11th Hiko Sentai (11th Flying Regiment)
Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF)

Background
The 11th Hiko Sentai (11th Flying Regiment) of the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) was a fighter unit initially equipped with the biplane fighter Ki-10 Perry.

Prewar
Between 1932 until June 1939 based at Harbin Airfield in Manchuria. In the later 1930s, equipped with the Type 97 Fighter / Ki-27 Nate.During May-June 1939 transfered to Saienjo Airfield near the border with Mongolia and flew combat missions during the Nomonhan Incident (Battle of Khalkhin Gol) until September 1939 when a cease-fire ended the undeclared border war.

On July 25, 1939 force landed was Ki-27 Nate pilot MSgt Shintaro in Mongolia and was rescued by a fellow pilot MSgt Bunji Yosiyama. Afterwards, his largely intact aircraft was captured by the Soviets and taken to Moscow for technical evaluation.

On August 22, 1939 lost was Ki-27 Nate Aikokuki 292 with the wreckage captured by the Soviet forces.

Pacific War
During the Pacific War, equipped with the Type 1 Fighter / Ki-43 Oscar and deployed to the South Pacific under the 12th Hiko-dan comprised of the 1st Sentai and 11th Sentai. Before deployment, the unit became double strength and was equipped with sixty Ki-43-I Oscars previously assigned to the 50th Sentai and 64th Sentai and were loaded aboard a small aircraft carrier and transported to Truk.

On December 18, 1942 the fighters depart Truk escorted by a G4M1 Betty south to Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul.

On December 22, 1942 the 11th Sentai flew their first interception mission and engage B-17E "Old 666" 41-2666 returning from a reconnaissance mission over Rabaul and fire all their ammunition but failed to shoot down the bomber but do cause damage to the tail, left aileron, right elevator, no. 2 engine fuel tank and oil cooler.

On December 24, 1942 Oscars from 11th Sentai attempted to fly from Rabaul to Lae Airfield on New Guinea but faced bad weather and returned. On December 25, 1942 they attempted the same flight and again encountered bad weather and returned and were unable to reach Lae Airfield until the next morning.

On December 26, 1942 fifteen Oscars from 1st Chutai led by Captain Shigenori Miyabayshi plus Oscars from Sentai Hombu (Headquarters) took off from Lae Airfield on a fighter sweep bound for Buna South Airfield (Dobodura). The Oscars followed the coastline at an altitude of 13,000' then dived down to attack with the 1st Chutai patrolling and headquarters strafing ground targets. strafed Hudson A16-3 that had just taken off and caused it to ditch into Oro Bay. The Oscars (misidentified as "Zeros") were intercepted by P-40E Warhawks from 49th Fighter Group, 9th Fighter Squadron that claimed 5 shot down. During the combat, the Oscars claimed six P-40s but only P-40E "The Rebel" 41-25164 pilot Landers bailed out and later returned to duty. Lost was Ki-43 pilot SgtM Hiroichi Fujii (Sentai Hombu) and SgtM Ryoichi Imamura (1st Chutai). One of the Oscars was likely shot down by Landers and the other likely shot down over Gona by Wirraway A20-103 pilot P/O John S. Archer.

On December 27, 1942 thirty-one Oscars from 1st Chutai led by Major led by Major Taniguchi took off from Lae Airfield escorting Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) twelve D3A Vals escorted by eleven A6M Zeros from 582 Kōkūtai (582 Air Group) on a mission to dive bomb Allied artillery positions near Buna Airfield. In bound to the target, some of the Vals and Oscars might have aborted the mission. Over the target, intercepted by three flights of four P-38F Lightnings from 39th FS (39th FS) joined by more P-38s, P-40s and P-400s with a total of two dozen U.S. planes in the vicinity. The Vals managed to dive bomb and failed to hit any artillery but cause 3 KIA and 8 WIA on the ground before a dogfight commenced in the vicinity and was the first combat of the P-38 Lightning in the South West Pacific Area. Lost was Ki-43-I Oscar pilot W/O Yoshitake (MIA) and Ki-43 Oscar pilot Sgt Kurihara crashed on the north coast of New Britain and rescued by a Navy seaplane.

On December 31, 1942 eight Oscars from 11th Sentai took off from Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul on a mission to intercept U.S. aircraft attacking Lae Airfield. During the combat, Ki-43-I Oscar pilot Hasegawa collided with P-38F 42-12652 piloted by 2nd Lt. Kenneth Sparks, damaging his right aileron and outer wing tip. The Oscar sustained tail damage but landed safely at Gasmata Airfield.

