When Allied troops occupied air bases in Japan

  after the surrender, they still found among the

  aircraft from combat units some A6M2 Model 21

  fighters. One of these is documented at Kōkūtai

  302 with the air victory symbol on the tail. After

  four years of war in the Pacific, the “twenty-one”

  faced far more modern enemy aircraft while it

  kept same design as it had during Pearl Harbor

  attack.

  Sources:

  Fuchida M.: Midway: The Battle That Doomed Ja-

  pan

  Hata I., Izawa Y., Shores C.: Japanese Naval Figh-

  ter Aces

  Herder B. L.: The Aleutians 1942 - 43

  Lundstrom J. B.: The First Team: Pacific Naval Air

  Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway

  Lundstrom J. B.: The First Team and the Guadal-

  canal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from Au-

  gust to November 1942

  Mikesh R. C.: Zero - Combat & Development His-

  tory of Japan's Legendary Mitsubishi A6m Zero

  Fighter

  Model Art 378: Pearl Harbor

  Millman N.: A6M Zero-sen Aces 1940-42

  Millman N.: Painting the Early Zero-Sen

  Tillman B.: Clash of the Carriers: The True Story of

  the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II

  Werneth R: Beyond Pearl Harbor: The Untold Sto-

  ries of Japan's Naval Airmen

  Yoshimura A.: Zero Fighter

  Wikipedia

  j-aircraft.com

  Aicraft carrier Ryūjō underway at sea in September 1938. At the beginning of the war in the Pacific, her fighter unit was still armed with A5M “Clau-

  de” fighters. But during the attack on the Aleutians the fighter unit already had Zeros and one of them fell into the hands of the Allies.

  (Photo: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command)

  An A6M2 aircraft from the Fighter Squadron of 22nd Kōkū Sentai with improvised camouflage at an airfield in French Indochina.

  (Photo: AWM)

  INFO Eduard

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  This aircraft, released by Mitsubishi on October 21, 1941, became the first Zero in repairable

  condition to fall into Allied hands. The legendary Tainan Kōkūtai was established on October

  1, 1941, at the Tainan base. Most of the unit participated in combat over the Philippines, Bor-

  neo and the Dutch East Indies. A smaller part, under the command of Lt. Kiku-ichi Inano, was

  transferred to French Indochina in late November and temporarily became part of 22. Kōkū

  Sentai HQ fighter squadron. The “V-172” fighter was Inano's personal machine. During the

  transfer to Saigon on November 26, Inano flew aboard a transport aircraft and his Zero was

  piloted by PO1c Shimezō Inoue. Inoue and his wingman with Zero “V-174” lost their bearings

  in poor weather and made an emergency landing on the coast of the Leichou Peninsula. Both

  pilots were taken prisoner by the Chinese. Inoue was repatriated after the war. He returned

  to his home village with shame over his capture, suffered from depression, and died in a war

  veterans' hospital. With great effort, the Chinese managed to transport the Zero “V-174” to

  Liuchow base, where they began repairs. The machine was given Chinese national insignia

  and number P-5016. It was also tested by pilots of the American 75th FS. In 1943, the aircraft

  was transported to the USA, where it received the designation EB-2, later EB-200. Lt. Inano

  returned to Tainan Kōkūtai in July 1942, participated in combat over New Guinea and Guadal-

  canal. From October 1944 served as Hikōtaichō of Tainan Kōkūtai (II) in Taiwan.

  During the first wave Itaya led 43 Zero fighters, including 9 from Akagi. Itaya's own Akagi

  formation shot down one sightseeing and three training aircraft. Then, at Hickam and Ewa

  bases, they destroyed about 25 aircraft and also attacked incoming B-17s. Itaya's wingmen

  damaged and set fire to a B-17C from 7th BG of Capt. Swenson´s crew with one passenger

  who did not survive the attack. Itaya's wingman, PO1c Hirano, was hit by anti-aircraft over

  Fort Kamehameha and hit an obstacle while flying low over the ground, killing himself and

  four American soldiers. Itaya was born in 1909 and graduated from the Naval Academy in

  1929. From November 1936, he was the Buntaichō of the Ryūjo Fighter Squadron for one year.

  He then served with the 15th and 12th Kōkūtai and from January 1940 he was Buntaichō

  of the Hiryū Fighter Squadron. In November 1940 he took over this position on the aircraft

  carrier Akagi, in April 1941 he was appointed Hikōtaichō and remained in this position until

  the Battle of Midway. He was killed on July 24, 1944 in the Kuril Islands, at that time serving

  as a member of the staff of the Naval 51st KōkūSentai. He was flying aboard a G3M bomber

  towards Paramushir and was accidentally shot down by a Ki-43 fighter.

  Kaga sent nine Zeros in the first wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor under command of

  Lt. Yoshio Shiga. His formation destroyed 21 aircraft at Hickam. Six of them were credited

  to PO2c Yamamoto, who had previously shot down a yellow-painted civilian Piper J-3 on

  a sighseeing flight. The two men on board were killed. Lt. Shiga lowered Yamamoto's rank one

  notch and called him an idiot bastard. Yamamoto had served as a fighter pilot since 1934 and

  had seen combat in China with the aircraft carrier Hōshō and 12th Kōkūtai. During the Battle

  of Midway, he shot down five bombers. After Kaga was hit, Yamamoto landed aboard Hiryū

  and while escorting bomber he claimed four fighters including F4F flown by „Jimmy” Thatch,

  commander of VF-3. In the fall of 1942 he served on the carrier Zuihō and was promoted to

  the rank of Warrant Officer. In May 1944, he was transferred to the Yokosuka Kōkūtai and

  participated in the defense of Iwo Jima. He was killed in the defense of Japan on November

  24, 1944. After his aircraft was hit by a B-29 gunner, Yamamoto bailed out, but his parachute

  did not open. He achieved 13 aerial victories and the rank of Lieutenant junior grade.

  c/n 3372, Lt. Kiku-ichi Inano, Tainan Kōkūtai, Tainan airfield, Taiwan, November 1941

  Lt. Cdr. Shigeru Itaya, Akagi Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack wave

  c/n probably 2236, PO2c Akira Yamamoto, Kaga Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack

  wave

  The burning Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryū, photographed after Battle of Midway by a Yokosuka D4Y “Judy” from

  the carrier Hōshō shortly after sunrise on June 5, 1942. Hiryū sank a few hours later. Flight deck is torn out by

  the bomb dropped by SBD bomber.

  (Photo: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation)

  Part of Tainan Kōkūtai pilots in Lae, New Guinea in June 1942. Saburō Sakai is in the middle row second from the

  left, Hiroyoshi Nishizawa is standing to the far left.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  Fighters from the 3rd Kōkūtai at Kupang airfield, Indonesia in 1942. Note the difference between the light identi-

  fication stripes and bands as compared to grey color of the aircraft, which appears relatively dark.

  (photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

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  HISTORY

  In the first wave, eight Zeros from Sōryū, led by Suganami, attacked Wheeler and Ewa

  airfields. They destroyed 27 aircraft on the ground and shot down five planes in combat.

  Suganami then lost orientation, so he decided to return over the target and sacrifice himself.

  However, he encountered other planes and returned to the carrier. After graduating Naval

  Academy in 1933, he served in 13th and Tsukuba Kōkūtais. He led fighters on the carrier Ryūjō

  till November 1941, after that Sōryū fighters until June 1942. At the Battle of Midway, in the

  first attack wave, his formation shot down six American fighters. From July 1942 he served

  as Hikōtaichō of fighters at Genzan Kōkūtai (later Kōkūtai 252). Suganami went missing on

  November 14, 1942 while escorting Rear Admiral Tanaka's destroyers off Guadalcanal. Six

  Zeros under his command provided the 4th CAP. They first attempted to attack a „beautiful

  formation” of B-17s. After that attack on ten F4Fs from VF-10 brought them four victories.

  On return Suganami, over the protests of his subordinates, separated from the formation

  and headed southwesterly. He apparently joined the attack on SBDs from VB-10 and later,

  before running out of fuel, shot down Lt. Col. „Joe” Bauer, commander of VMF-212 and Medal

  of Honor recipient.

  Hiryū sent in the first wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor six Zeros under command of Lt.

  Okajima. They set 27 aircraft on fire at Ewa Field. Okajima's first wingman was PO1c Mura-

  naka. He completed his training in August 1938 and after serving with Saeki, Óita and Ómura

  Kōkútai, he was transferred to the 14th Kōkútai in August 1939 in China. During December 27,

  he participated in the unit's first two victories. In August 1941, he was transferred to Suzuka

  Kōkūtai and in November of that year was assigned aboard Hiryū. During the Battle of Mid-

  way, he was sole pilot to escort Hiryū bombers throughout the action. After return he took

  off on a combat air patrol and shot down three planes. His Zero was hit and he was rescued

  by destroyer Nowaki. After recovering, Muranaka served on the aircraft carriers Shōkaku

  and Jun'yō. He fought over Guadalcanal and took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz. In 1944 he

  served as an instructor in Japan with the Tokushima Kōkūtai and in Singapore with the 11th

  Kōkūtai. In 1945 he served as Ensign on N1K2-J fighters at Hikōtai 701 as part of the elite

  Kōkūtai 343. He achieved six certain and three probable victories. After the war he joined

  the JSDF and attained the rank of Major.

  The Shōkaku sent in first wave five Zeros under command of Lt. Kaneko. They destroyed 35

  aircraft at Kaneohe airfield and hit three others at Bellows. During the 2nd attack wave, fi-

  ghters from Shōkaku patrolled over the carriers. Kaneko had commanded the fighter Shótai

  aboard the aircraft carrier Ryūjo since 1937. He became well known in the Japanese press

  after his successful attack on the Chinese fighters near Shanghai on August 22, 1937. In the

  following years he served with the 15th and 12th Kōkūtai, and later with the Ómura and Mi-

  horo Kōkūtai. In September 1941 he became Buntaichō of the fighters on the Shōkaku. He shot

  down three Hurricanes during the attack on Trincomalee on April 9, 1942. In May 1942 he was

  appointed Hikōtaichō of the 6th Kōkūtai, which was to be based at Midway Atoll. During the

  Battle of Midway, Kaneko and his men were aboard Akagi and engaged in a battle on his own

  initiative, shootting down two torpedo planes. From October 1942 he fought over Guadalcanal

  as Hikōtaichō of the aircraft carrier Hiyō's fighters. In early November he was promoted to

  the rank of Lieutenant Commander. During a patrol on November 11, he shot down three F4Fs

  from VMF-121. In total he claimed at least eight victories. Kaneko was killed on November 14

  in combat with SBDs from VB-10, his Zero was set on fire by gunner ACRM Gordon C. Gardner.

  Lt. Masaji Suganami, Sōryū Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack wave

  PO1c Kazuo Muranaka, Hiryū Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack wave

  Lt. Tadashi Kaneko, Shōkaku Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack wave

  A6M2 fighters from the 3rd Kōkūtai in the spring of 1942, Celebes Island.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  The wreckage of the A6M2 “V-110” from Tainan Kōkūtai after its recovery by Australian soldiers. PO3c Yoshi

  -

  mitsu Maeda crashed with this plane on April 28, 1942 on the southeast coast of New Guinea and was captured.

  (Photo: AWM)

  A Zero Fighter Type 21 is about to take off from Rabaul East airfield, New Britain Island. Date and unit are

  unknown. Note the patriotic Hōkoku donation text on the fuselage.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

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  The aircraft carrier Zuikaku sent in the first wave five Zeros under the command of Lt. Satō.

  He escorted the bombers in the raid on Kaneohe Naval Air Station. As they met no resistance

  in the air, his fighter pilots destroyed over 32 aircraft on the ground. During the 2nd attack

  wave, Zuikaku fighters patrolled the carriers. Satō was a veteran of 12th Kōkūtai in China

  and served on the board of Akagi. From September 1941 to January 1942, as the so-called

  Buntaichō, he commanded fighters aboard the Zuikaku, and in May he began serving in that

  capacity on the aircraft carrier Kaga until her sinking at the Battle of Midway. From June

  1942 he took over fighters as Hikōtaichō on the carrier Zuihō. He participated in the Battle of

  Santa Cruz, and in the 2nd phase Satō's formation shot down four aircraft. In April 1943, Zuihó

  participated in Operation „I”-go in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands area. Satō was killed

  during Operation „Ro”-go on November 11, 1943 in aerial combat over Bougainville.

  During the first wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor Zuikaku launched six Zeros to patrol the

  vicinity of the carriers. PO1c Iwamoto led the 2nd shōtai during this mission. At the time, he

  was the most successful naval fighter ace with 14 victories from combats over China with

  12th Kōkūtai. In 1942, he took part in battles in the Indian Ocean and Coral Sea with his plane

  No. 102. From the summer of 1942 he served as an instructor in Japan. From March 1943,

  he participated in patrolling in the Kuril Islands with Kōkūtai 281. In November he was trans-

  ferred to Rabaul to Kōkūtai 204 and later to Kōkūtai 253. In February 1944 he participated

  from Truk Atoll in the interceptions of B-24 bombers. In June 1944 he was transferred to

  Japan and from the autumn of that year as member of Kōkūtai 252 he he took part in battles

  from bases in Taiwan and the Philippines. By the end of the war, he was serving with Kōkūtai

  203 and participated in the battle for Okinawa. He achieved rank Lieutenant (junior grade)

  and passed away in 1955. Iwamoto is credited with 80 victories, but in his war diary, there

  were 202 successful attacks on enemy aircraft recorded by him.

  During the second wave, fighter escort of thirty-six Zeros was led by Lt. Shindō. Nine Akagi

  Zeros met no resistance in the air and destroyed two aircraft at Hickam. Shindō was born in

  1911 and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1929. He was assigned to the Omura Kōkūtai

  in 1935 and a year later went to the aircraft carrier Kaga. In 1940, he served in China with the

  12th Kōkūtai during combat trials of the A6M2 fighter. Under his command, the first combat

  engagement occurred on September 13, resulting in 27 victories without loss. In November

  1940, Shindō was transferred to the 14th Kōkūtai in Hanoi. From April to December 1941 he

  was the Buntaichō of the Akagi fighters, but had to be hospitalized after the attack on Pearl

  Harbor. After recovering, he was appointed commander of Tokushima Kōkūtai in April 1942.

  From November 1942, as Hikōtaichō at Kōkūtai 582, he was involved in the fighting over

  Guadalcanal. From July 1943, he was Hikōtaichō with the Kōkūtai 204 in the same area. In

  late 1943 and early 1944, he led fighters of the aircraft carrier Ryūhō and later served with

  Kōkūtai 653 and 203 in the defense of Taiwan, the Philippines, and Japan. At the end of the

  war, he was Hikōtaichō at Tsukuba Kōkūtai. Shindó passed away in 2000.

  Lt. Masao Satō, Zuikaku Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor first attack wave

  PO1c Tetsuzō Iwamoto, Zuikaku Fighter Squadron, patrol during the first attack wave,

  Pearl Harbor

  Lt. Saburō Shindō, Akagi Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor second attack wave

  HISTORY

  Wrecks of A6M2 fighters photographed at Lae airfield, New Gunea, in September 1943. Airplane “F-151” from

  the 4th Kōkūtai can be seen in the background. In the foreground lies an aircraft that bears the remnants of

  the markings of several units. These were the Tainan Kōkūtai, the 22nd Kōkū Sentai and Kōkūtai 251. It was

  apparently left over there in November 1942.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  Dramatic photo taken during the Battle of the Eastern Salomons on August 24, 1942 shows a Shōkaku “Val”

  bomber shot down by anti-aircraft fire directly over the USS Enterprise (CV-6). Censor has deleted radar an

  -

  tenna from the photo.

  (Photo: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation)

  A “Val” dive bomber trails smoke as it dives toward the USS Hornet (CV-8), during the morning of October 26,

  1942. This plane struck the ship's stack and then her flight deck. A “Kate” torpedo plane is flying over Hornet

  after dropping its torpedo, and another “Val” is off her bow. Heavily damaged USS Hornet was later torpedoed by

  Japanese destroyers and sunk on October 27.

  (Photo: US Navy)

  INFO Eduard14

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• Page 15

  HISTORY

  The nine Zeros of the aircraft carrier Kaga were led in the second wave by Lt. Yasushi Nikai-

  dō and destroyed six and ten aircraft respectively at Hickam and Wheeler field. PO1c Naga-

  hama, who had served on Kaga since 1939, took part in the attack. During the raid on Darwin

  on February 19, 1942 he scored five victories in one combat sortie. As first he shot down

  a Catalina from Patrol Wing 10. Unable to find his formation, he attacked five P-40s from the

  33rd PS alone, shooting down four of them and then setting another flying boat afloat on

  fire. Other Kaga fighters apparently attacked the same P-40s. During the Battle of Midway,

  Nagahama took part in the first attack wave, and after his return, he participated in the

  destruction of the Devastators from the USS Hornet. He took part in the Battle of the Eastern

  Solomons while aboard Zuikaku. During a patrol on August 26 he shared destruction of Ca-

  talina from VP-14 (damaged as well on December 7, 1941). During the Battle of Santa Cruz

  on October 26 he shared several victories over F4Fs, including Lt. (jg) Paul Landry of VF-72.

  Nagahama was killed in an accident on September 6, 1943 in Japan while on duty at Tsuiki

  Kōkūtai. He is credited with 10 (or 13) victories and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

  In the second attack wave, Sōryū sent nine Zeros under the command of Lt. Fusata Iida

  against Kaneohe airfield and destroyed six flying boats. On return flight Iida signaled that

  he was running out of fuelBecause of that he returned and decided to crash his aircraft into

  a hangar at Kaneohe, but missed the target. Iida's flight hood was returned to his relatives

  in 1999 by the daughter of Mr. Sam Chun, who took it off from Iida´s head after the crash. His

  body was buried with military honors and he was posthumously promoted two grades. There

  is also testimony that Iida did not believe in the success of the war against the US and his

  Zero was not low on fuel. There is now a memorial at the site of the crash. Due to the ground

  fire and attacks of P-36 pilots from the 45th FS, Iida's formation lost two more Zeros and one

  suffered serious damage. Two P-36s were shot down. Iida was born on December 2, 1913. He

  first served as an instructor with the Kasumigaura Kōkūtai, and in September 1940 he was

  assigned to the 12th Kōkūtai in China, which tested Zero fighters in combat. In a raid on Chen-

  gdu on October 26, his formation claimed ten aircraft without loss. Nevertheless, Iida expre-

  ssed his disapproval of the way the war against China was being conducted. From September

  1941, he served as Buntaichō of the aircraft carrier Sōryū's fighters until December 7, 1941.

  Hiryū sent nine Zeros under the command of Lt. Sumio Nōno. His pilots attacked Kaneohe

  and Bellows bases, claiming two destroyed aircraft and one car. Zero of PO1c Nishikaichi was

  running low on fuel and he was looking for a rescue submarine off Niihau Island without

  success. After belly landing he was captured by a Hawaiian native who took his papers

  and weapon. The pilot persuaded several residents of Japanese descent to cooperate and

  managed to get free. He dismantled machine gun from the aircraft, set the machine on fire

  and threatened to kill the natives to force the return of the secret documents. During the

  December 13, he and a helper captured Mr. Benjamin Kanahele and his wife. A scuffle ensued

  during which Kanahele was shot three times by the pilot, but became so enraged that he

  killed him against a wall. The pilot's helper, Mr. Harada, committed suicide. It is known as

  the Niihau Incident. Mr. Kanahele received the Purple Heart and the Medal of Merit from the

  President of the United States. Nishikaichi, whose fate was unknown to the Japanese side,

  was posthumously promoted two grades. Parts of Zero are on display at the Pacific Aviation

  Museum Pearl Harbor. On the engine cover there was a service plate with the name of the

  mechanic PO3c Akimoto painted.

  PO1c Yoshikazu Nagahama, Kaga Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor second attack wave

  c/n 3277, Lt. Fusata Iida, Sōryū Fighter Squadron, Pearl Harbor second attack wave

  c/n 2266, PO1c Shigenori Nishikaichi, Hiryū Fighter Squadron,

  Pearl Harbor second attack wave

  In this October 1945 photo, Japanese and Allied soldiers discuss (at Kavieng airfield?) near the wreck of an A6M2

  on the island of New Ireland. Note the green paint applied in field conditions, the white outline of hinomaru on the

  upper surfaces and the absence of the yellow identification stripe on the leading edge of the wing.

  (Photo: AWM)

  Pilots in their Zeroes prepare for action at Buin Airfield, Bougainville Island in April 1943 during Operation

  “I-gō”. In the foreground are Type 21s from the aircraft carrier Zuihō. The field applied green paint varied from

  unit to unit.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  Planes from USS Saratoga and USS Princenton hit shipping at Rabaul on November 5, 1943, including several

  cruisers. Japanese vessels are standing out of Simpson Harbor into Blanche Bay. The Japanese airmen nickna

  -

  med Rabaul the

  „

  meat grinder

  ”

  . Fighting in this area in late 1943 and early 1944 deprived the Japanese naval air

  force of much of its remaining veteran personnel.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

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  Fighters from Shōkaku did not participate in the second attack wave on Pearl Harbor.

  Instead, 12 aircraft from Shōkaku patrolled successively over the carrier group under the

  command of Lt. Masao Iizuka. PO1c Hanzawa led the 1st shōtai on patrol. At that time, he had

  nearly three years of operational service under his belt, including a tour of duty with the

  12th Kōkūtai in China. Hanzawa gained fame on May 8, 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea

  when he landed on the smoke-covered deck of a damaged carrier without help of arresting

  wire. He was killed in action at the Battle of Santa Cruz on October 26, 1942 in a duel with

  Lt. „Ken” Bliss, the Blue 29 section leader of VF-72, USS Hornet. Hanzawa attacked Bliss from

  behind, severely damaging his Wildcat. Apparently believing that Bliss was bailing out, he

  pulled up in front of him, but the American shot him down at that moment. Bliss ditched and

  survived. Hanzawa held the rank of Warrant Officer at that time.

  During second attack against Hawaii the Hiryū aircraft carrier sent nine Zeros under the

  command of Lt. Sumio Nōno. His pilots attacked Kaneohe and Bellows bases, claiming two

  destroyed aircraft and one car. Third Shōtai was led by PO1c Matsuyama, who shot down

  in cooperation with his wingman P-40s piloted by 2nd Lieutenants George Whiteman and

  Samuel Bishop of the 44th Pursuit Squadron. Matsuyama had combat missions with the 13th

  Kōkūtai in China on his account already. On February 25, 1938, as wingman of the legendary

  Sadaaki Akamatsu, he participated in shooting down four aircraft. During the raids on Ceylon

  on April 9, 1942, Matsuyama's shōtai shot down a Blenheim Mk.IV, probably of S/Ldr Kenneth

  Ault´s crew, who was leading formation of No. 11 Squadron RAF in an attack on Japanese

  ships. Matsuyama later served on the aircraft carrier Hiyō and was killed on April 7, 1943 in

  combat with the Wildcats off Guadalcanal. The airplane BII-124 was shot down on February

  19, 1942 during the raid on Darwin. After being hit by anti-aircraft fire, Seaman 1st class Ha-

  jime Toyoshima landed on Melville Island and was captured by Aboriginal Matthias Ulungura.

  Toyoshima was the first captured Zero pilot and used alias „Tadao Minami”. He became one

  of the organizers of the largest prisoner escape in World War II. On August 5, 1944 at Cowra

  POW Camp he gave signal to escape. Total of 1,104 POWs attempted to espace, 231 were killed

  and four Australians lost their lives as well. Toyoshima was mortally wounded, so he lighted

  a cigarette and committed suicide.

  This aircraft, manufactured by Mitsubishi, was photographed in April 1942 in Rabaul with

  partially repainted markings that originally belonged to Lieutenant Miyano. The bands and

  stripes may have been in dark blue or black color. Zenjirō Miyano served from 1939 with the

  12th Kōkūtai in China and was appointed as a Buntaichō with the 3rd Kōkūtai in October 1941.

  He participated in the campaigns in the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. During a raid

  on Broome, Australia, on March 3, 1942, Miyano attacked a Dutch civil DC-3. The pilot was

  Capt. Ivan Smirnov, a World War I Russian fighter ace. With one engine on fire, he managed

  to make an emergency landing, but the Zero pilots killed four passengers on the ground.

  In April 1942 Miyano was transferred to the 6th Kōkūtai, which was to be based at Midway.

  Part of his unit was on the way to Midway aboard the carrier Jun´yō, which participated in

  the attack against Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians. Miyano also participated in the raid. His

  unit was based at Rabaul from August 1942 and was redesignated Kōkūtai 204 in November.

  From March 1943 Miyano took position of Hikōtaichō. He was one of the innovators of combat

  tactics and was the first to introduce the finger-four formation in Japanese naval aviation.

  Miyano achieved a total of 16 victories and was killed on June 16, 1943, over Guadalcanal

  during escort of dive bombers.

