KITS 04/2023

c/n 15, Lt.(jg) Keizō Yamazaki, Kōkūtai 802, Shortland Island, February 1943

This is the fifth A6M2-N produced and is one of

the few Rufes converted from the A6M2 Type 21

carrier fighter. This plane had purge system cover

on the top of the main float and folding wingtips.

It was one of two Yokohama Kōkūtai seaplanes

that were based in Shortland during August 7,

1942, when the rest of the unit was destroyed on

Tulagi Island. Rufe was then taken over by the

air unit of the Kamikawa Maru, and in October

1942 it was taken over by 14th Kōkūtai (Kōkūtai

802). It is possible that the two bands on the

fuselage were in fact grey, obscuring the original

white markings of the Kamikawa Maru. In March

1943, this machine was transferred to Marshall

Islands. The tail surfaces are marked with

victories achieved by several pilots, including

Lt.(jg) Keizō Yamazaki, who achieved a probable

kill of P-38 of the 339th FS on February 13 during

the defense of Shortland. Yamazaki was born in

Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated

from the Etajima Naval Academy in its 68th class

in 1940 and completed his flight training in June

1942. After his unit was integrated into Kōkūtai

902, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant

in November 1943. In February 1944, he became

commander of Kōkūtai 256’s fighter unit equipped

with Zeros based in Shanghai. During the fall of

1944 he led his unit in Taiwan during air battles

against U.S. Navy aviators.

Kōkūtai 802, Faisi-Poporang base, Shortland Islands, February 1943

This aircraft was among the new ones that

Kōkūtai 802 took over in Japan during December

1942. The top of the main float did not have purge

system cover. At the unit level, the aircraft

received a dark green paint, but the upper part

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INFO Eduard

of tail surfaces was left in original color. The

aircraft probably had a late production stencil

on the fuselage. The rudder sported a victory

mark and there was also a horizontal red stripe

on the vertical tail surfaces, which was probably

the unit’s identifying marking. It is likely that the

aircraft took part in the aerial combat on February

13 and 14 in the defense of the Shortland Islands

and Buin, in which the American units suffered

fairly significant losses.

April 2023