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Front view of Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1'

Front view of Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1'


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Front view of Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1'

Here we see the Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1' from the front. The model can be identified by the partly exposed main wheels in the nacelles, which were hidden in the 'Sally 2' and 'Sally 3'.


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Col. Robert Scott, the first commander of the 23rd Fighter Group - successor to Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers - attacks a formation of Japanese bombers during his last combat mission, December 26, 1942.

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Front view of Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1' - History

File: Japanese Military Aircraft

Report: Compiled by Calvin W. Lew

The code name system for Japanese aircraft originated in the Southwest Pacific theatre in the second half of 1942. Before Pearl Harbor, very little was known about Japanese military aircraft of any type, and it was widely assumed that most Japanese military aircraft were second-rate copies of obsolescent Western designs. It goes without saying that the first six months of the Pacific War showed just how wrong that view was!

The Allies were thus faced with a desperate need for accurate, up-to-date intelligence on the Japanese aircraft which were at that time riding roughshod over the entire Pacific theatre of operations. In June, 1942 Captain Frank T. McCoy of Nashville, Tennessee became head of the Material Section of the Directorate of Intelligence of the allied air forces in the entire Southwest Pacific area. His team was assigned the task of identifying and classifying Japanese aircraft.

Since Captain McCoy was from Tennessee, he initially assigned hillbilly names such as ZEKE, RUFE, NATE, and JAKE to Japanese aircraft--chosen so that they were short, simple, unusual, and easy to remember. 75 code names were assigned the first month. By September 1942, these names were in wide use throughout the entire Southwest Pacific. Shortly thereafter, they went into use throughout the entire Pacific.

These odd-sounding code names soon attracted attention from high-ranking military brass. Captain McCoy assigned to what later turned out to be a modified Zero the code name HAP, the nickname of General Henry H. ("Hap") Arnold, USAAF Chief of Staff. The General was NOT amused, and had Capt McCoy summoned before General MacArthur's chief of operations to explain what he was up to. Captain McCoy seems to have gotten himself out of this particular jam, but the name HAP was quietly changed to HAMP.

In the summer of 1944, a joint Army-Navy Air Technical Center in Washington took over responsibility for assigning the names.

The code names were alloted according to the following system:

Male first names: Fighters and reconnaissance seaplanes

Female first names: Bombers, attack bombers, dive bombers, Reconnaissance aircraft, Flying boats

Transports (names beginning with letter T).

However, there were some exceptions to the rule. The Ki-44 Shoki single-seat fighter was assigned the name TOJO.

Here is a list of code names. Supposedly it is complete, but I would appreciate being informed of any omissions.

A LLIED C ODE N AMES FOR J APANESE A IRCRAFT

Designator Code Name Manufacturer

F IGHTERS and R ECONNAISSANCE S EA P LANES (Male first names) :

A5M CLAUDE Mitsubishi Navy carrier-based single-seat fighter

A5M SANDY Mitsubishi Navy carrier-based fighter. Name given to a non-existent inverted-gull wing version of CLAUDE.

A6M Reisen (Zero Fighter)/BEN Mitsubishi Name briefly assigned to

A6M Reisen (Zero Fighter)/RAY Mitsubishi Name briefly assigned to Zero in CBI theatre.

A6M2 Reisen (Zero Fighter) Mitsubishi The Zero is the most recognizable of all Japanese aircraft, comprising almost all the fighter planes fielded by

Japan in World War II. It was exactly the state of the art at its introduction in 1940, but fell behind the technology power curve in mid-war. Its 1130-horsepower engines were no longer powerful enough to compete, and models with more powerful engines were not available until near war's end. Max speed was about 350 mph, and range in the thousand-mile bracket with drop tanks.

A6M5 Model 52 Reisen (Zero Fighter)/ZEKE Mitsubishi Navy single-engined carrier- based fighter.

A6M2-N RUFE Nakajima Seaplane fighter version of Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen.

A6M3 HAMP Mitsubishi Navy carrier-based fighter. First named HAP, then HAMP, then finally ZERO 32.

A7He1 JERRY Heinkel Heinkel He 112B-0 in service in Japan as Navy land-based

A7M Reppu (Hurricane)/SAM Mitsubishi Navy single-seat carrier-based fighter

A8V1 DICK Seversky Seversky 2PA-B3 purchased from USA and operated as two-seat Navy land-based fighters.

AI-104 IONE Aichi Nonexistent reconnaissance seaplane.

AT-27 GUS Nakajima Fictional twin-engined fighter.

Bf 109E MIKE Messerschmitt German fighter erroneously believed to be in service in Japan.

Bf 110 DOC Messerschmitt German twin-engined fighter erroneously believed to be in service in Japan.

E7K ALF Kawanishi Navy single-engined reconnaissance biplane seaplane

E8N DAVE Nakajima Navy two-seat reconnaissance seaplane biplane.

E9W SLIM Watanabe Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane

E10A HANK Aichi Navy reconnaissance seaplane

E13A JAKE Aichi Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane.

E14Y GLEN Yokosuka Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane

E15K Shiun (Violet Cloud)/NORM Kawanishi Navy single-engined high-speed reconnaissance seaplane

E16A Zuiun (Auspicious Cloud)/PAUL Aichi Navy single-engined reconnaissance seaplane

F1M PETE Mitsubishi Navy single-engined observation biplane seaplane.

FW 190A-5 FRED Focke-Wulf Erroneously believed to be in service in Japan

J1N Gekko (Moonlight)/IRVING Nakajima Navy twin-engined land-based night fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt)/JACK Mitsubishi Navy single-seat land-based interceptor. The J2M was a Japanese fighter developed in the later years of WWII. Designed to be an interceptor, the plane was never really the nemesis of B-29 bombers that it was hoped to be.

He 112B-0 Heinkel In service in Japan as Navy land-based fighter.

J4M Senden/LUKE Mitsubishi Navy interceptor

Ki-001 BEN Nagoya-Sento Did not exist.

Ki-10 PERRY Kawasaki Army single-seat biplane fighter Relegated to training roles by beginning of Pacific War

Ki-27 ABDUL Nakajima Army single-seat fighter serving in CBI theatre. Duplicate of NATE in Southwest Pacific. After 1943, code name NATE was used exclusively.

Ki-27 NATE Nakamima Army single-seat fighter Name initially used only in Southwest Pacific theatre, whereas the same plane was called ABDUL in CBI theatre. From 1943 onward used name NATE exclusively.

Ki-28 BOB Kawasaki Erroneously believed to be in production as fighter

Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon)/JIM Nakajima Army single-seat fighter - name later changed to OSCAR

Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon)/OSCAR Nakajima Army single-seat fighter - known for a time in CBI theatre as JIM

Ki-44 Shoki (Devil-Queller)/TOJO Nakajima Army single-seat fighter

Ki-45 Toryu (Dragon Killer)/NICK Kawasaki Army two-seat, twin-engined fighter

Ki-46 DINAH Mitsubishi Army twin-engined reconnaissance and interceptor aircraft.

Ki-61 Hien (Swallow)/TONY Kawasaki Army single-seat fighter

Ki-64 ROB Kawasaki Experimental Army single-seat fighter

Ki-72 STEVE Mitsubishi Army experimental twin-engined fighter

Ki-74 PAT Tachikawa Erroneously believed to be a long-range fighter. Name changed to PATSY when true role of bomber became known.

Ki-84 Hayate (Gale)/FRANK Nakajima Single-seat Army fighter.

Ki-102b RANDY Kawasaki Army twin-engined assault plane

N1K Shiden (Violet Lightning)/GEORGE Kawanishi Navy single-seat land-based interceptor-fighter

N1K Kyofu (Mighty Wind)/REX Kawanishi Navy single-engined seaplane fighter.

STK-97 ADAM Nakajima Nonexistent fighter seaplane

Type 97 BOB Aichi Navy recon seaplane - did not exist

TK-4 FRANK Mitsubishi Fictional twin-engined fighter. Name later applied to Nakajima Ki-84

TK-19 JOE Fictional single-seat fighter

20 OMAR Suzukaze Fictional twin-engined fighter

B4Y JEAN Yokosuka Navy carrier-based single-engined attack bomber biplane.

B5M MABEL Mitsubishi Carrier-based attack bomber. Name later changed to KATE 61

B5N KATE 61 Nakajima Navy single-engined carrier-based attack bomber

B6N Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain)/JILL Nakajima Navy single-engined carrier- based attack bomber.

B7A Ryusei (Shooting Star)/GRACE Aichi Navy single-engined carrier-based attack bomber.

B-97 DORIS Mitsubishi Medium bomber- did not exist

BR-20 RUTH Fiat Italian-built heavy bomber in Japanese service

C6N Saiun (Painted Cloud)/MYRT Nakajima Navy single-engined carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft

D1A SUSIE Aichi Navy single-engined carrier-based biplane dive bomber

D3A VAL Aichi Navy single-engined two-seat carrier-based dive bomber

D4Y DOT Yokosuka Carrier-based dive bomber - duplicate of JUDY

D4Y Suisei (Comet)/JUDY Yokosuka Navy carrier-based single-engined dive bomber.