  PO1c Yukuo Hanzawa, Shōkaku Fighter Squadron, patrol during the second attack wave,

  Pearl Harbor

  c/n 5379, PO1c Tsuguo Matsuyama, Hiryū Fighter Squadron, aircraft carrier Hiryū,

  December 7, 1941

  Lt. Zenjirō Miyano, 3. Kōkūtai, Poeleti airfield, Timor, March 1942

  HISTORY

  The armament of Japanese fighters included phosphorus bombs, which were used against bomber formations.

  This image from the fall of 1944 shows an American B-24 near Iwo Jima under the blast of this weapon.

  (Photo: Fold3)

  This wrecked A6M2 aircraft found in March 1944 by a reconnaissance patrol on Gasmata airstrip, New Britain

  was labelled “out of bounds to all troops by order of Commanding General Allied Air Forces” to discourage

  souvenir hunters. Note the aluminium paint peeling off propeller blade, showing red-brown primer color.

  (Photo: AWM)

  INFO Eduard16

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• Page 17

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

  In early 1942, the aircraft carrier Kaga took part in attacks on Rabaul, Kavieng, targets in

  New Guinea and Port Darwin. In March, her aircraft participated in attacks against ships off

  Java. Due to hull damage caused by a reef in early February, Kaga was undergoing repairs

  at Sasebo from March 22, 1942. The Mitsubishi-built “AII-106” was photographed at Kisarazu

  in April 1942. It bears the patriotic donation inscription (Hōkoku) No. 532 and the name of the

  donor (Yamanobe-gō). It may be the name of a company or the donor's surname. It is likely

  that this aircraft participated in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. Nine fighters from

  Kaga flew in the first attack wave, led by Lt. Iizuka. They reported twelve victories. During

  the exhausting combats to cover their own task force, the Kaga’s fighters claimed 32 aircraft

  destroyed. After the carrier was hit, some of them landed aboard the HIJMS Hiryū. Two took

  part, as escort, in the raid on the USS Yorktown. The Kaga's Fighter Squadron lost six pilots

  during the battle, four of them during combat air patrol. However, elite ground personnel

  suffered heavy losses when the ship was sunk. Also aboard the HIJMS Kaga were fighter

  pilots and mechanics from the 6th Kōkūtai, who were to be based at Midway Atoll after its

  capture. Some of them also took part in the air battle.

  This aircraft was released by Mitsubishi on February 19, 1942. In late April and early May the

  Ryūjō Fighter Squadron received Zeros instead of older A5M „Claude“ aircraft. PO1c Koga, a

  veteran of 12th Kōkūtai in China, piloted “DI-108” on June 4 during the attack on the Aleutians.

  He was one of the two wingmen of CPO Endō. Near Egg Island they shot down Ens. Albert E.

  Mitchell´s Catalina of VP-42, which was carrying mail to Umnak. The burning aircraft landed

  on the sea and several airmen managed to get into the dingy. However, they were strafed

  and killed by the Japanese airmen. Koga's Zero was hit either by defensive fire from Cata-

  lina or, moments later, by ground fire. Koga attempted to land on Akutan Island, which was

  intended for the rescue of the Japanese airmen. The aircraft with retracted undercarriage

  and stopped engine overturned after touching soft marsh ground and Koga was killed. The

  Japanese attempted to rescue the pilot but were unable to find him due to bad weather. Five

  weeks later, the Zero was spotted by the crew of Lt. Williams “Bill” Thies’ Catalina. On July 5, a

  US Navy team reached the plane. The Americans transported the aircraft to NAS North Island

  in San Diego. The Zero was repaired, given a Hamilton-Standard propeller and registration

  number TAIC 1. It underwent intensive testing but was apparently scrapped after the war.

  In memory of the Ens. Mitchell and his crew, the destroyer DE-43 was christened Mitchell.

  Saburō Sakai is best known Japanese fighter pilot, thanks to his memoirs and meetings with

  Allied airmen after World War II. He was born in 1916 and served from September 1938 with

  the 12th Kōkūtai in China. In October 1941, he was assigned to the newly organized Tainan

  Kōkūtai in Taiwan and took part in campaign heading South until he was wounded on August

  7, 1942 off Guadalcanal. After recovering, he served as an instructor with Ōmura Kōkūtai, and

  later, despite bad eyesight, was combat deployed with Yokosuka Kōkūtai on Iwo Jima. At the

  end of war he served with Kōkūtai 343 (II) and Yokosuka Kōkūtai. He is listed as an ace with

  64 victories, but Sakai himself claimed the number of his victories was lower. With the first

  two units he actually achieved 12 individual victories, 8 shared and 4 probables. The V-128

  was also flown by PO2c Arita and PO1c Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, who is credited with 87 victories.

  The color of the stripes is chosen from Sakai's recollection, but there are other interpretati-

  ons, such as a black or yellow stripe on the fuselage. During a fighter escort to Guadalcanal

  on August 7, Sakai shot down Wildcat „F12” from VF-5 piloted by „Pug” Southerland in an epic

  dogfight. Sakai was later severely wounded in the face by fire from VB-6 Dauntless near

  Tulagi Island. After nearly five hours and more than 1,000 km, he managed to land back at

  Rabaul. Sakai died in 2000 after formal dinner with members of the US Navy.

  Kaga Fighter Squadron, Kisarazu base, Japan, April 1942

  c/n 4593, PO1c Todayoshi Koga, Ryūjō Fighter Squadron, June 1942

  PO1c Saburō Sakai, Tainan Kōkūtai, Lakunai airfield, Rabaul, New Britain island, August 1942

  Koga‘s Zero of carrier Ryūjō pictured in Dutch Harbor, Aleutians during transport to the US. The colour of this

  relatively new aircraft was described by the Americans in a technical report as “glossy grey-green”.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  Koga's Zero during testing at the NAS San Diego with Lt. Cdr. Eddie Sanders at the controls. During an emergen

  -

  cy landing in the Aleutians, the aircraft flipped onto its back, killing its pilot Tadayoshi Koga. The tail unit was

  repaired, but the antenna mast had to be shortened.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  The last pages of Eddie Reuel Sanders' logbook from the tests of Koga's Zero. The tests had a profound effect

  on the tactics used against the Zeros and on the design of some Allied aircraft. Sanders fought in the Pacific in

  the second half of the war and retired in the 1950s with the rank of Rear Admiral.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  INFO Eduard

  17

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• Page 18

  This aircraft was produced by Mitsubishi on March 3, 1942. It was flown in legendary Tainan Kōkūtai by

  the also famous fighter aces Saburō Sakai and Hiroyoshi Nishizawa. It is believed that with this Zero,

  on September 13, 1942 over Guadalcanal, Shōtai leader W. O. Takatsuka was shot down in a dogfight

  with Wildcats from VF-5 and VMF-223. Three of his wingmen were also shot down in the same action.

  The wreckage of this Zero was found in 1993 in a swamp about five miles east of Henderson Field.

  Remnants of code and markings remained on some parts. Takatsuka had served in the IJN aviation

  since 1933. In the 12th Kōkūtai he was one of the fighter pilots who achieved the first victories with

  Zeros in aviation history on September 13, 1940. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in October 1941

  and demobilized. However he was soon called back into service by the IJ Navy and from June 1942 was

  assigned to Tainan Kōkūtai in Rabaul. He mainly took part in the fighting over New Guinea. In total he

  was credited with 16 victories including three in China. Fighting with the Wildcats had already nearly

  proved fatal to him once. During the raid on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, although he claimed four

  victories, he flew in front of one of his opponents and immediately was hit. The victor was Thomas

  Rhodes of VF-6 (USS Enterprise). Takatsuka's Zero caught fire, but he managed to put it out and escape.

  This aircraft manufactured by Mitsubishi carries an unusually large yellow identification stripe. Hideki

  Shingō (NA, 1931) served from 1934 in the Tateyama Kōkūtai, on the HIJMS Ryūjō, he became an instruc-

  tor in the Yokosuka Kōkūtai, and then held Buntaichō position in the Ômura Kōkūtai. In the second half

  of 1937 he fought in China with the Kaga Fighter Squadron. He then served as Buntaichō at Kanoya, Saiki,

  Kasumigaura, Ôita and 14th Kōkūtai. In October 1941, Shingō became Hikōtaichō in charge of training at

  Tainan Kōkūtai, Taiwan. He trained primarily the long-range flying. On December 8 he led 44 Zeros in an

  attack on the Philippine airfields of Iba and Clark Field. From April 1942 he served briefly with the 6th and

  Genzan Kōkūtai, then in July he became Hikōtaichō of the Shōkaku Fighter Squadron and participated in

  the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. At the end of August he led a detachment operating from Buka airfield.

  He was shot down over Guadalcanal but avoided capture. During the Battle of Santa Cruz (October 1942),

  he led five Zeros in the second attack wave and descended to a lower altitude in order to draw the anti-

  -aircraft fire away from the dive bombers. He was promoted to Lt. Commander in November 1942 and in

  the following years served as a Hikōtaichō of Tsuiki Kōkūtai in Japan, in Indonesia and Burma with Kōkūtai

  331 and Hikōtai 603, and till April 1945 with Kōkūtai 252 in Japan. After the war, he worked in the police,

  later joined the JSDAF, and retired in 1967 with 6,000 hours flying time and rank of Lieutenant General.

  Shingō-san passed away in 1982.

  Nakajima machine built ca August 1942. Its wreckage was found on Pavuvu Island and it is

  believed that W. O. Kashimura was lost with it on March 6, 1943. He remained missing after an

  air battle off Russel Island while escorting bombers, probably shot down by S/Sgt Robert H.

  Bahner, SBD gunner from VMSB-132. American crew described color of Kashimura´s Zero as

  “greenish yellow”. Kashimura served successively with Ômura, Tokosuka and Kanoya Kōkūtai

  from 1934. In late 1937, he was transferred to 13th Kōkūtai in China. During the battle near

  Nanchang on December 9, 1937, he shot down one enemy aircraft and collided with another.

  Kashimura's A5M lost big part of port wing, but he managed to regain control just above the

  ground. He flew about 600 km back to his base in Shanghai and managed to make an emer-

  gency landing. The circumstances of this action were detailed in the Japanese press and his

  aircraft was displayed in Japan. In March 1938, Kashimura was transferred to the Yokosuka

  Kōkūtai, but he returned to the Chinese battlefield in late 1939 and served three months

  with the 12th Kōkūtai. He then returned to the Yokosuka Kōkūtai. During the Doolittle Raid,

  Kashimura was in the air but mistook a B-25 bomber for a Japanese aircraft. In December

  1942, he was transferred to Kōkūtai 582 stationed in Rabaul. He was considered an excellent

  aviator and theoretician but used very harsh training methods. He had a total of 12 victories

  including 10 in China.

  c/n 3647, Warrant Officer Tora-ichi Takatsuka, Tainan Kōkūtai, Lakunai airfield, Rabaul,

  September 1942

  Lt. Hideki Shingō, Shōkaku Fighter Squadron, October 1942

  c/n 1503, Warrant Officer Kan-ichi Kashimura, Kōkūtai 582, Buin airfield, Bougainville

  Island, March 1943

  HISTORY

  A large number of A6M2 aircraft served throughout the war in Japan with training units. Pictured here

  is a Nakajima-built machine serving with the Tsukuba Kōkūtai.

  (Photo: San Diego Air and Space Museum)

  Battle of the Philippine Sea: the Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku (center) and the destroyers Akizuki and

  Wakatsuki maneuvering, while under attack by U.S. Navy carrier aircraft, during the late afternoon of June 20,

  1944. “Zui” hit by several bombs during these attacks, but survived. She was sunk in October 1944 as last of the

  carriers that took part in Pearl Harbor attack.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  An A6M2 fighter from Kōkūtai 261 photographed at Saipan after U.S. forces occupied the island.

  (Photo: Fold3)

  INFO Eduard18

  April 2022

• Page 19

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

  This aircraft, manufactured by Nakajima, was photographed in April 1943 during Operation “I-gō”.

  The code “2-1” is the designation of the 2nd Carrier Division (Kōkū Sentai), which HIJM Jun'yō was

  1st carrier. The horizontal bar below the code identifies the leader of a Shōtai, which was usually

  a formation of three machines. In early 1943, an improvised green paint was applied to the Zeros.

  The colors chosen and the execution of the paint varied from unit to unit. During this period, among

  the notable fighter pilots of the unit were Buntaichō Lt. Yasuhiro Shigematsu (10 v.), W. O. Tomita

  Atake (10 v.), and W. O. Shizuo Ishi-i (29 v.). The aircraft carrier Jun'yō was completed in May 1942,

  whereupon she participated in the attack against the Aleutians, took part in the Battle of Santa

  Cruz, and escorted army convoys bound for New Guinea. In April 1943 her Air Group operated in-

  dependently from Rabaul and surrounding bases, including Buin, then withdrew to Truk. From July

  the Air Group was again based in Buin until September 1, 1943, when its fighter pilots were taken

  over by the decimated Kōkūtai 204. In November of that year the Jun´yō Air Group was reformed

  and in January 1944 moved again to Rabaul, where it fought for a month. Jun´yō participated also in

  the Battle of the Philippine Sea and then remained in Japan until the end of the war. Jun´yō Fighter

  Squadron scored more than 90 confirmed victories.

  Petty Officer 2nd Class Koyae was born in 1923 in Miyazaki Prefecture and completed his flight

  training in November 1942. He was than assigned to the fighter unit of the aircraft carrier Zuihō

  in March 1943. In April, the unit moved to Rabaul and Koyae flew the aircraft during Operation

  I-gō. In this period, green paint was applied to Zeros in field conditions. It was usually painted by

  hand, the edges of the green fields being softened with thinner sometimes. However, according

  to the unit log, Koyae did not fly combat sorties in April 1943. In fact he did not encounter the

  enemy until November 1943 over Rabaul. During the same month he was transferred to Kōkūtai 253

  at Rabaul and by early 1944 he was undergoing intense fighting. Upon his return to Japan, he was

  assigned to the Ōmura Kōkūtai. While on leave, on February 17, 1944, he spotted a Japanese bomber

  circling in the rain at night over the village of Goda, Miyazaki Prefecture. Koyae, with the help

  of the villagers, established a navigation signal and after some time he managed to guide the

  crew to right heading. For this achievement he received a written commendation from commander

  of Ōmura Kōkūtai. In July 1944, Koyae was assigned to Hikōtai 701 and fought in the defense of the

  Philippines. After returning to Japan, he was assigned to Hikōtai 701 (II) and served with Ōmura

  Kōkūtai at the end of the war. After the war he worked as a fireman and published his memories.

  According to the local press, he achieved 20 victories, but these may be victories achieved by

  fighter formations in which he took part.

  Kōkūtai 381 was established in October 1943 at Kendari Base on the island of Celebes. It was

  a mixed Kōkūtai with 48 fighter-bombers (Hikōtai 602), 24 night fighters (Hikōtai 902) and

  48 fighter aircraft in Hikōtai 311, the latter commanded by Lt. Kanzaki. During the 1944 he

  operated from bases on islands in Indonesia and the Philippines. Their most frequent oppo-

  nents were U.S. Army aircraft. Kanzaki's unit used special phosphorus anti-aircraft bombs

  to attack enemy bombers. Kanzaki's aircraft, manufactured by the Nakajima company, has

  been reconstructed in the past with various color markings. It is assumed that the vertical

  tail surfaces and part of the upper wing surfaces were painted the same color like lower

  surfaces. The front part of the engine may also have been painted grey or yellow. It is not

  entirely clear from the photograph of the aircraft whether the white stripes on the lower

  fuselage are joined. It may have been designed to improve the mutual identification of Army

  and Navy aircraft when fighting Allied fighters. Another reason for this camouflage may

  have been for easier identification during night fighter flights. For example, Lt. Kanzaki and

  his wingman shot down a B-24 of the 380th BG over Balikpapan on the night of January

  12-13, 1944. Some aircraft of Kōkūtai 331 were also painted in the same upper and tailplane

  camouflage. Both units operated in one tactical group during part of 1944.

  Jun´yō Fighter Squadron, Buin airfield, Bougainville Island, April 1943

  PO2c Kōtarō Koyae, Zuihō Fighter Squadron, Rabaul, New Britain island, April 1943

  Lt. Kunio Kanzaki, CO of Hikōtai 311 of Kōkūtai 381, Kendari airfield, Celebes island, May 1944

  During attack of Kamikaze unit led by Lt. Yukio Seki on October 25, 1944 the first major explosion following the

  impact of the Zero aircraft on USS St. Lo (CVE-63) has created a fireball that has risen to about 300 feet above

  the flight deck. The largest object above that fireball is the aft aircraft elevator, which was hurled to a height

  of about 1,000 feet by this first explosion. In this photo it is about 800 feet high.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  Aerial shot of Mitsubishi's manufacturing plant in Nagoya. The factory faced difficult logistics throughout

  the war to ship aircraft to factory airfield. Neither river shipping nor transport by rail could be resolved.

  Disassembled aircraft had to be transported through the narrow streets of the city by ox carts and later by

  Percheron horses.

  (Photo: Fold3)

  USS Missouri (BB-63) about to be hit by a Kamikaze pilot of a A6M Zero, while operating off Okinawa on April

  11, 1945.

  (Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  INFO Eduard

  19

  April 2022

• Page 20

  HISTORY

  This Nakajima-built machine served with the training unit Ôita Kōkūtai. It bore orange paint

  on the undersurfaces and had a non-standard dark green paint on the undercarriage covers

  and part of the undersurfaces. The characters in the Katakana “O” and “Ta” are the unit

  markings. The machine carries warning stencils on both sides of the fuselage. The vertical

  rectangle reads “87A” as a warning that the aircraft uses 87 octane fuel instead of the 91

  octane fuel used in Sakae 12 engines in combat units. In the horizontal rectangle is the

  warning “būsuto” (boost). It draws attention to the lower boost pressure limit associated

  with 87 octane fuel. Exceeding it threatened engine damage. The late production A6M2s from

  Nakajima may have had the engine cowling painted black instead of antiglare blue-black.

  The outer fuselage sections below the cockpit canopy and canopy frames may have been

  painted in interior green or camouflage dark green. The Ôita Kōkūtai was established in 1938

  and was used for training until March 1944. Many famous aviators passed through its ranks.

  Combat veterans were also assigned to this unit as instructors, such as Kaneyoshi Mutō, who

  served with the unit after his combat duty in China and five victories of his total 28.

  From the April 3, 1945 a total of eight special attack units with the battle name „Shichisei” were

  organized from the airmen serving in Genzan Kōkūtai (II) and Hikōtai 306 (part of Kōkūtai 721).

  Lt. Miyatake, who was 24 years old at the time, led the 1st Shichisei-tai in an attack on a convoy off

  Okinawa on April 6, 1945. During that day, eleven other airmen from Genzan Kōkūtai (II) sacrificed

  their lives along with him. They took off successively in four formations. Their formation was part of

  the 524 aircraft of special attack units and escort fighters from IJN and IJA sent against Allied ve-

  ssels off Okinawa as part of Operation Kikusui 1. The U.S. Navy lost destroyers USS Bush and Colhoun

  and other ships were severely damaged.

  „Shichisei” units were sent against ships off Okinawa,

  Yoronjima, Kikaijima, and Tanegashima islands in several missions till May 14. Only one of them

  returned to base due to bad weather. Lt. Miyatake was born in Kagawa Prefecture and graduated

  from the Etajima Naval Academy in 1942. Before the mission, he wrote farewell letters to his mother

  and three sisters. His father was interned in Siberia at the time. Nobuo Miyatake was posthumously

  promoted to the rank of Commander. His aircraft from Nakajima production is designated „Ke-113

  ”.

  Ôita Kōkūtai, Ôita Airport, Japan, early 1944

  Lt. Nobuo Miyatake, Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, 1. Shichisei-tai, Kanoya airbase, Japan,

  April 1945

  This Nakajima-built aircraft was assigned to one of the formation leaders of Hikōtai 303, part

  of Kōkūtai 203, established in April 1943 from the training Atsugi Kōkūtai. At that time, this

  unit was armed with Zeros and “Gekkō” (Irving) night fighters. From April 1944 it defended

  the northern part of the Kuril Islands. From May, Kōkūtai 203 fighters clashed with Ameri-

  can crews of Ventura and Liberator bombers. In some cases, the Americans had to make

  emergency landings on Soviet territory. Among the experienced aviators of this unit was

  Japan's most successful naval fighter pilot, Hiroyoshi Nishizawa. He served with Kōkūtai 203

  from March 1944 and was assigned to its Hikōtai 303 in July. However, he did not record any

  victories in the Kuril Islands area. In this period Nishizawa wrote document about air combat

  basics due to high losses of naval aviation units and the inexperience of the new unit com-

  manders. Since the fall of 1944, Kōkūtai 203 had seen combat at Okinawa, in the Philippines,

  and in Taiwan. At the time of the fighting in the Philippines, Hikōtai 303 was temporarily

  assigned to Kōkūtai 201. In 1945, Kōkūtai 203 was deployed in the defense of Japan, and

  its structure expanded up to five Hikōtais by the end of the war, with a total of 240 fighter

  aircraft. Kōkūtai 203 was also involved in fighter escorts of Kamikaze formations, including

  G4M “Betty” bombers with Ōka rocket powered aircraft.

  This Nakajima-built machine was piloted by Lt. Toshio Suzuki. He was in command

  of a squadron of eleven HIJMS Zuikaku A6M2 fighter-bombers. His unit was part of Kōkūtai

  601 (I). In mid-1944, the affiliation to the Zuikaku´s Carrier Air Group (Hikōkitai) was identified

  by the code 312 on the tail surfaces. The white numbers on the hinomaru were used during

  training operations and were usually chalk painted. Toshio Suzuki was born in Mitsukaidō

  in Ibaraki Prefecture and graduated from the Etajima Naval Academy in 1941. As a cadet, he

  was assigned aboard the cruiser Suzuya. After completing flight training, he was assigned

  to Kōkūtai 601 (I) in May 1944 and promoted to Lieutenant. Squadrons of Kōkūtai 601 (I) were

  divided into CAGs on boards of Taihō, Shōkaku and Zuikaku. In addition to Suzuki's fighter-

  -bombers, Zuikaku had 24 A6M5 “Zeke” fighters, a dive-bomber squadron with 18 D4Y „Judy”

  and three D3A “Val”, 14 B6N “Jill” torpedo bombers, and a reconnaissance squadron with

  several “Judy” and “Val” machines. Kōkūtai 601 (I) engaged in the Battle of the Philippine

  Sea on June 19 and suffered devastating losses. Lt. Suzuki led a ten-man A6M2 formation in

  the second wave, along with four A6M5 fighters and four „Jill” bomber crews. However they

  failed to find their target, and the American fighters shot down one bomber and eight A6M2s,

  including Suzuki's. Taihō and Shōkaku were sunk after a submarine attack, and Zuikaku was

  damaged by bombing.

  The Nakajima-built “02-888” belonged to first official Kamikaze unit in the history of the

  Japanese Naval Air Force. As part of the 1st Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, a total of nine

  groups of airmen were organized, mostly from Kōkūtai 201. Their target was Task Force Ta-

  ffy 3 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Shikishima unit was named after the poetic term

  used for the island of Yamato (Honshū), or also old Japan. Its commander was Lt. Yukio Seki.

  He was born in 1921 and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1941. He first served on the

  battleship Fusō, then experienced the Battle of Midway on the seaplane carrier Chitose.

  In 1943 he completed basic flight training and later received training on carrier bombers.

  In September 1944, he was assigned in the Philippines to Kōkūtai 201, which specialized

  in skip bombing with A6M fighters. The unit suffered heavy losses during September and

  October. Replacements were taken over in Mabalacat from other units, including Hikōtai 602

  (Kōkūtai 381), from which machine “02-888” appears to have originated. On October 25, Lt.

  Seki led one of seven groups of Zero pilots equipped with bombs who sacrificed themselves

  in an attack on American vessels. Seki's fighter escort was provided by legendary fighter pi-

  lot Hiroyoshi Nishizawa of Kōkūtai 203. Lieutenant Seki or one of his wingmen hit the aircraft

  carrier USS St. Lo, which sank after 30 minutes. Of the 889 crew members, 113 were killed or

  missing and about thirty others died of their injuries.

  Hikōtai 303, Kōkūtai 203, Musashi airbase, Paramushir Island, Kuril Islands, April 1944

  Lt. Toshio Suzuki, Kōkūtai 601 (I), HIJMS Zuikaku, Tawi Tawi base, Philippines, June 1944

  1st Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, Shikishima-tai, Mabalacat airfield, Phillipines, October 1944

  A6M2 Type 21 fighter plane of unknown air unit at Atsugi base photographed after the end of the war.

  The Zero Type 21 was deployed in combat until the end of the war, including night fighter duties as part

  of Kōkūtai 302, which was stationed at Atsugi Base.

  (Photo: Fold3)

  INFO Eduard20

  April 2022

• Page 21

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

  ZERO ZERO ZERO!

