Japanese Aircraft markings and Camouflage

[razor1uk]

Ok, arigatto Shin-san, thought I'd ask, it could be Chinese derived.. I am led to believe that pic was taken at/by the Hangers at Yokosuka (spelling?) Airbase if that might narrow the unit(s) down.
Like the poem, but I don't think its general meaning would be applied to a captured plane - almost sounds like it would be encouraging HIJMA/HIJMN losses.. but that could be also be a reverse intention to focus the minds of students to not be cocky...

 

[Shinpachi]

The photo was taken at the Atsugi Airbase on August 28, 1945.
They were probably going to use the P-40 as a Kamikaze attacker together with other Japanese planes there.

Nice day, Lewis.

 

[razor1uk]

Ah, thanks Shin for clearing that up, makes a bit more sence now in that context of 'spirited determined national protection at all costs'.

 

[Shinpachi]

Then, it is still "Ogi-511".

 

[razor1uk]

Oh, kawaii, domo arigatto Shin-sama, (beautiful, thanks very much Sir-Shin?) Imaging the the weathering and squinting at the character pic, that would tie in great. No wonder I couldn't spot something similar in my fonts, I was assuming is was simple, where as that is 8 or 11 strokes.
Its almost Friday, you deserve a virtual serving of hot sake - I wish I could partake too in some....

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks, Lewis, for your kind comments.
As Shinpachi is my nickname, no need Sir or Mr.

There were three Chinese Characters for my consideration, 荻(Ogi), 萩(Hagi) and 嵌(Kan).
Ogi seemed best in both shape and meaning.

Hagi is a bushclover.
Kan means fitting something to something.

 

[Bramak17]

I tried to join the site but was not allowed because of too many spammers(?). I have some questions I would like answered if possible.

I have a question about japanese navy aircraft tail codes. The six digit system used in the latter part of the war. I understand the first three digits are unit identity. The second three digits first digit is the aircraft mission designation. How do the next two numbers work? Is the second digit the section number and the third the individual plane number? Were certain numbers reserved for command like 110 for squadron leader? Any info appreciated.

 

[Bramak17]

Ignore the first part of that question. It applies to another site. My bad.

 

[Wayne Little]

Second and third numbers should be aircraft number identifier. "01" would normally be the leader no but this was not always the case. Units did in most cases still use stripes and bands as command designators, again not always...

 

[Bramak17]

So these practices carried from unit to unit? Did the commanding officer decide how this would work?

 

[Wayne Little]

Yes more or less the practices carried through, command striping was in use throughout the war for Group leaders, Squadron Commanders, flight leaders so it was not the officers whom decided, if you were a Buntaicho (Squadron leader) normally standard practice was 2 command stripes one above and one below the tail codes, however these could be seen as two stripes above or below the tail code on latter war aircraft.

A B7A Grace comes to mind with 2 yellow stripes above the codes of "Yo"-251, a Saipan Zero with 2 White stripes below the tail code of 8-25, N1K2 Shiden-Kai 343Ku double Yellow diagonal Stripes on the fuselage coded ("A" above the tail codes) 343-15 of Naoshi Kanno to name a few.

 

[Bramak17]

Funny you should say Grace. I am building the 1/72 Fujimi Aichi B7A Grace Torpedo bomber and trying to figure out what the number system Yokosuka NAG used. I'm not finding any mention of combat, like if they participated at Okinawa, which groups used them and am trying to find reference for the Type 2 machine gun. The only thing I do know is they never served on a carrier.

 

[Wayne Little]

The Grace simply became a land based bomber as the large fleet carriers it was to be used on had all been sunk. Only the Yokosuka and 752Ku used it. From the few pics it would seem that it used "Yo" then "2" as its first digit (Bomber) followed by aircraft number. It was as you know able to carry a torpedo as well.

Couple of shots of my 1/48 kit from many years ago...

 

[Wurger]

 

[Shinpachi]

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks Gentlemen!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Beautiful!

 

[Bramak17]

Thanks for posting. I see you noted the extreme weathering on Yo 251. Excellent technique.

 

[Wayne Little]

Thanks man...

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Very nice Wayne.


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