Info EDUARD

Monthly magazine about history and scale plastic modeling.

Strana 50

STAVEBNICE 10/2026
Lt Toshihide Kihara, Tsukuba Kōkūtai, Japan, February 1945
Kōkūtai 343, Guam Island, June 1944
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 pilots
during raids on the Kantō region on February 16
and 17. Despite losing 14 aircraft, the 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 of its fighters remained operational.
The aircraft marked Tsu-58 was flown by
a member of the fighter unit, Lt. Toshihide
Kihara. On February 17, 1945, he claimed
a Hellcat with this plane. 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.
A history of this unit, written by Yasutaka
Yoshino, was published by Dai Nippon Kaiga.
Aircraft 43-136 of the 343rd Kōkūtai was found
damaged at one of Guam’s airfields following
the island’s capture, its camouflage finish
showing considerable wear. The photograph
used to reconstruct the aircraft’s appearance
was provided by Rising Decals. The aircraft
was probably built by Mitsubishi and carried
a command marking of three horizontal
yellow stripes on its tail surfaces. It may have
been the personal aircraft of Lt. Shinya Ozaki,
commander of the Hikōtai (flying unit) within
the 343rd Kōkūtai. Ozaki was a graduate of the
68th Class of the Naval Academy and had
originally qualified as a floatplane-fighter pilot.
He died of wounds sustained in aerial combat on
June 19, 1944 while flying aircraft 43-188 (see kit
no. 82216). Ozaki was posthumously promoted
by two ranks to Lieutenant Commander.
His father was Captain Chikara Ozaki, a graduate
of the 39th Class of the Naval Academy, while
his elder brother Mitsutoshi served in the JASDF
after the war.
INFO Eduard50
November 2026

STAVEBNICE 10/2026

Lt Toshihide Kihara, 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 pilots during raids on the Kantō region on February 16 and 17. Despite losing 14 aircraft, the 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 of its fighters remained operational. The aircraft marked Tsu-58 was flown by a member of the fighter unit, Lt. Toshihide Kihara. On February 17, 1945, he claimed a Hellcat with this plane. 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. A history of this unit, written by Yasutaka Yoshino, was published by Dai Nippon Kaiga.

Kōkūtai 343, Guam Island, June 1944

Aircraft 43-136 of the 343rd Kōkūtai was found damaged at one of Guam’s airfields following the island’s capture, its camouflage finish showing considerable wear. The photograph used to reconstruct the aircraft’s appearance was provided by Rising Decals. The aircraft was probably built by Mitsubishi and carried a command marking of three horizontal yellow stripes on its tail surfaces. It may have

been the personal aircraft of Lt. Shinya Ozaki, commander of the Hikōtai (flying unit) within the 343rd Kōkūtai. Ozaki was a graduate of the 68th Class of the Naval Academy and had originally qualified as a floatplane-fighter pilot. He died of wounds sustained in aerial combat on June 19, 1944 while flying aircraft 43-188 (see kit no. 82216). Ozaki was posthumously promoted by two ranks to Lieutenant Commander.

His father was Captain Chikara Ozaki, a graduate of the 39th Class of the Naval Academy, while his elder brother Mitsutoshi served in the JASDF after the war.

50

INFO Eduard

November 2026

Info EDUARD