  A6M2 Zero Type 21

  TORA TORA TORA!

  Product Page

  Product Page

  Product Page

  #11155

  #11158

  #82212

  INFO Eduard

  21

  April 2022

• Page 22

  The Attack on Pearl Harbor has become an infamous theme of discussion among military historians, a theme about which many

  publications have been written, along with articles too numerous to count. For this reason, we will stick to the essential facts co-

  nnected specifically to the USS Arizona on that fateful date.

  December 7, 1941

  The attack began with dive bombers hit-

  ting targets at the Naval Air Base on Ford

  Island at 0755h. The USS Arizona was

  protected from torpedo attacks from the

  right by Ford Island itself, and from the

  left mostly by the adjacent USS Vestal.

  As a result, the Arizona became a tar-

  get for ten Nakajima B5N2 Kates, armed

  with 800kg (1760lb) armor piercing Type

  99 bombs. The bomb was built around the

  410mm (16.1 inch) artillery shell used by

  the Japanese naval vessels Nagato and

  Mutsu, offering good penetrating abili-

  ty with a comparatively small explosive

  charge (22.8kg or 50lbs). Release from

  a height of 2,500m (8,200 ft) was calcula-

  ted by the Japanese to allow penetration

  of 150mm (6 inches) of armor plating. The

  bomb was released in horizontal flight,

  and only 48 B5N2s were so armed for

  the first wave of the attack. First, a group

  of five B5N2s from the Kaga (2nd Chutai,

  46th + 47th Shotai commanded by Lt.

  Hideo Maki) attacked at 0805h. This was

  followed a minute later by a same num-

  ber of Kates flying off the Hiryū (1st Chutai,

  40th + 48th Shotai, commanded by Friga-

  te Capt. Tadashi Kusumi). Both formations

  dropped their bombs from about 3,000m

  (9,850 ft). This was followed by a catastro-

  phic explosion at 0807h, which destroyed

  the entire forward section of the ship, in-

  cluding the main superstructure. The first

  analyses attributed the demise of the Ari-

  zona to eight bomb and one or two torpe-

  do hits. The torpedo hits were ruled out by

  inspection of the wreckage. Eyewitness

  accounts purporting these apparent tor-

  pedo strikes were chalked up(modified?)

  to bomb hits and subsequent explosi-

  ons in the water directly adjacent to the

  ship. The final bomb hit tally was placed

  at between two and four, while the Japa-

  nese airmen claimed three to four. Two

  bombs hit the ship with certainty. The first

  successful hit was made by a crew from

  the Kaga, striking Turret No.4, The bomb

  slipped below the turret’s armor plating

  towards the rear and penetrated the main

  deck before exploding. There was a resul-

  ting fire that caused no extensive damage.

  Three other bombs hit the water, and one

  struck and damaged the repair vessel

  USS Vestal. The fatal strike came from

  the carrier Hiryū’s aircraft. Three bombs

  hit the water next to the ship, while a fou-

  rth hit the Vestal and severely damaged

  her. The USS Arizona suffered a direct hit

  to her upper deck at the bow on her star-

  board side, immediately ahead of the bar-

  bette of Turret No.2. In all likelihood, the

  bomb went off after penetrating the ar-

  mor plating. The theory that the 4.75 inch

  (121mm) armored deck withstanded the

  impact of the bomb and that the explosion

  was the result of a spreading fire throu-

  gh unsealed bulkheads comes across as

  unlikely. The sirens on the Arizona went

  off at 0755h, and the crew had enough

  time to close these passageways, which

  would have been one of the first things

  to be done during an emergency. As has

  been noted, the Type 99 bomb was ca-

  pable of penetrating 6 inches (150mm) of

  armor from a height of 8,200ft (2,500m),

  and being dropped from an actual height

  of 9,850ft (3,000m), the penetration capa-

  bility of the bomb has been calculated at

  around 7 inches (180mm). Attentive rea-

  ders will recall that the armored deck of

  the USS Arizona was increased and that

  the increase was by way of additional pla-

  ting added to the existing, but the 800kg

  Title photo: USS Arizona (BB-39) ablaze, immediately following the explosion of her forward

  ammunition magazines. Frame clipped from a color motion picture taken from on board

  USS Solace (AH-5) (photo: National Archives).

  USS Arizona

  Part Two

  Zdeněk Novák

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard22

  April 2022

• Page 23

  bomb would still have been thoroughly

  adequate in terms of its deck penetrati-

  on capability. Nevertheless, there is a list

  of theories explaining exactly what led to

  the catastrophic explosion on board the

  Arizona, and an analysis of these is bey-

  ond the scope of this article. The fact re-

  mains that approximately seven seconds

  after the bomb’s impact, there was an ex-

  plosion of six 14-inch munitions storage

  spaces and two others housing 4-inch

  munitions for a total of over 600 tons of

  explosives.

  The man who sank

  the Arizona

  (Jan Bobek)

  Some researchers have suggested that

  the fatal hit on the battleship Arizona was

  achieved by the crew of the B5N bomber

  „Kate“, commanded by PO1c Noboru Kanai

  of the aircraft carrier Hiryū. This aviator

  was killed during Wake Atoll raid on De-

  cember 22, 1941 by Wildcat pilot Capt. Her-

  bert C. Freuler of VMF-211. Only recently

  has Kanai‘s diary been published, proving

  that his formation at Pearl Harbor attac-

  ked two other vessels. This confirmed the

  original theory about the identity of the

  airman who caused the explosion of the

  Arizona. It was Lt. Cdr. Tadashi Kusumi of

  the same carrier. His biography has never

  been published.

  The famous Japanese aviator Mitsuo

  Fuchida remembered Kusumi as a gentle,

  quiet, polite and sincere man who had

  a methodical mindset and usually spo-

  ke slowly. Tadashi Kusumi was born in

  Tokyo on July 10, 1907. After studying at

  Keika Junior & High School, he was ad-

  mitted to the Etajima Naval Academy and

  graduated at the end of March 1927 as

  the 60th student out of 122 graduates in

  its 57th Class. No records of his service

  on warships have survived. Every cadet

  had to undergo training on warships, and

  Kusumi was promoted to Ensign in De-

  cember 1930 thento Lieutenant (junior

  grade) exactly two years later. At the end

  of 1932 he entered the flight training (23rd

  Class) and graduated in July the following

  year. He underwent further training at

  Tateyama Kōkūtai and in April 1934 was

  assigned to the aircraft carrier Hōshō‘s

  Air Group, which had participated in the

  so-called Shanghai Incident two years

  earlier. After a year service aboard that

  ship, Kusumi was assigned to the Ōmura

  Kōkūtai in May 1935 and transferred to the

  Kasumigaura Kōkūtai in October of that

  year. He probably served as an instructor

  in both units. In November he was promo-

  ted to Lieutenant.

  He assumed his first command in Novem-

  ber 1936. As the so-called Buntaichō, he

  The hit is attributed to the lead plane of

  the formation (flown by Frigate Capt.

  Tadashi Kusumi, Observer/Bombardier

  Lt. Shojiro Kondo and Gunner Non-

  -commissioned Officer 1st Class Masao

  Fukuda). Some sources also suggest two

  more hits to the mid-section of the ship,

  one directly striking the smokestack and

  the other at the fifth port strut of the for-

  ward mast. Some sources claim the mid-

  -section damage was the result of flames

  and subsequent explosions of the 4-inch

  ammunition stores.

  The forward magazines of USS Arizona explode after she was hit by a Japanese bomb.

  Frame clipped from a color motion picture taken from on board USS Solace (AH-5) (photo:

  National Archives).

  USS Arizona burning furiously, after her forward magazines had exploded when she was hit

  by a Japanese 800 Kg bomb. At left, men on the stern of USS Tennessee (BB-43) are playing

  fire hoses on the water to force burning oil away from their ship (photo: National Archives).

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  23

  April 2022

• Page 24

  The explosion virtually destroyed the en-

  tire structure forward of the front exten-

  sion to the anchor guides level with the

  armored deck. Number 1 and 2 turrets fell

  through to the same level, and the hea-

  vily damaged superstructure and front

  three-legged mast collapsed forward to

  a 45 degree angle. Fires and resulting ex-

  plosions destroyed the center section of

  the ship all the way to the dinghy crane

  deck. The stern of the ship up to this cra-

  ne deck took only minor damage. The area

  surrounding the ship was ablaze due to

  leaking fuel and it took two days to put the

  fire out. The loss of life was the heaviest

  among the ships in Pearl Harbor that day

  and totaled 1,177crew killed, including the

  Captain Van Valkenburg and Rear Admiral

  Isaac C. Kidd. After an assessment of the

  damage to the Arizona, she was deemed

  unrepairable. Work began on December

  22nd to remove useable weapons, muni-

  tions and other salvageable items, and to

  dismantle the wreck above the waterli-

  ne. The USS Arizona was officially struck

  from the US Navy registry on December

  1, 1942.

  Epilogue

  Salvage and demolition work on the USS

  Arizona continued to the end of 1943 when

  they were definitely completed. The re-

  mains of less than 200 of her crew were

  lifted from the surface of the wreck and

  surrounding areas immediately after the

  attack. During 1942, divers would retrieve

  a further 105 bodies, but, despite pressure

  from the victims’ relatives, this recovery

  effort was halted due to the decomposi-

  tion of the bodies and dangers faced by

  led a squadron of horizontal bombers of

  the aircraft carrier Kaga. From July 1937

  his unit participated in the undeclared war

  against China. At that time it was armed

  with sixteen Yokosuka B3Y1s and twenty-

  -two Mitsubishi B2M2 bombers. Kusumi

  commanded one of these squadrons or

  part of it. Kaga also had sixteen Aichi D1A1

  „Susie“ dive bombers and sixteen Naka-

  jima A2N1 fighters, which were repla-

  ced a month later by modern Mitsubishi

  A5M „Claude“ monoplanes. In September

  1937, Kusumi‘s squadron rearmed to thir-

  ty-two Yokosuka B4Y1 „Jean“ biplanes. It

  was with these machines that the Kaga

  airmen sank the American river gunboat

  USS „Panay“ on the Yangtze River on De-

  cember 12.

  After a year and a half of virtually con-

  tinuous combat deployment in China, Ta-

  dashi Kusumi was transferred to Ōita

  Kōkūtai in December 1938. His task was

  to pass on experience from the Chinese

  battlefield, but in mid-January 1939 he

  was additionally appointed inspector for

  aircraft division at Hiroshima Arsenal. In

  November 1939 he was again assigned to

  Kasumigaura Kōkūtai, but only a month

  later he was appointed to the post of

  Hikōtaichō at Yatabe Kōkūtai. This was a

  training unit that provided flight training

  under the Sōren program for Navy enlis-

  ted men and NCOs.

  In November 1940, Kusumi was promo-

  ted to the rank of Lieutenant Comman-

  der and then served briefly with Iwaku-

  ni and Yokosuka Kōkūtai. He returned

  aboard an aircraft carrier on September

  1, 1941. He was appointed to the positi-

  on of Hikōtaichō of the B5N „Kate“ bom-

  ber squadron within the HIJMS Hiryū Air

  Group. After the attack on Hawaii, the Ja-

  panese Navy officially credited Kusumi‘s

  crew with the destruction of the battle-

  ship Arizona. En route to Japan, Tadashi

  Kusumi led Hiryū bombers during raids

  on Wake Atoll on December 22 and 23. In

  the spring of 1942, he commanded bom-

  bers during raids on Colombo on April 4,

  and Trincomalee during April 9.

  His last assignment was the position

  of Hikōtaichō of the B5N “Kate” bomber

  squadron of the aircraft carrier Kaga,

  which he assumed on April 20, 1942. He

  participated in the Battle of Midway, but no

  records of his involvement in air operati-

  ons survived. He perished in the cockpit

  of his aircraft in the ship‘s hangar, which

  was hit by Dauntless bombers during the

  fateful rush to rearm Japanese aircraft.

  Tadashi Kusumi was posthumously pro-

  moted to Commander.

  Kusumi‘s photograph and key informati-

  on for this biography was kindly provided

  by Mike Wegner with the support of Ron

  Werneth. Many thanks to both gentlemen.

  View looking down Battleship Row from Ford Island Naval Air Station, shortly after the

  Japanese attack. USS California (BB-44) is at left, listing to port after receiving two torpedo

  hits. In the center are USS Maryland (BB-46) with the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37)

  alongside. USS Neosho (AO-23) is at right, backing clear of the area. Most smoke is from

  USS Arizona (BB-39) (photo: National Archives).

  the divers. Of the items that were salv-

  aged, the main caliber weapons are no-

  teworthy. Number 3 and 4 rear turrets

  were removed, with the intent of placing

  them as coastal batteries ‘Pennsylvania’

  and ‘Arizona’ on the Mokapu Peninsula

  near Kahu Point on Oahu. Only the ‘Penn-

  sylvania’ was completed in August, 1945,

  which celebrated the Japanese surrender

  by way of test firings. Both her and the

  nearly completed ‘Arizona’ battery were

  decommissioned and scrapped shortly

  after the war. The roof and front of Turret

  No.2 were removed and the cannon refur-

  bished to be installed in the USS Nevada

  as replacements for her worn out units.

  The remaining parts of Turret No.2 and all

  of Turret No.1 remained in place.

  Demolition of the remains of the wrec-

  kage were considered through the use of

  explosives and outright removal from the

  water, either completely or in part. In 1947,

  it was decided to leave the wreck in pla-

  ce as the final resting place of the crew.

  A flag mast was placed over the wrec-

  kage in 1950, and the daily tradition of

  raising and lowering Old Glory at the site

  was initiated. On March 15, 1958, Congre-

  ss approved and President Dwight Eisen-

  hower signed into law the establishing of

  a memorial over the wreck. The con-

  struction of the memorial structure

  across the deck of the wreckage was

  completed on May 30, 1962, and currently

  stands in honor of the Arizona’s crew, and

  to all the victims of the attack of Decem-

  ber 7, 1941.

  HISTORY

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  The USS Arizona wreck as it stood on 17 February 1942

  USS Arizona sunk at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after her fires were out, 9 December 1941. USS Navajo (AT-64) and USS Tern (AM-31) are alongsi-

  de, spraying water to cool her burned out forward superstructure and midships area. In the left center distance are the masts of USS West

  Virginia (BB-48) and USS Tennessee (BB-43) (photo: National Archives).

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  Colour Scheme,

  December 7, 1941

  From her last docking in June, 1941, the

  USS Arizona was likely painted accor-

  ding to the scheme referred to as Mea-

  sure 1. All surfaces from the waterline on

  up to the upper edge of the smokestack,

  including the decks but not the wooden

  components of them, would have been in

  Dark Grey (5-D). Above the upper edge of

  the smokestack, all surfaces would have

  been Light Grey (5-L). The exhaust por-

  tion of the smokestack was in black, as

  was the waterline. Turret No.s 1, 2 and 4

  had their roofs painted red. For No.s 1 and

  2, this conformed to identification requi-

  rements outlined in Battleship Division 1

  guidelines, and in the case of Turret No.4,

  the red roof identified the USS Arizona as

  the Divisional Flagship. Below the water-

  line, the hull was painted in a protective

  red coating called Antifouling Red Nor-

  folk 65-A. Wooden decks were in weather

  resistant natural teak wood, though the

  question remains as to whether or not

  this was the case at the time of her ul-

  timate demise.

  After a collision between the Arizona

  and the USS Oklahoma on October 22,

  1941 outside of Pearl, both vessels had

  to undergo repairs in dry dock. The Ari-

  zona was the more heavily damaged of

  the two, and was in Dry Dock No.1 from

  October 27, and the repairs took almost

  two weeks to complete. The repairs were

  to include a complete repaint, and some

  sources claim the use of Sea Blue (5-S).

  The last known photographs showing the

  USS Arizona in dry dock on November 8

  clearly show the front superstructure, in-

  cluding the bridge and forward mast, with

  a visible colour interface (I’d rather use

  “demarcation”) at the level of the top of

  the smokestack. These are supported by

  pictures of the wreck, specifically of the

  intact main mast. If the original camou-

  flage scheme remained unaltered, then

  this scheme could have followed specs

  outlined by Measure 11, where the Dark

  Grey (5-D) would be replaced by Sea Blue

  (5-S) on vertical surfaces from the water-

  line to a level in line with the top of the

  smokestack. The Dark Grey would have

  been preserved on all decks and horizon-

  tal surfaces. The rest of the colours would

  have adhered to Measure 1.

  In the interest of completeness and to ad-

  dress further speculation put forth, the in-

  terface (demarcation) visible in photogra-

  phs in line with the top of the smokestack

  would have also satisfied the camouflage

  scheme Measure 2A. It differed from Mea-

  sure 1 with the use of Ocean Grey (5-O)

  on vertical surfaces from the level of the

  main deck to the top of the smokestack.

  In the case of the use of this scheme, the

  dark Grey (5-D) would also have extended

  to the wooden sections of the deck. The

  question of the painting of these wooden

  surfaces, and the horizontal surfaces as

  a whole including all decks, need to be

  considered when looking into the use of

  Measure 11 as well. Here, perhaps even

  Deck Blue (20-B) may be relevant. So, the

  During the Japanese attack on Pearl Har-

  bor on December 7, 1941, Rear Admiral Kidd

  was the Commander of Battleship Division

  One and the Chief of Staff and Aide to the

  Commander, Battleship Battle Force. At his

  first knowledge of the attack, he rushed to

  the bridge of USS Arizona, his flagship, and,

  following the citation for the Medal of Honor

  award, „courageously discharged his duties

  as Senior Officer Present Afloat until Arizo-

  na blew up from a magazine explosion and a

  direct bomb hit on the bridge which resulted

  in the loss of his life.“ The highest ranking

  casualty at Pearl Harbor, he became the

  first U.S. Navy flag officer killed in action in

  Captain Isaac C. Kidd, USN, photographed on

  board USS Argonne (AS-10), circa 1931. He was

  then serving as Chief of Staff to the Commander,

  Base Force, U.S. Fleet, Rear Admiral Henry H.

  Hough, USN (photo: U.S. Naval History and Heri-

  tage Command).

  Citation awarded posthumously to Rear Admi-

  ral Isaac C. Kidd (photo: U.S. Naval History and

  Heritage Command).

  Captain Isaac C. Kidd, USN, Commanding

  Officer, USS Arizona (BB-39) photogra-

  phed on the deck of his ship, circa 1939.

  Captain Kidd has inscribed the original

  print: To my able gunnery officer and friend

  Commander Abercrombie. Sincerely, Isa-

  ac Campbell Kidd. Lieutenant Commander

  Laurence A. Abercrombie was assigned to

  Arizona during the latter part of Kidd‘s tour

  as her Commanding Officer (photo: Dona-

  tion of Richard C. Beggarly, Jr., June 2000.

  U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command).

  Killed commanders

  (Vladimír Šulc)

  World War II as well as the first killed in ac-

  tion against any foreign enemy.

  Kidd‘s body was never recovered and to this

  day he is considered missing in action. U.S.

  Navy salvage divers located his Naval Aca-

  demy ring fused to a bulkhead on Arizona‘s

  bridge. A trunk containing his personal me-

  morabilia was found in the wreck and sent

  to his widow. Rediscovered in the attic by

  his children, both the trunk and its contents

  are now displayed in the museum at the

  USS Arizona Memorial.

  He was a posthumous recipient of his nati-

  on‘s highest military honor, the Medal of Ho-

  nor. A Fletcher-class destroyer, USS Kidd

  (DD-661), was commissioned in his honor

  Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd

  (March 26, 1884 – December 7, 1941)

  on April 23, 1943. The second ship named

  after him, USS Kidd (DDG-993), lead ship of

  four Kidd-class destroyers, was commissi-

  oned on March 27, 1981. An Arleigh Burke-

  -class guided missile destroyer, USS Kidd

  (DDG-100), was then the third ship named

  after him and was commissioned on June

  9, 2007.

  His son, Isaac Campbell Kidd Jr. (August

  14, 1919 – June 27, 1999), was an four-star

  admiral of the US Navy who served as the

  Supreme Allied Commander of NATO‘s At-

  lantic Fleet, and also as commander in chief

  of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet from 1975 to 1978.

  HISTORY

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  General characteristics as completed (1916) final configuration (1941)

  length overall 608´ 0´´ 608´0´´

  maximum beam 97´ 0+1/2´´ 106´ 2+3/4´´

  max. draft (at full load) 29´ 10´´ 30´ 1+3/4´´

  standard displacement 31,400 tons 32,600 tons

  full load displacement 32,567 tons 37,654 tons

  machinery 12 x Babcock&Wilcox boilers 6 x Bureau-Express boilers

  8 Parsons-type turbines on four shafts 4 Westinghouse geared turbines

  shaft horsepower 34,000 SHP, four propellers, 12´ 1+1/2´´ diameter 35,081 SHP, four propellers, 12´ 7´´

  maximum speed 21 knots 20,7 knots

  fuel oil capacity 2,332 tons 4,630 tons

  reserve boiler feed water 373,5 tons 323 tons

  endurance 4,750 nautical miles at 15 knots 13,600 nautical miles at 15 knots

  electricity 4 x 300 kW/240 volt turbo-generator sets 4 x 400 kW/120-240 volt turbo-generator sets

  2 x auxiliary generators (2 x 88 kW)

  complement/accommodations 1,087 total; 56 officers, 1,031 enlisted 2,037 total, 90 officers, 72 chief petty officers,

  1,947 enlisted

  armor protection sides: mail belt 13,5´´ – 8´´ same

  decks: 120-lb and 40 to 60-lb 120 + 70-lb and 40 to 60-lb

  turrets: face plates 18´´, sides 9 to 10´´ same

  conning tower: 16´´ same

  armament 14 x 14´´cal. 45 Mk. 3 (4 x III) 14x14´´cal. 45 Mk. 12 (4 x III)

  22 x 5´´cal. 51 Mk.15 (22 x I) 10x5´´cal. 51 Mk. 15 (10 x I)

  4 x 4´´cal. 50 Mk. 21 (4 x I) 8 x 5´´cal. 25 Mk.11 (8 x I)

  2 x 21´´fixed TT Mk. 3 (2 x I) 8 x 0,50´´ Browning M2921A1 (8 x I)

  Saluting cannons and practice

  loading guns not included

  Navy Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh be-

  came Captain of the Arizona on February

  5, 1941, succeeding Captain Harold C. Train.

  On December 4, USS Arizona sailed under

  his command with the USS Nevada (BB-36)

  and USS Oklahoma (BB-37) for night firing

  exercises, and after completing the exerci-

  ses, returned to Pearl Harbor on December

  6 to moor berth F-7 alongside Ford Island.

  Captain Van Valkenburgh, as well as the

  Commander of the 1st Battleship Division,

  Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, spent Satur-

  day evening of December 6 aboard Arizo-

  na. When the alarm was sounded at 0800

  on the morning of December 7, he ran from

  his cabin and reached the navigation bridge,

  where he immediately began directing the

  defense of his ship and where he was killed

  either by the explosion of a Japanese bomb

  in the bow or by the subsequent fatal explo-

  sion of the ammunition magazines. His body,

  like that of Rear Admiral Kidd and much of

  the other 1,175 members of the Arizona‘s

  crew, was never recovered. As in the case

  of Rear Admiral Kidd, his Annapolis Naval

  Academy graduate ring was found during

  the salvage work.

  Captain Van Valkenburgh was posthumous-

  ly awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation

  for the Medal of Honor states: “For conspi-

  cuous devotion to duty, extraordinary cour-

  age and complete disregard of his own life,

  Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh

  (April 5, 1888 – December 7, 1941)

  during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Har-

  bor T.H., by Japanese forces on December

  7, 1941. As commanding officer of the U.S.S.

  Arizona, Capt. Van Valkenburgh gallantly

  fought his ship until the U.S.S. Arizona blew

  up from magazine explosions and a direct

  bomb hit on the bridge which resulted in the

  loss of his life.“

  The Fletcher-class destroyer USS Van Val-

  kenburgh (DD-656), launched on 19 Decem-

  ber 1943 and commissioned on 2 August

  1944, was named in his honor. The ship took

  part in a number of operations against Ja-

  panese forces in the Pacific, participated

  in support of the landings at Iwo Jima and

  Okinawa, operated in Japanese waters

  at the end of the war, arrived at Nagasaki,

  destroyed by atomic bombing, on 15 Sep-

  tember, and participated in the repatriati-

  on of Allied prisoners of war the following

  week. After the war, the ship continued in

  service, participated in the Korean War, and

  was retired from US Navy service in 1954.

  She remained in reserve, however, and in

  1967 was sold to Turkey, where she served

  in the Turkish Navy as TCG Izmir (D 341)

  until the 1980s. She was finally retired from

  service and scrapped in 1987.

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  decision needs to be made whether or not

  the USS Arizona retained her original ca-

  mouflage scheme after being in dry dock,

  or to embark down the road of the above

  noted speculation…

  Aircraft on the Deck of the USS Arizona

  Besides the fighter aircraft types laun-

  ched from fixed ramps on top of the ship’s

  turrets mentioned in the first part of this

  article, the USS Arizona utilized practica-

  lly every type of observation and recon-

  naissance aircraft in use with the US Navy.

