Strana 38
A6M2-K, Kasumigaura Kōkūtai, Sentōki Tokubetsu Kōgekitai,
Chitose Base, Japan, July 1945
A6M2-K, Lt. (jg) Tamotsu Kaneko, Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai,
Dai 1 Tsukuba-tai, Kanoya Base,
Japan, April 1945
Kasumigaura Kōkūtai was the third oldest
aviation unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
It was established in November 1922, and
among its first aircraft types were the Avro
504 and Sparrowhawk. This unit played a key
role in training cadres of the Japanese naval
air force. Among the instructors who served
in this unit were Akio Matsuba (18 victories)
and Kunioshi Tanaka (17 victories). One of the
pilots who underwent training at Kasumigaura
Kōkūtai was Wataru Nakamichi, who achieved
15 victories and was one of the escort pilots for
the missions with Yokosuka MXY-7 Ōka aircraft
within the Kōkūtai 721. Towards the end of the
war, Kasumigaura Kōkūtai allocated twenty
A6M2-K training aircraft for Kamikaze missions,
but the order for deployment was never issued
before the war ended. The Japanese army and
naval air force were conserving their reserves
and replenishing aircraft of all categories
for Kamikaze attacks against the anticipated
Allied landing on the Japanese home islands.
The Japanese planned to strike (though not
necessarily sink) approximately 50% of enemy
vessels due to the expected proximity of targets
during the landing.
The Tsukuba Kōkūtai training unit was separated
from Kasumigaura Kōkūtai in December 1938.
Over time, the focus of training provided by
the unit changed. In November 1944, Tsukuba
Kōkūtai assigned experienced instructors to
form a fighter squadron equipped with Zero
and Shiden aircraft. This squadron engaged in
combat with B-29 bombers and U.S. carrier-
based aircraft as early as January and February
1945. At the end of March 1945, Tsukuba Kōkūtai
was ordered to form its own Kamikaze units,
designated Tsukuba-tai No. 1 to No. 6. However,
the last two Kamikaze units were staffed by
Zero pilots from Kōkūtai 721. On April 6, 1945,
during the first day of Operation Kikusui I,
Lt. (jg) Tamotsu Kaneko was deployed with
aircraft Tsu-460. Along with 16 other pilots from
his unit, he attacked convoys near Okinawa.
On April 6, a total of 391 naval aircraft and 133
army aircraft were dispatched from bases in
Taiwan and Japan to the Okinawa area. Among
them, the Navy assigned 215 and the Army
82 aircraft for Kamikaze attacks. However,
a relatively large number of aircraft had to return
due to malfunctions or other issues. During the
Kamikaze attacks, 20 American vessels were hit.
The destroyers USS Bush, Colhoun, and Emmons
were sunk, and the British aircraft carrier HMS
Illustrious was also damaged.
KITS 04/2025
INFO Eduard38
April 2025