E11A LAURA Aichi Navy reconnaissance seaplane

Fw 200 TRUDY Focke-Wulf German four-engined maritime reconnaissance aircraft erroneously believed to be in service in Japan

G3M NELL Mitsubishi Navy land-based twin-engined attack bomber

G4M BETTY Mitsubishi Navy twin-engined land-based attack bomber

G5N Shinzan (Mountain Recess)/LIZ Nakajima Navy four-engined attack bomber operated as freight transport.

G8N Renzan (Mountain Range)/RITA Nakajima Navy land-based four-engined attack bomber.

H5Y CHERRY Yokosuka Navy flying boat

H6K MAVIS Kawanishi Navy four-engined maritime reconnaissance flying boat

H7Y TILLIE Yokosuka Navy experimental flying boat

H8K EMILY Kawanishi Navy four-engined long-range reconnaissance flying boat

Ju 52/3m TRIXIE Junkers German trimotor transport erroneously believed to be in service in Japan

Ju 87A IRENE Junkers German single-engine dive bomber erroneously believed to be in service with Japanese army.

Ju 88A-5 JANICE Junkers German light bomber erroneously believed to be in service in Japan.

JULIA/Misidentified LILY Believed to be a heavy bomber

JUNE/Misidentified JAKE Believed to be a floatplane version of VAL

Ki-2 LOUISE Mitsubishi Army twin-engined light bomber

Ki-15/C5M BABS Mitsubishi Army/Navy single-engined reconnaissance aircraft

Ki-15/C5M NORMA/Misidentified BABS Mitsubishi Believed to be a light bomber.

Ki-30 ANN Mitsubishi Army single-engined light bomber

Ki-21 JANE Mitsubishi Army heavy bomber - Name later changed to SALLY

Ki-21-IIb GWEN Mitsubishi Army heavy bomber - name later changed to SALLY III.

Ki-21 SALLY Mitsubishi Army twin-engined heavy bomber. Formerly named JANE.

Ki-32 MARY Kawasaki Army single-engined, two-seat light bomber

Ki-48 LILY Kawasaki Army twin-engined light bomber

Ki-49 Donryu (Storm Dragon)/HELEN Nakajima Army twin-engined heavy bomber.

Ki-51 SONIA Mitsubishi Army two-seat, single-engined assault aircraft

Ki-54? JOYCE/Misidentified HICKORY Tachikawa? Believed to be a light bomber version of Tachikawa Ki-54

Ki-67 Hiryu (Flying Dragon)/PEGGY Mitsubishi Army twin-engined heavy bomber

Ki-70 CLARA Tachikawa Army command reconnaissance aircraft

Ki-71 EDNA Mansyu Army experimental single-engined two-seat tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Development of Mitsubishi Ki-51.

Ki-74 PATSY Tachikawa Army experimental long-range, high-altitude reconnaissance bomber.

Ki-76 STELLA Kokusai Army single-engined command liaison aircraft. Generally similar to Fieseler Fi 156 Storch but not a copy.

H3K1 BELLE Kawanishi Navy biplane flying boat

He 111 BESS Heinkel Erroneously believed to being built under license in Japan

MXY7 Ohka (Cherry Blossom)/BAKA Yokosuka Navy rocket-powered suicide attacker.

Ohtori/EVA(EVE) Mitsubishi Erroneously believed to be a bomber

P1Y Ginga (Milky Way)/FRANCES Yokosuka Navy land-based twin-engined light bomber/night fighter.

Q1W Tokai (Eastern Sea)/LORNA Kyushu Navy twin-engined land-based patrol aircraft.

V-11GB MILLIE Vultee Erroneously believed to be in production by Showa in Japan

K3M PINE Mitsubishi Navy single-engined crew trainer

K5Y WILLOW Yokosuka Navy intermediate trainer biplane.

K9W CYPRESS Kyushu Navy primary trainer

K10W OAK Kyushu Navy intermediate trainer License-built North American NA-16

Ki-9 SPRUCE Tachikawa Army medium-grade two-seat single-engined biplane trainer

Ki-17 CEDAR Tachikawa Army single-engined two-seat biplane primary trainer

Ki-36/55 IDA Tachikawa Army single engined two-seat monoplane trainer and army cooperation aircraft

Ki-54 HICKORY Tachikawa Army twin-engined advanced crew trainer and light transport.

Ki-55/36 IDA Tachikawa Army single engined two-seat monoplane trainer and army cooperation aircraft

Ki-86 Kokusai Army primary trainer

Ku-7 Manazuru/BUZZARD Kokusai Army transport glider

Ku-8 GANDER Kokusai Army transport glider Formerly named GOOSE

Ku-8 GOOSE Kokusai Army transport glider Named changed to GANDER

T RANSPORTS (Names beginning with letter T) :

DC-2 TESS Douglas License-built DC-2s erroneously believed to be in widespread use by Japanese Navy.

14 TOBY Lockheed Commercial Lockheed 14s used by Japan during Pacific War.

Ki-33 TINA Mitsubishi Army transport - misidentified Yokosuka L3Y transport version of G3M attack bomber.

Ki-34/L1N THORA Nakajima Army/Navy twin-engined transport

Ki-56 THALIA Kawasaki Army twin-engined transport. Japanese-built adaptation of Lockheed Model 14-WG3.

Ki-57/L4M TOPSY Mitsubishi Army/Navy twin-engine transport

Ki-59 THERESA Kokusai Army twin-engined light personnel transport

L2D TABBY Showa/Nakajima Navy land-based twin-engined transport. License-built version of Douglas DC-3.

Type LO THELMA Tachikawa/Kawasaki Twin-engined Army transport. License built version of Lockheed Model 14.

C ARGO / T RANSPORTS :

C-1A Trader Grumman Aerospace

_______________________________________________________________

“Japanese Military Aircraft” -- Compiled by Calvin W. Lew,


Mitsubishi [Ha-43] (A20 / Ha-211 / MK9) Aircraft Engine

In 1916, the Internal Combustion Engine Section, Machinery Works (Nainenki-ka Zokisho) of the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company Ltd (Mitsubishi Zosen KK) was formed to build aircraft engines. A number of licenses to build engines in Japan were acquired from various European engine manufacturers. Initially, the engines were of the Vee type. The aircraft engine works was renamed Mitsubishi Aircraft Company Ltd (Mitsubishi Hokuki KK) in 1928. In the late 1920s, licenses were acquired to produce the five-cylinder Armstrong Siddeley Mongoose and the nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet air-cooled radial engines.

Front and side views of the Mitsubishi [Ha-43] (A/20 / Ha-211 / MK9). The engine performed well but was underdeveloped. Its development and production were slowed by bombing raids and materiel shortages. The engine powered two of Japan’s best next-generation fighters, the A7M2 and Ki-83. While the aircraft were excellent, the war was already lost.

In 1929, Mitsubishi built the first aircraft engine of its own design. Carrying the Mitsubishi designation A1, the engine was a two-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial of 700 hp (522 kW). This engine was followed in 1930 by the A2, a 320 hp (237 kW) nine-cylinder radial. A larger 600 hp (477 kW) nine-cylinder engine, the A3, was also built the same year. None of these early engines were particularly successful, and only a small number were built: one A1, 14 A2s, and one A3. However, Mitsubishi learned many valuable lessons that it applied to its next engine, the A4 Kinsei.

The two-row, 14-cylinder A4 was developed in 1932 and was initially rated at 650 hp (485 kW). The A4 had a 5.51 in (140 mm) bore, a 5.91 in (150 mm) stroke, and a total displacement of 1,973 cu in (32.33 L). In 1934, Mitsubishi consolidated its subsidiaries and became Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (Mitsubishi Jukogyo KK). Also in 1934, an upgraded version of the A4 engine was developed as the 830 hp (619 kW) A8 Kinsei. The Kinsei was under continual development through World War II, and numerous versions of the engine were produced. Ultimately, the last variants were capable of 1,500 hp (1,119 kW), and production of all Kinsei engines totaled approximately 15,325 units.

In mid-1941, Mitsubishi began work on an 18-cylinder engine that carried the company designation A20. The engine was intended to be lightweight and produce 2,200 hp (1,641 kW). The A20 design was developed from the Kinsei, although the 18-cylinder A20 really only shared its bore and stroke with the 14-cylinder engine—it is not even clear if the pistons were interchangeable. The team at Mitsubishi designing the A20 engine were Kazuo Sasaki—main engine section Kazuo Inoue, Ding Kakuda, and Mitsukuni Kada—supercharger and auxiliary equipment Katsukawa Kurokawa—propeller gear reduction Shigeta Aso—engine cooling Shuichi Sugihara—fuel injection system, and Shin Nakano—turbosupercharger. The A20 eventually carried the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) designation Ha-211, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) designation MK9, and the joint designation [Ha-43]. For simplicity, the joint designation will primarily be used. However, few sources agree on the engine’s various sub-type designations, and there is some doubt regarding their accuracy.

