Strana 35
A6M5 Zero Type 52, probably c/n 4271, Lt. Yukio Seki, 1st Kamikaze Tokubetsu
Kōgekitai, Shikishima-tai, Mabalacat airfield,
Phillipines, October 1944
A6M5 Zero Type 52, Hikōtai 165, Kōkūtai 653, IJN Zuihō,
Ōita base, Japan, September 1944
In October 1944, as part of the 1st Kamikaze
Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, the first nine groups of
kamikaze pilots were organized, mostly from
Kōkūtai 201, including the Shikishima unit.
Its CO was Lieutenant Yukio Seki. He was born in
1921 (NA 70th class, 1941), he initially served on
the battleship Fusō then experienced the Battle
of Midway aboard the seaplane tender Chitose.
In September 1944, he was assigned to Kōkūtai
201 in the Philippines, where he helped train
pilots in skip bombing. After suffering heavy
losses, the unit received replacement aircraft
from other formations at Mabalacat, including
Hikōtai 602 (Kōkūtai 381), from which aircraft
02-112 originated. On October 25, Seki led one
of seven groups of Zero pilots in an attack on
Taffy 3 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, escorted
by fighter ace Hiroyoshi Nishizawa from Kōkūtai
203. The aircraft, most likely piloted by Seki,
struck the escort carrier USS St. Lo, which sank
after 30 minutes. Of the 889 crew members,
113 were killed or went missing, while about
thirty others later died from their injuries. One
of the survivors, ACOM Earl F. Roberts, found
a A6M5 Mitsubishi Co. tail data plate no. 2968
before abandoning the ship. From this, it is
estimated that the aircraft's serial number
was likely 4271 and that it was manufactured
between late October and early November 1943.
This Mitsubishi manufactured aircraft was
assigned to Kōkūtai 653, which was established
in February 1944. The division of colors on the
fuselage is characteristic of aircraft produced
by Mitsubishi. Kōkūtai 653 participated in the
Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944 aboard
the carriers Chitose, Chiyoda, and Zuihō. Most of
its armament consisted of A6M2 Type 21 fighter-
bombers. Out of the nine carrier squadron
commanders, only one survived. After the battle,
Kōkūtai 653 was reorganized into four Hikōtais.
Lt. Kenji Nakagawa led Hikōtai 164 and 165 with
48 A6M5 fighters each. Lt. Tetsuo Endō led
48 A6M fighter-bombers of Hikōtai 166, while
bombers were assigned to Hikōtai 263. In the
fall of 1944, Kōkūtai 653 suffered 50% losses
in the defense of Taiwan. During the defense of
the Philippines, Hikōtai 164 operated from land
bases. The aircraft of Hikōtai 165 were deployed
aboard aircraft carriers during the Battle of
Leyte Gulf, with numbers on upper part of the
tail indicating their carrier: Zuikaku (1), Zuihō (2),
Chitose (3), and Chiyoda (4). After the loss of all
carriers, Kōkūtai 653 fought in the Philippines.
Several of its pilots escorted Kamikaze
missions as part of Reisen-tai on October 29
and November 6. Kōkūtai 653 was disbanded
on November 15, 1944.
KITS 04/2025
INFO Eduard
35
April 2025