Captain Nario Iwanaga
Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) Ki-46 Dinah Pilot at Rabaul

Background
Nario Iwanaga enlisted in the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) and during November 1941 began training in Japan. His fly training included 65 hours in primary trainers with roughly half between dual control and solo flight in a biplane trainer. For intermediate flight training he logged another 50 hours in a single engine fixed landing gear plane mostly solo. Finally, he completed advanced flight training including radio, gunnery and bombing mostly in a Army Type 97 Command Reconnaissance aircraft / Ki-15 Babs. Afterwards, he flew 15 hours of instruction in twin engine trainers and learned to fly the Type 100 / Ki-46 Dinah. At first, he had trouble taking off and landing the plane but after 2-3 hours had no trouble and logged about 50 hours with the type. After completing his flight training, he was granted a month of rest and recouperation leave time at home.

Wartime History
During September 1943, Captain Nario Iwanaga with radio operator Warrant Officer Kodama Norio flew a Ki-46 Dinah departed Japan on a flight to the South Pacific flying via Formosa (Taiwan), Clark Field, Davao, Ambonia, Hollandia, Momote before reaching Rabaul on September 20, 1943.

On September 18, 1945 took off from Vunakanau Airfield piloted by Captain Nario Iwanaga with radio operator Warrant Officer Kodama Norio on a surrender flight to Jacquinot Bay Airfield. The formation included A6M5 Zero 4043, A6M5 Zero 4379 and A6M5 Zero 4444 piloted by P.O. Gensaku Aoki, P. O. Yoshio Otsuki and P. O. Yasushi Shimbo. The Japanese aircraft were escorted by sixteen RNZAF Corsairs from Rabaul to Jacquinot Bay Airfield. When landing, this Dinah suffered damaged to the main landing undercarriage leg. After landing, the pilots saluted, made a report then were flown back to Rabaul aboard a RNZAF Catalina and became Prisoners Of War (POWs).

Including this final flight, Iwanaga logged a total of 800 hours of flying time during World War II. During late September 1945, former pilot Captain Nario Iwanaga and radio operator Warrant Officer Kodama Norio were interrogated by RNZAF Squadron Leader Denys S. Hamilton.

References
Interrogation of Japanese Army Aircrew - Captain Iwanga Nario by RNZAF S/L Denys Staples Hamilton
Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph Denys Staples Hamilton, NZ40767 / 131467
The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by pages 86-89
Too Young To Die: The Story of a New Zealand fighter pilot in the Pacific War (1987) pages 178
"My squadron mate Andy Slater escorted the Dinah down from Rabaul, but unlike the Kate, I heard that they had difficulty in catching up to the speedy twin-engined aircraft which was more or less the Japanese equivalent of the Mosquito, but with radial engines. It had the misfortune to burst a tyre on landing at Jacquinot, but although slewing off the runway suffered no structural damage."

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