452 Kōkūtai (452 Air Group)
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)

Background
On November 1, 1942 the 5th Kokutai was redesignated 452 Kokutai (452 Air Group) with tail code "M1-xxx". On November 6, 1942 the Kimikawa Maru return docking off Attu to deliver more Rufes, but these were destroyed the next day during a storm and American strafing attack on November 10.

Combats on December 31 and January 1, 1943, claiming two each day without loss. Bad weather made all the unit's aircraft unservicable on January 4, and none were repaired until January 24 when search missions spotted American ships off Amchitka Island, and bombed them with 60kg bombs, attacking them three other times in January.

On January 31, 1943 arriving off Attu, Kimikawa Maru delivers six more A6M2-N Rufes and one E13A Jakes to Attu that entered combat the next day.

On February 2, 1943 two were shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Amchitka Island.

At 12:45pm four A6M2-N Rufes piloted by Nakamachi, Nagase, Osa, Naoi and three E13A1 Jakes piloted by Tominaga, Suzuki, Mukai took off on a mission to bomb Amchitka Airfield. After take off, one Jake piloted by Suzuki expreiences engine problmes and aborts the mission and returns to land. The rest of the planes bomb and strafe reporting "All the bullets [ordnance] hit their target." and release sixteen 60 kg bombs and strafe with all seaplanes returning by 1:35pm.

On February 19, two more were lost including PO1c Gi-ichi Sasaki (4 victories, 5 shared victories and 1 probable). Afterwards, operations switched to defensive. On March 17, 1943 seven A6M2-N Rufes engaged P-38 Lightnings and claimed two shared victories, this was likely their last aerial combat.

Afterwards, the surviving personnel were evacuated on from Kiska by submarine back to Yokosua to reform the unit. During the Aleutians campaign, 452 Ku claimed 15 victories, 5 probables and lost 12 aircraft and 10 pilots. All 35 A6M2-N Rufes sent to the Aleutians were lost in combat, damage, enemy action, bad weather or abandoned.

Wreckage
After Allied forces occupied Attu and Kiska, the wreckage of several 454 Ku floatplanes were captured including A6M2-N Rufe 7134 captured on Attu plus E13A1 Jake (No. 1) and E13A1 Jake (No. 2) captured on Kiska.

References
Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units and their Aces 1932-1945 pages 24-26
Arawasi "Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" pt. 6 Aleutians 452th Kokutai"
Thanks to Jim Lansdale and Jim Long for additional information

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