The mockup of the Tachikawa Ki-94-I illustrated the aircraft unorthodox configuration. With its two [Ha-43] engines, the fighter had an estimated top speed of 485 mph (781 km/h). However, its complexity led to its cancellation and the pursuit of a more conventional design.

The Mitsubishi [Ha-43] had two rows of nine cylinders mounted to an aluminum crankcase. The crankcase was formed by three sections. Each section was split vertically through the centerline of a cylinder row, with the middle section split between both the front and rear cylinder rows. Each crankshaft section contained a main bearing to support the built-up, three-piece crankshaft. An additional main bearing was contained in the front accessory drive. The cylinders were made up of a steel barrel screwed and shrunk into a cast aluminum head. Each cylinder had one intake valve and one sodium-cooled exhaust valve. The valves were actuated by separate rockers and pushrods. Unlike the Kinsei engine, the [Ha-43] did not have all of its pushrods at the front of the engine. The [Ha-43] had a front cam ring that drove the pushrods for the front cylinders, and a rear cam ring that did the same for the rear cylinders. When viewed from the rear, the cylinder’s intake port was on the right side, and the exhaust port was on the left. Sheet metal baffles attached to the cylinder head helped direct the flow of cooling air through the cylinder’s fins. Cylinder numbering proceeded clockwise around the engine when viewed from the rear. The vertical cylinder atop the second row was No. 1 Rear, and the inverted cylinder under the front row was No. 1 Front.

At the front of the engine was the propeller gear reduction and the magneto drive. Planetary gear reduction turned the propeller shaft clockwise at .472 times crankshaft speed. Each of the two magnetos mounted atop the gear reduction fired one of the two spark plugs mounted in each cylinder. One spark plug was located on the front side of the cylinder and the other was on the rear side. A 14-blade cooling fan was driven by the propeller shaft and mounted in front of the gear reduction. Not all [Ha-43] engines had a cooling fan. At the rear of the engine was an accessory and supercharger section. The single-stage, two-speed, centrifugal supercharger was mechanically driven by the crankshaft. Individual intake runners extended from the supercharger housing to each cylinder. The intake and exhaust from the front cylinders passed between the rear cylinders, with the exhaust running above the intake runners. The supercharger’s inlet was directly behind the second row of cylinder. Behind the inlet was a fuel distribution pump that directed fuel to an injector installed by the inlet port of each cylinder.

The 18-cylinder [Ha-43] had a 5.51 in (140 mm) bore a 5.91 in (150 mm) stroke, and displaced 2,536 cu in (41.56 L). The basic engine with its 7.0 to 1 compression ratio and single-stage, two-speed supercharger produced 2,200 hp (1,641 kW) at 2,900 rpm and 10.1 psi (.69 bar) of boost for takeoff. Military power was 2,050 hp (1,527 kW) at 3,281 ft (1,000 m) in low gear and 1,820 hp (1,357 kW) at 21,654 ft (6,600 m) in high gear. Both power ratings were produced at 2,800 rpm and 8.1 psi (.56 bar) of boost. Anti-detonation (water) injection was available, but it is not clear at what point it was used—most likely for military power and above. The engine was 48 in (1.23 m) in diameter, 82 in (2.09 m) long, and weighed 2,161 lb (980 kg).

The high-altitude Tachikawa Ki-74 was built around a pressure cabin for high-altitude flight. The aircraft most likely has [Ha-43] engines with a 14-blade cooling fan. The [Ha-42] engine had a 10-blade cooling fan. The exhaust from the turbosupercharger can be seen on the right side of the image.

[Ha-43] design work was completed in October 1941. The first engine was built at the Mitsubishi No. 2 Engine Works (Mitsubishi Dai Ni Hatsudoki Seisakusho), which was located in Nagoya and developed experimental engines, and was finished in February 1942. As the [Ha-43] was being tested, Mitsubishi proposed in April 1942 to use the engine for its new A7M fighter. The first [Ha-43] engine for the IJA was completed in August 1942. In September 1942, the IJN selected the 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Nakajima [Ha-45] engine for the A7M1 and many of its other high-powered fighter projects under development. This setback inevitably slowed development of the [Ha-43]. At the time, there were no applications for the engine, with the IJA feeling it was too powerful and the IJN selecting the Nakajima engine. Two more [Ha-43] engines, one each for the IJA and IJN were completed in November 1942.

Mitsubishi continued development at a slow pace, hampered in part by difficulties with designing turbine wheels for the engine’s remote turbosupercharger. It was not until June 1943 that the [Ha-43] passed operational tests and began to be selected for installation on several aircraft types and not just projects. The first [Ha-43]-powered aircraft to fly was the third prototype of the Tachikawa Ki-70. The Ki-70 was a twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft with a glazed nose and twin tails. Originally powered by two 1,900 hp (1,417 kW) Mitsubishi [Ha-42] engines, the aircraft’s performance was lacking, and the third prototype was built with two turbosupercharged [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-IRu) engines. The [Ha-43] 12 produced 2,200 hp (1,641 kW) for takeoff 1,930 hp (1,439 kW) at 16,404 ft (5,000 m) and 1,750 hp (1,305 kW) at 31,170 ft (9,500 m). First flying in late 1943, the [Ha-43] 12-powered aircraft still underperformed, and the engines were unreliable. Development of the Ki-70 was abandoned.

The Mitsubishi A7M2 Reppu (Strong Gale) with its [Ha-43] 11 engine did not have a cooling fan like the A7M1. As a result, the cowling was redesigned with a larger opening and scoops for the engine intake (top) and oil cooler (lower). Note that the individual exhaust stacks were grouped together, mostly in pairs.

In 1943, Tachikawa designed the tandem-engine, twin-boom Ki-94-I (originally Ki-94) fighter powered by two [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-IRu) engines. The cockpit was positioned between the two engines, which were mounted in a push-pull configuration in the short fuselage that sat atop the aircraft’s wing. The front and rear engines both turned four-blade propellers. The front propeller was 10 ft 10 in (3.3 m) in diameter, and the rear was 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m) in diameter. After a mockup was inspected in October 1943, the design was judged to be too unorthodox and complex. This resulted in a complete redesign to a more conventional single engine aircraft, the Ki-84-II, which was powered by a 2,400 hp (1,790 kW) Nakajima [Ha-44] engine.

In early 1944, two [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-I) engines were installed in the Tachikawa Ki-74, a pressurized, high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance bomber with a conventional taildragger layout. With only the mechanical two-speed supercharger, the [Ha-43] 12 produced 2,200 hp (1,641 kW) for takeoff 2,020 hp (1,506 kW) at 3,281 ft (1,000 m) in low gear and 1,800 hp (1,342 kW) at 16,404 ft (5,000 m) in high gear. The Ki-74 made its first flight in March 1944, and turbosupercharged [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-IRu) engines were installed in the second and third prototypes. The turbosupercharger was located behind the engine on the outer side of the nacelle and improved the aircraft’s performance at altitude. However, the [Ha-43] engines were still under development and suffered from reliability and vibration issues. Subsequent Ki-74 aircraft used larger and less-powerful Mitsubishi [Ha-42] engines.

Like the A7M2, the Mitsubishi Ki-83 also did not use a cooling fan on its [Ha-43] engine. However, the Ki-83 did have a turbosupercharger which helped it achieve its very impressive performance of at least 438 mph (705 km/h) at 29,530 ft (9,000 m). Note the sheet-metal baffles on the cylinder heads.

In the summer of 1944, Mitsubishi was given permission to install a [Ha-43] 11 (IJN MK9A, similar to the [Ha-43] 12) engine in an A7M1 airframe, creating the A7M2. The Mitsubishi A7M Reppu (Strong Gale) was a carrier-based fighter intended to replace the A6M Zero. The A7M1 prototypes had underperformed with the 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Nakajima [Ha-45] engine selected by the IJN. The [Ha-43]’s installation in the A7M2 was conventional, and the aircraft made its first flight on 13 October 1944. Performance met expectations, and the A7M2 was ordered into production. Subsequently, manufacturing of the [Ha-43] started to ramp up, with 13 engines being built in March 1945. The following month, [Ha-43] 11 production was sanctioned at the Mitsubishi No. 4 Engine Works (Mitsubishi Yon Hatsudoki Seisakusho) in Nagoya. On 1 May 1945, Mitsubishi No. 18 Engine Works (Mitsubishi Dai Juhachi Hatsudoki Seisakusho) was established in Fukui city to build [Ha-43] 11 engines for the IJN, while the No. 4 Engine Works would build engines for the IJA. As events played out, only seven or eight A7M2s were built by the end of the war, the No. 18 Engine Works never produced a complete engine, and bombing raids prevented the March 1945 [Ha-43] production numbers from ever being eclipsed.

