IJAAF and IJNAS....

[Lucky13]

Thanks to, he who shall no be named, I've snapped up a handful of Japanese birds for a good penny....

How was the aircraft numbered on the IJN carriers?

Would it be safe to number the Kaga A6M2 Zero as '13' as well, AII-113?

These are at the time, during the Pearl Harbor attack, are they A6M2's or A6M2b's?

Also, were the J2M3 and M5's, strickly homebased interceptors?

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks to, he who shall no be named, I've snapped up a handful of Japanese birds for a good penny....

How was the aircraft numbered on the IJN carriers?

Would it be safe to number the Kaga A6M2 Zero as '13' as well, AII-113?

These are at the time, during the Pearl Harbor attack, are they A6M2's or A6M2b's?

Also, were the J2M3 and M5's, strickly homebased interceptors?

First, they are A6M2(b) Model 21 (Two-One)
The carrier ID system used at Pearl Harbour used the following codes

Carrier Division 1
AI-1XX for Akagi Single RED fuselage band
AII-1XX for Kaga Double RED fuselage bands
carrier Division 2
BI-1XX for Soryu Single DARK BLUE fuselage band lighter blue occurred on replacement aircraft in Feb 42 or thereabouts..
BII-1XX for Hiryu Double DARK BLUE fuselage bands
Carrier Division 5
EI-1XX Shokaku Single WHITE fuselage band
EII-1XX Zuikaku Double WHITE fuselage bands

The first digit '1' represented the Zero the second and third digit '13' the aircraft number, the D3A1 val used a 2 and the B5N2 Kate a 3 followed by aircraft number, no aircraft carried a 2 digit number such as '13' alone, it was 113, 213 or 313 with the carrier ID prefix.

Yes the J2M models were land based interceptors the "J" represents this in the code J2M3 = (J) land based fighter (2) second land based version (M) Mitsubishi (3) third model of the version.

Anything else you would like?

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers young Master Wayne, much obliged!

In time, in time....

 

[Lucky13]

Seeing that the J2M3, -5 and -6 were interceptors based at home, would these be some of the airfields that they were based on?

Akeno Airfield (Akenogahara)
Atsugi Airfield
Bettobi Airfield
Bettobi Seaplane Base
Bolo Airfield
Chiba Airfield
Chiran Airfield
Chitose Airfield (Chitose Air Base)
New Chitose Airport
Gifu Airbase (Kagamigahara)
Hamamatsu Airfield (Hamamatsu-Minami AFB)
Ie Shima Airfield
Irumagawa Airfield (Johnson AFB)
Itami Airport (Osaka International Airport)
Kadena Airfield (Kadena AFB)
Kakumabetsu Airfield
Kanoya Airfield
Kaseda Airfield (Bansei)
Kashiwabara Airfield
Katori Airfield
Kerama Retto Seaplane Base
Kisarazu Airfield
Kitanodai Airfield
Komaki Airfield (Kamake, Nagoya Airport)
Kure
Kushira Airfield
Marcus Airfield (Minami Tori Shima)
Matsushima Airfield
Meiji Airfield
Mito Airfield No. 1
Mito Airfield No. 2
Miyoshino Airfield
Moshinawa Airfield (Machinato)
Motoyama No. 1 (Chidori, Central Field)
Motoyama No. 2 (Airfield No. 2, North Field)
Motoyama No. 3 (Airfield No. 3)
Musashi Airfield (Musashi Naval Base)
Naha Airfield (Okinawa Airport)
Narimasu Airfield
Saeki Airfield
Sasebo Airfield
Suribachi Airfield
Showa Airfield
Susaki Airfield (Chi Chi Jima)
Tachikawa Airfield
Tateyama Airfield
Tateyama Seaplane Base
Toyooka Airfield (Sakato)
Tokorozawa Airfield
Yokota Airfield (Yokota AFB, Fussa)
Yokosuka Airfield (NAS Oppama)
Yonabaru Airfield (NAS Yonabaru)
Yontan Airfield (Yomitan, Yonzan, Okinawa Airport)

Don't know which one to go for, seen a few -M3, -M5, but now also an -M6, which I gather was a rather unique version of the 'Jack'...

 

[Lucky13]

How do you best replicate this kinda wear and tear??