On January 5, 1943 at midday Oscars from 11th Sentai, 3rd Chutai led by Lt. Hiroatsu Hirano took off to intercept B-17 Flying Fortresses bombing Rabaul. Four or five Oscars intercepted B-17E "San Antonio Rose" 41-24458 and likely damaged the bomber or caused it to crash. Two Oscars were shot down by defensive fire including Ki-43-I pilot Nagayo Kotobuki (1st Chutai) who alone chased a bomber too far and went missing. Also lost was a Ki-43-I pilot SgtMaj Haruo Takagaki (2nd Chutai) who bailed out and landed in the sea but was rescued and returned to duty. During the combat, they claimed two B-17s shot down and two B-24s as probables. Some of the U.S. air crews reported seeing "Both old and new type Zero noted as well as E/A resembling ME-109. Enemy aircraft made determined attacks mostly from the front quarter". The "ME-109s" were in fact Ki-43-I Oscars from the 11th Sentai.

Between January 5-10, 1943 the 11th Sentai escorted a convoy from Rabaul to Lae. During these five days, they flew 283 sorties and claimed 15 aerial victories but suffered 23 aircraft lost and six pilot killed.

On January 9, 1943 when the 1st Sentai arrived, elements of the 11th Sentai moves to Buka Airfield on Buka Island north of Bougainville to support Operation Ke the withdrawal of the Japanese Army from Guadalcanal.

On January 27, 1943 as part of an escort of Ki-43-I Oscars from the 1st Sentai and 11th Sentai escort nine Ki-48 Lilys from 45th Sentai (45th Flying Regiment) bombing Guadalcanal. Over the target, the Japanese formation of 74 planes were intercepted by U.S. fighters including P-38 Lightnings, P-40 Warhawks from the 44th Fighter Squadron and 68th Fighter Squadron. During the air combat, seven Oscars were shot down over Guadalcanal. Five Oscars sustained damage but managed to land at Ballale Airfield. This was the only Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) strike against Guadalcanal. The Americans lost seven planes: two P-38s, two P-40s plus two P-40s damaged beyond repair and one F4F Wildcat from Marine Fighting Squadron 112 (VMF-112) ditched due to lack of fuel returning from the mission. This was the only mission by the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) against Guadalcanal.

Although Operation Ke-Go was still underway, the Japanese Army offensive at Wau on New Guinea was so perilous that the planes from the 45th Sentai and 11th Sentai were diverted to Lae Airfield to provide support.

On February 6, 1943 twenty-nine Ki-43 Oscars from 11th Sentai escort nine Ki-48 Lilys from 45th Hiko Sentai (45th Flying Regiment) on a bombing mission against Wau Airfield.

On March 3, 1943 during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea Oscars from 11th Sentai provided air cover for the Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea bound for Lae and intercepted B-17 Flying Fortresses from 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG). A pair of fighters made a single firing pass against B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 causing damage from nose to tail and wounded five of the crew including pilot Easter who dove to evade and escapes.

On May 8, 1943 Ki-43 Oscars from the 11th Sentai, 1st Chutai led by Capt. Takashi Ninomiyo (C. O. 1st Chutai) escorted a convoy off Madang. At 9:13am three Oscars intercepted B-17F "Fightin Swede" 41-24520 made at least two head on passes then the bomber was intentionally rammed by Ki-43 Oscar pilot Tadao Oda who was killed in the ramming attack with both aircraft bursting into flames and crashing into the sea.

In June 1943 transfered to Wewak on the north coast of New Guinea.

During 1944-1945 operated the Type 4 Fighter Hayate / Ki-84 (Frank) from Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines. During late January 1945 caputred at Clark Field largely intact were Ki-84 Frank 1446 and Ki-84 Frank. Both were studied by Allied Technical Intelligence Unit (ATIU) and repaired for flight testing.

Markings
The unit motif was a diagonal lightning bolt. Sentai Hombu (Headquarters) green, 1st Chutai white, 2nd Chutai red and 3rd Chutai yellow.

11th Hiko Sentai Known Aircraft
Ki-27 Nate pilot MSgt Shintaro  force landed July 25, 1939
Ki-27 Nate Aikokuki 292  crashed August 22, 1939
Ki-84 Frank 1446  captured Clark Field repaired for flight testing
Ki-84 Frank  captured Clark Field repaired for flight testing

References
Emblems of the Rising Sun (1999) page 19 (11st Sentai)
Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) page s 95-96 (December 22, 1942)
South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 15-18 (December 24-25, 1942) 15-18 (December 26, 1942), 17-18 (December 27, 1942)

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