  These progressively included the Vought

  VE-7H, UO-1, FU-1 and O2U Corsair. Prior

  to modernization, the somewhat bizarre

  looking Loening OL could also sporadi-

  cally be spotted. After modernization, the

  USS Arizona could carry three Vought

  O3U Corsairs, which were replaced by

  a same number of SOC Seagulls star-

  ting in 1935. These fell under Observation

  Squadron 1 (VO-1), attached to Battleship

  Division 1. The SOC Seagull remained with

  the Arizona until 1940, when the ship re-

  turned to Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard for

  repairs in Bremerton on the west coast of

  the United States. On her return to Pearl

  Harbor at the beginning of 1941, she took

  delivery of three Vought OS2U-1 Kingfis-

  hers, allocated to VO-1. At the time of the

  attack on Pearl, she carried the dash 3

  variant of the plane.

  For modelers wishing to build the USS

  Arizona as she would have appeared on

  December 7, 1941, it may be a disappo-

  intment to learn that no Kingfishers were

  carried during the Japanese attack. This

  Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, of Observation Squadron One (VO-1) On a seaplane mat

  towed by USS Arizona (BB-39), while being recovered after a flight in the Hawaiian Ope-

  rating area on the morning of 6 September 1941. The plane flown by Ensign Lawrence A.

  Williams. Rear-seat man was Radioman 3rd Class G.H. Lane, who is preparing to hook up

  the aircraft to the ship‘s crane for recovery. Note the plane‘s side number 1-O-3, with the

  ship‘s name below it (photo: National Archives).

  Salvage

  (Vladimír Šulc)

  After the fatal explosi-

  on of the ammunition

  magazines Arizona

  kept burning for hours

  until late night. The fi-

  res were extinguished

  as late as December 9.

  The preparations for

  salvaging the ship be-

  gan on December 14.

  In this photograph we

  can see the wreck’s

  condition after the fi-

  res were extinguished

  and salvage operation

  started (photo: Natio-

  nal Archives).

  fact must be accepted, or be satisfied

  with a model of the Arizona from ‘early

  December, 1941’, since the aircraft were

  land based after the Arizona’s last return

  to Pearl Harbor.

  HISTORY

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  Aerial view of Battleship Row moorings on the southern side of Ford Island, 10 December 1941, showing damage from the Japanese raid three

  days earlier. In upper left is the sunken USS California (BB-44), with smaller vessels clustered around her. Diagonally, from left center to lower

  right are: USS Maryland (BB-46), lightly damaged, with the capsized USS Oklahoma (BB-37) outboard. A barge is alongside Oklahoma, suppor-

  ting rescue efforts. USS Tennessee (BB-43), lightly damaged, with the sunken USS West Virginia (BB-48) outboard. USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk,

  with her hull shattered by the explosion of the magazines below the two forward turrets. Note dark oil streaks on the harbor surface, originating

  from the sunken battleships (photo: National Archives).

  At the first stage of salvage operations the destroyed superstructu-

  res were removed. The photograph dated February 17, 1942 shows the

  superstucture under the forward mast twisted on the gun turret No.2.

  (photo: Naval History and Heritage Command)

  On May 6, 1942, the upper section of the forward mast was cut off the

  bottom section and removed. The floating gantry crane YD-25, capable

  of lifting 150 tons, used for dismantling the heavy ship components,

  served at Pearl Harbor since 1903 (photo: Digital Archives of Hawaiʻi).

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  The picture dated May 18, 1942 shows the ship’s bow who-

  se center, after the fatal ammunition magazines explosion,

  collapsed between gun turrets No. 1 and 2 and sank. The

  forward mast remnants, patrially sunken gun turret No.2

  and bow sticking out of the water can be seen (photo: Digi-

  tal Archives of Hawaiʻi).

  During February 1942 the turrets No. 3 and 4 were removed

  (photo: National Archives).

  HISTORY

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  Ammunition removal and clean up of tu-

  rrents No. 3 and 4 mounts before turrets‘

  removal which lasted until summer 1942. In

  the picture dated May 18, 1942 we can see

  the opened turrents and in the picture upper

  part the pumps discharging the water from

  the turrets‘ locations (photo: National Archi-

  ves).

  Removal of the ammunition remnats was

  difficult and dangerous job. There were still

  fire fumes under the deck presenting the

  danger of gas poisoning. In this photograph

  dated October 5, 1942 we can see the proces

  of ammunition magazines clean up on 1st

  and 2nd deck below gun turret No. 3 (photo:

  Digital Archives of Hawaiʻi).

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  Photograph dated July 17, 1942 shows the wreck‘s condition in summer 1942. The rear mast, as opposed to the front one, survived the the ship‘s

  demise in good condition and was preserved until the present time (foto: National Archives).

  In November 1942 the removal of the forward gun turret No.2 started.

  In the picture dated December 11, 1942 we can see the gun turret No.2

  ceiling removed as well as extent of its flooding (photo: Digital Archi-

  ves of Hawaiʻi).

  Picture dated March 21, 1943 shows the wreck’s condition after the

  removal of destroyed superstructures, gun turrets nr.3 and 4, masts

  and majority of the deck’s installations. Gun turret nr.2 is still on its

  mount. The salvaging work on USS Arizona wreck continued until the

  end of 1943 (foto: National Archives).

  HISTORY

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  Condition of the wreck in the 1950s

  (photo: U.S. Navy National

  Museum of Naval Aviation).

  The final wreck appearance after salvage

  work was completed and her condition in

  the end of 1950s before the USS Arizona

  memorial construction started can be seen

  in this aerial picture taken on Memorial Day,

  May 31, 1958. USS Bennington (CVA-20) pa-

  sses the wreck of USS Arizona in Pearl Har-

  bor, Hawaii, on Memorial Day, 31 May 1958.

  Bennington‘s crew formed the name Ari-

  zona on the flight deck in a tribute to ship‘s

  crewmen lost during the Japanese attack

  on Pearl Harbor. Note the outline of Arizo-

  na‘s hull and oil spillage from her fuel tanks

  (photo: National Archives).

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  Some components, which could be, after re-

  pair, re-used as military material were sal-

  vaged from the ship’s wreck. The most im-

  portant were the massive, 14 inch (356 mm)

  caliber main guns Mk.3 L/45. Twelve of them

  were mounted on Arizona. Due to the fatal

  bomb hits concentrated on the ship’s bow,

  the rear gun turrets nos. 3 and 4 remained

  practically intact. The Navy picked them up

  and after necessary cleaning and overhaul

  intented to mount them as a coastal gun

  batteries „Pennsylvania“ on the Northeast

  of the island of Oahu on Mokapu peninsula

  and „Arizona“ on the West coast of the is-

  land, near the cape Kahu Point. In the end

  the full installation was not completed, only

  the battery „Pennsylvania“, which was the

  most advanced in terms of construction

  and mounting, in August 1945 performed the

  training gunnery excersise and with its fire

  celebrated the Japan‘s surrender. Shortly

  Story of 356 mm caliber main guns (Jiří Fiala)

  after the war both batteries were decommi-

  ssioned and dismantled.

  Nowadays only some landscaping and con-

  crete barbette for one of the turrets can be

  recognized on the hill above the cape Kahu

  Point. There is a communal garbage dump

  nearby this area. The turret barbette (inc-

  luding the safety mesh to prevent falls) and

  the support building ruins were preserved

  on Mokapu peninsula, fairly well accessible

  from the small adjacent township. One of

  the guns of Arizona‘s main battery is now on

  display at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza

  in Phoenix, Arizona.

  The Arizona’s forward gun turrets (nr. 1 and

  2) remained on the wreck until the final st-

  age of the salvage operations in 1943. The

  Navy, after the careful analysis and consi-

  deration of all options, decided to remove

  the guns from the turret nr.2 and in the

  fall of 1944 had them carefully cleaned up,

  overhauled and re-bored for the more mo-

  dern ammunition. In New York shipyards

  they were mounted on USS Nevada (BB-

  36) battleship which during the Pearl Har-

  bor attack had also suffered the heavy da-

  mage however, not as fatal as Arizona and

  was returned to service after a general

  overhaul. The turret nr.2 remnants and se-

  verely damaged turret no. 1 were left on the

  wreck. So ultimately Arizona guns did fire

  in anger when Nevada was part of the fleet

  supporting with heavy guns fire the landing

  on Iwo Jima and Okinawa during the spring

  months of 1945.

  USS Nevada (BB-36) bombarding Iwo Jima, 19

  February 1945. A North Carolina class battle-

  ship (probably USS Washington, BB-56) is in

  the left distance (photo: Naval History and He-

  ritage Command).

  USS Nevada (BB-36) Operating off Okinawa, circa March-May 1945.

  She is wearing Camouflage Measure 31a, Design 6B (photo: Naval His-

  tory and Heritage Command).

  14-inch gun formerly on USS Arizona, displayed at Wesley Bolin Me-

  morial Plaza near the Arizona State House, Phoenix, Arizona (photo:

  Wikimedia Commons).

  HISTORY

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  After salvaging all reusable components

  and removal of the dangerous ones sticking

  out about the water surface, the Navy’s con-

  cern was what to do with the battleship‘s

  wreck. Some US Navy personnel sugges-

  ted the wreck’s demolition with explosi-

  ves followed by the partial or full recovery

  and scrapping. The voices for leaving the

  wreck where it sank and create of it the

  memorial to all victims of the Pearl Harbor

  attack were growing stronger. Among the

  strongest supporters of the memorial was

  at that time very popular cartoonist, radio

  anchor, traveler, and influential entrepre-

  neur LeRoy Robert Ripley (1890–1949) who

  in 1942, for the first time personally visited

  Pearl Harbor and places which were attac-

  ked. In 1948 he visited Pearl Harbor for the

  second time but this time with his popular

  radio show „Believe it or not“ when he con-

  tacted Department of Navy representatives.

  He wrote couple of letters to Rear Admiral

  J. J. Manning from the Bureau of Yards and

  Docks where he skillfully presented his de-

  sire of the permanent memorial to Arizona

  casualties.

  After the initial intellectual encounters

  between Robert Ripley and the Navy, in the

  end USN took over the initiative and in 1949

  created the Pacific War Memorial Commi-

  ssion which was tasked with completion

  of the permanent memorial. In 1950 a mast

  was reinstalled on the wreck and the Pacific

  Fleet Commander Admiral Arthur W. Rad-

  ford hoisted the United States flag on Arizo-

  na again. Since then, the daily morning flag

  USS Arizona Memorial

  (Jiří Fiala)

  raising and its evening lowering became the

  tradition. The same year the temporary me-

  morial was built above the raised portion of

  the ship’s deck. During 1951-1952 Admiral

  Radford tried to raise more funds from the

  Navy to built a permanent memorial howe-

  ver he was not successful due to the high

  cost of the Korean War operations.

  Only on December 7, 1955, the Navy placed

  the first permanent memorial on the deck

  in the form of almost 3 meters tall black

  marble stone with memorial plaque. In 1958,

  President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved

  the construction of the national memorial

  with the budget of 200,000 US dollars. The

  remaining 300,000 USD needed for the pro-

  ject were raised from private gifts and funds.

  Some of the more interesting contributions

  is 64,000 USD revenue from Elvis Presley

  beneficial concert and 40,000 USD in sales

  of the USS Arizona plastic models in coo-

  peration with Fleet Reserve Association and

  Revell Model Company.

  The contemporary memorial was designed

  by the Hawaiian architect Alfred Preis who

  led very colorful life as he was, at the be-

  ginning of WWII, interned on Sand Island

  as a potential enemy of the state since he

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

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  hailed from Austria. The memorial, whose

  construction began in 1962, was designed

  as a bridge floating across the ship’s wreck,

  184 feet long (56 meters) with the capacity

  of 200 visitors. In the central section there

  is an opening in the floor through which the

  wreck’s deck can be observed and the me-

  mory of the fallen sailors can be honored

  by dropping the flower wrath in the harbor

  waters. Part of the memorial is a place for

  reflections with the marble plaque listing

  all fallen sailors. One of the three main Ari-

  zona’s impressive 19,585 lbs (8,884 kilos)

  anchors is exhibited at the entrance to the

  visitors‘ center on Ford Island. Also, one of

  the ship’s bells is exhibited in the visitors‘

  center.

  On October 15, 1966 the USS Arizona me-

  morial was officially entered in the registry

  of the United States historic sites and on

  May 5, 1989 the Arizona wreck was decla-

  red the national cultural site. Currently the

  memorial and the visitors‘ center, which is

  the part of the Pearl Harbor National Me-

  morial, is visited by more than 2 million pe-

  ople annually.

  A serious problem pertaining to the wreck

  since its sinking is the persistent leakage of

  the residual bunker oil from the fuel tanks,

  known as the „Tears of Arizona“, at a rate of

  approximately 2.5 liters per day. The Navy

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard36

  April 2022

• Page 37

  has been constantly looking for ways how

  to gently, without serious interference

  with the ship‘s hull as a war grave, drain

  the remaining fuel and relieve the already

  strained environmental situation at Pearl

  Harbor.

  (To Be Continued)

  POSTAVENOHISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  37

  April 2022

• Page 38

  HISTORY

  Until the deadline of this INFO Eduard issue

  we managed to cover the events from the

  moment the attack was launched until

  Wednesday, March 16, which is exactly 21

  days. If you, in the text, come across the

  words “until now” or “until today” it corre-

  sponds to the March 16 date. It also needs

  to be stressed out from the very beginning

  that the information verification at the time

  of an ongoing war is rather complicated, to

  say the least. In the case of ground combat

  a lot of photographs and video records are

  available which can confirm or dismiss the

  claims of either warring side. In the case

  of air combat, it’s even more difficult. If the

  long range missile hit was claimed and the

  shot down airplane crashed on the enemy’s

  territory the kill is practically impossible to

  confirm by the photograph - unless done by

  the adversary. This is rather improbable as

  far as Russia is concerned. The official Ru-

  ssian sources keep rather tight lips about

  enemy casualties not speaking about their

  own. And Ukrainians, in order to boost mo-

  rale, mostly report the Russian losses and

  very rarely their own.

  According to the latest official information,

  published on March 13, Russian forces de-

  stroyed 99 Ukrainian aircraft. The number

  obviously includes decommissioned air-

  craft destroyed on the ground about which

  we will talk later. Nevertheless, the pho-

  tographs, videos and other sources con-

  firm only 9 Ukrainian aircraft, four drones

  and one helicopter destroyed. The ratio of

  claims to confirmed kills is therefore 99:14.

  As of March 16, Ukrainians reported 84 Ru-

  ssian aircraft, 11 drones and 108 helicopters

  destroyed. Other sources confirm 15 Russi-

  an aircraft, 8 drones and 32 helicopters lost

  which represents the ratio 203:55. It’s obvi-

  ous that neither number is accurate. Since

  the beginning of mankind each warring side

  exaggerated its successes to boost their

  troops’ morale. On the other hand we can-

  not expect to document each and every loss

  therefore the actual losses are higher than

  those photographically documented. So far

  only the aforementioned numbers are avai-

  lable.

  The struggle for air superiority

  The first days of the Russian invasion

  were dedicated to air superiority. Despite

  Moscow’s significant air supremacy and

  bold claim to have destroyed the Ukraini-

  an anti-aircraft defenses it turned out to be

  just another Kremlin’s propaganda. During

  the first days of the conflict the Russian

  missiles did hit almost all major Ukraini-

  an military airports, including the bases

  at Luck and Ivano-Frankivsk in the west

  of the country. The large radar bases were

  destroyed as well. At the local and regional

  level however the batteries of the anti-air-

  craft missiles and medium range radars

  remained largely intact which was, in the

  coming days, very much felt by the Russian

  airmen. On the very first day of the attack

  Russians claimed to have shot down four

  Ukrainian airplanes, four drones and one

  helicopter. Only one Su-27 is confirmed

  destroyed on the ground, one Mig-29 shot

  down in the air and one practically defense-

  less transport aircraft An-26 shot down in

  the Kiev area with five crew members lost.

  Report of four drones destroyed is re-

  markable. They were supposed to be the

  Bayraktar TB2 crafts Ukraine bought from

  Turkey. They were ordered in 2019 and the

  number of them gradually increased to

  more than 60. It remains unclear how many

  of them Ukraine received but the last batch

  arrived shortly before the outbreak of the

  war and reportedly even afterwards. The-

  TEXT: MIRO BARIČ

  On Thursday, February 24, 2022 the world woke up into a nightma-

  re. At 5 am, Eastern European time, a war, not witnessed since

  1945, erupted. The first shots were fired by the air force when

  the whole Ukrainian territory was targeted by the air and missile

  attacks. We will focus on this air combat in the following text.

  Air war over Ukraine

  First three weeks

  Kamov Ka-52 shot down on the first day of the war during an attack on Hostomel airfield.

  INFO Eduard38

  April 2022

• Page 39

  HISTORY

  refore Ukraine managed to deploy more

  than 20 of them successfully against the

  Russian columns. Bayraktar means flag

  bearer. The aircraft span is 12 meters and

  is 6.5 meters long. Maximum speed is 220

  kph and control station range is 150 km.

  The ordnance of guided bombs and rockets

  can be carried on four racks. The maximum

  take off weight is 650 kilos out of which 150

  kilos is the weapons load. The Ukrainians

  kept deploying them with such success

  that the song about them was composed. It

  is possibly the first song about the armed

  drone in the world and is extremely catchy.

  You were warned in case you decide to look

  it up on Youtube!

  Death of the giants

  The Russian paratroopers' offensive opera-

  tions dominated the first days of the war.

  They attacked Hostomel airport north of

  Kiev which belongs to the Antonov com-

  pany and was the largest cargo airport in

  Ukraine. The intention was clear - secure

  the airport for aircraft carrying troops ear-

  marked for the direct attack on the Ukrai-

  nian capital. However, this mission failed.

  The first wave of troops deployed from

  approximately 30 helicopters were anni-

  hilated by the Ukrainian military. Next day

  the second wave arrived, this time aboard

  200 helicopters. They managed to recaptu-

  re the airport but fierce fighting continued

  in the surrounding areas for several more

  days. At this time the frontline runs near

  the city. The attack of Russian paratroopers

  deployed from the helicopters on Kharkiv

  also failed. During the battle of Hostomel

  Antonov An-225 Mrija, the largest aircraft

  in the world, was completely destroyed. Its

  loss was reported on February 27. Later the

  photographs showed that it had burnt in the

  hangar. Mrija’s wingspan was 88.4 meters

  and it was 84 meters long. The maximum

  take off weight was 640 tons with the pay-

  load of 254 tons of cargo. The length of the

  cargo compartment was 43 meters which

  is more than Wright brothers’ first flight, 36

  meters!

  Detail of the damage on the left side of the Ka-52.

  Russian Mi-35 shot down on March 5.

  Russian Su-25 shot down on Mar 4.

  Russian Mi-8 helicopter shot down on March 5.

  Russian Su-30 shot down on March 5.

  INFO Eduard

  39

  April 2022

• Page 40

  The first day of war the Ukrainians reported

  seven Russian aircraft and four helicopters

  shot down. There is photographic evidence

  of one Russian Su-25 shot down on Febru-

  ary 24. One transport An-26 crashed on Ru-

  ssian territory near the Ukrainian border.

  The cause of the crash remains unknown.

  Ukrainians claim to have hit several helico-

  pters attacking Hostomel. At least one was

  supposed to crash into the Dnieper river.

  One Ka-52 attack helicopter escorting the

  transport Mi-8s carrying the paratroopers,

  was hit by a heat-seeking portable missi-

  le. It aimed at the helicopter’s port engine

  but struck the weapons’ pylon on the port

  side. The missile explosion tore off the end

  of the pylon with the third attachment point

  and a lot of fragments hit the port engine.

  The crew performed the emergency landing

  and attempted to flee. Both airmen however

  were killed by the Ukrainian troops. The

  damaged helicopter is well documented

  by photographs. All national markings are

  overpainted on the both sides and the fu-

  selage is marked with hastily painted letter

  V which according to the unconfirmed in-

  formation is supposed to identify the Russi-

  an Marines.

  Claims of two Il-76 airplanes shot down

  during the paratrooper operations remain

  unconfirmed. The first one was supposed

  to be shot down by the Ukrainian Su-27 fi-

  ghter during the night of February 25th and

  26th near Vasylkiv 40 kilometers south of

  Kiev. It was announced by the Ukrainian

  Headquarters stating that the number of

  paratroopers on board is unknown. Il-76

  can carry 125 paratroopers or 140 regular

  infantrymen. There is an airport in Vasylkiv

  that Russians may have intended to captu-

  re. Later, during February 26, the Ukrainians

  reported another Il-76 shot down near the

  city of Bila Cerkva 80 kilometers south of

  Kiev. Both kills were supposedly achieved

  over the territory controlled by the Ukrai-

  nian troops however no photographs of the

  wreckage surfaced. Therefore, the veracity

  of these reports is questionable.

  A hero and an urban legend

  Meanwhile the urban legend about a hero-

  ic Mig-29 fighter pilot nicknamed Ghost of

  Kiev spread around the Ukrainian capital.

  He supposedly shot down seven Russi-

  an airplanes in two days of defending the

  capital and became the first fighter ace of

  the 21st century. Later he was supposed

  to raise his score to ten Russian airplanes

  and despite being shot down himself he

  successfully ejected and continued to fight

  in another plane. The existence of Ghost of

  Kiev, whose real identity remains unknown,

  was to be confirmed by the videos of the

  fighter flying low over the Kiev apartment

  buildings. Most likely this is an urban le-

  gend in order to boost morale. At the time

  of crisis people need a superhero.

  In fact Ukraine did lose one hero during

  An-225 destroyed at Hostomel airfield.

  Ukrainian pilot Oleksandr Oksanchenko and the

  wreckage of his Su-27.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard40

  April 2022

• Page 41

  those days. On the night of February 25, du-

  ring the sortie against the enemy aircraft

  over Kiev, Col. Oleksandr Oksanchenko was

  shot down.

  His Su-27 fighter was hit by the Russian

  S-400 missile system. During 2013-2018

  Oksanchenko, nicknamed Gray Wolf, was

  a Ukrainian AF Su-27 display pilot. In 2013

  and 2016 he demonstrated his skills at SIAF

  air shows at Sliac in Slovakia and for his

  second show was awarded for the best

  performance. In 2018 he was declared the

  best pilot at the CIAF air show in Hradec

  Kralove. He retired the same year. When the

  Russian invasion commenced he voluntee-

  red for service and was consequently killed

  while defending his homeland.

  On Friday, February 25, the Ukrainians

  launched the successful counter-attack.

  At least symbolically they brought the fi-

  ghting to the enemy’s territory when their

  ballistic missiles Tochka-U hit the military

  airport Millerovo near Rostov on Don. The

  city is located 16 kilometers from the Lu-

  hansk region border. Ukraine inherited To-

  chka-U missiles after the collapse of the

  Soviet Union. Their range is 120 kilometers.

  At least one Su-30 aircraft and several

  buildings burnt down. Within 48 hours of

  the beginning of the attack the Russians

  claimed similar success. They published

  the photographs of the airport where their

  Kalibr missile launched from the ship de-

  stroyed at least six Ukrainian fighters Mig-

  29. Older satellite images however showed

  that this group of Migs had been parked

  there for several years without movement.

  Russians wasted their ammunition on de-

  commissioned and unusable aircraft.

  Civilian targets

  In the following days the Russian activities

  switched from the attacks on the airports

  and radar bases to support of their attac-

  king ground troops. Those however succe-

  eded to advance in the southern Ukraine

  only, got bogged down at Kiev and Khar-

  kiv. There are several reasons for it-low

  morale and unexpectedly fierce Ukrainian

  resistance, enormous logistics problems

  as well as communication problems when

  the Russian soldiers are forced to use the

  ordinary radios or even mobile phones and

  their uncoded chat can be monitored wit-

  hout problems. The short blitzkrieg visio-

  ned by Russians got transformed into the

  carpet shelling of the Ukrainian cities in an

  effort to break the spirit of their population.

  In comparison to this chaos the Russian

  AF operates in a relatively organized way.

  Sure, they too participate in the air attacks

  against civilian targets including the hos-

  pitals, however, as stated by the expert on

  contemporary military aviation, Tom Co-

  oper, the majority of pilots don’t really know

  what they are attacking. Before the mission

  they receive the coordinates of the target

  they are to attack without knowing what

  exactly is located there. This is confirmed

  by the notes found on the shot down pilots.

  Therefore, the Russian command, both mi-

  litary and political leadership, is undenia-

  bly responsible for the campaign against

  civilian targets which was also executed

  in Chechnya and Syria. The higher ranking

  pilots can represent an exception having

  more accurate information but the ordina-

  ry pilots are only given the coordinates and

  are possibly told by their commanders that

  there is, for example, the headquarters or

  the Ukrainian “neonazis”.

