TROTSKIY is up - Page 14

**Ashrunner** · #**131** 03-02-2008, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boosed

I am compiling a document on the translations. Because this is a busy time for me, it might be a little while before it is ready for prime time, but eventually it will be available somewhere. I want to be careful not to step on Mr. Trotskiy's toes, but I think that translations of the captions with a little additional information on the aircraft and sources for additional information would not be contrary to his interests and intentions.

Don

I don't think our friend Mr. Trotskiy would have a problem with that. All it really does is add to the value of his little gems.

**dansls1** · #**132** 03-03-2008, 08:10 AM

A6M2-K is my birthday download from Mr. Trotskiy!

**Don Boose** · #**133** 03-03-2008, 09:05 AM

Happy Birthday, Dan!

Issue a6m2_k_t_v13b is, as Dan says, the Mitsubishi A6M2-K, the trainer version of the Zero Fighter. It is Tail Number ツ[Tsu]-403 of the Tsukuba Naval Air Group.

The caption reads “Type Zero Trainer Fighter [Reishiki Renshusentoki] Model 11 [11-kata] (A6M2-K), Tsukuba Naval Air Group [Tsukuba Kaigun Kokutai], April 1943 [Showa Year 18]”

The Tsukuba Kokutai was an operational training unit based at Tsukuba Naval Air Base, in Ibaraki Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, northeast of Tokyo.

Don

**member_3** · #**134** 03-05-2008, 05:20 AM

Willow is available for download.

**Don Boose** · #**135** 03-05-2008, 06:28 AM

This new version (1.8) of the Yokosuka (Kugisho) Type 93, file number type93_v18, appears to be the same aircraft as previously issued as version 1.7. It is Tail Number Ka-459 of the Kasumigaura Kaigun Kokutai.

The caption reads “Type-93 Intermediate Training Aircraft (K5Y1), Kasumigaura Naval Air Group, Showa Year 17 (1942).”

Don

**dansls1** · #**136** 03-07-2008, 05:41 AM

Hayabusa 64 is up for download.

**Don Boose** · #**137** 03-07-2008, 04:39 PM

Yikes! I've been out of the net for a couple of days working the exercise and have fallen behind. I will post a translation later this evening, unless someone else does it first.

Don

**Don Boose** · #**138** 03-07-2008, 09:16 PM

The caption of Version 1.8 (hayabusa64_v18) reads: “Army Type One Fighter [Rikugun Reishiki Sentōki], Hayabusa [Peregrine Falcon], 64th Air Regiment ["Air Regiment" is my preferred translation of Hiko (Flying) Sentai (literally “Combat Unit”)], 3rd Company [Chutai], 1943 [Showa Year 18], Burma [Biruma].”

The arrow on the vertical stabilizer was the insignia of the 64th Sentai. The red color indicates 2d Chutai. I THINK the white fuselage band indicates an aircraft of the 1st Hotai [flight] of the 2d Chutai, rather than indicating a commander’s aircraft. I THINK a diagonal stripe would indicate the Chutai commander’s aircraft. However, I am not on firm ground here and would be glad to be corrected if anyone has better information.

A photograph of a Ki-43 with similar markings, but apparently in solid green uppersides is available here: http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/ArmyJB&W/Ki-43-3.jpg

The 64th Sentai was a very famous unit. It was equipped with the Ki-43-I in September 1941 and flew against the American Volunteer Group (AVG: Flying Tigers) in Burma in early 1942. At that time, the unit was commanded by Major Kato Tateo and became well known in Japan due to films made about the unit. Kato was killed in May 1942 so at the time of this particular aircraft, the 64th would have been commanded by Major Yagi Masami (killed in February 1943), Major Akera Takeyo (killed the same month), or, most likely, Major Hirose Yoshio. Major Hirose commanded the 64th until June 1944. By 1943, the 64th had been re-equipped with the Ki-43-II.

The Ki-43 available from GreMir is in Major Kato’s markings and there is a discussion of the markings in the thread dealing with that kit (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=1123), which also contains URLs for some films of the 64th’s Ki-43s in action. One of the films is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS12i...related&search=, where you can see Major Kato and hear the famous march, Kato Hayabusa Sento Tai, which I heard many times in Japanese karaoke bars frequented by members of the Japan Air Self Defense Force. Bill Geoghegan (DrBill) first told me about the availability of this film on the Internet.

Here is another, longer, film that begins with a shot of the 6ths earlier aircraft, the Nakajima Ki-27, some very dramatic footage of Major Kato taking off in his distinctively marked aircraft, clips of Mitsubishi Ki-21 bombers, footage of men of the 64th singing in their mess, and other scenes. It goes on for a long time before going back to Ki-43s in flight. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwXj4...eature=related

Sources:

Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa, and Christopher Shores, Japanese Army Air Force Fighter Units and Their Aces, 1931-1945, London: Grub Street, 2002

Henry Sakaida, Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-45, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publications, 1997.

Donald W. Thorpe, Japanese Army Air Force Camouflage and Markings World War II, Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, 1968

Don Boose

**Don Boose** · #**139** 03-08-2008, 11:16 AM

My entry on the Ki-43 last night was written in haste and contains at least one typographical error. The Japanese word for a “flight” (3 or 4 aircraft) is “Shotai,” not “Hotai.”

The basic tactical unit of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF) was the Hiko Sentai, which I prefer to translate as “Air Regiment,” although it is sometimes also translated as “Air Group.” Comprised of 27-64 aircraft, It was approximately equivalent to a Japanese Navy Kokutai, which I have been translating as “Air Group.” IJAAF fighter sentai were identified by distinctive tail markings and were usually commanded by a major. Most fighter sentai were divided into a Headquarters Chutai [“Company” or “Squadron”] and two or three subordinate chutai. The chutai normally had 16 aircraft and were organized into flying shotai of three aircraft (four, later in the war, when the IJAAF, like the Japanese Navy, adopted the “finger four” formation of two sections of two aircraft, a lead and a wingman).

There were a few other tactical formations, such as the Hiko Daitai [Air Battalion] of two chutai and the Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai [Independent Air Company].

Higher level units were the Hikodan [Air Brigade], usually of two hiko sentai; the Hiko Shidan [Air Division] of two or more hikodan; and the Kokugun [Air Army] with responsibilities for a large territorial area.

Incidentally, I also believe that the fuselage band was a combat band painted on all aircraft of the unit, much like the sky or white bands on RAF and Reggia Aeronautica WWII fighters, rather than a shotai identification. I'm sure there is someone out there who knows for sure [Mike? Shrike? Ash? Dan?] and I hope you will weigh in.

Don Boose

**Ashrunner** · #**140** 03-08-2008, 09:38 PM

A new Hayabusa is available...#25.....