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IJN 4th Kōkūtai |
Pilot PO3c Keiji Kikuchii (KIA) Crashed March 22, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Mitsubishi or Nakajima. At the factory, painted overall gray with a black cowling. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as Type 0 Carrier Fighter / A6M2 Model 21 Zero manufacture number unknown (likely three or four digits). Wartime History Assigned to 4th Kokutai (4th Air Group). Tail number F-??? painted in black. A red fuselage stripe was painted on the rear fuselage. Mission History On March 22, 1942 in the morning took off from Lae Airfield on a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the Lae area with A6M2 Zero pilot Yamazaki. Spotting Hudson A16-134 and Hudson A16-169 both Zeros attacked between 8:40am to 9:00am. Gunners aboard the Hudsons claimed both shot down. Also damaged and shot down was A6M2 Zero pilot Yamazaki. References Kodochosho, 4th Kōkūtai, March 22, 1942 Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units of WWII (1989) page 288 "In February 1942 Yamazaki was posted to the 4th Air Group and advanced to Rabaul after having served with the Ōita Air Group. In April, he was transferred to the Tainan Air Group. Until August, Yamazaki used Rabaul and Lae as bases and was active in the eastern New Guinea and Solomons battlefronts." Flightpath Magazine "Yamazaki" by Michael Claringbould, 2010 Thanks to Richard Dunn and Michael Claringbould for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated October 10, 2024 |
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