"The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

Discussions on all aspects of the Japanese Empire, from the capture of Taiwan until the end of the Second World War.
Post Reply
User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

"The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#1

Post by Peter H » 26 Sep 2009, 09:34

POC3/c Kashimura Kanichi from Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45 ,Henry Sakaida,page 10:
On 9 December[1937] POC3/c Kashimura fought Curtiss Hawks over Nanchang,destroying one and then colliding with another aircraft...tearing off a third of his left wing.Through superb piloting,the calm aviator brought his crippled Claude back to base,and after four landing attempts,the aircraft somersaulted on touching the ground on its fourth approach and lost its tail in the subsequent crash.Astoundingly,the pilot walked away from the wreckage unharmed.Local news reporters quickly sent the story back to Japan,where Kashimura gained instant fame....'the pilot who returned on one wing..'
Photo of Kashimura
Attachments
kachimura.jpg
kachimura.jpg (46.11 KiB) Viewed 2154 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#2

Post by Peter H » 26 Sep 2009, 09:36

Kashimura's Type 96..was photographed from the ground as he made several landing attempts at an airfield in Shanghai..
Attachments
kashimura_1.jpg
kashimura_1.jpg (73.01 KiB) Viewed 2152 times


User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#3

Post by Peter H » 26 Sep 2009, 09:45

News reports of his heroic struggle to make it back to base quickly spread throughout Japan,and his example of tenacity and fighting spirit was later used to inspire a new generation of naval fighter pilots..
In March 1943 WO Kashimura,on service in New Guinea,failed to return from an escort mission to the Russell Islands.


A tough little Mitsubishi A5M on display in Japan like the one Kashimura flew in 1937
Attachments
A5M.jpg
A5M.jpg (72.85 KiB) Viewed 2150 times

User avatar
Ome_Joop
Member
Posts: 783
Joined: 10 May 2004, 16:56
Location: Noordwijk(erhout)

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#4

Post by Ome_Joop » 26 Sep 2009, 09:58

Altough he still has a large proportion of it's wing left it's still quite a feat
but compared to that famous Israeli F-15...It collided in air with an A-4 Skyhawk and made a safe landing!

Image

Wonder if there are more stories (and pictures) like this (only WWII related)?

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#5

Post by Peter H » 26 Sep 2009, 10:46

Here's another Japanese pilot who got home with a damaged wing in 1942.Don't know the story behind it.
Attachments
damaged.jpg
damaged.jpg (82.04 KiB) Viewed 2143 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#6

Post by Peter H » 30 Sep 2009, 08:06

I think this is Kashimura's plane later on display at Shanghai being inspected by one of the HRHs.

I couldn't imagine too many Claude's with a clipped left wing were around at that time. :)
Attachments
Kashimura_2.jpg
Kashimura_2.jpg (103.63 KiB) Viewed 2059 times
Kashimura_3.jpg
Kashimura_3.jpg (115.86 KiB) Viewed 2059 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#7

Post by Peter H » 04 Nov 2009, 13:12

More press photos
Attachments
kash1.jpg
kash1.jpg (55.77 KiB) Viewed 1952 times
kash2.jpg
kash2.jpg (51.34 KiB) Viewed 1952 times

Carl Schwamberger
Host - Allied sections
Posts: 10055
Joined: 02 Sep 2006, 21:31
Location: USA

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#8

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 05 Nov 2009, 14:01

Ome_Joop wrote:
Wonder if there are more stories (and pictures) like this (only WWII related)?
Historys of the US 8th Air force or of the B17 pften have storys and photos of B17 bombers flying around with large parts missing. The US P47 had a reputation as well. Probablly some others.

PF
Member
Posts: 2123
Joined: 27 Oct 2004, 14:19
Location: USA

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#9

Post by PF » 11 Nov 2009, 15:27

According to this thread-Pilot KAshimura shot down Soviet airman http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archive/i ... -9793.html

Profile of Kashimura aircraft related thread at http://www.michael-reimer.com/CFS2/CFS2 ... arly).html

related link at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetsuzo_Iwamoto

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#10

Post by Peter H » 31 Jan 2010, 09:51

More photos of Kashimura's plane
Attachments
kash1.jpg
kash1.jpg (169.92 KiB) Viewed 1748 times
kash2.jpg
kash2.jpg (119.05 KiB) Viewed 1748 times

User avatar
Peter H
Member
Posts: 28628
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 14:18
Location: Australia

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#11

Post by Peter H » 31 Jan 2010, 12:26

Kashimura walks away from the wreck.

Note the tail sheared off due to the crash landing.This must have been later restored before the aircraft was put on display in Shanghai.
Attachments
kash4.jpg
kash4.jpg (96.97 KiB) Viewed 1737 times

Brady
Member
Posts: 1521
Joined: 10 Jul 2008, 23:02
Location: Oregon

Re: "The Pilot Who Returned On One Wing"

#12

Post by Brady » 31 Jan 2010, 19:13

Its interesting to see these picks, and read the story behind them, It is much more common to hear about allied planes coming home all shot up or damaged, but to hear of and see pictures of Japanese Aircraft returing home damaged helps to paint a more well rounded picture.

Post Reply

Return to “Japan at War 1895-1945”