  The Russian AF operations are controlled

  by Beriev A-50 AWACS airplanes. There

  are at least two airborne all the time, one

  over Belarus and the second one in the east

  near Rostov on Don.

  They fly 70 to 100 kilometers from the Ru-

  ssian border, outside of the range of the

  Ukrainian AA system S-300. A-50 aircraft

  gather information from the reconnaissan-

  ce aircraft, drones and ground observers.

  Based on this data they determine potential

  targets and assign priority to them. Then

  two to three waves of Russian air attacks

  follow on a daily basis.

  It seems that Russian pilots don’t rush into

  the attacks. There are several specific re-

  asons for it. Poor communication of the

  ground units creates fear of friendly fire.

  There were suspiciously many cases where

  the shot down Russian pilot ejected but his

  parachute did not open. That certainly do-

  esn’t contribute to other pilots’ confidence.

  Despite the official reports the Ukrainian

  AA defense in various areas is still pretty

  Russian Su-25 that managed to land after being hit by a Stinger in the right engine.

  Detail of the damage of the Su-25.

  Burning Russian helicopters at an airfield near Kherson on March 15.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  41

  April 2022

• Page 42

  active. Therefore, the Russian pilots prefer

  to fly at very low altitudes to avoid being

  targeted. Regardless, they are targeted by

  the short range portable rocket systems.

  There is another reason why they fly wi-

  thin the range of these portable missiles.

  More frequently they use the “dumb” bombs

  requiring the optical aiming and therefore

  they cannot hide in the clouds but have to

  fly underneath them. The Ukrainians who

  had received at least 2000 Stingers are not

  shy to use them and once they have a Ru-

  ssian aircraft in their range they launch 5-6

  missiles at the same time. It must be a real

  “joy” for Russian pilots to fly in such an en-

  vironment.

  As per Pentagon’s estimate dated March 11

  the Russian pilots fly around 200 sorties

  daily.

  Many times though, afraid of the Ukraini-

  an AA defense, they don’t even enter the

  Ukrainian airspace and launch the cruise

  missiles from the Russian side of the bor-

  der. No surprise that even Russians need to

  boost their morale. Maj. Viktor Dudin, sh-

  turman of the fighter squadron, was awar-

  ded Hero of Russia for shooting down three

  Ukrainian Su-27 fighters. It was supposed

  to happen on February 24, 28 and March

  1. Only two losses of the Ukrainian Su-27

  are photographically documented and nei-

  ther corresponds, based on the timeframe

  and circumstances, to Dudin’s claims. Besi-

  des these three kills (some sources credit

  him with the fourth one, another Su-27) on

  February 26 he was supposed to destroy

  the Ukrainian AA system Buk. Allegedly he

  hit it with the missile launched from his low

  flying fighter. Another decorated soldier is

  Captain. Alexei Pankratov, commander of

  the AA missile division. On February 28 he

  supposedly shot down a Ukrainian Su-25

  and three Bayraktar drones. Next day he

  was to increase his score by another two

  Bayraktars shot down. Again, neither of

  these claims could be confirmed.

  Obviously the Russian AF has achieved

  confirmed successes. On Thursday, March

  3, the unique encounter in the open sea took

  place. The Ukrainian patrol boat Slovyansk

  was conducting a reconnaissance mission

  south of the port of Odessa when it was hit

  by an air-to-ground missile launched from

  a Russian aircraft. The boat sank and the

  whole crew of 16 sailors is MIA. Slovyansk's

  original name was USCGC Cushing belon-

  ging to the Island class. In the 1980s there

  were 49 built for the US Coast Guard. The

  USA donated four of them to Ukraine. Slo-

  vyansk entered service for the new owner

  in 2019. Its length was 34 meters and dis-

  placement 170 tons. The armament consis-

  ted of one 25 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm

  machine guns.

  “Black Friday” of the Russian AF

  From March 4 to 6 the Russian AF suffered

  exceptionally bad luck. On March 5 only the

  Ukrainians claimed 10 Russian aircraft de-

  stroyed. Not all of these claims have been

  confirmed but in the course of three days

  the Russians altogether lost 6 aircraft,

  6 helicopters and one reconnaissance dro-

  ne. First, on Friday March 3, they lost two

  ground attack Su-25, one transport heli-

  copter Mi-8 and one attack helicopter Mi-

  28. The hard luck continued on Saturday

  with the loss of two Su-34 and one Su-

  Major Krasnoyartsev's Su-34 was shot down on March 5. The pilot was wounded and fell into captivity.

  Wreckage of the Su-34 that was shot down on March 6.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard42

  April 2022

• Page 43

  30, another Mi-8 and two attack Mi-24/35.

  The Orlan-10 drone was destroyed as well.

  On Sunday the Ukrainian score was inc-

  reased by another Su-34 and Mi-24.

  One of the Su-34 aircraft, shot down on Sa-

  turday, was piloted by Maj.Krasnoyartsev

  who had participated in the Russian bom-

  bing campaing in Syria. Together with the

  second crew member he ejected from the

  stricken bomber and once on the ground

  they attempted to escape. The second pilot

  was killed and Maj. Krasnoyartsev woun-

  ded and captured. His wounds were not

  life threatening and Ukrainians stated they

  want to bring him to the International Cri-

  minal Court for his war crimes.

  Supposedly during the interrogation he

  confessed the he knew he was bombing ci-

  vilian targets which is to be corroborated

  by the flight plan found in his possession.

  Question is if the plan only contained the

  targets’ coordinates or he, as a higher ran-

  king officer knew what he was attacking.

  Airports are targeted again

  According to the Pentagon estimates, as of

  March 11 the Ukrainian AF still had 56 com-

  bat ready military aircraft. Despite flying

  a limited number of missions, in comparis-

  on to the Russian opponent, it still needs to

  be considered a front line power. This is in-

  directly confirmed by the change of Russian

  tactics. On Friday, March 11, the military air-

  ports Ivano-Frankivsk and Luck in the west

  of the country became the targets of the

  missile attacks. The aero engine military

  repair factory in Luck was bombed. For the

  first time during the hostilities the airport in

  the city of Dnipro, in the middle of Eastern

  Ukraine, was bombed. The Ivano-Frankivsk

  airport was the target for the missiles on

  Sunday, March 13.

  It’s not only the aggressor troops that su-

  ccessfully attack the airports. The Russians

  deployed a large helicopter unit on the base

  near occupied Kherson. It became the tar-

  get of the Ukrainian missile attack on March

  7. Kiev maintained to have destroyed 30 Ru-

  ssian helicopters, satellite images however

  showed that only six were hit and damaged.

  The Russians did not learn the lesson from

  this warning and still left at the airport the

  large number of unprotected helicopters

  parked tightly one to another. On March 15

  the punishment arrived in the form of a new,

  much better prepared Ukrainian missile

  attack. At least 16 helicopters were hit out

  of which 15 were completely destroyed and

  one damaged. The large number of military

  vehicles burnt within the base perimeter.

  At this point the only conclusion to be made

  is that the intense air combat continues and

  losses on both sides mount. We can only

  wish that until the next INFO Eduard re-

  lease this madness will have stopped.

  A Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 drone of Turkish manufacture.

  Ukrainian An-26 shot down on the first day

  of the war in the Kiev area.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  43

  April 2022

• Page 44

  HISTORY

  The two losses that night were B-29A Miss

  Jackie The Rebel (44-61967) of the 30th Bomb

  Squadron and Hot to Go (44-62183) of the 28th

  Bomb Squadron. While some sources attribu-

  te the downing of the former B-29 to anti-air-

  craft fighters, this is not likely. Both aircraft

  are believed to be victims of Soviet fighters.

  It's just a question which ones shot them

  down...

  Miss Jackie The Rebel

  The Superfortresses took off from Kadena

  Base in Okinawa late at night. As they approa-

  ched their target on the northwestern Korean

  peninsula, four MiG-15s took off against them.

  They were piloted by Lt. Col. Mikhail I. Studilin,

  commander of the 147 GIAP (Guard´s Fighter

  Air Regiment), his deputy, Major Bykovets,

  the navigator of the 351 IAP (Fighter Air Re-

  giment), Captain Anatoly M. Karelin, and Lieu-

  tenant Commander Ikansangaliyev. According

  to the book Soviet MiG-15 Aces of the Korean

  War by Leonid Krylov and Yuri Tepsurkayev,

  the first to attack was Studilin, who took aim

  at B-29A caught in the searchlights. The hits

  after the second attack set it on fire and the

  crippled bomber curled up over the sea and

  descended faster and faster. According to

  Igor Sejdov's book Sovjetskie asy korejskoj

  vojny (Soviet Aces of the Korean War), it was

  the Hot to Go, with a subsequent emergency

  landing at Kimpo Base (K-15). But that is an

  easily refutable fallacy. The Hot to Go did not

  return to the base, it was shot down and its

  wreckage landed near Sinmi-do Island. It was

  B-29A (44-61902) named Apache which made

  an emergency landing at Kimpo. A number of

  other sources credit Studilin with shooting

  down Miss Jackie the Rebel. The fact is that

  she crashed into the sea at about 0315 local

  time about 20 km off the coast. All 14 crew

  members were declared missing in action

  (MIA), then finally declared dead on December

  31, 1953 when it was confirmed that none of

  the crew were among the captives. On board

  of her was also the Squadron Commander,

  Major George Allen Hadley, who had been vi-

  sited by his family in Okinawa shortly before.

  After the tragedy, one of the squadron officers

  was assigned to the family to help devastated

  Mrs. Hadley with return to the United States.

  It's worth noting that the two later married...

  The problem with Miss Jackie the Rebel is

  that, according to Igor Sejdov, she was supp-

  osed to be the victim of Anatoly Karelin that

  night. The same author attributes the downing

  of 44-86433, named Peace Maker, to him. Ho-

  wever, the latter was written off by USAF only

  in August 1954 and is not listed as damaged

  anywhere else in the action of 10-11 June.

  The Crew of B-29A (44-61727)

  Miss Jackie the Rebel

  Maj. George Allen Hadley

  Captain Marvin Jr. Cessna

  1st Lt William Sidney Earns

  1st Lt Richard Melvin Friedman

  1st Lt Wilbur Eugene Lewis

  1st Lt John Richard Miller

  1st Lt Preston Skinner

  S/Sgt John Harrison Errington

  S/Sgt Elwood John Thompson

  A2c Douglas Earl Attinger

  A2c Westervelt Charles Stagg Jr.

  A1c Buddy Joe Bonney

  A1c John Francis Flaherty

  A1c Carl August Jenkins

  Hot to Go

  According to Krylov and Tepsurkayev, Karelin

  made his first attack on the B-29A illumina-

  ted by radar-controlled ground searchlights

  and opened fire from a distance of 300-400

  meters. The bomber began to burn after the

  hit and moments later broke into three pie-

  ces after the explosion. These sections hit

  the ground about 15 km southeast of Sonchon

  near Sinmi-do Island. As it later turned out,

  the debris from the explosion of the American

  bomber hit Karelin´s Mig and damaged its left

  wing. This ill-fated machine was almost cer-

  tainly (and the reports from the American side

  are consistent with this) a Hot to Go aircraft.

  According to the testimony of sixteen other

  Superfortress crew members, no parachutes

  were seen, and so it seemed impossible that

  anyone on board had survived. However, for-

  tune was very much in Captain Anton Brom's

  favor that night and he managed to escape the

  fiery inferno and save himself. He was captu-

  red and repatriated in 1953 as a part of Ope-

  ration Big Switch. Interestingly, USAF casualty

  records indicate a missile hit in the Hot to Go

  case, but this is almost certainly a mistake,

  due to the huge explosion of the aircraft after

  the Karelin´s attack.

  On the morning of June 11, the area of the Hot

  to Go wreckage was surveyed by Soviet tro-

  ops. The 64 IAK (Air Fighter Wing) staff opera-

  tional summary of that day (No. 00163) states,

  “On the night to 11 June, a search team found

  the wreckage of a B-29 and eight bodies west

  of the Kakusan area. Further, Korean and Chi-

  nese comrades reported seeing one B-29 fall

  into the sea and explode in an area 20 km sou-

  theast of Simni-do Island.” That was almost

  certainly Miss Jackie the Rebel. According to

  USAF casualty records, she was last seen at

  39°41' N latitude and 125°04' E longitude. The

  last positive radio transmission was made on

  VHF at control point 38°15' N and 124°51' E. Ho-

  wever, no distress signal was sent by the crew

  (source: Status of POW/MIA negotiations with

  North Korea, June 20, 1996).

  The Crew of B-29A (44-62183)

  Hot to Go

  Captain Louis Paul Gorrell

  Captain Anton Brom Jr.

  1st Lt John Howard Adams

  1st Lt Robert Black Baumer

  1st Lt Harold Ray Holmes

  1st Lt Robert Edward Hudson

  1st Lt David Mandell

  S/Sgt William Alfred Canning

  A2c Paul Kenneth Kellstrom

  A2c Thomas J. Pettit

  A2c Robert Lewis Ross

  A1c Edgar Foy Barrington

  A1c Elbert Josephus Reid Jr.

  On the boxart of the kit Cat. No. 7461 by Adam To-

  oby the scene depicts the Hot to Go seconds after

  the attack and just moments before the explos

  -

  ion. Karelin inherited his MiG-15bis No. 325 from

  196th IAP commander Evgenyi Pepelyaev, who

  scored 18 kills flying it. Karelin added two more

  victories on the night of June 10-11, 1952, making

  the aircraft the second most successful MiG-15 in

  history, behind the aircraft serial number 121032,

  with which Captain N. V. Sutyagin scored all of

  his 22 kills.

  TEXT: RICHARD PLOS

  The June 10, 1952 was a black day for the 19th Bombardment Wing. Or night, better to

  say. Two B-29As were lost in a raid on a railroad bridge near Gwaksan, another was

  badly damaged. Altogether 27 men never returned to base, 26 of them were killed.

  Black

  night over

  Gwaksan

  INFO Eduard44

  April 2022

• Page 45

• Page 46

  #82156

  Spitfire Mk.Vb late

  1/48

  Profipack edition kit of British fighter plane Spitfire Mk.Vb in 1/48 scale.

  All the Spitfires are of the later version, with integrated armor glass in the

  windshield and with the assymetrical bulges on the wings undersurface.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard46

  April 2022

• Page 47

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, EP120, S/Ldr Geoffrey W. Northcott, CO of No. 402 Squadron RCAF, RAF Merston,

  West Sussex, Great Britain, June–November, 1943

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, AB276, F/Lt Václav Hájek, No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Great Britain,

  January–June, 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, AB184, Sgt. Olav Dionne, No. 332 (Norwegian) Squadron, RAF North Weald, Essex,

  Great Britain, August, 1942

  Canadian Geoffrey Wilson Northcott was born in Ra-

  pid City, Manitoba, in 1920. Prior to joining the RCAF

  in June of 1940, he worked on the family farm. On

  completing basic training in January, 1941, he was

  moved to Britain and underwent operational training

  with No. 52 OTU in Debden. This was followed by as

  -

  signment to No. 401 Squadron RCAF. At the beginning

  of May, 1942, he boarded the USS Wasp and headed off

  to Malta, where he arrived together with his Spitfire

  on the 9th of the month. He was assigned to No. 603

  Squadron and soon made a name for himself in com

  -

  bat. After the unit was decommissioned in August, he

  was transferred to No. 229 Squadron, but did not stay

  for long, as by the end of the month, he was back in

  England with No. 53 OTU. In May, 1943, he was named

  CO of No. 416 Squadron RCAF, but was then reassigned

  to No. 402 “City of Winnipeg” Squadron RCAF, which

  he led from June, 1943, to July, 1944. In January, 1945,

  he would become the CO of the elite No.126 (RCAF)

  Wing, and remained in that post through to March,

  1946. In 1949, he went into the Reserves, and finally

  left the RCAF in 1955. Over the course of the Second

  World War, he was awarded the DFC with Bars and the

  DSO for nine confirmed kills, one probable and eight

  damaged aircraft. Six of the kills (four Bf 109s and

  a pair of Fw 190s) were gained while flying his per-

  sonal Spitfire EP120

  Spitfire Mk.Vb AB276 served operationally with No.313

  (Czechoslovak) Squadron from January 13, 1942 to

  June 8 of the same year. It was most often flown by

  F/Lt Václav Hájek, who on April 10, 1942 likely shot

  down a I./JG 26 Fw 190 south of Gravelines. Other pi

  -

  lots who flew missions in AB276 were Sgt. K. Pavlík,

  Sgt. F. Bönisch and P/O V. Michálek. No. 313 (Czecho

  -

  slovak) Squadron Spitfires are known for their carry-

  ing Walt Disney characters through the first half of

  1942, when the unit was a component of Hornchurch

  Wing. The author of the artwork was Sgt. Karel Pavlík,

  who put his talents as a graphic artist to good use

  and applied the characters below the windscreen

  of individual aircraft according to the wishes of the

  pilots. The rendering of the kitten “Figaro” with the

  inscription “Mnoho Štěstí” (Best of Luck) is probably

  the most recognized because of a photograph of it,

  in which Sgt. Pavlík is shown during its creation. Its

  likeness also appears on a granite monument near to

  where Sgt. Pavlík crashed, not far from the town of

  Dranouter, Belgium.

  Norwegian pilot Olav Dionne served with No. 332

  (Norwegian) Squadron through 1942–1943. His first

  kill was gained during combat over Dieppe on Au

  -

  gust 19th, 1942, when he downed a Do 217 flying this

  aircraft. In 1943, he was made an officer, and flying

  Spitfire Mk.IXs, he recorded another four confirmed

  kills. After the war, he entered the Norwegian civil

  aviation scene, and was killed in 1946, a mishap whi

  -

  le piloting a Ju 52. Spitfire AB184, which Dionne flew

  in August, 1942, was one of the most striking aircraft

  to fly with No. 332 (Norwegian) Squadron. The cockpit

  door bore the Norwegian flag, an inscription “Joe II”

  appeared below the windscreen, and the fuel tank

  cover carried artwork of a snorting bull, above which

  was a swastika, denoting the kill over Dieppe.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  47

  April 2022

• Page 48

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, EN794, S/Ldr Yvan du Monceau de Bergendal, No.350 (Belgian) Squadron,

  RAF Redhill, Surrey, Great Britain, July–December, 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, AA853, W/Cdr Stefan Witorzenc, No. 1 Polish Fighter Wing, RAF Heston, Great Britain,

  Beginning of July, 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, EP829, S/Ldr John J. Lynch, No.249 Squadron, RAF Krendi, Malta, April–May, 1943

  The most successful Belgian fighter ace, Yvan du Mon-

  ceau de Bergendal was born on December 10th, 1915

  in Fullham. He underwent training at Sutton Bridge

  with No.56 OTU, and his first combat assignment was

  with No. 253 Squadron. In April, 1941, he was transfe

  -

  rred to No. 609 Squadron, where he would claim his

  first aerial victory. In March, 1942, he became a Flight

  Leader with No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron, and in June,

  1943, he was named CO of No. 349 (Belgian) Squadron.

  After the completion of his combat tour in June, 1944,

  he was sent to North America and in 1945, he returned

  to Europe as a Staff Member of the Belgian Section of

  the RAF. Over the course of his military career, he is

  credited with eight confirmed kills, three probables

  and six damaged, giving him a ratio of 3:1:2 respecti

  -

  vely while flying Spitfire Mk.Vb EN794. The Spitfire se-

  rialled EN794, flown by “Duke” (he did hold the title) as

  B Flight Leader of No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron, showed

  signs of camouflage touchups on the engine cowling

  as a result of the removal of the white identification

  stripes that were applied for Operation Rutter in July,

  1942. The change also affected the tally of kills under

  the windscreen. The presentation inscription USOKE is

  in honor of the inhabitants of the Belgian Congo, which

  came together for the purchase of sixteen Spitfires for

  Belgian pilots fighting in the ranks of No. 350 (Belgian)

  Squadron.

  Stefan Witorzenc was born in 1908, and joined the

  Polish Air Force in the 1930’s. After the defeat of his

  country, he fled to England, where between August

  and September, 1940 he achieved five kills while

  with No. 501 Squadron, the unit with which he served

  out the Battle of Britain. On November 22, 1940, he

  was reassigned to No. 306 (Polish) Squadron, whe

  -

  re he served in the function of Flight Leader, and in

  May, 1941, he was given command of No.302 (Polish)

  Squadron. In February, 1942, he took command of No.

  1 Polish Fighter Wing in Kirton-in-Lindsey and he

  was awarded the DFC in June, 1942. His combat tour

  concluded in September, when he was assigned to

  the General Staff of No. 11 Group and then to Air Com

  -

  mand as Polish Liaison Officer. In April, 1944, he took

  command of No. 61 OTU and held this post through

  to the end of the war. Spitfire AA853, which Witor

  -

  zenc flew at the beginning of July, 1942, carried four

  white quick-identification bands around the nose,

  which were used as such by Fighter Command during

  Operation Rutter between July 4 and 7, 1942. Besi

  -

  des these bands, the spinner was also painted white

  (instead of the usual Sky) and two white bands were

  applied to the upper surfaces of the horizontal tails.

  Operation Rutter was called off for inclement wea

  -

  ther and also other factors and was later replaced

  by the well-known Operation Jubilee.

  John Joseph Lynch was born on February 3, 1918 in

  Alhambra, California. In 1941, he joined the RAF and

  his first assignment was with No. 232 Squadron. The

  following month, he was attached to No. 121 “Eagle”

  Squadron. This was followed by a stint with No. 71

  “Eagle” Squadron, during which he shared in the de

  -

  struction of a Ju 88 on April 17, 1942. In November,

  1942, he was transferred to Malta and assigned to No.

  249 Squadron, with which he actively participated in

  its defense. At the beginning of 1943, he was promo

  -

  ted to Commander of the unit, and recorded a num-

  ber of victories over Axis transport aircraft supplying

  Tunisia. The Ju 52 kill came about on April 28, being

  the 1,000th kill recorded by the defenders of Malta. In

  July 1943, he was reassigned to the USAAF, but saw no

  combat with the service. Spitfire EP829, with which

  Lynch flew from February to May, 1943 as a member

  of No. 249 Squadron, was a part of Operation “Train”,

  and represented the final shipment of Spitfires to the

  defenders of Malta, delivered by an aircraft carrier.

  EP829 initially had clipped wings, and later flew with

  the standard span wings. The main fuel tank cover

  carried the Squadron Commander marking and se

  -

  ven kill markings that were recorded up to April 28,

  1943. Below the windscreen, there was an inscription

  “Malta’s 1000”, in honor of that kill over Malta. Over

  his combat career, Lynch recorded 17 kills (ten indivi

  -

  dual and seven shared), along with a single probable

  and two damaged enemy aircraft.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard48

  April 2022

• Page 49

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82156X Spitfire Mk.Vb late 1/48

  #82156-LEPT

  Spitfire Mk.Vb late 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Recommended:

  for Spitfire Mk.Vb late 1/48

  FE1207 Spitfire Mk.V seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  481065 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  644113 Spitfire Mk.V LööK (Brassin)

  648098 Spitfire wheels - 5 spoke (Brassin)

  648119 Spitfire wheels - 5 spoke, smooth tire (Brassin)

  648640 Spitfire Mk.V engine (Brassin)

  648663 Spitfire Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)

  648664 Spitfire Mk.V wheels (Brassin)

  648665 Spitfire Mk.Vb gun bays (Brassin)

  648666 Spitfire Mk.Vc gun bays (Brassin)

  648667 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts rounded (Brassin)

  648668 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648669 Spitfire Mk.V six-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648670 Spitfire Mk.Va/b undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648671 Spitfire Mk.Vc undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648738 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  D48088 Spitfire Mk.V stencils (Decal Set)

  Cat. No. 644113

  Cat. No. 648640

  Cat. No. 648663

  Cat. No. 648670

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  49

  April 2022

• Page 50

  ZERO ZERO ZERO! DUAL COMBO1/48

  Limited edition kit of Japanese WWII naval

  fighter plane A6M2 Zero Type 21 in 1/48

  scale. The kit presents aircraft during their

  service in World War II.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 12

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #11158

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard50

  April 2022

• Page 51

  c/n 3372, cf. Kiku-ichi Inano, Tainan Kōkūtai, Tainan airfield, Taiwan, November 1941

  Lt. Zenjirō Miyano, 3. Kōkūtai, Poeleti airfield, Timor, March 1942

  Kaga Fighter Squadron, Kisarazu base, Japan, April 1942

  This aircraft, released by Mitsubishi on October 21,

  1941, became the first Zero in repairable condition to

  fall into Allied hands. The legendary Tainan Kōkūtai

  was established on October 1, 1941, at the Tainan base.