 

[Wayne Little]

Atsugi was a primary base for the 302 Kokutai J2M3 and J2M5 Jacks

 

[Lucky13]

Much obliged sport!

 

[Lucky13]

Now, to do this '13';

The kit to get is Tamiya's 61084, right?

...and again:

"White UI-13" from the 251st Kokutai. "Humpback" version with both upper and lower cannon, and collector exhausts. Dark green over light gray with white-bordered hinomarus on the fuselage and upper wings.

"Red 02-03" from the 202nd Kokutai. "Humpback" version with both upper and lower cannon, and collector exhausts. Overall dark green with unbordered hinomarus all around. This is one of the markings in the Tamiya kit.

"White YoD-187" from the 302nd Kokutai. "Straightback" version with upper cannon only and individual exhausts. Overall dark green with unbordered hinomarus all around and brown spinners. It should be noted that a photo of this aircraft shows that the area around the fuselage hinomaru notably darker than the surrounding part of the fuselage, indicating possible overpainting, although this is not mentioned in the instructions.

"Red Yo-101" from the Yokosuka Kokutai. "Straightback" version with upper cannon only, individual exhausts, and radar nose. Overall dark green with unbordered hinomarus all around and brown spinners. It should be noted that a photo of this aircraft prior to the application of the kill markings shows that it carried a third upward firing cannon which is not shown in the decal sheet profile.

Also.....

The first J1N1-S is the only one on the sheet in dark green over gray (the rest all being overall dark green). Coded U1-13 in white on the tail, this plane also has white-edged hinomarus for the fuselage upper wing. Flown by CPO Shigetoshi Kudo and Lt. Akira Sugawara of Kokutai 251 out of Rabaul-Lakunai, July 1943, this plane had a total of nine kills and one probable. The second J1N1-S was flown by CPO Tetsuya Hatao and CPO Nanpachi Yamada of Kokutai 202 out of Manggar Air Base in Borneo, January 1944. This team was the most successful night-fighter team over Indonesia, with several kills to their name including a pair of B-24s shot down on the night of January 13, 1944. These two kills are silhouetted in white on the tail underneath the red code '02-03'.

Moving to the two J1N1-Sa planes, the first choice is coded YoD-187 and was flown by Lt. Sachio Endo Osamu Nishio of Kokutai 302. Flying out of Atsugi Air Base in 1945, this plane shot down a total of five B-29s and had a probable count of nine. The kill markings are depicted as flower blossoms on the fuselage side. The second J1N1-Sa also carries kill markings, this time in the form US stars with an arrow in the center. Flown by CPO Ykzu Kuramoto and Shiro Kurotori, this team had a total of six confirmed kills and two probables, all B-29s. This plane is the only one of the four on the sheet equipped with the FD-2 radar.

 

[Lucky13]

Some nice pics....

Lakunai-Airfield-Rabaul

Some other stuff;

Shigetoshi Kudo

251st Kokutai J1N1 Gekko Night Fighter Pilot

Research by Justin Taylan
Born in 1920 in Oita Prefecture, he joined the Navy in 1937, first serving as a mechanic, then a reconnaissance pilot before being assigned to the Tainan Kokutai in October 1941, seeing combat in the Philippines and Dutch East Indies.

August 29, 1942 - Piloting a C5M Babs, Shigetoshi Kudo attacked a formation of 8 x B-17s, climbing above them to 7,500m where he dropped an aerial burst bomb (Sango aerial burst bomb). He aimed for the B-17s on the left of the formation and claimed to have hit both the #2 plane, which caught on fire and went down while the #1 bomber went into the clouds. He was awarded a definite and a probable though U.S. records do not show any losses of B-17s on this date.

The Tainan Kokutai was redesignated the 251st Kokutai on November 1, 1942. During May 1943 the unit received two J1N1 Gekko (Irving). These aircraft were field modified as night fighters armed with upward and downward firing 20mm cannons. Flying from Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul, Kudo was the first to test the aircraft in combat, flying with Lt(jg) Akira Sugawara as observer. He would become the first Pacific night fighter ace. Another night fighter pilot who also flew from Rabaul was Satoru Ono.