Further developments of the A7M were planned, such as the A7M3 powered by a [Ha-43] 31 (IJN MK9C) engine with a single-stage, three-speed mechanical supercharger. The [Ha-43] 31 produced 2,250 hp (1,678 kW) for takeoff 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) at 5,906 ft (1,800 m) in low gear 1,800 hp (1,342 kW) at 16,404 ft (5,000 m) in medium gear and 1,660 hp (1,238 kW) at 28,543 ft (8,700 m) in high gear. The three-speed supercharger added about 5.4 in (138 mm) to the engine’s length and 88 lb (40 kg) to the engine’s weight, increasing the respective totals to 87 in (2.22 m) and 2,249 lb (1,020 kg). The A7M3-J would incorporate the [Ha-43] 11 engine with a turbosupercharger installed under the cockpit to produce 2,200 hp (1,641 kW) for takeoff 2,130 hp (1,588 kW) at 22,310 ft (6,800 m) and 1,920 hp (1,432 kW) at 33,793 ft (10,300 m). While the A7M2 did not have a cooling fan, one was used in the A7M3 and A7M3-J designs.

The turbosupercharger installed in the Ki-83’s left engine nacelle. The large duct on the right was for the exhaust after it passed through the turbosupercharger. The outlet at the end of the nacelle was from the wastegate. Both were positioned to provided additional thrust. The Ki-83 had a ceiling of 41,535 ft (12,660 m).

In the fall of 1944, two [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-IRu) engines were installed in the Mitsubishi Ki-83. The Ki-83 was a twin-engine heavy fighter with a conventional taildragger layout. A turbosupercharger was placed in the rear of each engine nacelle. Fresh air would enter the turbocharger near the rear of the nacelle on the outboard side, be compressed, and then flow to the engine through an air box in the upper nacelle. The engine’s exhaust was expelled from the turbocharger on the inboard side of the nacelle, and a wastegate was positioned at the end of the nacelle. The exhaust arrangement provided some additional thrust. Each engine turned an 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) diameter, four-blade propeller. The Ki-83 made its first flight on 18 November 1944, but with the main focus on single-engine interceptors, only one was built before the Japanese surrender.

In April 1945, a [Ha-43] 42 (IJN MK9D) was installed in the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (Magnificent Lightning), an unconventional pusher fighter with a canard layout. The [Ha-43] 42 had two-stage supercharging, with the first stage made up by a pair of transversely-mounted centrifugal impellers, one on each side of the engine. The shaft of these impellers was joined to the engine by a continuously variable coupling. The output from each of the first stage impellers joined together as they fed the normal, two-speed supercharger mounted to the rear of the engine and geared to the crankshaft. The [Ha-43] 42 produced 2,030 hp (1,514 kW) at 2,900 rpm with 9.7 psi (.67 bar) of boost for takeoff. Military power at 2,800 rpm and 5.8 psi (.40 bar) of boost was 1,850 hp (1,380 kW) at 6,562 ft (2,000 m) in low gear and 1,660 hp (1,238 kW) at 27,559 ft (8,400 m) in high gear. An extension shaft approximately 29.5 in (750 mm) long extended back from the engine to a remote propeller reduction gear box. The gear reduction turned the 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m), six-blade propeller at .412 times crankshaft speed and also drove a 12-blade cooling fan that was 2 ft 11 in (900 mm) in diameter.

The [Ha-43] 42 (IJN MK9D) installed in the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden, pictured while the aircraft was in storage at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Paul E. Garber facility. The front of the aircraft is on the left. One of the two transversely-mounted, first-stage superchargers can be seen left of the engine, and the ducts from both superchargers can be seen joining together as they feed the mechanically-driven supercharger at the rear of the engine. Note that the exhaust stacks are flowing toward the front of the engine (rear of the aircraft).

Since the engine was mounted with the propeller shaft toward the rear of the aircraft, it incorporated new cylinders with the exhaust port on the side opposite of the intake port. The intake port faced toward the supercharger (front of the aircraft), and the exhaust port faced toward the propeller (rear of the aircraft). The engine’s individual exhaust pipes were used to help the flow of air through the cowling and oil coolers. After flowing through the oil cooler on each side of the aircraft, air was mixed with the exhaust from four cylinders and ejected out a slit on the side of the fuselage just before the spinner. The ejector exhaust helped draw air through the oil coolers. The same was true for the exhaust from the lower six cylinders, which was ducted into an augmenter that helped draw cooling air through the engine cowling and out an outlet under the spinner. The exhaust from the remaining four cylinders, which were located on the top of the engine, exited via two outlets arranged atop the cowling to generate thrust.

The J7W1 made its first flight on 3 August 1945. The third J7W1 was planned to have a [Ha-43] 43 engine that used a single impeller for its first-stage, continuously variable supercharger and produced an additional 130 hp (97 kW) for takeoff. Production J7W1 aircraft would be powered by a 2,250 hp (1,678 kW) [Ha-43] 51 engine with a single-stage, three-speed, mechanical supercharger replacing the two-stage setup with the continuously variable first stage. The engine would turn a four-blade propeller, 11 ft 6 in or 11 ft 10 in (3.5 m or 3.6 m) in diameter. However, only the first J7W1 was completed by war’s end.

The [Ha-43] 11 engine with cooling fan in storage as part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s collection. Note the rust on the steel cylinder barrels. The spark plug wires are disconnected and desiccant plugs have been installed to help preserve the engine. (Tom Fey image)

In January 1945, construction commenced on the Mansyu Ki-98 (or Manshu Ki-98), a twin-boom pusher fighter with tricycle undercarriage. A single, turbosupercharged [Ha-43] 12 (IJA Ha-211-IRu) engine turning an 11 ft 10 in (3.6 m) four-blade propeller would power the aircraft. With the exception of the turbosupercharger, the installation was similar to that of the J7W1 with an extension shaft and remote propeller gear reduction. The prototype was ready for assembly when it was destroyed in August 1945 to prevent its capture by Soviet forces.

In addition to the aircraft listed above, the [Ha-43] was selected to power a number of aircraft projects that were not built. Plans were initiated to use the [Ha-43] to repower a number of different production aircraft that used the 2,000 hp (1,491 kW) Nakajima [Ha-45]. However, none of these retrofit redesigns were carried out before the end of the war. From 1942 to 1945, the production run of the [Ha-43] amounted to only 77 engines, and it was not fully developed by the end of the war.

At least three [Ha-43] engine survive, and all three are held by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. One engine does not have a cooling fan and is probably a [Ha-43] 11 for a A7M2. The second engine is a [Ha-43] 11 with a cooling fan. The third engine is a [Ha-43] 42 still installed in the J7W1 prototype. All of the engines are in storage and not on display.

The fanless [Ha-43] 11 engine held by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The fuel distribution pump with its 18 lines can be seen atop the rear of the engine. The small-diameter lines appear to be made of copper.


Ace of Aces: Richard I. Bong

Major General George C. Kenney had had enough. Ever since a certain pilot arrived at Hamilton Field for combat training on May 6, 1942, he had been using nearby San Francisco as his private playground, looping his Lockheed P-38 Lightning around the Golden Gate Bridge and waving at secretaries as he zoomed past their office windows. But when the young hotshot’s prop wash blew a housewife’s wet clothes into the dirt and she reported it to his air base, Kenney called him on the carpet for disciplinary action.

“Lieutenant Bong,” the general ordered, “Monday morning you check this address out in Oakland, and if the woman has any washing to be hung out on the line…you do it for her. Then, when the clothes are dry, take them off the line and bring them into the house. And don’t drop any of them on the ground or you will have to wash them all over again. I want this woman to think we are good for something else besides annoying people. Now get out of here, before I change my mind. That’s all!”

While 2nd Lt. Richard I. Bong carried out the order, Kenney made a mental note to have that headstrong but undeniably skillful fighter pilot with him at whichever overseas assignment he got. Within the coming year, Bong would indeed prove himself good for something besides annoying people—except, of course, for the enemy.

Born in Superior, Wis., on September 24, 1920, Dick Bong was the eldest of nine children raised on a farm in Poplar, Wis. His life changed in 1928 when President Calvin Coolidge spent his summer vacation in Superior. “The President’s mailplane flew right over my house,” Bong recalled. “I knew then I wanted to be a pilot.”

Graduating from high school 10th in his class of 428, Bong had found time between studies and chores to play baseball, basketball and hockey. A skilled hunter, he also built and flew model airplanes.

In 1938 Bong began studying engineering at the State Teachers College in Superior. At the same time, he enrolled in the Civil Pilot’s Training Program, soloing on his 20th birthday and earning a private pilot’s license in a Piper Cub. After completing two years of college, Bong enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces Aviation Cadet Program in June 1941. From primary training in Boeing-Stearman PT-13 biplanes, he went on to fly Vultee BT-13s at Gardner Field, Calif., and North American AT-6s at Luke Field, Ariz. One of Bong’s instructors at Luke, Captain Barry Goldwater, later said of him: “He was a very bright gunnery student. But the most important thing came from a P-38 check pilot who said Bong was the finest natural pilot he ever met. There was no way he could keep Bong from getting on his tail, even though he was flying an AT-6, a very slow airplane.”

