Japanese Zero Carrier crashes

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Maxrobot1

Senior Airman
322
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Sep 28, 2009
Have you noticed that there are no photos of carrier crashes of WW2 Japanese planes? The Zero's landing gear does not look as sturdy as, say a Hellcat. I wonder what the attrition rate was for carrier landings?
 
There could have been statistical tables as well as accident reports with photos by IJN for such Zero's but all were lost in the war except this one.

Naval Aviation Statistical Table
by IJN Aviation Headquarters in 1935

Reported naval aircraft accidents
Number by year 1934-1935 /deployment

Kaga 0-0 /60 (under re-construction)

Akagi 28-21 /66

Hosyo 4-7 /21

Ryujo 16-22 /48

01-05.jpg

Source: JACAR
 
Have you noticed that there are no photos of carrier crashes of WW2 Japanese planes? The Zero's landing gear does not look as sturdy as, say a Hellcat. I wonder what the attrition rate was for carrier landings?

There are precious few photos from aboard IJN aircraft carriers, period. I suspect it was illegal for IJN sailors to bring their own cameras onboard. Most photos I've seen tend to be official photos that were publicly released (and those would never show crashes).

Also, many records and personal photos may have been lost when carriers were sunk. I know that doesn't apply to all IJN carriers but it may partially explain the paucity of photos showing IJN carrier ops.
 
It's actually quite amazing that there are so many personal photos of allied aircraft and vehicles etc, as cameras were prohibited on military installations. In the UK, during WW2, it was also illegal for civilians to take photos of military equipment, including downed German aircraft.
 
There are precious few photos from aboard IJN aircraft carriers, period. I suspect it was illegal for IJN sailors to bring their own cameras onboard. Most photos I've seen tend to be official photos that were publicly released (and those would never show crashes).

Also, many records and personal photos may have been lost when carriers were sunk. I know that doesn't apply to all IJN carriers but it may partially explain the paucity of photos showing IJN carrier ops.
This holds especially true to the Japanese Pearl Harbor films, which went down on one of the carriers at Midway. Not only did did the Japanese film the actual attack but also the lead up. Imagine what was on those films..
As for Zero crashes, I understand there was actually one that crashed on takeoff, as the first wave departed the carriers. I wonder if this pilots fate was documents and subsequently lost, also?
 
This holds especially true to the Japanese Pearl Harbor films, which went down on one of the carriers at Midway. Not only did did the Japanese film the actual attack but also the lead up. Imagine what was on those films..

That's a new one on me. Why weren't the films offloaded when Kido Butai returned to port after the Pearl Harbor attack?
 
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This photograph, from a Japanese film later captured by American forces, was taken aboard the Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku, just as a Nakajima "Kate" B-5N bomber launched off the deck to attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. #

0F6F1538-6C92-43E4-BEC2-A82C7A23C755.jpeg


The above caption and picture were found at:

A site that contains many Pearl Harbor stories. I wonder where the mentioned footage can be found? Also, references are made to additional surviving Japanese footage held private by it's owners do to the sensitive nature of the attack in Japan.
 
I've always wondered why those SBD aircrew that are always seen in documentary videos, diving to initiate the Pearl Harbor attack, were not identified, court martialed and shot as traitors!!

We have incontrovertible proof as so many Discovery and History channel documentaries clearly show Douglas Dauntlasses nosing over on the fleet. If we can't trust those historical videos ...
 

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