IJAAF and IJNAS....

[Lucky13]

Just got this now, as we speak Master Wayne...

.....and I think we have a winner, New Britain Island, '43....

Looks like great kit....

 

[Wayne Little]

Same 53rd, different birds?

Yep, if you look closely at the cowlings they are slightly different to the rear for the exhausts....

and your new purchase....cool!

 

[Lucky13]

So they are mate, didn't notice that first!

Yip! How do you best do that camouflage, enlarge plans to 1/48 and draw and cut out, or....?

She's my 9th IJAAF/IJNAS bird, waiting for my 10th, that Irving nightfighter....

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks, Wayne!

 

[Lucky13]

Have to say that the Ki-45, is quickly becoming a favourite here, beautiful bird!

Awesome work Shinpachi! Flying like that would cause a bit of problems....!

 

[Lucky13]

Japanese Occupation

On January 4, 1942 Japanese flying boats first bombed Rabaul. On January 20, 1942 a Japanese carrier aircraft from Akagi, Kaga, Shokaku and Zuikaku under the command of Admiral Nagumo attacked Rabaul. On January 22, 1942 carrier planes returned, but found no targets and preformed aerobatics prior to the Japanese invasion force arrival via St. Georges Channel.

After midnight of January 23, 1942 the 144th Infantry Regiment 'South Seas Detachment' landed at several locations: Raluana Point and to the west of Kokopo and Kerawun and north of Vulcan. Also Malaguna, west of Praed Point and Nordup. Opposing them were the outnumbered Australian Army 2/22nd Battalion and New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (NGVR) opposed. By morning, the Japanese occupied Rabaul.

Developed into a massive base and Army and Navy Headquarters in the South Pacific. The Navy controlled the eastern half of the town, with their HQ at the New Guinea Club building. The 8th Army HQ at four corners intersection. At the war's peak, 97,000 Japanese troops were stationed in the vicinity, in addition to Allied POW's, slave laborers and even reportedly 3,000 'comfort woman' (prostitutes) including 800 from Korean and Japan.

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Could this Ki-45 been based at either; Lakunai Airfield (Rabaul East), Vunakanau Airfield (Rabaul West) or Tobera Airfield (Rabaul South) in '43?

 

[Shinpachi]

If I may comment, Lucky, your Ki-45 was deployed to Tobera first and then devided to Lakunai.

Yes, KI-45 is smart and cool!

 

[Lucky13]

Your comments and help (and wonderful work) is always welcome Shinpachi!
Still learning about what's what when it comes to IJAAF and IJNAS squadrons and groups, what were the general size of these? How did the aircraft code system work (always looking for that '13' you know) and so on...

Would Chutai, Daitai and Rentai mean "squadron", "battalion" and "regiment" and Sentai perhaps be single purpose squadron, group or a any other smaller unit?

 

[Shinpachi]

From wiki with my translation -

軍（gun =army 50,000 to 60,000） - 軍団（gundan=army corps 30,000 and more） - 師団（shidan=division 10,000 to 20,000） - 旅団（ryodan=brigade 2,000 to 5,000） - 連隊（rentai=regiment 500 to 5,000） - 大隊（daitai=battalion, squadron 300 to 1,000） - 中隊（chutai=company, battery, troop 60 to 250） - 小隊（shotai=platoon 30 to 60） - 分隊（又は班）（buntai or han=squad 8 to 12） - 班（又は組）（han or kumi=team 4 to 6） - 組（kumi=fire team 1 to 6）

You can pronounce gun samely as the gun of shogun.
I may check the aircraft code system too but Wayne will be superior.

 

[Shinpachi]

戦隊(sentai) is a synonym of squadron or corps.

 

[Lucky13]

Thank you very much Shinpachi! I remember seeing somewhere that a fighter Sentai could number up to 45...

 

[Shinpachi]

Sorry, Lucky.
I was forgetting Sentai does not necessarily mean Flight Squadron but merely Squadron.
We are calling Hiko-Sentai for Flight Squadron like Hiko-Chutai and Hiko-Daitai.
Please forget my last posts as I will re-check in other sources.

 

[Lucky13]

As you wish my friend...and thanks again!

 

[Lucky13]

See that Kaga and Shokaku had some unique colours for Pearl Harbor..

Are they correct?

 

[Wayne Little]

Jury is still out on the Brown Tail Kates from Kaga, looks different but still don't know for certain...

Shokaku Kates Yes a mottle or scribble pattern from photo's...my subject from this carrier will be EI-309 Command Aircraft of Lt. Tadeo Ichihara from the second attack wave

 

[Lucky13]

Cool, cheers mate!
Again, 13's here....will be hard to miss those big ones underneath the wings of the Kaga birds..... 8)

 

[Shinpachi]

Here is my re-checked result.

陸軍航空部隊（陸軍航空隊・陸空軍・空軍とも呼称）
IJA Air Units (aka Army Air Units, Army Air Force, Air Force)

Unit name/Reading/Military symbol/English/Aircraft numbers(basic)
航空総軍/Koku-sogun/FSA/General air force/numbers unchecked
航空軍/Koku-gun/FA/Air force/numbers unchecked
飛行師団又は飛行集団/Hiko-shidan or Hiko-syudan/FD or FC/Flight division or Flight group/72x2=144
飛行団/Hiko-dan/FB/Wing/36x2=72
飛行戦隊/Hiko-sentai/FR or F/Squadron/12x3=36
飛行中隊/Hiko-chutai/Fc/Squadron/4x3=12
小隊/Shotai/?/Platoon/2x2=4
分隊/Buntai/?/Squad/2

Actual numbers depended on aircraft type.

大日本帝国海軍航空隊
IJN Air Units

Unit name/Reading/English/Aircraft numbers(basic)
航空艦隊/Koku-kantai/Task force/2 more koku-sentai
航空戦隊/Koku-sentai/Carrier fleet/2 more carriers
航空隊/Kokutai/Squadron/9x3=27
分隊/Buntai/Platoon/3x3=9
小隊/Shotai/Squad/3

Reference:
飛行隊 - Wikipedia
航空師団 - Wikipedia
ã'¢ãƒ³ãƒ'ã'µãƒ³ãƒ‰ - Wikipedia
陸軍飛行戦隊 - Wikipedia
大日本帝国海軍航空隊 - Wikipedia
飛行隊 - Wikipedia
第一航空戦隊 - Wikipedia
航空艦隊 - Wikipedia

Thank you very much for your patience, Lucky!
I've got wiser

 

[Wayne Little]

and extending Shinpachi's info...With regards the IJN units the lead pilots were Hikotaicho essentially Air Group Commander - normally 3 horizontal Stripes on the vertical tail, on Carriers there would have been 3 one each for fighters, Bombers and Torpedo Aircraft with One singled out as Overall Commander. Buntaicho -Squadron/Buntai Commander 2 Stripes and Chutaicho flight/ Squad 3 aircraft single Stripe on tail.
land based used slightly differing stripe systems....tail and or Fuselage...some diagonal some vertical some a Chevron style and coloured to denote Command or Squadron affiliation...

 

[Lucky13]

Thanks a lot, very much appreciated!
Hopefully Hasegawa won't be too long before re-releasing their 1/48 J2M5 Jack, want one to go with my J2M3....
It was only one single J2M6 built, wasn't it?

 

[Lucky13]

Got this delivered today....
That rear upper and lower gun looks interesting, UI-13 had that I noticed....