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States into World War II, Bong’s high gunnery scores resulted in his being retained as a gunnery instructor for several months. Finally, on May 6, 1942, he was sent to train on P-38s at Hamilton Field, where his extracurricular stunts drew both the ire and admiration of General Kenney. Selected by General Douglas MacArthur to lead the Fifth Air Force in the South Pacific, Kenney wanted 50 of the best P-38 pilots he knew to join him when he took command at Brisbane, Australia, on September 3. Bong was one of them.

Bong was assigned to the 9th Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group, but that unit was still flying Curtiss P-40s. Rather than waste Bong’s time on an aging fighter when he had already mastered its imminent replacement, in December 1942 Lt. Gen. Kenney attached him temporarily to the 39th Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, based at Laloki airfield near Port Moresby, New Guinea. There, Bong made the acquaintance of Captain Thomas J. Lynch, who had scored three victories the previous May while flying Bell P-39 Airacobras. Hailing from Catasaugua, Pa., Tommy Lynch was a good pilot and a coolheaded, technically minded tactician whose aerial audacity never clashed with his sense of responsibility for the men he led. Honing his fighting skills under Lynch’s tutelage, Bong came to regard him as both a mentor and a friend.

Dick Bong impressed his squadron mates as someone who was introverted and unobtrusive on the ground but stunningly aggressive in the air. He first showed his mettle on December 27, when the Japanese army and navy launched their first major joint air operation in the southwest Pacific, involving about 40 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero carrier fighters, Nakajima Ki.43 army fighters (code-named “Oscar” by the Allies) and Aichi D3A1 navy dive bombers (“Val” to the Allies). As the D3As attacked Allied installations at newly seized Buna, 12 P-38s of the 39th Fighter Squadron met them. Lynch was leading 2nd Lts. Dick Bong, Kenneth Sparks and John Magnus down on the Vals when their escorts crossed the Americans’ paths. Lynch’s gunfire disintegrated one fighter, and then a Zero threatened him. Bong sideslipped, fired at Lynch’s assailant and saw it spin away, then sped earthward as three other Zeroes moved in on him, finally pulling out, as he described it, “2 inches above the shortest tree in Buna.”At that moment he caught a Val just pulling out of its dive and quickly turned it into a fireball. Too low to accomplish anything more, Bong headed back to Port Moresby to report his first two victories—the first credited to a P-38 pilot of the 49th Group. The 39th Squadron claimed a total of 12 victories, including an additional Oscar for Lynch, making him an ace, and a Zero by 2nd Lt. Carl G. Planck Jr., another 9th Squadron pilot on loan to the 39th.

On January 6, 1943, Allied coastwatchers on New Britain reported a Japanese convoy along the south shore, heading west. The next day, after 36 Curtiss P-40Ks of the 49th Group’s 7th and 8th squadrons took off to bomb the convoy, a Consolidated Catalina flying boat of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) sank a straggling Japanese freighter and reported that the convoy had altered course for Salamaua. Meanwhile, Lynch led eight P-38s, including Bong and Planck, across the Owen Stanley Mountains to rendezvous with the P-40s, unaware of their change in course. Consequently, they missed the fighter-bombers but ran into the convoy’s 11th Sentai (army air regiment) air umbrella at 1315 hours. The 39th claimed six Oscars in the fight, including one by Bong after a five-minute duel. Returning to Dobodura to refuel, the Lightnings then took off for Lae, where they encountered another 16 of the 11th Sentai’s Ki.43 fighters at 1530. Bong and Planck damaged two Oscars on their first pass, and Bong destroyed one on his second.

During a January 8 mission escorting Boeing B-17Es and Consolidated B-24Ds over Markham Bay, Bong spotted 2nd Lt. Richard Suehr of the 39th, who had already downed two Ki.43s, hotly engaged with a persistent adversary. Bong joined in with a frontal attack from above, and Suehr saw the Oscar explode and fall 18,000 feet into Huon Gulf. In only four aerial engagements Bong had become the Fifth Air Force’s first Lightning ace, and General Kenney rewarded him with a trip to Australia for R&R.

On February 3, Bong rejoined the 9th Squadron, now fully equipped with its own P-38s. On the morning of March 2, a B-24 spotted Japanese troop transports and destroyers 100 miles northeast of Lae, and Kenney dispatched all available squadrons to attack them. In spite of heavy rain, B-17s sank two transports and dispersed the convoy formation. The punishment continued on March 3, with some 300 U.S. Army Air Forces and RAAF bombers hammering the Japanese ships. While escorting B-17s and North American B-25s to the target, Bong saw seven 11th Sentai Oscars pass below him, making for the bombers. Dropping behind one, he started it smoking with one burst and watched it crash five miles offshore in Huon Gulf. By the time the three-day Battle of the Bismarck Sea ended, 14 Japanese merchant ships and eight warships had been sunk, more than 7,000 Japanesse killed and almost 60 enemy aircraft destroyed.

The Japanese struck back on March 11, when a force of Mitsubishi G4M1 “Betty” bombers attacked the 9th Squadron’s airstrip at Horanda. The Americans scrambled up, and Bong took off just before enemy bombs landed on the strip. Pursuing the bombers, he fired into one without result and twice had to dive away from attacking Zeroes. As he pulled out of his second dive, Bong turned to engage one that was still on his tail. His rounds struck home, but when he swept past the Zero he was startled to see another plane coming at him. He fired a short burst into that antagonist, only to find seven more boring in on him. Turning right, he fired a long 20-degree deflection shot into the closest assailant. He later reported, “First two Zeros were burning all around the cockpit and the third was trailing a long column of smoke.” Before he escaped the rest in a dive, one Zero shot up his left wing and engine, causing a coolant leak. “Feathered left engine and landed at home field safety,” Bong wrote after he returned to Horanda, requesting—and receiving—credit for “two certains and one probable.”

During a high-altitude patrol north of Buna on March 29, 2nd Lt. Clay Barnes led Bong after a suspicious lone airplane that turned and raced toward New Britain. After a 20-mile chase at 400 mph, they caught up with their quarry, a Mitsubishi Ki.46 twin-engine army reconnaissance plane, over the Bismarck Sea. On his fourth firing pass dead astern, Bong hit the Ki.46’s fuel tank, and the plane disintegrated in flames. His ninth victory tied him with Lynch as the leading American ace in New Guinea. Soon afterward, Kenney promoted Bong to first lieutenant.

By this time Bong had established his fundamentals of success. He explained one in a letter to his mother on April 10, 1944, that included advice for his younger brother, who was planning to join the Army Air Forces: “He must not get contemptuous of any airplane, no matter how simple and easy it may be to fly. Don’t just get in and fly it, but know what makes it tick….If he forgets, why, any airplane in the world can kill him if he isn’t its complete master.” Bong regarded aerial combat as a game whose risks made life interesting, but he was not above quitting a fight if he judged the odds were too heavy against him. He claimed to be a poor shot, yet his squadron mates stated that he hit whatever he fired at 90 percent of the time. Bong said one secret of his success was a policy of getting close enough to “put the gun muzzles in the Jap’s cockpit.” Another was his penchant for engaging his opponents head-on, which gave the P-38, a stable gun platform with firepower superior to the Zero and Oscar, a distinct advantage. At least 16 of his victories were attained in head-on gun duels.

On April 1, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto launched Operation I, a massive air offensive meant to reverse the Allied advance that had been gradually gaining momentum in the wake of Japan’s failures at Midway, Guadalcanal and New Guinea. During a Japanese attack on U.S. shipping in Milne Bay on April 14, Bong became a double ace when he shot down a G4M1 off Cape Frere. On that same day Yamamoto, satisfied that Operation I had accomplished its goals—thanks to overoptimistic claims by his aircrews—concluded the air campaign. On the 18th, he flew off to inspect the air base at Ballale, only to be intercepted, shot down and killed over Bougainville by P-38Gs of the 339th Fighter Squadron.

After another stint of Australian R&R, Bong went through a “dry spell” until June 12, when his flight engaged eight Ki.43s of the 1st Sentai, en route from Wewak to strafe the 9th Squadron’s new airstrip at Bena Bena. In a series of duels with the nimble Oscars, Bong managed to get a deflection shot into one, scoring two 20mm hits midfuselage and watching it spin down. Bong returned with a flat right tire and his right tail boom riddled with 7.7mm hits that had severed hydraulic lines, but he just smiled as he surveyed the damage.

Ten Lightnings of the 9th Squadron were flying a sweep over the Markham Valley on July 26 when they encountered 10 Ki.43s and 10 new Kawasaki Ki.61 “Tony” fighters just beyond Lae. Failing to score in his first pass at the slim Tonys, Bong dived his P-38G to gain speed, then went head-on at an Oscar and set it afire. He next blew part of a Tony’s rear fuselage away and downed another in a left-hand turn from the rear quarter. Another head-on pass shredded a second Oscar. Bong’s quadruple success in that fight was matched by 1st Lt. Jim “Duckbutt”Watkins, while Captain Gerald R. Johnson accounted for an Oscar and a Tony, returning in spite of the latter’s colliding with his Lightning and tearing away the lower tail assembly.

