keithwwalker
Airman
- 41
- Jan 27, 2014
Aircraft ID? Japanese?
- Thread starter keithwwalker
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
![b2baa9c0004b827ef9f232662e85a1cc[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/867/867587-69cd18932782a0e2a811bb1a0c91e45e.jpg)
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 43,911
- Mar 26, 2007
Where was it precisely?
I believe Middletown Airfield (Harrisburg, PA.) post-war renamed Olmstead Field.
- Olmsted Field AAF, Middletown 487th/496th Army Air Force Base UnitWas: Olmsted Air Force Base (1947-1968)Now: Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT, ICAO: KMDT, FAA LID: MDT)
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 43,911
- Mar 26, 2007
How would .....etc etc.. you know by chance?
It looks like four J1N's were captured/returned to the States with three being scrapped and one surviving at NASM.
airandspace.si.edu
The aircraft in the photo is not the survivor, but does give some clues to its identity if we can find the proper photo.
Edit: A possibility.
Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) IRVING
Twin-engine, conventional layout with tailwheel-type landing gear.Armament: (2) 20 mm fixed upward firing cannonEngines: (2) Nakajima Sakae 21 (NK1F, Ha35- 21) 14- cylinder air-cooled radial 1,130 horsepower (metric)Originally designed as a three-seat, daylight escort fighter air
The aircraft in the photo is not the survivor, but does give some clues to its identity if we can find the proper photo.
Edit: A possibility.
Last edited:
Various captured aircraft went thru Middletown for some reason. Not sure why. Just a best guess.
During WWII there weren't many large Military Air Fields in PA.. Pittsburgh, Middletown and Philadelphia, that's about it.
Edit: C/n 7334
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #9
keithwwalker
Airman
- 41
- Jan 27, 2014
Thanks, it was at the Fleetwings factory in Bristol PA
- Thread starter
- #10
keithwwalker
Airman
- 41
- Jan 27, 2014
Of course the old closed Naval Air Warfare Center in nearby Warminster PA, had quite a few captured aircraft as gate guards until the late 1980's. I think most of them are now at the Smithsonian.
en.wikipedia.org
Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster - Wikipedia
Many WWII Japanese aircraft were claimed by the Navy for "evaluation" and most wound up being used for post war bond drives, then fell under the control of NAS Willow Grove, opened in 1942, providing aircraft design and testing. Many were parceled out to interested groups like veteran's posts as trophy displays. A select few were displayed, but mostly outside and poorly maintained. However, they were jealously held onto ... "our airplanes!"
With the opening of NASM's large Mall museum, Japanese aircraft curator and historian Bob Mikesh implored then Secretary of Navy, former A-6 b/n, to order the release of the neglected aircraft and prevent further deterioration.
Kudos to both men for preserving their history, and note that many rescued craft that have been conserved, restored, documented and displayed since then. Bob Mikesh authored the definitive books on many of them for the Smithsonian or other appropriate publishers, including one on the Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) Irving.
With the opening of NASM's large Mall museum, Japanese aircraft curator and historian Bob Mikesh implored then Secretary of Navy, former A-6 b/n, to order the release of the neglected aircraft and prevent further deterioration.
Kudos to both men for preserving their history, and note that many rescued craft that have been conserved, restored, documented and displayed since then. Bob Mikesh authored the definitive books on many of them for the Smithsonian or other appropriate publishers, including one on the Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) Irving.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I'm glad someone tried to save those beautiful machines.
When I was working at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk VA, 1975-1977, they were just clearing out the last of the sheds that had contained WW2-era aircraft. I didn't get to see any of the Japanese ones (apart from the Emily flying boat that sat by the seawall at Breezy Point, that I drove past every day on my way to work) but I did get a look at the Curtiss XF-15C and a couple of other US oddballs. Wish I'd snuck a few more photos; the ones I took were really bad. This is a BTD-1 waiting for a barge to take it somewhere. Mostly they went to Pensacola for the museum there, but this one apparently ended up in New York where it was worked over by a team of amateurs who said they knew nothing about how to restore airplanes. Seems like they did a creditable job though, judging by the museum's photos.