  Most of the unit participated in combat over the Phi

  -

  lippines, Borneo and the Dutch East Indies. A smaller

  part, under the command of Lt. Kiku-ichi Inano, was

  transferred to French Indochina in late November and

  temporarily became part of 22. Kōkū Sentai HQ figh

  -

  ter squadron. The “V-172” fighter was Inano's personal

  machine. During the transfer to Saigon on November

  26, Inano flew aboard a transport aircraft and his

  Zero was piloted by PO1c Shimezō Inoue. Inoue and

  his wingman with Zero “V-174” lost their bearings in

  poor weather and made an emergency landing on the

  coast of the Leichou Peninsula. Both pilots were taken

  prisoner by the Chinese. Inoue was repatriated after

  the war. He returned to his home village with shame

  over his capture, suffered from depression, and died in

  a war veterans' hospital. With great effort, the Chine

  -

  se managed to transport the Zero “V-174” to Liuchow

  base, where they began repairs. The machine was gi

  -

  ven Chinese national insignia and number P-5016. It

  was also tested by pilots of the American 75th FS. In

  1943, the aircraft was transported to the USA, where it

  received the designation EB-2, later EB-200. Lt. Inano

  returned to Tainan Kōkūtai in July 1942, participated

  in combat over New Guinea and Guadalcanal. From

  October 1944 served as Hikōtaichō of Tainan Kōkūtai

  (II) in Taiwan.

  This aircraft, manufactured by Mitsubishi, was photo

  -

  graphed in April 1942 in Rabaul with partially repain-

  ted markings that originally belonged to Lieutenant

  Miyano. The bands and stripes may have been in dark

  blue or black color. Zenjirō Miyano served from 1939

  with the 12th Kōkūtai in China and was appointed

  as a Buntaichō with the 3rd Kōkūtai in October 1941.

  He participated in the campaigns in the Philippines

  and the Dutch East Indies. During a raid on Broome,

  Australia, on March 3, 1942, Miyano attacked a Dutch

  civil DC-3. The pilot was Capt. Ivan Smirnov, a World

  War I Russian fighter ace. With one engine on fire,

  he managed to make an emergency landing, but the

  Zero pilots killed four passengers on the ground. In

  April 1942 Miyano was transferred to the 6th Kōkūtai,

  which was to be based at Midway. Part of his unit

  was on the way to Midway aboard the carrier Jun´yō,

  which participated in the attack against Dutch Har

  -

  bor in the Aleutians. Miyano also participated in the

  raid. His unit was based at Rabaul from August 1942

  and was redesignated Kōkūtai 204 in November.

  From March 1943 Miyano took position of Hikōtaichō.

  He was one of the innovators of combat tactics and

  was the first to introduce the finger-four formation

  in Japanese naval aviation. Miyano achieved a total

  of 16 victories and was killed on June 16, 1943, over

  Guadalcanal during escort of dive bombers.

  In early 1942, the aircraft carrier Kaga took part in

  attacks on Rabaul, Kavieng, targets in New Guinea

  and Port Darwin. In March, her aircraft participated

  in attacks against ships off Java. Due to hull da

  -

  mage caused by a reef in early February, Kaga was

  undergoing repairs at Sasebo from March 22, 1942.

  The Mitsubishi-built “AII-106” was photographed at

  Kisarazu in April 1942. It bears the patriotic donation

  inscription (Hōkoku) No. 532 and the name of the do

  -

  nor (Yamanobe-gō). It may be the name of a company

  or the donor's surname. It is likely that this aircraft

  participated in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942.

  Nine fighters from Kaga flew in the first attack wave,

  led by Lt. Iizuka. They reported twelve victories. Du

  -

  ring the exhausting combats to cover their own task

  force, the Kaga’s fighters claimed 32 aircraft destro

  -

  yed. After the carrier was hit, some of them landed

  aboard the HIJMS Hiryū. Two took part, as escort,

  in the raid on the USS Yorktown. The Kaga's Fighter

  Squadron lost six pilots during the battle, four of

  them during combat air patrol. However, elite ground

  personnel suffered heavy losses when the ship was

  sunk. Also aboard the HIJMS Kaga were fighter pilots

  and mechanics from the 6th Kōkūtai, who were to be

  based at Midway Atoll after its capture. Some of them

  also took part in the air battle.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  51

  April 2022

• Page 52

  c/n 4593, PO1c Todayoshi Koga, Ryūjō Fighter Squadron, June 1942

  c/n 3647, Warrant Officer Tora-ichi Takatsuka, Tainan Kōkūtai, Lakunai airfield, Rabaul, September 1942

  Lt. Hideki Shingō, Shōkaku Fighter Squadron, October 1942

  This aircraft was released by Mitsubishi on February

  19, 1942. In late April and early May the Ryūjō Fighter

  Squadron received Zeros instead of older A5M „Clau

  -

  de“ aircraft. PO1c Koga, a veteran of 12th Kōkūtai in

  China, piloted “DI-108” on June 4 during the attack

  on the Aleutians. He was one of the two wingmen

  of CPO Endō. Near Egg Island they shot down Ens.

  Albert E. Mitchell´s Catalina of VP-42, which was

  carrying mail to Umnak. The burning aircraft landed

  on the sea and several airmen managed to get into

  the dingy. However, they were strafed and killed by

  the Japanese airmen. Koga's Zero was hit either by

  defensive fire from Catalina or, moments later, by

  ground fire. Koga attempted to land on Akutan Island,

  which was intended for the rescue of the Japanese

  airmen. The aircraft with retracted undercarriage

  and stopped engine overturned after touching soft

  marsh ground and Koga was killed. The Japanese

  attempted to rescue the pilot but were unable to

  find him due to bad weather. Five weeks later, the

  Zero was spotted by the crew of Lt. Williams “Bill”

  Thies’ Catalina. On July 5, a US Navy team reached

  the plane. The Americans transported the aircraft to

  NAS North Island in San Diego. The Zero was repaired,

  given a Hamilton-Standard propeller and registrati

  -

  on number TAIC 1. It underwent intensive testing but

  was apparently scrapped after the war. In memory of

  the Ens. Mitchell and his crew, the destroyer DE-43

  was christened Mitchell.

  This aircraft was produced by Mitsubishi on March 3,

  1942. It was flown in legendary Tainan Kōkūtai by the

  also famous fighter aces Saburō Sakai and Hiroyoshi

  Nishizawa. It is believed that with this Zero, on Sep

  -

  tember 13, 1942 over Guadalcanal, Shōtai leader W. O.

  Takatsuka was shot down in a dogfight with Wildcats

  from VF-5 and VMF-223. Three of his wingmen were

  also shot down in the same action. The wreckage of

  this Zero was found in 1993 in a swamp about five miles

  east of Henderson Field. Remnants of code and mar

  -

  kings remained on some parts. Takatsuka had served

  in the IJN aviation since 1933. In the 12th Kōkūtai he

  was one of the fighter pilots who achieved the first

  victories with Zeros in aviation history on September

  13, 1940. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in Octo

  -

  ber 1941 and demobilized. However he was soon called

  back into service by the IJ Navy and from June 1942

  was assigned to Tainan Kōkūtai in Rabaul. He mainly

  took part in the fighting over New Guinea. In total he

  was credited with 16 victories including three in China.

  Fighting with the Wildcats had already nearly proved

  fatal to him once. During the raid on Guadalcanal on

  August 7, 1942, although he claimed four victories, he

  flew in front of one of his opponents and immediately

  was hit. The victor was Thomas Rhodes of VF-6 (USS

  Enterprise). Takatsuka's Zero caught fire, but he man

  -

  aged to put it out and escape.

  This aircraft manufactured by Mitsubishi carries an

  unusually large yellow identification stripe. Hideki

  Shingō (NA, 1931) served from 1934 in the Tateyama

  Kōkūtai, on the HIJMS Ryūjō, he became an instructor

  in the Yokosuka Kōkūtai, and then held Buntaichō po

  -

  sition in the Ômura Kōkūtai. In the second half of 1937

  he fought in China with the Kaga Fighter Squadron. He

  then served as Buntaichō at Kanoya, Saiki, Kasumigau

  -

  ra, Ôita and 14th Kōkūtai. In October 1941, Shingō beca-

  me Hikōtaichō in charge of training at Tainan Kōkūtai,

  Taiwan. He trained primarily the long-range flying. On

  December 8 he led 44 Zeros in an attack on the Phili

  -

  ppine airfields of Iba and Clark Field. From April 1942

  he served briefly with the 6th and Genzan Kōkūtai, then

  in July he became Hikōtaichō of the Shōkaku Fighter

  Squadron and participated in the Battle of the Eastern

  Solomons. At the end of August he led a detachment

  operating from Buka airfield. He was shot down over

  Guadalcanal but avoided capture. During the Battle

  of Santa Cruz (October 1942), he led five Zeros in the

  second attack wave and descended to a lower altitude

  in order to draw the anti-aircraft fire away from the

  dive bombers. He was promoted to Lt. Commander in

  November 1942 and in the following years served as

  a Hikōtaichō of Tsuiki Kōkūtai in Japan, in Indonesia

  and Burma with Kōkūtai 331 and Hikōtai 603, and till

  April 1945 with Kōkūtai 252 in Japan. After the war, he

  worked in the police, later joined the JSDAF, and retired

  in 1967 with 6,000 hours flying time and rank of Lieute

  -

  nant General. Shingō-san passed away in 1982.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard52

  April 2022

• Page 53

  c/n 1503, Warrant Officer Kan-ichi Kashimura, Kōkūtai 582, Buin airfield, Bougainville Island, March 1943

  Jun´yō Fighter Squadron, Buin airfield, Bougainville Island, April 1943

  Hikōtai 303, Kōkūtai 203, Musashi airbase, Paramushir Island, Kuril Islands, April 1944

  Nakajima machine built ca August 1942. Its wreckage

  was found on Pavuvu Island and it is believed that

  W. O. Kashimura was lost with it on March 6, 1943.

  He remained missing after an air battle off Russel

  Island while escorting bombers, probably shot down

  by S/Sgt Robert H. Bahner, SBD gunner from VMSB-

  132. American crew described color of Kashimura´s

  Zero as “greenish yellow”. Kashimura served succe

  -

  ssively with Ômura, Tokosuka and Kanoya Kōkūtai

  from 1934. In late 1937, he was transferred to 13th

  Kōkūtai in China. During the battle near Nanchang on

  December 9, 1937, he shot down one enemy aircraft

  and collided with another. Kashimura's A5M lost big

  part of port wing, but he managed to regain control

  just above the ground. He flew about 600 km back

  to his base in Shanghai and managed to make an

  emergency landing. The circumstances of this action

  were detailed in the Japanese press and his aircraft

  was displayed in Japan. In March 1938, Kashimu

  -

  ra was transferred to the Yokosuka Kōkūtai, but he

  returned to the Chinese battlefield in late 1939 and

  served three months with the 12th Kōkūtai. He then

  returned to the Yokosuka Kōkūtai. During the Doolittle

  Raid, Kashimura was in the air but mistook a B-25

  bomber for a Japanese aircraft. In December 1942, he

  was transferred to Kōkūtai 582 stationed in Rabaul.

  He was considered an excellent aviator and theoreti

  -

  cian but used very harsh training methods. He had a

  total of 12 victories including 10 in China.

  This aircraft, manufactured by Nakajima, was pho

  -

  tographed in April 1943 during Operation “I-gō”. The

  code “2-1” is the designation of the 2nd Carrier Division

  (Kōkū Sentai), which HIJM Jun'yō was 1st carrier. The

  horizontal bar below the code identifies the leader

  of a Shōtai, which was usually a formation of three

  machines. In early 1943, an improvised green paint

  was applied to the Zeros. The colors chosen and the

  execution of the paint varied from unit to unit. During

  this period, among the notable fighter pilots of the

  unit were Buntaichō Lt. Yasuhiro Shigematsu (10 v.),

  W. O. Tomita Atake (10 v.), and W. O. Shizuo Ishi-i (29

  v.). The aircraft carrier Jun'yō was completed in May

  1942, whereupon she participated in the attack again

  -

  st the Aleutians, took part in the Battle of Santa Cruz,

  and escorted army convoys bound for New Guinea. In

  April 1943 her Air Group operated independently from

  Rabaul and surrounding bases, including Buin, then

  withdrew to Truk. From July the Air Group was again

  based in Buin until September 1, 1943, when its fighter

  pilots were taken over by the decimated Kōkūtai 204.

  In November of that year the Jun´yō Air Group was re

  -

  formed and in January 1944 moved again to Rabaul,

  where it fought for a month. Jun´yō participated also in

  the Battle of the Philippine Sea and then remained in

  Japan until the end of the war. Jun´yō Fighter Squad

  -

  ron scored more than 90 confirmed victories.

  This Nakajima-built aircraft was assigned to one of the

  formation leaders of Hikōtai 303, part of Kōkūtai 203,

  established in April 1943 from the training Atsugi Kō

  -

  kūtai. At that time, this unit was armed with Zeros and

  “Gekkō” (Irving) night fighters. From April 1944 it de

  -

  fended the northern part of the Kuril Islands. From May,

  Kōkūtai 203 fighters clashed with American crews of

  Ventura and Liberator bombers. In some cases, the

  Americans had to make emergency landings on So

  -

  viet territory. Among the experienced aviators of this

  unit was Japan's most successful naval fighter pilot,

  Hiroyoshi Nishizawa. He served with Kōkūtai 203 from

  March 1944 and was assigned to its Hikōtai 303 in July.

  However, he did not record any victories in the Kuril

  Islands area. In this period Nishizawa wrote document

  about air combat basics due to high losses of naval

  aviation units and the inexperience of the new unit co

  -

  mmanders. Since the fall of 1944, Kōkūtai 203 had seen

  combat at Okinawa, in the Philippines, and in Taiwan.

  At the time of the fighting in the Philippines, Hikōtai

  303 was temporarily assigned to Kōkūtai 201. In 1945,

  Kōkūtai 203 was deployed in the defense of Japan, and

  its structure expanded up to five Hikōtais by the end

  of the war, with a total of 240 fighter aircraft. Kōkūtai

  203 was also involved in fighter escorts of Kamikaze

  formations, including G4M “Betty” bombers with Ōka

  rocket powered aircraft.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  53

  April 2022

• Page 54

  Lt. Toshio Suzuki, Kōkūtai 601(I), HIJMS Zuikaku, Tawi Tawi base, Philippines, June 1944

  1st Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, Shikishima-tai, Mabalacat airfield, Phillipines, October 1944

  Ôita Kōkūtai, Ôita Airport, Japan, early 1944

  This Nakajima-built machine was piloted by Lt.

  Toshio Suzuki. He was in command of a squadron of

  eleven HIJMS Zuikaku A6M2 fighter-bombers. His unit

  was part of Kōkūtai 601(I). In mid-1944, the affiliati

  -

  on to the Zuikaku´s Carrier Air Group (Hikōkitai) was

  identified by the code 312 on the tail surfaces. The

  white numbers on the hinomaru were used during

  training operations and were usually chalk pain

  -

  ted. Toshio Suzuki was born in Mitsukaidō in Ibaraki

  Prefecture and graduated from the Etajima Naval

  Academy in 1941. As a cadet, he was assigned aboard

  the cruiser Suzuya. After completing flight training,

  he was assigned to Kōkūtai 601(I) in May 1944 and

  promoted to Lieutenant. Squadrons of Kōkūtai 601(I)

  were divided into CAGs on boards of Taihō, Shōkaku

  and Zuikaku. In addition to Suzuki's fighter-bombers,

  Zuikaku had 24 A6M5 “Zeke” fighters, a dive-bomber

  squadron with 18 D4Y “Judy” and three D3A “Val”, 14

  B6N “Jill” torpedo bombers, and a reconnaissance

  squadron with several “Judy” and “Val” machines.

  Kōkūtai 601(I) engaged in the Battle of the Philippine

  Sea on June 19 and suffered devastating losses. Lt.

  Suzuki led a ten-man A6M2 formation in the second

  wave, along with four A6M5 fighters and four “Jill”

  bomber crews. However they failed to find their tar

  -

  get, and the American fighters shot down one bom-

  ber and eight A6M2s, including Suzuki's. Taihō and

  Shōkaku were sunk after a submarine attack, and

  Zuikaku was damaged by bombing.

  The Nakajima-built “02-888” belonged to first official

  Kamikaze unit in the history of the Japanese Naval

  Air Force. As part of the 1st Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kō

  -

  gekitai, a total of nine groups of airmen were orga-

  nized, mostly from Kōkūtai 201. Their target was Task

  Force Taffy 3 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Shi

  -

  kishima unit was named after the poetic term used

  for the island of Yamato (Honshū), or also old Japan.

  Its commander was Lt. Yukio Seki. He was born in 1921

  and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1941. He

  first served on the battleship Fusō, then experienced

  the Battle of Midway on the seaplane carrier Chitose.

  In 1943 he completed basic flight training and later

  received training on carrier bombers. In September

  1944, he was assigned in the Philippines to Kōkūtai

  201, which specialized in skip bombing with A6M fi

  -

  ghters. The unit suffered heavy losses during Sep-

  tember and October. Replacements were taken over

  in Mabalacat from other units, including Hikōtai 602

  (Kōkūtai 381), from which machine “02-888” appears

  to have originated. On October 25, Lt. Seki led one

  of seven groups of Zero pilots equipped with bombs

  who sacrificed themselves in an attack on American

  vessels. Seki's fighter escort was provided by legen

  -

  dary fighter pilot Hiroyoshi Nishizawa of Kōkūtai 203.

  Lieutenant Seki or one of his wingmen hit the aircraft

  carrier USS St. Lo, which sank after 30 minutes. Of

  the 889 crew members, 113 were killed or missing

  and about thirty others died of their injuries.

  This Nakajima-built machine served with the trai

  -

  ning unit Ôita Kōkūtai. It bore orange paint on the

  undersurfaces and had a non-standard dark green

  paint on the undercarriage covers and part of the

  undersurfaces. The characters in the Katakana “O”

  and “Ta” are the unit markings. The machine carries

  warning stencils on both sides of the fuselage. The

  vertical rectangle reads “87A” as a warning that the

  aircraft uses 87 octane fuel instead of the 91 octane

  fuel used in Sakae 12 engines in combat units. In the

  horizontal rectangle is the warning “būsuto” (boost).

  It draws attention to the lower boost pressure limit

  associated with 87 octane fuel. Exceeding it threate

  -

  ned engine damage. The late production A6M2s from

  Nakajima may have had the engine cowling painted

  black instead of antiglare blue-black. The outer fu

  -

  selage sections below the cockpit canopy and canopy

  frames may have been painted in interior green or

  camouflage dark green. The Ôita Kōkūtai was esta

  -

  blished in 1938 and was used for training until March

  1944. Many famous aviators passed through its ranks.

  Combat veterans were also assigned to this unit as

  instructors, such as Kaneyoshi Mutō, who served with

  the unit after his combat duty in China and five victo

  -

  ries of his total 28.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard54

  April 2022

• Page 55

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82211X A6M2 1/48

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  ZERO ZERO ZERO! 1/48

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  648692 A6M2 Zero Model 21 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648693 A6M2 wheels (Brassin)

  648694 A6M2 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  648695 A6M undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648698 A6M2 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648722 A6M2 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648723 A6M2 cannon barrels & cockpit guns PRINT (Brassin)

  648724 A6M2 landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  648731 A6M2 Zero Model 21 folding wingtips PRINT (Brassin)

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  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  55

  April 2022

• Page 56

  MiG-15bis

  1/72

  Weekend edition kit of Soviet

  Cold War jet fighter plane

  MiG-15bis in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #7461

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard56

  April 2022

• Page 57

  MiG-15bis, No. 129, Maj. A. M. Karelin, 351 IAP, 106 IAD, Anshan, China, July 1952

  MiG-15bis, No. 3934, 20 slp (Fighter Air Regiment), Čáslav, Czechoslovakia, 1957–1958

  MiG-15bis, Maj. V. Fokin, 234 GIAP, 9 GIAD, Kubinka, USSR, June–July 1951

  Anatoly Michailovich Karelin was born on July 16th,

  1922. He attended flight school in Krasnodar in 1941,

  and from December 31, 1944, he flew combat missions

  as a pilot of the 203 Independent Air Reconnaissance

  Regiment. In October, 1946, he was named Section CO

  with the 89 Guards Fighter Regiment (GIAP) and in Ap

  -

  ril, 1948, he was reassigned to the 304 IAP in the Far

  East. On June 9, 1951, he was named Deputy Comman

  -

  der of the 351 IAP (106 IAD, 64 IAK). By this time, he was

  actively engaged in combat over Korea and remained

  there until February, 1953. He flew some fifty missions

  and saw combat on ten occasions, shooting down six

  aircraft and damaging two in the process. His victims

  were solely B-29 and RB-29 aircraft. For his accom

  -

  plishments, Karelin was awarded the Hero of the So-

  viet Union medal on July 14, 1953. On his return from

  China, he held several high-profile posts, the last of

  which was commander of the 14 Air Defence Division.

  He retired in March, 1970, and died three years later in

  St. Petersburg. His MiG-15bis, coded 325, was inherited

  from the commander of the 196 IAP, E. G. Pepelyayev,

  who used it to achieve eighteen confirmed kills. Kare

  -

  lin added another pair on the night of 9/10 July, 1952,

  when he shot down two B-29s. By this time, the MiG

  had the red nose paint removed (though its remnants

  were evident). The red outlined in white code number

  was preserved, as was oversprayed by irregular pa

  -

  ttern of grey color as well as the insignia. It is possi-

  ble the patches were of more colors (green, sand and

  brown possibly).

  This aircraft was produced in December, 1956 and on Ja-

  nuary 11, 1957 was delivered to the 18 slp in Pardubice,

  only to be passed on to the 2 lšp (Training Air Regiment) for

  use during the “A-105” operation, which was a training of

  Egyptian pilots onto the type. On March 21, the aircraft was

  damaged by Lt. Samir Abed Elrazek in a taxiing mishap

  involving a collision with MiG-15UTI coded 2045. At the end

  of the year (probably), the aircraft was transferred to the

  20 slp. The standard guise of the Czechoslovak MiGs was

  in this case supplemented by blue bands on 3934 some-

  time in 1958. These were used to identify the aircraft as a

  foe during military exercises. The aircraft was retired in

  1972, flying with the 30 sbolp (Fighter-Bomber Regiment)

  in Hradec Kralove at the end of its service. However, it was

  never brought to the attack MiG-15bisSB standard suited

  to the regiment’s function. After its retirement, the airpla-

  ne was displayed in the Josefodol village, and was later

  bought privately in Chotusice town. There, the airplane

  gradually degraded until it was picked up by a collector

  in Znojmo. Currently, the aircraft is on display there in the

  local transportation museum, but with a non-original code

  of 4393. Apparently, the previous owner painted this code

  on the aircraft, but no MiG-15 or MiG-15bis served in the

  Czechoslovak Air Force coded 4393.

  Several display teams flew in the former Soviet Union,

  which tended to show off formation flying rather than

  aerobatics. Most of the teams weren’t even named.

  A team from Kubinka, manned by pilots of the 234

  Guards Fighter Regiment (Special Pilotage Unit), was

  one of the exceptions. This group was named in honor

  of a display team flying red I-16s that was known as

  the “Red Five” in 1930´s. At the time when it flew MiG

  -

  -15s, it was also known as the “Babayev Group”, named

  after its then commander, Col. A. I. Babayev. But the

  blue upper and side colored aircraft did not belong to

  the group, and it was actually one of two aircraft that

  were used for displays being flown by Maj. V. S. Lapshin

  and Maj. V. M. Fokin. Lapshin generally soloed first,

  showing off the airplane’s aerobatic capabilities, but

  for the program for Soviet Aviation Day festivities held

  at Tushino in 1950, he had prepared a duo display with

  E. G. Pepelyayev, a future Korean War ace. However, the

  display could not be held due to inclement weather,

  and a year later, the duo display was realized with Fo

  -

  kin, as Pepelyayev was already in China with the 196

  IAP. This pair would fly together until 1953. The codes

  on the aircraft changed, and during displays in 1951,

  Lapshin’s plane was coded 11 and had red upper sur

  -

  faces, while Fogin’s 211 was dark blue on the topsides.

  A year later, they led three-plane formations each at

  Tushino (Fokin led the blue group and Lapshin the red

  one), that demonstrated precision formation flying in

  -

  terspaced with group aerobatics.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  57

  April 2022

• Page 58

  MiG-15bis, No. 272, No. 18 Squadron UARAF, Abu Sueir, Egypt 1958

  Besides the war in Korea, the MiG-15 would see a

  lot of action in the Middle East. Egypt purchased a

  total of 110 MiG-15bis of Czechoslovak manufacture

  (originally, the number was to have been 80), as part

  of the A-105 operation. The first eighty plane deli

  -

  very reached Egypt at the end of 1955 on board the

  merchant vessel “Stalingrad”, and the Egyptians first

  used them operationally during the Suez Crisis of

  1956. In all, six squadrons used the MiG-15 (Nos. 1, 5,

  18, 20, 24 and 30). By the end of the year, 108 aircraft

  were delivered, but only about sixty were airworthy

  at the time. During the Suez Crisis, the Egyptians lost

  some sixteen aircraft, several others were lost to

  accidents, and some were taken out of service due

  to technical issues. The majority of the remaining

  Egyptian MiG-15bis aircraft were destroyed on the

  ground during the Six Days War with Israel in 1967.