Two days later, the 49th Fighter Group escorted B-25Ds of the 3rd Bombardment Group against Japanese ships off Cape Gloucester. When Rabaul-based Ki.43s arrived to intervene, the 9th Squadron claimed seven of them. Repeatedly attacked, Bong took five 7.7mm hits in his left wing. After diving and pulling up to reengage, he spotted two Oscars turning to pursue some departing B-25s. Making a shallow diving turn, Bong fired a 45-degree deflection shot into the rearmost fighter and saw it turn northeast trailing smoke and splash into Rein Bay. He was now the top-scoring American in the Pacific with 16, and on August 24, Kenney promoted him to captain.

Following a two-week furlough, Bong returned to his squadron in early September. During an attack on a formation of Bettys on the 6th he was credited with two probables (matched by two G4M1s of the 751st Kokutai, or naval air group, that came back damaged), but their gunners shot up his right engine. Bong was fortunate to reach Marilinan airstrip before crash landing his P-38H, which was subsequently written off.

Shortly after downing a Ki.46 over Cape Hoskins, New Britain, on October 2, Bong was made a flight commander. On the 29th he dispatched two Zeroes over Rabaul. American forces landed on Bougainville on November 1, and on the 5th aircraft from both the Fifth Air Force and U.S. Navy aircraft carriers Saratoga and Princeton attacked a Japanese cruiser force gathered in Rabaul Harbor that threatened the beachhead. Wading into a hornet’s nest of Zeroes, Bong claimed two of them.

At that point, Kenney dispatched Bong Stateside with orders for General Henry H.“Hap” Arnold in Washington, D.C. Along the way, Bong got a chance to see his family, enjoy his mother’s cooking and hang out with hometown friends. He also met Marjorie Vattendahl, a local beauty who had been recently elected homecoming queen at State Teachers College in Superior, Wis. Bong was promptly made king, and for much of his leave the two were inseparable.

After participating in a succession of parades, speeches and awards ceremonies to boost home front morale, Bong finally returned to the South Pacific. There, Kenney put him in charge of replacement aircraft for V Fighter Command, an assignment that allowed him to choose his combat missions. He also acquired a brand-new P-38J, one of the first in the area to boast a bare aluminum finish, on whose nacelle he applied a portrait of Marjorie, along with the legend “Marge.” His first victory in Marge came on February 15, 1944, when he claimed a Tony. A couple of weeks later, Bong destroyed a Japanese transport plane carrying high-ranking Japanese officers as it taxied along a landing strip. He didn’t count that incident as an aerial victory.

No longer affiliated with any squadron, Bong sometimes used his “roving commission” to fly missions with Major Tommy Lynch, indulging in a friendly rivalry at the enemy’s expense. During one such sweep over Tadji air base at 1800 hours on March 3, Bong destroyed a Mitsubishi Ki.21 “Sally” bomber and Lynch damaged another. Over the next 15 minutes, Bong downed a second Sally offshore while Lynch accounted for a Tony and another enemy fighter. They returned to base to congratulations and news of Lynch’s promotion to lieutenant colonel. Lynch scored his 20th victory on March 5, but as he and Bong were strafing Japanese fishing luggers and barges in Aitape Harbor three days later, Lynch’s right engine was hit by small arms fire. Bong radioed him to bail out, but the burning Lightning had descended below 200 feet by the time he saw the canopy break free and Lynch tumble out, just before his plane exploded. After a hopeless search of the jungle area in which Lynch fell, Bong had to feather the propeller of his own damaged right engine and sadly flew back to his base at Nadzab.

Soon thereafter Kenney gave Bong another R&R, during which he met with General MacArthur. The ace was back in New Guinea by April 3, however, when he downed an Oscar of the 33rd Sentai near Hollandia, for his 25th victory. During another strike on the 12th, Bong splashed an Oscar in Tanamerah Bay and destroyed two more over Hollandia.

Bong’s score now surpassed the 26 of Edward V. Rickenbacker, the leading American ace of World War I. Kenney promoted him to major, and Eddie Rickenbacker sent him a message: “I just received the good news that you are the first one to break my record by bringing down 27 planes in combat. I hasten to offer my sincere congratulations with the hope that you’ll double or triple this number.”

In May Kenney dispatched Bong to the United States with a letter to Hap Arnold, asking that he be allowed to research the latest techniques and technology for conducting gunnery training in the Pacific. Arnold assented and also gave Bong a pass to go home, where he became engaged to Vattendahl. Upon Bong’s return to Washington, Arnold sent him on a 15-state tour to promote war bonds.

After visiting various training bases, Bong returned to the Pacific to find the Fifth and Thirteenth Air forces combined into the Far East Air Force (FEAF), under General Kenney’s command. Assigned as an advanced gunnery instructor, Bong was permitted to go on missions to see how his students fared with the new techniques, but he was only supposed to defend himself if attacked, not seek combat.

On October 10, B-24s of the FEAF attacked the Japanese oil refineries at Balikpapan, Borneo. Fourteen P-38Js of the 9th Fighter Squadron flew ahead of the bombers, and Bong, serving as an element leader, spotted a twin-engine Nakajima J1N1-S “Irving” at 5,000 feet. He did an abrupt wingover, overtook the Irving, shot it down and saw at least one of its crewmen bail out. As Bong rejoined the formation, the other P-38s were engaging a group of fighters, one of which Bong sent down in flames.

Bong’s score now stood at 30, but when Kenney heard that he had participated in the long, hazardous Balikpapan raid he barred him from further such missions. Among the P-38 pilots escorting the next Balikpapan strike on October 14 was Major Thomas J. McGuire, the commander and leading ace of the 431st Fighter Squadron, whose ambition was to overtake Bong’s score—and indeed he raised his own to 24 that day, claming an Oscar, a Zero and a Nakajima Ki.44 “Tojo” interceptor.

On October 20, U.S. Army troops waded ashore on Leyte Island in the Philippines. Two air bases vital to the invasion were prepared to receive fighters, and Bong accompanied his old squadron, the 9th, when it flew from Morotai to Tacloban airfield on the 27th. Kenney was waiting there to personally greet each pilot and joked with Bong about his noncombat training role. Bong coyly replied that he probably would not join in operations right away, then asked, “Could I just join up the first patrol to get to know the place?”

Bong apparently got to know the place quickly—at 1720 that same afternoon he downed an Oscar off Biliran Island. The next day another Oscar fell to his guns off the west coast of Leyte, and when a bomb-carrying Ki.43 he encountered over the southern tip of Masbate Island tried to dive away, its own just-released ordnance struck it and tore away the tail assembly.

While escorting a bombing attack on a Japanese troop convoy near Ormoc airstrip on November 1, Bong destroyed an Oscar of the 204th Sentai. On the 11th he encountered A6M5 Zeroes off the southern coast of Ormoc Bay and swiftly dispatched two of them. He marked the third anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor with another double: a Sally near Bohol Island at 1505 hours and a Tojo over Ormoc Bay at 1610.

Meanwhile, General Kenney had recommended Bong for the Medal of Honor, a request that MacArthur wholeheartedly approved. The citation read: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty in the Southwest Pacific Area from 10 October to 15 November 1944. Though assigned to duty as gunner instructor and neither required nor expected to perform combat duty, Major Bong voluntarily, and at his own urgent request, engaged in repeated combat missions, including unusually hazardous sorties over Balikpapan, Borneo, and the Philippines. His aggressiveness and daring resulted in his shooting down eight enemy planes during this critical period.”

Congress authorized the award, which MacArthur personally presented to Bong. Throwing away his prepared speech, the smiling general said, “Major Richard Ira Bong, who has ruled the air from New Guinea to the Philippines, I now induct you into the society of the bravest of the brave, the wearers of the Medal of Honor of the United States of America.”

When two Ki.43s tried to attack American shipping off Mindoro on December 15, Bong shot down one of them near Panubolon Island. On the 17th he was credited with another Oscar over San José, Mindoro. That brought his total to 40, along with seven probable victories and 11 enemy planes damaged in two years and 500 combat hours. When Kenney learned of it, he ordered Bong to park his P-38L and walk away from it. Like it or not, the American ace of aces was going home for the last time.

Bong arrived in the States on Christmas Eve to a hero’s welcome. After grounding Major Tommy McGuire just long enough for Bong to bask in the glory of his achievement (and endure another propaganda tour, which he described to a fellow ace as “worse than having a Zero on your tail”), Kenney let him resume his quest to surpass Bong’s score, but McGuire never did after scoring 38 victories he was killed in action on January 7, 1945.

On February 10, 1945, Dick Bong married Marge in a ceremony attended by 1,200 guests. They honeymooned in California. When his leave was over, he was assigned to the Flight Test Section at Wright-Patterson air base in Ohio, to work with the Lockheed P-80 jet fighter. Bong was intrigued with the new plane, and in June he reported to Lockheed’s plant in Burbank, Calif.

