Markings for A6M5 Zero Type 52a 1/48

COL A

c/n 4685, Lt. Shinya Ozaki, Kōkūtai 343, Agana airfield, Guam Island, June 1944

This Mitsubishi built aircraft was discovered in March 1962 in a swamp on the island of Guam and is on display at Hamamatsu Air Base in Japan today. Its pilot was Lt. Ozaki of Kōkūtai 343, who took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in the Marianas on June 19, 1944, with this aircraft. Together with his wingman, Ozaki attacked an SOC seaplane from USS Montpelier, whose crew had rescued two downed pilots off the coast of Guam. Overloaded, the seaplane could not take off and was taxiing on the water’s surface. It was protected by Lt. Henry C. Clem in a Hellcat from VF-10 and LtCdr. Harmer in a Corsair from VF(N)-101. In the ensuing dogfight with Ozaki, Clem’s plane stalled; Ozaki hit him, and Clem was killed while he crashed into the sea. Harmer attempted to pursue Ozaki and fired at him from long range, managing to inflict mortal wounds. The Japanese pilot crash-landed in the swamp and died.

COL B

Kōkūtai 653, Hikōtai 166, Ōita base, Japan, September 1944

This Mitsubishi manufactured aircraft was assigned to Kōkūtai 653, which was established in February 1944. The layout of camouflage color fields was 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 Hikōtai. 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. Part of Hikōtai 166 aircraft was deployed from aircraft carriers in October 1944 during the Battle off Cape Engaño in the defense of the Philippines. The Kōkūtai was disbanded on November 15, 1944.

COL C

Kōkūtai 221, Hikōtai 407, Philippines, February 1945

This aircraft, manufactured by Mitsubishi company, was captured during the fighting in the Philippines. It belonged to Hikōtai 407 which at that time was part of Kōkūtai 221. The aircraft showed signs of operational wear, and the tailwheel cover was replaced with one from a Nakajima-built aircraft. The letter D on the tail surfaces identifies it as part of Hikōtai 407. In January 1944, Kōkūtai 221 was established at the Kasanbara base in Kagoshima Prefecture. It was given the battle name Arashi (“Storm”). In July it was reorganized into an air group with four fighter Hikōtai. One of these was the newly formed Hikōtai 407 at Kagoshima base, led by Lt. Yoshihige Hayashi. He had 48 fighter aircraft at his disposal and under his command Hikōtai 407 was deployed in the defense of the Philippines from late October to December 1944. After returning to Japan, Hikōtai 407 was incorporated into the elite Kōkūtai 343 (II) with Shiden-kai fighters.

COL D

ENS Sada-aki Akamatsu, Kōkūtai 302, Atsugi, Japan, February 1945

Sada-aki Akamatsu was one of the most famous Japanese fighter pilots. Born in 1910, he voluntarily entered the Imperial Navy in 1928 and completed pilot training in March 1932. He successively served aboard the aircraft carriers Akagi, Ryūjō, and Kaga, and also with the Yokosuka and Ōmura Kōkūtai. In December 1937, Akamatsu was assigned to the Kōkūtai 13 in China, where he achieved 11 victories. In April 1941, he was transferred to the Kōkūtai 3 and from December 1941 he took part in the battles for the Philippines and the Netherlands East Indies. In July 1943 he was assigned to Kōkūtai 331 and in December he participated in the raid on Calcutta. In 1945, as part of the Hikōtai 1 of the Kōkūtai 302, he successfully contributed to the defense of the Japanese home islands. Flying the aircraft shown here, built by Nakajima, he scored four confirmed and two unconfirmed kills against Hellcats in clashes with US Navy pilots on February 16 and 17. These successes were marked on the fuselage of his aircraft with cherry blossom symbols. Akamatsu was known for his courage but also for displays of disobedience and disrespect toward his superiors. He logged over 6,000 flight hours and achieved approximately 27 victories.

COL E

CPO Takanobu Obata, Tsukuba Kōkūtai, Japan, February 1945

In November 1944, Tsukuba Kōkūtai training unit assigned experienced instructors to form a fighter squadron equipped with Zero and Shiden aircraft. This squadron engaged in combat with B-29 bombers and US carrier-based aircraft as early as January and February 1945. Tsukuba Kōkūtai pilots clashed with US Navy aircraft during raids on the Kantō region on February 16 and 17. Despite losing 14 aircraft, Japanese pilots claimed 11 American planes shot down during the two days. In a similar engagement on February 25, Tsukuba Kōkūtai lost eight aircraft but claimed five victories. After the battle, only nine operational fighters remained. The aircraft marked Tsu-51 was flown by a member of the fighter unit, the experienced veteran CPO Obata. On February 16, 1945, he carried out two of the four combat sorties against US Navy aircraft in this plane. During his last combat sortie with this aircraft, he shot down three Hellcats. At the end of March, Tsukuba Kōkūtai received orders to form its own Kamikaze units, which were deployed during Operation Kikusui in the defense of Okinawa.