Picture of Ki-43 in North Korean service?

[Hardlydank]

North Korean servicemen reportedly repaired a few Ki-43s left by the IJAAF. This is the best online source I have found about it: WWII Japanese weapons in the Korean War
I'm looking for a photo of one, these are all i can find: (the 2nd picture seems to be inaccurate, as it shows the canopy and gun fairings of the Ki-43-I, but the engine config of the Ki-43-II)

 

[fubar57]

Just went through 10 Ki.43 books. No photos or drawings in them. Not saying they didn't exist, just they aren't in the books

 

[FLYBOYJ]

From the source of the drawing

"Pkhenijan airport, early 1950s. Aircraft in non-flying state. It carried leavings of Japanese camouflage. Profile based on verbal description of Soviet technicians."

 

[FLYBOYJ]

FYI...

Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa in Communist Chinese Service

 

[Hardlydank]

Right, I had just remembered to mention the airport when you posted it. As for the Chinese, I had seen that particular photo before, but not from that source. Thanks for linking it

 

[Hardlydank]

reference to a different airfield: "Some former Japanese Ki-43 fighters reportedly saw service with the DPRKAF. Reference exists of a few unserviceable Ki-43's located at a Pyongyang airfield in 1950. Nothing further known."
source: Ki-43
I'm in the process of translating the russian text from the 1st picture, hopefully will find something useful

 

[GrauGeist]

There were quite a few Japanese types left behind across SE Asia and former possessions or were in service with puppet states at the end of WWII, many saw action in local wars (like the clashes between Nationalist and Communist Chinese) and some were in service still, when the Korean war broke out.

 

[nuuumannn]

There were quite a few Japanese types left behind across SE Asia and former possessions or were in service with puppet states at the end of WWII, many saw action in local wars (like the clashes between Nationalist and Communist Chinese) and some were in service still, when the Korean war broke out.

Yup, and thankfully for us today who like this kind of stuff, SE Asian aviation museums have a diverse collection of survivors that are unique, including Ki-43s. Tachikawa Ki-55 in the PLA museum in Beijing.

DSC_5331

Ki-43 remains at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, recovered from Papua New Guinea.

DSC_5471

 

[nuuumannn]

From looking at those web pages, especially the Japanese equipment used in the Korean War page, which is quite informative, it looks like the Chinese are likely to have been one source of the Ki-43s. Perhaps it might be worth investigating Chinese websites etc that might lead to images of Chinese marked Ki-43s, which would at least identify what they might have looked like. It's highly unlikely that the North Koreans would have repainted them, other than replacing the Chinese identity markings with DPRK ones.

 

[Hardlydank]

I've translated the text from this picture: My additions to the translation will be in brackets [ ]

"so, according to the recollections of Soviet aircraft mechanics [actually frontline pilots, according to the source in post 1] working in Korea at the beginning of 1950, [this is what] the North Korean Ki-43 looked like, standing in the Pyongyang airport. the car [plane] is in a non-flying state, on it the remains of Japanese camouflage are preserved:"

 

[GrauGeist]

In the first post, second profile - is it possible that the image represents an airframe that was salvaged?

 

[Hardlydank]

I was thinking about that too. Definitely a possibility, but I don't know how complicated it is to do that on a Ki-43 or if they would've known how to/had the tools.

 

[wingnuts]

Yup, and thankfully for us today who like this kind of stuff, SE Asian aviation museums have a diverse collection of survivors that are unique, including Ki-43s. Tachikawa Ki-55 in the PLA museum in Beijing.

View attachment 595869DSC_5331

Ki-43 remains at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, recovered from Papua New Guinea.

View attachment 595870DSC_5471

There is also a Tachikawa Ki36 at the RTAF Museum at Don Muang, Bamgkok.

 

[Hardlydank]

I also came across this decal kit, showing the Ki-43 in a different camouflage.

 

[xylstra]

There were quite a few Japanese types left behind across SE Asia and former possessions or were in service with puppet states at the end of WWII, many saw action in local wars (like the clashes between Nationalist and Communist Chinese) and some were in service still, when the Korean war broke out.

Japan equipped Thailand. Very cosy (yeeks).

 

[wingnuts]

Japan equipped Thailand. Very cosy (yeeks).

They didn't really have a lot of choice.... and they switched back as soon as they could.