Bong had logged 10 flights and accumulated four jet-flying hours when he got into P-80 Bureau No. 44-85048 and lifted off from Lockheed’s Runway 15 at 1450 hours on August 6. Eyewitnesses saw puffs of black smoke exit the tailpipe as he climbed to 300 or 400 feet, then the plane rolled right, the canopy flew off and the jet pitched nose-first into the ground. Two minutes after the takeoff, Bong’s body was found about 100 feet from the engine, partially wrapped in the shrouds of his parachute. Apparently he had not engaged the “takeoff and land” backup switch to his electric fuel pump prior to takeoff, and the engine had stalled.

Bong had survived many air battles only to die in a routine test flight accident. On the same day an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, heralding both the end of the war and the dawn of a new era. News of his death threw a pall over the entire FEAF. “You see,” General Kenney explained,“we not only loved him, we boasted about him, we were proud of him. That’s why each of us got a lump in our throats when we read that telegram about his death.” Richard I. Bong was buried in his home town of Poplar. His honors included the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with six oak leaf clusters and Air Medal with 14 oak leaves.

Bong is memorialized in a variety of ways in his home state. There is a Bong Memorial room in his high school, which includes his uniform, all 26 of his decorations, photographs, newspaper clippings and a fragment of the plane in which he was killed. His widow, Marge Bong Drucker, also worked to help build the Richard I. Bong Memorial Center in Superior, Wis. The center was dedicated on September 24, 2002, and includes a restored P-38L with Marge’s picture emblazoned on its side.

For further reading, Aviation History Research Director Jon Guttman recommends: Stars & Bars: A Tribute to the American Fighter Ace 1920-1973, by Frank Olynyk and P-38 Lightning Aces of the Pacific and CBI, by John Stanaway.

Originally published in the March 2007 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here.


There are no flyable or intact Mistubishi G4Ms left. Several wrecks remain scattered in southeast Asia and on Pacific islands, although only one complete aircraft is known to be on display: [7] a G4M1 Model 11, built in Nagoya Works No. 3 on 16 April 1942, tail number 370, which had likely crash landed before mid-1944, [8] was recovered from Babo Airfield, Indonesia, in 1991. The wreck is on display in a diorama at the Planes of Fame Air Museum. [9] Several other locations display pieces of the G4M.

Data from Airreview's Japanese Navy Aircraft In The Pacific War [10]


Modeling-ABC by Wilfried Eck

In keeping with Japan's location, naval aircraft in particular were designed for range. Fighters also for maneuverability and climbing rate, bombers for sufficient payload. However, since Japan did not have powerful engines, the required performance could only be achieved by lightweight construction, dispensing with self-sealing tanks, armor and (in the case of bombers) strong defensive armament. Although this was not yet a general standard in the West either, it was possible there to upgrade quickly when the need was recognized, while corresponding improvements in Japanese planes led to a limitation of performance. With more powerful engines, it was possible later to achieve selective improvements, but only in comparison with the predecessor model. The previous superiority was gradually lost, which was reflected in increasing losses. Later new designs were more in line with requirements, but came too late and/or were too few in number.

To describe all the types involved and their appearance would overwhelm this page. For starters, it is important to know that Japan - unlike Germany - had two separate air forces. Army and naval air forces. Since their relationship to each other was characterized by strong rivalry, there was virtually no common ground. The different requirements were already reflected in the construction and appearance of the planes. Naturally, the type designations also differed.


Japan, as a country poor in raw materials, had a fundamental interest in saving materials. The plane had to have the longest possible service life. The paints applied also had to take this into account. Navy planes, since they were exposed to the influence of seawater, had to be particularly protected against corrosion. Prior priming was therefore mandatory.

Particular attention was paid to the protection of the insides. The clear varnish "Aotake" used here, with color pigments, was obtained from the sap of a tree and was better than the "zinc chromate" used in the West. Green pigments were used in the cockpit area, and blue-green in the navy. Since the metal still shone through, this gave an overall metallic impression. However, there were also cases where paint was applied.

The uniform national insignia, "Hinomaru," centered on the fuselage and on wing tops and bottoms, was blood red, not scarlet. On a dark background with a white border, on Japan-based aircraft on a white square or fuselage band.

As for the color scheme of the outer skin, the official color tables of 1938 and 1942 did show color tones, but these were in their own scheme, not based on Federal Standard 595a, RAL or other Western systems. Although they also had subdivisions, they otherwise relied on text, not letters and numbers. In the result very practicable, but only understandable who also knew the appearance of Japanese plants and other things of nature. Whoever knew what "mother-in-law's tongue" (a plant) looked like, also knew the exact shade of green. Whether this shade had an equivalent in FS 595a etc. is another question.

To make matters worse, documents on the actual application are no longer available and the decentralization of production was also reflected in the application of the paints. The respective manufacturer received from his subcontractors ready-assembled individual components provided with protective paint, so that "only" the outer skin had to be painted after installation of all components. This, however, was at the discretion of the manufacturer. An A6M Zero produced under license by Nakajima had a more yellowish dark green than that of Mitsubishi, the dividing line of upper and lower side color (light gray) ran in an arc to the tailplane in the case of Nakajima, and in a straight line to the tail light in the case of Mitsubishi. Overall, I would advise against any dogma. Which color(s) a particular machine actually had could only be determined beyond doubt by looking at the original machine, fresh from the factory.

For details, see links at the end of the section.

  • Natural metal (only in the early period).
  • Narrow curved small stripes in dark green.
  • Sprayed pattern, spots or stripes.
  • Solid colored upper sides (mostly dark green), undersides greenish gray (night fighters very dark green or black).

Compared with the color spectrum of the Japanese army plain simplicity.

  • A6M2, D3A, carrier based: greenish light gray*, cowl black (D3A with glare shield) lettering on vertical stabilizer in red. * Since the clear varnish Aotake was not lightfast, this probably explains the different tints found later.
  • A6M3, D3A land stationed: As before, lettering in black. Text on the fuselage sides indicates the sponsor.
  • Propeller and spinner of aircraft destined for aircraft carriers natural metal, orange-yellow stripes at tips. On land-based propellers reddish brown.
  • After June 1942: Since only stationed ashore, camouflage required. The previous paint scheme is painted over in dark green by hand, as seen on A6M3 No. 105 flown by Hiroyoshi Nishizawa in the photo below left (the "V" of the "Tainan" group censored). Note the cockpit frames left free of paint. - For paint damage, see below.
  • From 1943: Dark green over greenish light gray and black hood.
  • From March 1944 a very dark dark green, hood in the same color.
  • From the fall of 1944, bare undersides could be seen on fighters designed only for land operations. The reason for this was a shortage of material due to a lack of oil supplies. This was especially true when paint damage was visible due to a lack of primer. The paint quality itself was unchanged.

Some modellers believe Japanese aircraft paints to have been of poor quality, no doubt due to photos, illustrations, and comments by authors indicating that the paint finish peeled off easily. Yet there are plenty of photos of Japanese aircraft with their paint in pristine condition despite being in operational settings. So where does the truth about Japanese paint quality lie?


Because of text and the necessary pictures this page would become too long. See page "Bad Japanese paint."


Front view of Mitsubishi Ki-21 'Sally 1' - History

When the Imperial Japanese Army invaded China and parts of SE Asia, before the official start of WWII. They soon realized that their current recon aircraft would not be suitable to cover the vastness of China and the Pacific region. So an order to produce a more capable aircraft was developed with Mitsubishi submitting plans for a fast, long range twin engine aircraft. It would replace the Ki-15 “Babs’ currently being used. Mitsubishi met the Army’s specifications and in 1939 the first prototype was ready for testing, low wing, twin 900 HP Mitsubishi HA-26i radial engines, faster than any current allied aircraft including their own A6m-2 Zero. Sleek in design, one of the most aesthetically looking plane ever to fly. Graceful elegant lines. One of the best looking aircraft in WWII. The Luftwaffe produced some amazing technically advanced aircraft during WWII with many planned that never got off the drawing board. But the Japanese also designed some very capable aircraft as well. This being one of them. Code named “Dinah” by the allies. Though the early variants or Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane model 1 or Mitsubishi Ki-46I. Entering service in early 1940. it did suffer from nagging problems which did take some time to rectify. But it’s value was recognized and soon an improved version was soon coming off the production line with an upgraded engine, the 1080HP, Mitsubishi HA-102, it had a 2 stage supercharger. The Ki-46II, this variant exceeded the original speed specifications of 373mph. They were sent to operational units as fast they could be produced, just in time for the start pf the Pacific war. At the initial start of WWII the allies didn’t have anything that can catch the Dinah at speed and altitude. But as the British and Americans finally ramped up production with newer and capable aircraft, it wasn’t long when the Ki-46II losses were mounting rapidly, fortunately the Japanese had anticipated this and had the Ki-46III already in production and soon entered service supplementing the Ki-46II not replacing them. With more powerful Ha-112-II engines, it wasn’t until towards the end of the war that anything was capable of catching them.

