Can anyone identify the unit of this Japanese aircraft

[Shinpachi]

As I said, IJA Southern Air Transportation Division (南方航空輸送部) was organized based on IJA AT Transportation Unit(AT輸送隊) which was composed of Nakajima AT-2 passenger planes in July 1942.

The IJA AT Transportation Unit(AT輸送隊) was originally organized to support Japanese invasion into Malaya and DEI by December 8, 1941, actuary in October-November. This unit was composed of three teams -

Special 13th Transportation Flight Team (特設第１３輸送飛行隊) with volunteers from Japan Air Line (大日本航空)
Special 15th Transportation Flight Team (特設第１５輸送飛行隊) with volunteers from China Air Line (中華航空)
Special 16th Transportation Flight Team (特設第１６輸送飛行隊) with volunteers from Manchuria Air Line (満州航空)

This unit stayed in FIC until reorganized to IJA Southern Air Transportation Division (南方航空輸送部) in July 1942.

 

[Musec04]

Once again interesting information Shinpachi. A few further thoughts/speculations on my part

Can we rule out ex MKKK aircraft as both 1st & 2nd Chutai had either one or two swallows respectively as tail marking, not the propeller as shown on the photo. Incidentally intesting information that this unit was titled the 16th Tokusetsu Transport Hokotai as not listed as such in Giuseppe Picarella's excellent book on Japanese Transport Aircraft.

Are the unit markings for either 13th or 15th Tokusetsu Transport Hokotai,whether on Ki-34 or any other type known at all?,as this might help eliminate these two units as potential operators.

I remain uncertain that the aircraft shown is from Southern Air Transportation. While my earlier suggestions that the aircraft is based somewhere other than Singapore, is as stated speculative and based on circumstantial evidence, is not the 12th Transport Hiko Chutai which was China based, not perhaps a more likely operator of the aircraft we see?. Again I'm unaware of the unit markings for the 12th Transport Hiko Chutai,if known to be something other than the propeller emblem,then this unit too can be ruled out and back to the drawing board again. .

Regards,

Clint