May 21, 1943
Took off from Lakunai Airfield on a night patrol, flying below and firing upward using his oblique firing 20mm cannons, shooting down B-17E "Honi Kuu Okole" 41-9244 (first confirmed victory with upward firing cannons) and later that same night B-17E 41-9011. Returned to base at 5:35am, having fired 178 rounds of ammunition.

June 26, 1943
Flying from below and using the Gekko's upward firing 20mm cannons, using 164 rounds ammunition, he shoot down two B-17s: B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 and B-17F "Taxpayers Pride" 41-24448.

June 30, 1943
Kudo shoots down B-17F "Pluto" 41-24543 and observes it to crash into the mountains, his final and fifth B-17 kill. He also a probable claim for a B-24, possibly B-24D 42-40254.

During July, he flew to Ballale Airfield and operated from the island.

July 7, 1943
Took off for an evening patrol from Ballale flying with Akira Sugawara as observer. Their Gekko used its two downward pointing 20mm cannons (on other occasion he had used the guns that pointed upwards). This would have required Kudo to approach Hudson NZ2033 unseen from above and behind and then firing when in position 30 degrees above the Hudson's fore-aft axis (allowing for deflection).

Later in July he was presented with a ceremonial sword by Admiral Jinichi Kusaka (11th Air Fleet), for his air service. In total, he earned 9 credited victories and was known as 'King of the Night'.

In February 1944, he was transferred back to Japan with the Yokosuka Kokutai, and severely wounded in a landing accident in May 1945. He died in 1960.

Claims in C5M Babs
1. B-17 by aerial burst bomb (August 29, 1942)
P. B-17 by aerial burst bomb (August 29, 1942)

Claims in J1N1 Gekko
P. B-24 (June 30, 1943) possibly B-24D 42-40254 307th BG, MACR 30

Confirmed Night Fighter Victories
1 . B-17E "Honi Kuu Okole" 41-9244 (May 21, 1943 firing from below with upward firing cannons)
2 . B-17E 41-9011 (May 21, 1943)
3 . B-17E "Georgia Peach" 41-24454 (June 13, 1943 firing from below with upward firing cannons)
4 . B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 (June 26, 1943 firing from below with upward firing cannons)
5. B-17F "Taxpayers Pride" 41-24448 (June 26, 1943 firing from below with upward firing cannons)
6. B-17F "Pluto" 41-24543 (June 30, 1943) and a probable for a B-24, possibly B-24D 42-40254
7. RNZAF Hudson NZ2033 (July 7, 1943) with observer Sugiwara

 

[razor1uk]

Nice info there Lucky, some heroic inkilings too.
As for replicating the skin with a worn un-primered surfaces, mmm, additional search terms for finding a skin or template to work upon could be...

il2 skin [use name/designation of A/C here], bare metal, all metal, natural metal, ija, ijn, -usaaf, -luftwaffe, -raf, -porn, -xxx

 

[Wayne Little]

Jan, have you got that AML decal sheet?

 

[Lucky13]

Not yet Wayne....

 

[Wayne Little]

Well then......I do have it, do you want the UI-13 markings?

 

[Lucky13]

Well,
If you're not gonna use them yourself mate, I wouldn't mind wrestle them off you, cheers!

 

[Wayne Little]

no worries there yours...

with regards the other markings on the AML sheet..
Red 02-22 is in the Humpback Tamiya Kit
White "Yo"D-187 is in the second version kit
Red Yo-101 is in the third version kit

 

[Lucky13]

Never seen this before, spinner molded in two pieces like this, any idea why they did it?

Another thing that popped into my mind while looking through the N1K2-J was, why they didn't designed or tried to fit her (and a handful others), with a bubbletop....

Great wee kit nonetheless! 8)

 

[Wayne Little]

it is an odd way to do the spinner Jan, I'll grant you that, but easy to solve! No idea why though...

 

[Lucky13]

True Wayne, was thinking....what the..?

Plenty of numerals, 03 and 15 plus those yellow ones for the tail, so, with a bit of fiddling one can do a '13' as in 343-13, if there was such a bird?

 

[Lucky13]

Guess that one has to get this one then, as there's decals for a '13' in the kit!

 

[Micdrow]

Jan,

I wonder if they split the hub so that you could build have like a cut away or line drawing where one side every thing is in place and the other side you could remove cowlings and such to view different internals of the aircraft engine.

All the best
Paul