The Tamiya kit represents the III variant which served until the end of the war. It’s amazing how old this kit is already. It seems it wasn’t so long ago it was new. In fact I bought this kit just about when it was put out by Tamiya. When planning a build for a Japanese aircraft I look for something unusual with some color as cool Japanese aircraft are, there are not much in colorful schemes like the other air arms were flying in WWII. So I look for something a little different. And Techmod has a nice set of decals sheet #48-111, and I went with the first choice an overall Brown over Lt Grey/Green scheme, representing a homeland defense unit 17th Independent Chutai (squadron), 2nd Shotai (Flight). Chofu, Japan around January 1945. It’s stylized bird (which looks like an “A”) unit markings on the tail. The 3 stripes on the rudder marks it as the 3rd aircraft in the flight of 3. This system being put in place in 1944.

This kit was molded in a lighter grey plastic which compared to the previous kits and right after the plastic has been the normal medium grey. A little bit more involved in this kit compared to the D-520 recently built, a little bit more bits and pieces to go along with the Eduards cockpit zoom set to enhance that part of the build. Otherwise a nice and fun build. It is the first Tam multi engine kit I have attempted since the much older Lancaster and not as labor intensive. The only issue is the 2 piece main wheel bays and that awful seam dead center. I didn’t do anything with it as you can only see it when you flip it over. And it won’t be displayed on it’s back so I left it as it is. This plane is so sweet to in appearance. It looks fast just sitting on the shelf next to the Hein and Zeros. I used Polly Scale IJA Brown (though I think it should be a bit lighter), Aeromaster IJA Grey/Green under surfaces, Red/Brown props. RLM04 for the ID leading edges. One self made boo boo is I believe the White ID markings should be a bit wider. Tamiya Deep Green was used for the Interior. I hope you enjoyed the Dinah, it is one beautiful airplane. Thanks for viewing.


Mitsubishi G3M NELL

As far back as 1935, in response to Japanese naval requirement for a landbased twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft, Mitsubishi flew the first Ka-15 prototype, an aircraft which possessed a design potential that allowed development as a long-range medium bomber. Accordingly, following successful flight trials, the aircraft entered production in June 1936 as the Navy Type 96 Attack Bomber Model 11 (Mitsubishi G3M1). The initial version, of which 34 were produced, was powered by 678kW Kinsei 3 radials and possessed a maximum speed of 360km/h at 1975m. As the improved Kinsei 41 and 42 engine became available in 1937 a new version, the G3M2, started production and, with a total of 581 built by mid-1941, was the principal variant. With a top speed now increased to 374km/h, a bombload of up to 800kg carried externally and a defensive armament of three 7.7mm machine-guns, the G3M2 possessed a maximum range of 4380km. A yet further improved version, of which production was undertaken by Nakajima during 1941-3, was the G3M3 with 970kW Kinsei 51 radiais and a top speed of 415km/h at 6000m.

Mitsubishi G3M2s were first flown in action by the Japanese navy's Kanoya Kokutai in August 1937 in raids on Hangchow and Kwangteh in China. By 1940 four kokutais in China were equipped with a total of about 130 G3M2s, a number that grew to 204 by the date of Pearl Harbor with the deployment of forces against Wake Island, the Philippines and the Marianas. And it was a force of 60 G3M2s of the Genzan and Minoro Kokutais (with 26 Mitsubishi G4Mls of the Kanoya Kokutai) which, flying from bases in Indo- China, found and sank the British warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse as they steamed without fighter protection off the Malayan coast on 10 December 1941. The type was known to the Allies as the 'Nell'.

These aircraft had no real counterpart in the U.S. Navy. During the 1930s the basic strategy of the Japanese Navy was based upon the notion that the U.S. Navy would attack Japan across the Pacific, during which the Japanese Navy would whittle down the American Fleet by means of torpedo attacks delivered by submarines, destroyers and long-range strike aircraft such as the GM3. By the time the weakened American battle-fleet arrived across the Pacific the Japanese battle-fleet would be able to face it on more-or-less equal terms. That was the strategic idea around which the design of the G3M and its' successor, the G4M "Betty", were created. The U.S. Navy had nothing in that category in their inventory. Perhaps the closest Allied equivalent was the RAF's Bristol Beaufort twin-engine torpedo-bomber, although the Beaufort was not capable of anywhere near the range of the G3M or G4M.

The Mitsubishi G3M Nell was an example of a "Colonial" aircraft, much like the Italian Breda Ba.65. A Colonial aircraft is one that is designed to drop high explosives and rain aerial machinegun rounds down on people with bare feet who have nothing more than dirt clods and single-shot rifle bullets to throw back in return. Because of this, range is reasonable important, but bomb load and defensive armament can be relatively light. The G3M Nell's suffered seriously from the few serviceable Marine F4Fs on Wake, but as mentioned above, one of the G3M's shinning hours was its part in the Naval Battle off Malaya proving the folly of operating capitol ships without air cover while in range of opposing bombers. Once the "New" wore off of the Pacific war however, the Nell's limited bomb load was revealed for the serious handicap it really was.

Built for maximum range (3,800 miles), which was impressive, but at the sacrifice of fuel protection. These planes caught fire easily when hit by enemy fire.

SOme souce said this was the first "intercontinental" ot "trsns oceanic" strat4egic bombing mission, and everyone lese just has to repeat it. Sorry guys, the Germans were bombing London from Germany with Airplanes (as well as with Zepplins) in the First World War, at least 20 years before the 1937 mission from Japan to China. Neither of these missions is transoceanic (yeah, the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, but only in the same twisted way that the the North Sea is part of the Atlantic) or intercontinental.
If we want to really get legalistic, at least one mission was probably flown from Egypt (Africa) 100 miles over to Palestine (Asia) during WWI or from the Panama CZ to bomb the Sandinistas Nicaragua in the 30's. But the G3M missions to China just don't make it.

For Henry Dittman: "Mitsubishi Green" may be a cousin of "Savoia Marchetti Green" and refer in both cases to the zinc chromate paint used on many WWII airplanes to retard salt-water corrosion. PBYs used lots of it, too. I've never found an exact color match, but zinc chromate was generally a kind of pea green, leaning toward chartreuse.
I hope this helps,
Bo Kerrihard

I am a scale model airplane builder and am currently building a "Nell". What was the cockpit /interior color in this airplane? I have read that it was "Mitsubishi Green", but that doesn't give me a very good idea of the shade. Can you be more specific than that?
Thanks,
Prof. H. Dittman

3853 miles with a maximum fuel load i.e. minimal war load, hardly what one would call intercontinental if you wanted to return that is. I suppose flying across the Bering Straights could be classified as intercontinental but this plane did not do that.

When did the Kanoya Kokutai get its name? Or better yet what was their Kokutai name in China? I have what I believe is the Kanoya Kokutai 1940 year book yet they do not call themselves Kanoya Kokutai. They are named after their Commanding Officer. Any ideas?

World's first true Intercontinental Bomber! Combined with the Zero. a world beating long range Weapons System!

I am preparing a public exhibit at the Saipan International Airport that will present an overview of the development and use of Aslito and Isely Fields. I would very much like to acquire a high resolution scan of the photo of the Mitsubishi G3M that appears on this page. I am prepared to cover reproduction costs.


Modeling-ABC by Wilfried Eck

Japan had not only one air force, but two. In almost all respects fundamentally different and also used in other places (see page "Milestones of the Pacific War").

In reality, the paint has not chipped off at all in the light spots. On the bright spots you can still see the original light gray color in which the machine was originally delivered. Since they were forced to operate from land after June 4, 1942, and appropriate camouflage seemed necessary, the dark green camouflage paint had to be applied by hand afterwards. This did not have to be even, an irregular pattern enhanced the camouflage. - But this was only during the transition period to the later general standard, factory-applied dark green over greenish gray. As before, always over a primer coat. Later on, small abrasion marks could be seen in particularly stressed areas, but never flaked paint.

Because the manufacturers worked equally for army and navy, there were no differences in the quality of colors.

Aircraft of the Japanese Army can be recognized by the type designation "Ki-" followed by a number, e.g. "Ki-43", the Army's standard fighter. The type designation did not distinguish between fighters, bombers, etc.
The Japanese Army was deployed in a wide arc from Manchuria to the Asian east coast to Burma, and in the south to Indonesia and New Guinea. See map Japanese possessions 1942. In essence, this coincided with the Allied Army's area of operations (See map Japanese possessions 1942.),

In contrast to the standard in the West, fighter aircraft were initially not delivered with a camouflage coating, but in natural metal. The idea was to attract the enemy's attention with shiny metal and to challenge him to a fight. But because it soon became apparent that such planes were also highly visible on the ground, camouflage was soon applied to break up the outline, to let the plane merge with the ground. The following stages can be identified here:

Finally a hard nut: A Ki-44 found in 1945 at Clark Field, Manila, obviously heavily weathered - But why do the paint flakes on both sides of the fuselage stop at exactly the same place and also exactly vertically? It would then also be explained why nothing has flaked off around the national insignia and, above all, why the wings, tailplane and vertical stabiliser have a complete paint job. - I can imagine lack of paint, but I'm not quite convinced either.

There were and are exceptions everywhere. But they should not be generalized,


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