|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| JAAF 11th Hiko Sentai 1st Chutai |
Aircraft History Built by Nakajima. Delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as Type 1 Fighter Hayabusa / Ki-43-I Oscar manufacture number unknown (three digits). Wartime History Initially, this aircraft was initially assigned to the 50th Hiko Sentai or 64th Hiko Sentai. During December 1942 one of sixty Ki-43-I Oscars assigned to the 11th Hiko Sentai. This aircraft was assigned to the 1st Chutai. The tail had a white diagonal lightning bolt motif on both sides of the tail. Painted with green upper surfaces and fuselage Hinomaru with a 75mm white outline and a white vertical stripe on the rear fuselage. This aircraft was loaded aboard an aircraft carrier and transported to Truk then flown escorted by a G4M1 Betty to Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul arriving December 18, 1942. Mission History This aircraft is presumed to have been shot down and crashed crashed into the jungle of the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain Province sometime during 1943 while the 11th Hiko Sentai was operating from Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Possibly, this aircraft was Ki-43-I Oscar pilot Nagayo Kotobuki lost on January 5, 1943 intercepting B-17 Flying Fortresses over Rabaul and was hit by their defensive gunfire and crashed. Richard Dunn adds: "The only Type 1 fighter lost with its pilot on January 5, 1943 was a 1st Chutai / 11 Sentai piloted by Nagayo Kotobuki. A 2/11 FR pilot bailed out but the pilot returned to duty. 1/11 Sentai was the army unit responsible for attacking Walker's B-17F "San Antonio Rose" 41-24458. Shishimoto's (1st Chutai) diary description of combat is consistent with what we know about Walker's demise and basis for my conclusion." Wreckage The crash site of this aircraft was discovered by a Malaysian logging company on New Britain. The tail section was recovered to their logging camp. The left side was spray painted in red with "P. S. MUNO Kkil Log Wood" plus illegible markings on the tail that appear to read "MYYES". Later, the tail section was transported to Rabaul and placed on display indoors at the New Guinea Club (Rabaul). References Thanks to David Flinn, Robert Rawlinson and Richard Dunn for additional information Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 Ki-43  Photo Archive |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
