Photo: US Naval History and Heritage Command

HISTORY

F6F-3 Hellcat fighters landing on USS Enterprise (CV-6) after strikes on the Japanese base at Truk, 17-18 February 1944. Flight deck crewmen are folding planes' wings

and guiding them forward to the parking area.

took off a second time, achieving one victory,

but his machine was hit and had to make an

emergency landing. In early March 1944, the

fighter unit of Kōkūtai 902 was disbanded.

Sasebo Kōkūtai performing patrol duties in

Photo: ©Izawa

eight aircraft and claimed five victories. They

clashed successively with Hellcat pilots from

VF-5, 6, 9 and 10. However, four Japanese pilots

were killed, and three others made emergency

landings or parachuted. One of the pilots

Kōkūtai 934 at Ambon Base used at least two machines with lightning bolt painting on the fuselage. Its design

was different on both aircraft and was apparently painted white. While the seaplane with the lightning bolt and

marking 934-116 is captured in several photographs at the shore or during taxiing, the second machine (in this

photograph) is not photographed in a way that shows its tail code. In the past, it has been presented by some

decal makers with, for example, the code 934-06, but this does not correspond to the marking system of the

aircraft of this unit, which are captured in the newly discovered photographs.

June 2023

Western Japan had its own Rufe unit. In May

1944, part of Sasebo Kōkūtai including Rufes

led by Lt. Teijirō Yonemasu, moved to Chichijima

Island for defense against the US Navy. They

got into combat very early on July 4 and of nine

Rufes, seven were shot down and four pilots

were killed. Three victories, including two

probables, were scored by the CPO Teruyuki

Naoi. Their opponents were the night fighter

Hellcats of VF(N)-76. Lt(jg) John William Dear,

Jr. claimed three downed Rufes and Lt(jg) Fred

LeRoy Dungan even four.

Towards the end of 1944, some airmen were

transferred to land-based naval fighter

units and the rest of the Sasebo Kōkūtai was

incorporated into the anti-submarine Kōkūtai

951.

In Japan, Rufe aircraft served with several units

tasked with training, and their assignments

later expanded to include patrol operations.

Training on Rufe seaplanes was usually

a precursor to the more powerful N1K Rex

fighter.

In April 1943, Sukumo Kōkūtai was formed,

consisting of twelve fighter and twelve

observation seaplanes. It used the base of the

same name in Kochi Prefecture. In early 1944 its

status changed to a combat unit, redesignated

INFO Eduard

21