  In 1958, there was a unification of Egypt and Syria,

  coming together as the United Arab Republic, and this

  brought about a renaming of the combined air force

  as the United Arab Republic Air Force. The national

  markings went from green and white to black, red,

  and white, and the air assets gained new Arabic nu

  -

  merals, apparently governed by the last four digits

  of the serial number. The nose of the aircraft carried

  the No. 18 Squadron emblem on both sides. The ID

  stripes around the fuselage and wings were black.

  Recommended:

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  -

  Set)

  72575 MiG-15/MiG-15bis exterior (PE

  -

  Set)

  672007 MiG-15 wheels (Brassin)

  672008 MiG-15 ejection seat (Brassin)

  672020 MiG-15bis airbrakes (Brassin)

  672024 MiG-15bis cockpit (Brassin)

  D72007 MiG-15/MiG-15bis stencils (Decal Set)

  Cat. No. 672024

  Cat. No. 672020

  Cat. No. 672007

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard58

  April 2022

• Page 59

  F6F-5 1/48

  Weekend edition kit of US

  naval fighter aircraft F6F-5

  in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #84181

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  59

  April 2022

• Page 60

  F6F-5, Lt. Fred Prinz, VBF-17, USS Hornet (CV-12), March 1945

  F6F-5, Lt. Daniel A. Carmichael, VBF-12, USS Randolph (CV-15), April 1945

  F6F-5K, BuNo 80173, Detroit Air Races, 1951

  Before the planned landing of the American units on

  Okinawa (Operation Iceberg, April 1, 1945) on March 19,

  1945 the USN airplanes attacked the enemy air bases

  located on the islands of Kyūshū, Shikoku and southern

  Honshū and the naval bases Kure and Kobe. The mission

  was to destroy the Japanese ships and aircraft and pre

  -

  vent them from any action against the invasion forces.

  One of the units that were to participate in this strike

  was VBF-17 based on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet

  (CV-12). In the formation of twenty Hellcats, with which

  VBF-17 was equipped, flew Lt. Prinz and Lt. Karr. Kōkūtai

  343 equipped with N1K2-J fighters was launched again

  -

  st the approaching enemy. The dogfight took place over

  the ocean. During the surprise attack on two American

  pilots Lt. Karr was shot down while Lt. Prinz’s Hellcat

  was damaged and the unit’s commander was destroyed

  after the collision with one of the attackers, Kiku-ichi

  Ishikawa. Prinz managed to nurse the damaged aircraft

  back to Hornet where he landed. Hellcats participating

  in these missions were marked by white-painted noses

  for the better recognition of the friendly aircraft.

  Washington D.C. native, Daniel Archibald Carmichael

  finished his Bachelor’s studies in the architecture at

  Princeton University in 1941. He commenced his pilot’s

  training with the US Navy in the spring of the following

  year finishing it in March 1943. After completing the

  advanced training he was assigned to VF-2 from June

  1943 to October 1944 flying from USS Enterprise (CV-6)

  and USS Hornet (CV-12). During his VF-2 deployment Lt.

  Carmichael shot down nine enemy aircraft. His next

  assignment was the USS Randolph (CV-15) air carrier

  flight deck from which he flew from January to May

  1945 within the ranks of VBF-12 achieving another 4

  victories over the Japanese aircraft.

  During his VBF-12 deployment Lt. Carmichael flew

  overal blue Hellcat nr.59 which carried the white mar

  -

  kings of the aircraft belonging to USS Randolph, on the

  vertical tail surface, rudder and the ailerons, his sco

  -

  reboard was marked under the windshield.

  After WWII all Hellcats were replaced by the more

  modern type made by Grumman, F8F Bearcat fi

  -

  ghters. Hellcats were gradually transferred to the

  second line units and reserve squadrons. During

  1949-1957 the significant number was converted

  to radio-controlled drones. The flight instruments

  were retained for flights between the bases however

  the aircraft were stripped of the armaments and

  arrestor hooks for aircraft carrier landings. One of

  the Hellcats rebuilt to the drone standard was the

  airframe BuNo 80173 which in 1951 appeared at the

  Detroit Air Races. It did not participate in the racing

  however its unusual coloration attracted the interest

  of the aviation fans.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard60

  April 2022

• Page 61

  F6F-5, LV Gérard de Castelbajac, Flottile 11F, Haiphong Cat Bi, Indochina, March 1954

  After WWII France attempted to reinstate its pre-war

  colony in South East Asia. They were opposed by the

  communists led by Ho Chi Minh. Vietnamese Natio

  -

  nal Army together with the French Army fought Viet

  Minh (Vietnamese People’s Army) until August 1954.

  The last big clash was the Battle of Dien Bien Phu

  where the French Naval Air Forces took part, as they

  did in the prior battles. In this case it was Flottille

  3F equipped with the SB2C bombers and Flottille 11F

  equipped with Hellcats. Hellcats led by LV Castelba

  -

  jac flew close airs support missions and were armed

  not only with machine guns but also with unguided

  missiles and bombs. On March 19, 1954 the unit co

  -

  mmander crashed this Hellcat near Cat Bi airport

  (nowadays the Haiphong International Airport). The

  aircraft was written off but the pilot survived.

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  648086 US 250lb bombs (2 pcs) (Brassin)

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  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  61

  April 2022

• Page 62

  #11149

  EAGLE´S CALL

  1/48

  Limited edition kit of British WWII fighter

  aircraft Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc in 1/48

  scale. Focused on machines used by US

  pilots in RAF and USAAF in the European

  and African theatre of operations.

  plastic parts:Eduard

  marking options: 12

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  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

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  Product page

  DUAL COMBO

  Re-release

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard62

  April 2022

• Page 63

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, AB875, P/O Joseph M. Kelly, No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron, RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk,

  United Kingdom, February 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, BL753, P/O Donald J. M. Blakeslee, No. 401 Squadron RCAF, RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom,

  April - May 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, BM581, P/O William P. Kelly, No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron, RAF Southend, Essex,

  United Kingdom, July 1942

  No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron was formed out of the Ameri-

  can volunteers at RAF airbase Church Fenton on Sep-

  tember 19, 1940. It was equipped with the American

  Brewster Buffalo replaced by Hurricanes in Novem

  -

  ber 1940. On February 1941, at Kirton in Lindsey air-

  base the unit was declared operational and in April

  started to fly combat out of RAF airbase Martlesham

  Heath in Suffolk. In August 1941 it was re-equipped

  with Spitfires Mk.IIa, in a short time replaced by more

  powerful Spitfires Mk.Vb.

  In May 1942, the unit was relocated to Debden whe

  -

  re, at the end of October 1942, was designated 334th

  FS and became part of the 4th FG of the 8th AF. This

  Spitfire Mk.Vb was usually flown by California native

  P/O Joe Kelly. After he finished his tour of duty, he re

  -

  quested the transfer to the Mediterranean to where

  he set sail in the middle of April 1942. He served with

  RAF until the end of the year and then transferred to

  the USAAF.

  Donald Blakeslee, the future fighter ace and com

  -

  mander of the 4th FG USAAF landed in England on

  May 15, 1941, having completed the pilot training in

  Canada and was assigned to No. 401 Squadron RCAF,

  part of the Biggin Hill Wing. On November 22 he was

  credited with the first kill, Bf 109 over Desvres. Initia

  -

  lly, Blakeslee was reluctant to serve in the American

  Eagle squadrons, but after he completed his tour of

  duty with No. 401 Squadron, he joined No. 133 (Eagle)

  Squadron as it was the only possibility to continue

  combat flying. After the 4th FG was established

  within 8th AF USAAF at the end of September 1942,

  he was appointed to command 335th FS (ex No. 121

  Squadron RAF) and on February 1 he became the co

  -

  mmander of the whole 4th FG. On March 15, 1943, he

  scored his first kill with 4th FG flying P-47D Thunder

  -

  bolt and on July 28 he led 4th FG over Germany for

  the first time. In February 1944 4th FG under his co

  -

  mmand became one of the first 8th AF fighter groups

  to be re-equipped with P-51B Mustang. In November

  1944 Don Blakeslee retired from the operational

  service with 15.5 kills, 500 combat flights and more

  than thousand operational hours to his credit.

  The second Eagle squadron, 121st, was established

  in May 1941 at RAF airbase Kirton in Lindsey. In No

  -

  vember 1941 it transitioned from Hurricanes to new

  Spitfires Mk.Vb. In December it replaced No. 71 (Ea

  -

  gle) Squadron at RAF airbase North Weald and joined

  the offensive operations over occupied Europe. On

  July 21, 1942, Spitfire BM581 was damaged by Flak

  fire during the sweep over the Netherlands. After

  repair, it was returned to the unit where it served

  as AV

  -

  K even though on September 29 the unit be

  -

  came 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF. In April 1943 after the

  4th FG re-equipped to new P-47D Thunderbolt, this

  aircraft was returned to RAF. William Kelly, as well

  as the whole unit, was transferred under the USAAF

  command. In February 1943 he lost his life during

  the sortie as one of the last 4th FG pilots who were

  killed in combat when flying Spitfires.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  63

  April 2022

• Page 64

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, EN851, Lt. Roland F. Wooten, 307th FS, 31st FG, 8th AF, RAF Merston,

  West Sussex, United Kingdom, late August 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vb, BL255, Lt. Dominic S. Gentile, 336th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF, Debden, Essex, United Kingdom, August 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop, BR112, Sgt. Claude Weaver, No. 185 Squadron RAF, Hal Far, Malta,

  September 1942

  The 31st FG arrived in the Great Britain in June 1942.

  It received Spitfires of various versions at RAF air

  -

  bases Atcham and High Ercall and commenced the

  training. EN851 is a good example of the coloration

  and markings of the American Spitfires on the eve

  of the USAAF operations in Europe. The aircraft re

  -

  mained in the standard British camouflage (Day

  Fighter Scheme) including the recognition stripe on

  the tail. British insignia were overpainted at the unit

  level and replaced with the American white stars in

  the blue circle. The insignia on the vertical tail, left

  lower wing and right upper wing insignia were just

  oversprayed with the camouflage color. As of October

  1, 1942, the yellow outlines of the national insignia

  were introduced. On July 18 31st FG flew its first

  combat mission. On August 19 it was the only USAAF

  fighter unit deployed in the Dieppe landing. The 31st

  FG was transferred to the newly established 12th AF

  in October. In Gibraltar it was re-equipped with Spit

  -

  fires Mk.Vb Trop and readied to be deployed in the

  Operation Torch, the Allied landing in North Africa.

  The third and last Eagle squadron, 133rd formed in

  July 1941 at RAF airbase Coltishall, was in 1942 the first

  American squadron re-equipped with Spitfires Mk.IX.

  However, the unit lost its twelve „Nines“ in only three

  days before Eagle squadron was transferred under the

  USAAF command, during the B-17 escort over Morlaix.

  After its inclusion into 8th AF USAAF on September 29,

  1942, it continued flying the good old Spitfires Mk.Vb as it

  was transformed from No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron RAF into

  336th FS, 4th FG. The BL255 Spitfire, nicknamed “Buc

  -

  keye Don”, was the personal aircraft of Don Gentile, the

  future most successful fighter pilot of the 8th AF with 19

  kills, 3 damaged and 6 on the ground destroyed enemy

  aircraft. He was credited with two more kills during the

  combat over Dieppe on August 19, 1942, while he was still

  serving with RAF. The same nose art as on BL255 was

  later sported on the famous P-51B Shangri La and it was

  also incorporated into 334th FS insignia.

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop BR112, armed with four cannons,

  arrived in Malta on April 20, 1942, on board of USS

  Wasp air carrier during the Operation Calendar. It

  was probably camouflaged in RAF Mediterranean

  Desert Scheme, Dark Earth and Mid Stone on the

  upper surfaces and Azure Blue on the lower sur

  -

  faces, upper surfaces were oversprayed with dark

  blue paint. This was supposedly done while still on

  board of USS Wasp. The propeller spinner was ap

  -

  parently in Sky, overspraying with dark blue paint

  cannot be excluded though. There are some patches

  of different color on the vertical tail surfaces and

  fuselage spine, possibly Dark Earth. On September 8,

  1942, BR112 was shot down during the dogfight with

  Macchi C.202 from 352a Squadriglia over Sicily. The

  American pilot, Sgt. Claude Weaver, an ace with 10.5

  kills, made an emergency landing on the beach in

  Scoglitti and became POW. Sgt. Weaver was one of

  the Americans serving with RAF who after finishing

  his tour of duty volunteered for the service in the

  Mediterranean. At the time BR112 was shot down,

  it probably carried only two cannons in the outer

  weapon wells.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard64

  April 2022

• Page 65

  Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop, ER200 (probably), Lt. Col. Fred M. Dean, CO of 31st FG, Korba, Tunisia, May 1943

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop, ES353, Capt. Jerome S. McCabe, 5th FS, 52nd FG, Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force (MACAF),

  La Sebala, Tunisia, June 1943

  Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop, ER570, Maj. Robert Levine, 4th FS, 52nd FG, Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force (MACAF),

  La Sers, Tunisia, August 1943

  The personal aircraft of Col. Fred Dean is the good

  sample of the camouflage and markings of the

  American Spitfires in North Africa. The camouflage

  consists of the patterns of Dark Earth and Middle

  Stone on the upper surfaces and Azure Blue on the

  lower surfaces. The propeller spinner was white. The

  national insignia featured yellow outlines and code

  letters were white. The aircraft depicts the aircraft

  as it appeared in May 1943, just after the fighting in

  Tunisia ceased. Shortly afterwards, on June 28, the

  change of insignia took place as white rectangles

  on the sides and red outlines were added. Fred Dean

  commanded 31st FG for eight months since December

  5, 1942. In July 1943 he handed over the leadership to

  Lt. Col. Frank Hill, who up until then was commanding

  309th FS as a Major. Frank Hill was one of 31st FS

  aces, credited with 6.5 individual kills, 3 shared and

  4 probables. After he handed over the command Fred

  Dean returned to the United States and joined Gene

  -

  ral Arnold’s staff. On May 31, 1943, he was decorated

  with Silver Star.

  Same as the majority of 5th FS Spitfires, this Mk.Vc

  ES353 sported the RAF tail cockade on its vertical tail

  surfaces. Worth of notice is the unusual combination

  of dark, apparently red propeller spinner and yellow

  outlined national insignia. The red spinners were in

  -

  troduced in the Mediterranean only in the end of 1943

  while yellow outlined national insignia were repla

  -

  ced by red oulined ones with side rectangles as early

  as June 28, 1943. Capt. McCabe’s personal insignia

  was painted under the canopy in the form of Christ’s

  cross with motto in Latin: IN HOC SIGNO VINCES (In this

  sign thou shalt conquer). This symbolism reminds us

  of the Battle of Milvian bridge between emperors

  Constatin I and Maxentius in 312. By the way, this mo

  -

  tto is part of the city of Pilsen coat of arms.

  Spitfire Mk.Vb ER570 flown by 4th FS commander Maj.

  Robert Levine sported the hand-painted American

  flag on both sides of the fuselage. This was to ensure

  that local population can better recognize it belonged

  to the American air force. Unlike the French, the lo

  -

  cal population was friendly towards the Americans.

  These markings were carried until August 1943 when

  52nd FG was already part of MACAF. The overpainted

  British tail cockade is clearly visible on the vertical

  tail surfaces. Levine was credited with three victories,

  all achieved on Spitfires. Among those was a Fw 190

  shot down on January 8, 1943. On December 28, 1943,

  Levine led the first 52nd FG dive bombing mission. In

  February 1944, already a Colonel, he became the co

  -

  mmander of the whole 52nd FG replacing Lt. Col. Mc-

  Nickle. In April 1944, the 52nd FG under his command

  was re-equipped with P-51B and was integrated into

  the 15th AF USAAF.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  65

  April 2022

• Page 66

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop, 307th FS, 31st FG, 12th AF, La Senia, Algier, end of 1942

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop, Lt. George G. Loving, 309th FS, 31st FG, 12th AF, Pommigliano, Italy, December 1943

  Spitfire Mk.Vc Trop, Lt. Richard Alexander, 2nd FS, 52nd FG, 12th AF, Borgo, Corsica, early 1944

  Teethed Spitfire Mk.Vc of the 307th FS received its

  smiling mouth probably at La Senia airbase in De

  -

  cember 1942, when the inclement weather restricted

  the air traffic but offered enough time for detailed

  maintenance as well as nose art artistic creativity.

  Camouflage consisted of Dark Earth/Middle Sto

  -

  ne patterns on the upper surfaces, Azure Blue on

  the lower surfaces, white propeller spinner, yellow

  outlined national insignia and white code letters all

  corresponding to the end of 1942 standard. In the

  photographs the machine gun muzzles feature very

  visible patches in the light color. Another thing worth

  noticing are little eyes, the smaller version of the

  fuselage ones, painted on the cannon muzzles cloth

  patches. The aircraft is usually assigned the serial

  ER180, but it seems to be an error because ER180 was

  a Spitfire Mk.Vb. The serial of our teeth-adorned air

  -

  craft remains unknown then.

  Spitfire Mk.Vc flown by Lt. Loving represents the final

  appearance of 31st FG Spitfires at the end of their ca

  -

  reer. The aircraft were oversprayed with green paint

  on the upper and side surfaces, probably US Olive

  Drab while the original colors were still showing

  through. The camouflage therefore seemed to have

  consisted of two green shades. The national insignia

  outlines were over painted as well, as long as they

  had been carried. The paint around the insignia

  appears in the lighter shade. The propeller spinner

  is red and the code letters white. At that time 309th

  FS aircraft sported the red stripes on the wing tips.

  In November and December 1943 31st FG squadrons

  were escorting the light and medium bombers, such

  as A-36 Apache, A-20 Havoc and B-25 Mitchell to

  Rome and Monte Cassino.

  Richard Alexander was one of the original Eagle Squad

  -

  ron pilots and his service fairly reflects the story of all

  Americans fighting on Spitfires. His teethed QP

  -

  A was

  one of the last “Fives” finishing their service with 2nd

  FS at Borgo airport in Corsica, still in the beginning of

  1944. In June 1943, when 2nd FS was still stationed at

  La Sebala airport in Tunisia, its members gave the unit

  the nickname “American Beagle Squadron”, a play with

  words on the account of the more famous Eagle squad

  -

  rons. The American Beagle Squadron marking was

  painted on several 2nd FS Spitfires and was also ca

  -

  rried on Alexander’s aircraft together with some other

  emblems on various locations of the fuselage. It needs

  to be stated, that the achievements of the whole 52nd

  FG on both Spitfires as well as Mustangs after the inte

  -

  gration into 15th AF, did not fall short of achievements of

  their more famous colleagues from 8th AF and made its

  mark in the history of the American aviation.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard66

  April 2022

• Page 67

  Recommended:

  for EAGLE´S CALL 1/48

  481065 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1207 Spitfire Mk.V seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644113 Spitfire Mk.V LööK (Brassin)

  648098 Spitfire wheels - 5 spoke (Brassin)

  648119 Spitfire wheels - 5 spoke, smooth tire (Brassin)

  648640 Spitfire Mk.V engine (Brassin)

  648663 Spitfire Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)

  648664 Spitfire Mk.V wheels (Brassin)

  648665 Spitfire Mk.Vb gun bays (Brassin)

  648666 Spitfire Mk.Vc gun bays (Brassin)

  648667 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts rounded (Brassin)

  648669 Spitfire Mk.V six-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648668 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648670 Spitfire Mk.Va/b undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648671 Spitfire Mk.Vc undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648738 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  D48088 Spitfire Mk.V stencils (Decal Set)

  OVERTREES

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82157X Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop

  #82158X Spitfire Mk.Vc/Vc Trop

  1/48

  1/48

  #11149-LEPT

  EAGLE´S CALL 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Cat. No. 644113

  Cat. No. 648640

  Cat. No. 648671

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  67

  April 2022

• Page 68

  #70131

  Fokker D.VII (OAW)

  1/72

  Profipack edition kit of German WWI

  fighter aircraft Fokker D.VII in 1/72 scale.

  The kit is focused on aircraft built

  by OAW factory.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  No. of decal options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard68

  April 2022

• Page 69

  Ltn. Wilhelm Leusch, CO of Jasta 19, Florenville, Luxembourg, October 1918

  No. 64441/18, Ltn. Max Näther, Jasta 62, Preutin-Higny, France, October 1918

  Wilhelm Leusch, a native of Neuss near Dusseldorf,

  was born on October 15, 1892,and joined the Luft

  -

  streitkräfte (Imperial German Flying Corps) in Octo-

  ber 1914. He was flying two-seat aircraft at FFA Metz

  and FFA 19 before he was transferred to Jasta 13 in

  November 1916. Five months later he moved to Jasta

  19 where he scored all of his five aerial victories and

  replaced seriously injured von Beaulieu-Marconay

  as CO of the unit on October 18, 1918. Wilhem Leusch

  survived the Great War, but died on August 14, 1921,

  in a gliding accident. Leusch was using this late pro

  -

  duction D.VII (OAW) in the closing stages of Great War.

  When photographed after armistice, the aircraft had

  the rudder painted white, but it was blue during Oc

  -

  tober 1918 and had a rear view mirror mounted on the

  upper wing center section. The white dragon, perso

  -

  nal Leusch´s emblem was inspired by an advertising

  for the Unterberg & Helmle company, producer of

  engine ignition systems. The Jasta 19 unit markings

  consisted of blue fuselage with yellow nose. The fu

  -

  selage cross was oversprayed with blue but was still

  faintly visible underneath. It is not known whether

  the dragon was painted on the right side of the fuse

  -

  lage as well. We provide the decal for both sides and

  the decision is up to the modeler.

  Max Näther was born on August 24, 1899, in Tepliwo

  -

  da (currently Ciepłowody in Poland) and he joined the

  German military at the age of fifteen. In the summer

  of 1917, he was by his own request assigned to the

  Luftstreitkräfte. After training he was assigned to

  Jasta 62 in March 1918, where he became CO of the

  unit on July 7, 1918. He held that post until the end of

  the war. Within six months he achieved 26 victories

  and at the end of the war was nominated for the

  Pour le Mérite. Max Näther continued his military ca

  -

  reer after the armistice and took part in fighting over

  the German – Polish border. There, he was shot down

  and killed by Polish insurgents over the town of Kol

  -

  mar (today's Chodzież in Poland) on January 8, 1919.

  The fuselage of Jasta 62 aircraft were painted black

  with a red nose section and wings left in factory five

  -

  -color Flugzeugstoff finish. The Imperial German flag

  was Näther's personal marking.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  69

  April 2022

• Page 70

  Ltn. Franz Büchner, CO of Jasta 13, Trier, Germany, October 1918

  Uffz Alfred Bäder, Jasta 65, Tichémont, France, November 1918

  Franz Büchner, the son of successful businessman

  was born in Leipzig on January 2, 1898 and volun

  -

  teered for the army at the age of sixteen. After be-

  ing wounded in combat on April 3, 1916 in France, he

  applied for the service in the ranks of Luftstreit

  -

  kräfte. He flew two-seaters after his training with

  FFA 270 but was transferred to Jasta 9 in March

  1917. There he scored his first victory prior to ano

  -

  ther move in September, when he was assigned to

  Jasta 13. There he stayed until the end of the war

  and became its CO on June 15, 1918. He was not ace

  at this time, with only four victories on his account,

  but it was to change and finally he accumulated 40

  victories, which makes him the 11th most successful

  German fighter ace. In October 1918 he was awarded

  the Pour le Mérite. Büchner was killed on March 18,

  1920, during civil unrest in Germany when fighting

  against Communists. He was shot down close to the

  town he was born. Jasta 13 aircraft were easily iden

  -

  tified thanks to the blue color of the fuselage and

  green nose of their aircraft. Büchner´s personal mar

  -

  king was a werewolf head on a green background.

  The wings were covered in a five-color Flugzeugstoff.