You may be thinking of Willow Grove vice the nearby Warminster.
Of course the old closed Naval Air Warfare Center in nearby Warminster PA, had quite a few captured aircraft as gate guards until the late 1980's. I think most of them are now at the Smithsonian.
Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster - Wikipedia
My time at NAS Oceana was late '60s, and I was boggled to fly into NAS Norfolk and spy all those parked and exposed WWII aircraft, especially the Emily. Earlier in the decade while enlisted, I attended aviation "A" and "B" schools, and explored the oddities being used by the Mech schools for training: A2D, F7U, FH, A2J, etc. Worse yet, a lot of obsolete and captured craft met their fate in ordnance testing at China Lake and Aberdeen, including an Arado 234.
Hap Arnold had designated hundreds of WWII craft and squirreled them away at the DC4 plant at O'Hare, as the foundation for a Congressionally approved, but never funded National Air Museum. The financially solid Air Force had kept key craft at Rantoul, IL, Wright-Pat and Muroc, and created their fabulous museum in Dayton around them.
Paul Garber deserves a serious biography as essentially the original Smithsonian Aero Collection curator, essentially a one man show for half a century. He rescued much of the Chicago accumulation when they were going to be scrapped for a C-119 production, and they formed the nexus of NASM. He wheedled transport from the railroads, unused space in Silver Hill from the Navy, prepared the ground with help of Army Corps of Engineers students, concrete going to waste from Beltway construction, and even some surplus tin buildings and gifts from Naval Ramsey foundation.
The Navy Aviation effort dragged, with promised craft scattered nationwide. Finally, the Pensacola museum began, and was pushed along by the Smithsonian restoring the Atlantic crossing NC-4 in 1969 for the 50th anniversary of its transatlantic flight. but getting it completed but without a protective place to assemble, let alone display. It was finally rigged on the Capital Mall grass, in front of the Smithsonian Castle. That pushed completion of the Florida museum, where it's perhaps the crown jewel.
Finally having a place, NASM curator Mikesh and Navy Secretary Lehman pushed to get those neglected craft out of Willow Grove, Norfolk, etc. While all agreed the Emily should be preserved and displayed, it was returned to Japan, as were some German aircraft to their home ... ensuring their preservation and healing some old wounds.
Hap Arnold had designated hundreds of WWII craft and squirreled them away at the DC4 plant at O'Hare, as the foundation for a Congressionally approved, but never funded National Air Museum. The financially solid Air Force had kept key craft at Rantoul, IL, Wright-Pat and Muroc, and created their fabulous museum in Dayton around them.
Paul Garber deserves a serious biography as essentially the original Smithsonian Aero Collection curator, essentially a one man show for half a century. He rescued much of the Chicago accumulation when they were going to be scrapped for a C-119 production, and they formed the nexus of NASM. He wheedled transport from the railroads, unused space in Silver Hill from the Navy, prepared the ground with help of Army Corps of Engineers students, concrete going to waste from Beltway construction, and even some surplus tin buildings and gifts from Naval Ramsey foundation.
The Navy Aviation effort dragged, with promised craft scattered nationwide. Finally, the Pensacola museum began, and was pushed along by the Smithsonian restoring the Atlantic crossing NC-4 in 1969 for the 50th anniversary of its transatlantic flight. but getting it completed but without a protective place to assemble, let alone display. It was finally rigged on the Capital Mall grass, in front of the Smithsonian Castle. That pushed completion of the Florida museum, where it's perhaps the crown jewel.
Finally having a place, NASM curator Mikesh and Navy Secretary Lehman pushed to get those neglected craft out of Willow Grove, Norfolk, etc. While all agreed the Emily should be preserved and displayed, it was returned to Japan, as were some German aircraft to their home ... ensuring their preservation and healing some old wounds.
Attachments
