Photo: ©Izawa

HISTORY

Kamikawa Maru fighter planes on her cruise in the summer of 1942 during a transport to the Solomon Islands area.

Of note on the YII-101 is the number on the front of the main float pylon and the convex cover on the top of the float,

which covered part of the tank purge system located in the float.

Lt. Cdr. Simpler. In combat, which ended low

over the terrain, the high maneuverability

and stability of the Rufe impressed American

opponents. However all Japanese were shot

down and killed. One of them was gunned while

on a parachute by Wildcat pilot.

During the afternoon of the same day, twenty

observation floatplanes escorted by two Rufe

arrived at Guadalcanal. Their crews were

tasked with attacking ground targets with 60kg

bombs. The attack took place at dusk and was

opposed by five Wildcats from VMF-224 and six

machines from VF-5.

The Rufe seaplanes, piloted by Ôno and PO2c

Matsutarō Ômura, clashed with Stover and

Byler of VF-5. In a dogfight that included frontal

attacks, Stover managed to shoot down Ômura.

Ôno escaped the fight and claimed one of the

Wildcats as downed.

The seaplane bases in Shortland area were

attacked in the early hours of 5 October by

Avengers and Wildcats from the USS Hornet

(CV-8). There was very poor visibility over

the target, and coincidentally two Petes from

Sanuki Maru and two Rufes as their escort

took off to join seven more floatplanes already

patrolling. They were tasked to cover the

destroyers Oyashio, Kuroshio and Hayashio

on their voyage to Guadalcanal. In sudden

defense of their own base, they were credited

with shooting down five fighter planes.

An even more dramatic encounter occurred on

October 10, 1942 during an attack on the Tokyo

Express (a convoy of two light cruisers and four

destroyers) including the light cruiser Tatsuta,

on board of which was Lt.Gen. Hyakutake. Two

Rufe seaplanes from Kamikawa Maru and two

Pete biplanes from Sanuki Maru were deployed

to cover them.

The Americans sent fifteen USMC Dauntlesses

and six USMC Avengers against the vessels,

accompanied by eight Airacobras and fifteen

Wildcats.

The chunky gray-blue fighter planes of VMF-212,

223, and 224 were mistaken for bombers by

the Japanese aviators, who attacked the group

of “bombers” from above. The surprise of the

Americans must have been no small one when

they were attacked by two biplanes and two

float Zeros, as the Rufe was then referred to by

its enemies.

All the Japanese machines were shot down.

A total of seven claims were made for the

destruction of the two Pete aircraft, indicating

the ferocity of the fight. While 2nd Lt. Gutt, Capt.

Marvin and Maj. Smith of VMF-223 each claimed

a Rufe shot down. They killed Seaman 1st Class

Maruyama (in YII-107) and CPO Kawai (YII-104).

Two American aircraft were shot down by

artillery fire from the decks of the ships, and

the vessels were not hit. Maruyama and Kawai

were among the most experienced seaplane

pilots in the area. In September 1942, their

aircraft were cited in a commendation by the

Commander of the Combined Fleet.

The Kamikawa Maru’s fighter Buntai pilots

scored 14 victories and had flown a total of 360

combat sorties in 211 missions by November 7,

1942. But nine of them were killed. After that

date, remaining fighter planes and pilots were

taken over by Kōkūtai 802.

Seaman 1st class, Takio Maruyama, aviation unit of seaplane

tender Kamikawa Maru, Shortland, September 1942

c/n 15, Lt.(jg) Keizō Yamazaki, Kōkūtai 802,

Shortland Island, February 1943

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

June 2023

INFO Eduard

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