  Alfred Bäder was born on September 20, 1893 in

  Tübingen, Wurtemburg. After an injury sustained

  in summer 1916 with Infanterie Regiment Nr. 180,

  he went through pilot training and subsequent fi

  -

  ghter pilot training at Jastaschule II, being finally

  assigned to Jasta 65 on August 31, 1918. Less than a

  week later he was shot down by a Salmson 2A2 of

  91st Aero Squadron flown by 1Lt Victor H. Strahm and

  Capt. James E. Wallis near Rembercourt. He even

  -

  tually shot down two USAAC Salmsons in a kind of

  revenge. The first one belonged to 99th Aero Squad

  -

  ron and was shot down on October 2. The second one

  was from 91st Aero Squadron and Bäder sent it down

  on November 8, 1918. His wartime Fokker D.VII from

  early OAW production sported a very colorful and

  complex illustration of Seven Schwabians, the group

  of villagers from a medieval fairy tale collected

  by the Grimm brothers. The story makes fun of the

  people from the then Duchy of Swabia, the villagers

  portrayed in the tale are foolish and so they all die

  finally. The illustration was painted on both sides

  of the fuselage and differed from each other. Bäder

  sent a photograph of this aircraft as a postcard to

  his injured colleague Wilhelm Scheutzel, to whom

  this aircraft was wrongly attributed for many years.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard70

  April 2022

• Page 71

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #70131X Fokker D.VII (OAW) 1/72

  #70131-LEPT

  Fokker D.VII (OAW) 1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  Recommended:

  for Fokker D.VII (OAW) 1/72

  CX599 Fokker D.VII (OAW) Weekend (Mask)

  672223 Fokker D.VII (OAW) engine/Mercedes D.III (Brassin)

  D72019 Fokker D.VII rib tapes 4color lozenge (Decal Set)

  D72020 Fokker D.VII rib tapes 5color lozenge (Decal Set)

  D72021 Fokker D.VII rib tapes blue (Decal Set)

  D72022 Fokker D.VII rib tapes pink (Decal Set)

  D72023 Fokker D.VII rib tapes linen (Decal Set)

  D72024 Fokker D.VII 4color lozenge (Decal Set)

  D72025 Fokker D.VII 5color lozenge (Decal Set)

  Ltn. Alfred Greven, Jasta 12, Carignan, France, October 1918

  A native of Elbefeld (today a part of Wuppertal city),

  Alfred Greven was born in 1897, and after completing

  high school, he volunteered for the army in Septem

  -

  ber 1914. Greven suffered serious injuries in trenches

  and after recovering from wounds, he was transfe

  -

  rred to the Luftstreitkräfte, in July 1917 he started to

  earn his spurs as a fighter pilot within JG II. As the

  Great War drew to its conclusion, he was assigned to

  Jasta 12, where he earned four victories during the

  last three months of the war. After the Armistice he

  started to work in the film industry and joined the

  Nazi party in 1931. In 1940, he was named head of the

  newly established company “Continental Film” in

  occupied France and also founded the SOGEC com

  -

  pany running the network of cinemas (mostly confis-

  cated from Jews) and the ACE, the subsidiary of UFA

  company (he led UFA as well). Hecontinued in movie

  industry after the World War II, but he had to face the

  burden of his past several times. Finally, he founded

  his own company Alfred Greven Film GmbH in 1953

  and produced 10 post-war movies. One of them was

  the promotional documentary NATO movie Alarm in

  the Mediterranean. Altogether he produced 60 mo

  -

  vies, mostly comedies. He died on February 9, 1973,

  in Cologne. The fuselage of Greven’s aircraft sported

  the typical Jasta 12 colors of blue fuselage and white

  nose. The white lightning flash was Greven´s perso

  -

  nal marking.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  71

  April 2022

• Page 72

  #8261

  Bf 109E-1

  1/48

  ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII

  fighter aircraft Bf 109E-1 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard72

  April 2022

• Page 73

  Hptm. Hannes Trautloft, 2./JG 77, Juliusburg, Germany, September 1939

  Ofw. Kurt Ubben, 6.(J)/Trägergruppe 186, Wangerooge, Germany, March 1940

  6./JG 52, Oblt. Ulrich Steinhilper, Calais, France, September 1940

  The red “1” Bf 109E-1 was flown by veteran of the Spa-

  nish Civil War Hptm. Hannes Trautloft, later a fighter

  ace (58 victories), Knight’s Cross recipient, Kommo

  -

  dore of JG 54 and also a malcontent. With this air-

  craft, sporting the oldest camouflage scheme used

  on the E-1, Trautloft led his Staffel during the Polish

  campaign. The upper surfaces were painted with

  standard irregular pattern of two dark greens RLM

  70/71. The boundary between upper colors and light

  blue RLM 65 on the undersurfaces was very low on

  the fuselage. Upper surface colors also extended to

  the bottom surfaces on the leading edge of the wing

  with undulated boundary. Distinct red markings were

  sign of service with 2. Staffel and the old shoe em

  -

  blem was symbol of I./JG 77, which originated from

  IV./JG 132 unit.

  Aircraft of the 6.(J)/Tragergruppe 186 (the unit inten

  -

  ded to operate from future German aircraft carriers)

  sported a very distinctive witch emblem painted on

  their fuselages. The Brown “13” was no exception.

  It carried a standard camouflage scheme of RLM

  71/02/65 with RLM 65 applied on fuselage sides. The

  factory paint scheme was slightly modified by unit,

  as the color line between the upper/side and lower

  surfaces was repositioned when oversprayed by Sta

  -

  mmkennzeichen (factory code). Prior to the spring of

  1940, the aircraft received a later style insignia. The

  recessed firing channels in the engine cover were

  painted RLM 02 color. In this guise, the aircraft took

  part in the defense against the first RAF raids on

  Germany during fall and winter of 1939-1940. Ubben

  achieved 111 victories and was awarded the Knight's

  Cross with an Oak Leaves. He was killed in action in

  April 1944 as a Kommodore of JG 2.

  The camouflage scheme of the Yellow “2” underwent

  several interesting changes in an attempt to adapt it

  to different requirements from the Polish campaign to

  the Battle of Britain. The original upper surface sche

  -

  me consisting of RLM 70/71 was oversprayed with the

  undersurface RLM 65 color on the sides of the fuselage

  in a fashion similar to the scheme corresponding to

  the winter/spring 1940 period. Consequently, irregular

  pattern of the upper surfaces colors was oversprayed

  on the fuselage sides. It cannot be ruled out the RLM 02

  color was used in this process. The eagle emblem was

  a marking of 6. Staffel/JG 52. Oblt. Steinhilper flipped

  this machine in September 1940 during landing. He

  ran out of luck on October 27, 1940, when he was shot

  down over Canterbury by either S/Ldr McKellar or Sgt.

  Skinner of No. 74 Sqn. Steinhilper bailed out from Bf

  109E-1 but was captured and sent to a prisoner of war

  camp in Canada. From there he attempted to escape

  five times, each time unsuccessfully. He returned to

  Germany in 1945, where he died in Stuttgart on October

  20, 2009. Ulrich Steinhilper achieved a total of five vic

  -

  tories and wrote wrote the books "Spitfire On My Tail",

  "Full circle: The long way home from Canada" and "Ten

  Minutes To Buffalo" after the war.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  73

  April 2022

• Page 74

  Fw. Artur Beese, 9./JG 26, Caffiers, France, August 1940

  Fw. Artur Beese, 9./JG 26, Caffiers, France, August 1940

  Arthur Beese was forced to belly-land this aircraft af-

  ter a “dispute” with RAF fighters near Calais on August

  24, 1940. The aircraft carried the camouflage scheme

  typical for the summer 1940 period, comprising RLM 02

  and RLM 71 on the upper surfaces. Undersurfaces and

  fuselage sides were painted in RLM 65. This scheme is an

  example of the unusually high and relatively sharp de

  -

  marcation line of the upper fuselage colors. The octane

  marker stencil next to the filler cap is unusual in being

  a yellow triangle with a red outline. Beese had been shot

  down and captured during the French campaign in the

  spring of 1940, then released after France fell. In all,

  he scored 22 victories, including seven Soviet aircraft

  and six American four-engine bombers. He was killed in

  combat with American fighters in February 1944.

  This is the same aircraft flown by Arthur Beese as

  in marking option D but in different camouflage op

  -

  tion. Beese´s Bf 109E-1 is usually portrayed with a

  yellow cowl and rudder as in option D, but photogra

  -

  phs taken at the crash site indicate that the aircraft

  was destroyed before the yellow color on rudder and

  cowling could be applied.

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #8271X Bf 109E-1 1/48

  #8261-LEPT

  Bf 109E-1 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard74

  April 2022

• Page 75

  Recommended:

  for Bf 109E-1 1/48

  49651 Bf 109E Weekend (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1071 Bf 109E-1 Weekend (PE

  -

  Set)

  644024 Bf 109E LööK (Brassin)

  648058 Bf 109E wheels (Brassin)

  648472 Bf 109E cockpit & radio compartment (Brassin)

  648473 Bf 109E fuselage guns (Brassin)

  648474 Bf 109E engine (Brassin)

  EX439 Bf 109E-1/E-3 (Mask)

  Cat. No. 648472

  Cat. No. 648473

  Cat. No. 644024

  Cat. No. 648474

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  75

  April 2022

• Page 76

  #82103

  F-6D/K

  1/48

  Profipack edition kit of US WWII fighter

  aircraft P-51D Mustang in photo re-

  connaisance version F-6D/K in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  Brassin: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard76

  April 2022

• Page 77

  F-6D-10, 44-14699, Lt. Clifford S. Slonneger, 109th TRS, 67th TRG, 9th AF, Gosselies, Belgium, 1945

  F-6D-10, 44-14659, 111th TRS, 68th TRG, 12th AF, Fürth, Germany, July 1945

  F-6D-15, 44-14874, Lt. John E. Jacoby, 82nd TRS, 71st TRG, 5th AF,

  Johnson Field, Japan, September 1945

  The story of the 67th TRG began in September 1941, when

  it was formed in Louisiana as an Observation Group. It

  was tasked with anti-submarine patrols alongside the

  United States East Coast, service it carried out until

  March 1942. Move to Great Britain followed in August

  1942, where training continued. The unit was transfe

  -

  rred under the 9th Air Force command in October 1943

  and renamed 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. Both

  squadrons under its command, 107th TRS and 109th TRS,

  were equipped with F-6 Mustangs. Lt. Slonneger flew 54

  missions with 109th TRS, the unit operated this type on

  photo-reconnaissance sorties until the end of hostilities.

  After the War, the unit was transferred back to the Uni

  -

  ted States in August 1945 and disbanded in March the

  following year. F-6D from this unit had the oval window

  on the side of the fuselage often covered. It is highly pro

  -

  bable that it was the case of the aircraft named Shady

  Lady as well.

  After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 111th Observation

  Squadron, part of the Texas Air National Guard, was sent

  to the south of USA to guard the Mexican border. The unit

  was transferred under 68th OG command as soon as Fe

  -

  bruary 1942 and started its preparations for service in

  Europe. In 1942 the unit relocated to Great Britain with

  its P-39s as part of the organization of the invasion

  of Algiers (Algiers is the city, Algeria is the country and it

  wasn’t the only country that Allied Forces had to invade

  (Morocco, Tunisia…) so I would rather say “of the invasion of

  North Africa” or “of Operation Torch”). In 1943 the unit was

  renamed 111th TRS and equipped with F-6A and B aircraft.

  It participated in the Operation Husky (invasion of Sicily),

  Operation Dragoon (invasion of Southern France) and fur

  -

  ther campaigns of the ground forces through the Southern

  Europe. After the end of the War the unit returned into the

  ranks of the Texas Air National Guard. It is still active no

  -

  wadays equipped with MQ-1B Predator.

  Since November 1944, 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance

  Squadron, part of the 71st TRG, participated in reconnai

  -

  ssance missions over Philippines island of Luzon and also

  conducted close air support or photographing and bom

  -

  bing of the airports on Formosa and China. Its next base

  was the island of Ieshima from where pilots flew sorties

  over the Japanese island of Kyūshū. Since the deployment

  over the Philippines until the middle of June 1945 the

  unit was commanded by Capt. William Shomo, probably

  the most famous F-6D pilot. At the end of hostilities, the

  unit was transferred to Irumagawa airbase on the Tokyo

  outskirts. The aircraft No. 54 was deployed from the very

  beginning of the fighting on Philippines, and she remained

  in the unit inventory even after the end of the War as it

  served with occupying forces on Japanese territory. This

  aircraft appearance changed significantly during her

  service. At the beginning she carried only number 54

  on the vertical tail surface, later the black stripes were

  added to the fuselage and wings. Anti-glare panel was re

  -

  painted black, and the propeller spinner sported several

  variants of coloration. Inscriptions on the fuselage nose

  are also documented in two different layouts. There is an

  82nd TRS marking on the port side of the fuselage, most

  probably applied after the end of War.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  77

  April 2022

• Page 78

  F-6K-15, 75th FS, 23rd FG, 14th AF, Luliang Airfield, China, 1945

  F-6K-10, 44-12223, 118th TRS, 23rd FG, 14th AF, Chengkung, China, 1945

  F-6D-15, 44-15417, Lt. Edwin H. Pearle, 2nd FS, 2nd ACG, Cox´s Bazar, India, Spring 1945

  After disbandment of the American Volunteer Group,

  the famous “Flying Tigers” fighting with their P-40s

  over the Chinese territory, most of its pilots joined

  75th FS ranks. Same as its sister 118th TRS, also

  under 23rd FG command, 75th FS, equipped with P

  -

  -51Ds engaged in close air support, attacks on the

  traffic centers, warehouses, troops gathering points,

  airports, and other targets. To verify the results of

  such combat missions 23rd FG squadrons were equi

  -

  pped with l a few reconnaissance F-6. Reconnaissan-

  ce F-6K christened Pack’s Hack had the rear part of

  the fuselage including the tail surfaces painted black

  like all the aircraft of the 75th FS. The simplified sin

  -

  gle-color black unit marking was sprayed on both

  sides of the fuselage under the canopy on the metal

  surface.

  118th Squadron was activated in March 1941 at

  Jacksonville airbase, Florida from where it flew anti

  -

  -submarine sorties. In August 1942, it was relieved

  from these duties and started the preparations for

  overseas service. It was redesignated 118th TRS and

  assigned to China-Burma-India theatre for which

  specifics it prepared the following year. At the be

  -

  ginning of the 1944 the unit was transferred from

  the USA to India. Between May and June 1944 this

  unit supported the ground units, attacked the traffic

  centers, warehouses, troops gathering points, air

  -

  ports, and other ground targets. Initially the unit was

  equipped with P-40s, later it received P-51Ds inclu

  -

  ding several reconnaissance F-6. 118th TRS aircraft

  recognition marking was a black lightning outlined

  in yellow, which was painted on both sides of the

  P-51 fuselage. Downsized, these markings were also

  applied on the wing tips, vertical and horizontal tail

  surfaces. The aircraft christened SNOOPER carried

  the lightnings on the fuselage sides only, the rest of

  the marking was not applied.

  2nd Air Commando Group, equipped with P-51, C-47

  and L-5 aircraft moved from the United States to In

  -

  dia during the fall 1944. The main task of the group

  was support of the ground units operating on the

  territory of China and Burma, including resupplying

  these units with armament, equipment, and troops.

  Two fighter squadrons, 1st FS and 2nd FS, were also

  part of the group. Each one was equipped with 22 P

  -

  -51D fighters and three reconnaissance F-6s. Both

  2nd ACG fighter squadrons were mainly used for

  close air support tasks, but in the spring 1945 their

  pilots organized several extremely long distance

  attacks against the Japanese air bases. They claimed

  60 enemy aircraft destroyed and 40 probably destro

  -

  yed or damaged during these raids. Lt. Pearle con-

  tributed with one damaged bomber to this score. The

  main recognition marking of 2nd FS was black pro

  -

  peller spinner with natural metal tip. The Rebel Gal

  carried, like several other airplanes from this unit,

  its marking on the fuselage nose in form of an eagle

  grasping machine gun in his claws. The fuselage and

  wing sported lightnings, the marking of 2nd ACG.

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard78

  April 2022

• Page 79

  Recommended:

  for F-6D/K 1/48

  FE1021 P-51D seatbelts STEEL (Brassin)

  FE1214 P-51K seatbelts STEEL (Brassin)

  648485 P-51D exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648486 P-51D exhaust stacks w/ fairing (Brassin)

  648487 P-51D Hamilton Standard propeller (Brassin)

  648494 P-51D wheels diamond tread (Brassin)

  648495 P-51D undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648503 P-51D wheels oval tread (Brassin)

  648504 P-51D wheels cross tread (Brassin)

  648505 P-51D wheels block tread (Brassin)

  648511 P-51D wheels diamond tread 2 (Brassin)

  648512 P-51D wheels rhomboid treat (Brassin)

  648513 P-51D wheels pointed cross tread (Brassin)

  648514 P-51D wheels grooved (Brassin)

  648517 P-51D gun bays (Brassin)

  648522 P-51D cockpit (Brassin)

  648555 P-51D engine (Brassin)

  648570 P-51D gun sights (Brassin)

  648571 P-51D 75gal drop tanks (Brassin)

  648572 P-51D 108gal drop tanks (Brassin)

  648599 F-6D cameras (Brassin)

  648600 F-6D cockpit (Brassin)

  SIN64865 P-51D ESSENTIAL (Brassin)

  SIN64869 P-51D ADVANCED (Brassin)

  3DL48036 P-51K-5 SPACE (Brassin)

  3DL48037 P-51K-10 SPACE (Brassin)

  D48033 P-51D national insignia (Brassin)

  D48034 P-51D stencils (Brassin)

  EX663 P-51D TFace (Mask)

  Cat. No. 6484599

  Cat. No. 6484555

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82103X F-6D/K 1/48

  #82103-LEPT

  F-6D/K 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  KITS 04/2022

  INFO Eduard

  79

  April 2022

• Page 80

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 3 sets for CH-47A in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  Collection of 4 sets for F-104S in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seat

  644146

  CH-47A LööKplus

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  644147

  F-104S LööKplus

  1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard80

  April 2022

• Page 81

  Collection of 4 sets for F-104 ASA in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seat

  Collection of 4 sets for F-104 ASA

  -

  M in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Kinetic

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seat

  644148

  F-104 ASA LööKPlus

  1/48 Kinetic

  644149

  F-104 ASA/M LööKPlus

  1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  Product page

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  81

  April 2022

• Page 82

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for F-14A late in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - resin: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for Vampire F.3 in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644151

  F-14A late Löök

  1/48 Tamiya

  644152

  Vampire F.3 Löök

  1/48 Airfix

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard82

  April 2022

• Page 83

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for OV-10A in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: ICM

  Set contains:

  - resin: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the engine for Z-126 Trener in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Cowlings included.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 13 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  644153

  OV-10A LööK

  1/48 ICM

  648681

  Z-126 Trener Walter Minor 4 engine PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  83

  April 2022

• Page 84

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the landing flaps for Fw 190A in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the landing flaps for Spitfire Mk.V

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  648736

  Fw 190A landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648738

  Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard84

  April 2022

• Page 85

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the cockpit for F-14A late in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - resin: 39 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks without fairing for P-51B/C in

  1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648739

  F-14A late cockpit

  1/48 TAMIYA

  672279

  P-51B/C exhausts stacks PRINT

  1/72 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  85

  April 2022

• Page 86

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks with fairing for P-51B/C in

  1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the Bazooka type rocket launchers for P-

  -51B/C in 1/72 scale. The set consists of 2 rocket launchers.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672280

  P-51B/C exhausts stacks w/fairing PRINT

  1/72 Arma Hobby

  672281

  P-51B/C bazooka rocket launcher

  1/72 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard86

  April 2022

• Page 87

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for P-51B/C

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels. Easy

  to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Tornado

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  the nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672282

  P-51B/C wheels diamond tread

  1/72 Arma Hobby

  672283

  Tornado wheels

  1/72 Revell

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  87

  April 2022

• Page 88

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 8 sets for Tornado GR.1/GR.4

  in 1/72 scale. Recommended kit: Revell

  - Sky Shadow ECM pod

  - ALARM missiles

  - TIALD pod

  - CPU-123 Paveway II

  - BOZ-107 pod

  - JP233 dispenser

  - British 1000lb retarded bombs w_960 fuse

  - CBU-87 bombs

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separatel,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN67219

  Tornado GR.1/GR.4 armament

  1/72 Revell

  Product page

  INFO Eduard88

  April 2022

• Page 89

  www.eduard.com/bfc

  BUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTER

  CLUB

  Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

  15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard

  products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

  Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold

  products, specially made for BFC members.

  Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on

  their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at

  these events.

  Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode

  (used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available

  to the members of BFC.

  Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.

  That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!

  * E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with

  eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si

  -

  dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and

  seat belts.

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).

  How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?

  Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard

  product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping

  cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

  Activation products:Activation products:

  Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72

• Page 90

  3DL48061 Vampire F.3 SPACE 1/48 Airfix

  3DL48062

  OV-10D+ SPACE 1/48 ICM

  3DL53006

  International Marine Signal Flags SPACE 1/350

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard90

  April 2022

• Page 91

  DECAL SET

  F-6 Mustang national insignia

  1/48 Eduard

  Cat. No. D48102

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  91

  April 2022

• Page 92

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  APRIL 2022

  M18 tank destroyer

  1/35 Tamiya

  36478

  INFO Eduard92

  April 2022

• Page 93

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  U-2A

  1/72 Hobby Boss

  73768

  INFO Eduard

  93

  April 2022

• Page 94

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  B-26K

  1/48 ICM

  481079 B-26K Invader bomb bay

  481080 B-26K Invader exterior & undercarriage

  491262 B-26K Invader

  FE1262 B-26K Invader

  FE1263 B-26K Invader seatbelts STEEL

  481079

  481079481079

  481080

  INFO Eduard94

  April 2022

• Page 95

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  481080

  491262

  INFO Eduard

  95

  April 2022

• Page 96

  FE1262

  FE1263

  491262

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard96

  April 2022

• Page 97

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  Vampire F.3

  1/48 Airfix

  49258 Vampire F.3

  FE1258 Vampire F.3 (Zoom)

  FE1259 Vampire F.3 seatbelts STEEL

  FE1258

  491258

  491258

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  97

  April 2022

• Page 98

  F/A-18F

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1261

  F/A-18F seatbelts

  STEEL

  FE1260

  F/A-18F

  491260

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard98

  April 2022

• Page 99

  Fw 190D-9

  1/72 IBG

  73767

  SS767

  SS767

  Z-126/226 Trenér landing flaps

  1/48 Eduard

  481084

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  99

  April 2022

• Page 100

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

  BIG ED

  BIG33142 Tornado ECR 1/32 Italeri

  BIG33143

  B-25H 1/32 HKM

  BIG49319

  F-104S 1/48 Kinetic

  32476 Tornado ECR exterior 1/32

  32994 Tornado ECR interior 1/32

  32995 Tornado ECR undercarriage 1/32

  33294 Tornado ECR seatbelts STEEL 1/32

  JX285 Tornado ECR 1/32

  32477 B-25H exterior 1/32

  32996 B-25H interior 1/32

  33296 B-25H seatbelts STEEL 1/32

  JX287 B-25H 1/32

  491244 F-104S 1/48

  FE1247 F-104S seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX829 F-104S 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard100

  April 2022

• Page 101

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  BIG ED

  BIG49320 F-104S ASA 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49321

  F-104S ASA

  -

  M 1/48 Kinetic

  BIG49322

  Hs 129B 1/48 Hasegawa/Hobby 2000

  491245 F-104S ASA 1/48

  FE1247 F-104S seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX829 F-104S 1/48

  491246 F-104S ASA

  -

  M 1/48

  FE1247 F-104S seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX829 F-104S 1/48

  491248 Hs 129B 1/48

  FE1248 Hs 129B seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX043 Hs 129 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  101

  April 2022

• Page 102

  MASK

  IT FITS!

  JX289 Hawk 81-A2

  1/32 ICM

  JX290 Hawk 81-A2 TFace

  1/32 ICM

  EX844 B-26K Invader

  1/48 ICM

  EX845 B-26K Invader TFace

  1/48 ICM

  EX846 OV-10D+

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX847 OV-10D+ TFace

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX848 F/A-18F

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX849 F/A-18F TFace

  1/48 Clear Prop

  CX623 U-2A

  1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  CX624 OV-1A / JOV-1A

  1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  CX625 TA-4J

  1/72 Great Wall Hobby

  JX289 JX289

  JX290 JX290

  JX290 JX290

  EX844

  EX844

  EX845

  EX845

  EX845

  EX846

  EX846 EX846

  EX847

  EX847 EX847

  EX847 EX847

  EX845 EX845

  INFO Eduard102

  April 2022

• Page 103

  EX848

  EX848 EX848

  EX849

  EX849

  EX849 EX849 EX849

  EX849

  CX623

  CX624 CX624 CX624

  CX625

  CX623

  CX625

  CX623

  CX625

  MASK

  INFO Eduard

  103

  April 2022

• Page 104

  RELEASES

  APRIL 2022

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  7461 MiG-15bis 1/72 Eduard Weekend

  11158 ZERO ZERO ZERO! DUAL COMBO 1/48 Eduard Limited

  82156 Spitfire Mk.Vb late 1/48 Eduard ProfiPack

  84181 F6F-5 1/48 Eduard Weekend

  36478 M18 tank destroyer 1/35 Tamiya

  73767 Fw 190D-9 1/72 IBG

  73768 U-2A 1/72 Hobby Boss

  481079 B-26K Invader bomb bay 1/48 ICM

  481080 B-26K Invader exterior & undercarriage