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| JAAF 54th Hiko Sentai |
Pilot W/O Akira Sugimoto (wounded, killed by guerrillas) Crashed January 7, 1945 Aircraft History Built by Nakajima. Uncoded serial number unknown (likely three digits). Delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as Type 1, Model III Fighter / Ki-43-III Oscar manufacture number unknown. Wartime History Assigned to the 54th Hiko Sentai (54th Flying Regiment). No known markings or tail code. Mission History On January 7, 1945 in the morning took off from Fabrica Airfield on Negros piloted by W/O Akira Sugimoto armed with a 150 kg bomb on a patrol southward to the Guimaras Strait to report the presence of any American ships he might encounter. Finding nothing, he spotted Ki-84 Frank pilot Sgt Fukuda and the pair flew in formation together back towards their bases. Returning, Ki-84 Frank pilot Sgt Fukuda was preparing to land at Manapla Airfield (Carolina) when Sugimoto saw a flight of four P-38 Lightnings and engaged and may have fired on P-38L "Eileen-Ann" 44-24845 pilot Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. that crashed. Intercepted by P-38L "Doots" 44-24876 pilot Captain Edwin R. Weaver and P-38J "Miss Gee Gee" 43-28525 pilot 2nd Lt. Douglas S. Thropp, Jr. this Oscar was hit by gunfire before escaping into clouds. Damaged, Sugimoto force landed around 7:20am and was found by Filipino guerrillas and when he did not surrender was shot. References "What Really Happened to McGuire?" by David Mason via Wayback Machine January 27, 2012 The Search For The Crash Site of Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. by David Mason, 2000 McGuire Final Report: Investigation into the final combat mission of Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. (2009) by David J. Mason Thanks to David Mason 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 August 7, 2024 |
 Ki-43  Map Fukuda Jan 7, 1945 |
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