Tenatively, the "Joker" seems to be the Nakajima J1N1 Gekko (月光 "Moonlight").UG 1240 . N38 no. 28
NAVAL FIGHTERS NUMBER TWENTY-EIGHT
FR-1 FIREBALL
AND
XF2R-1 DARKSHARK
BY STEVE GINTER
PAGE 49 to 50
THE FIREBALL AND VF-66 AS REMEMBERED BY "WILLIE" SCHMALL
The CO of VF-66, LCDR Gray, was taking one or two of the best pilots from each of the returning squadrons, with the intention to get the Ryan into the fleet as quickly as possible. Sunny Fischer, my wingman, and I were both from VF-60, and we elected to go to VF-66. These combat experienced pilots formed the core of the squadron, and were supplemented by some green pilots right out of flight school. As it turned out, most of the combat proven pilots were only with the squadron a short while because as it turned out we had gone on our ten day pre-embarkation leave when they dropped the bomb. Our Exec was an on-the-ball guy and about six of us were immediately discharged out of San Diego.
I reported to VF-66 on 6 January 1945, where we spent most of our time flying the FM-2 Wildcat while awaiting receipt of our FR-1s. I didn't get my first flight in the FR-1 until 26 April 1945. Our objective was to get 22 aircraft from the Ryan factory across the bay, and to get out to the Pacific to deal with the Kamikazes. The fleet didn't have anything that could catch them except us.
The Japanese would have an experienced pilot we called a "Joker" fly in a twin-engined night fighter, and the "Clowns", which were the suicide pilots, would be down on the water. The "Joker" with his radar would snoop out the task force and tell the "Clowns" what direction and how far out the ships were. He would then return to pick up another load of "Clowns". The "Joker" was the one the Navy wanted to put out of commission, and there was nothing in the fleet that could catch him. To this end we were told that as soon as we got 22 fighters we were on our way. The objective of the Ryan was to sit on combat air patrol conserving fuel by just using the forward engine, and when you got a vector you could fire up the jet and use both engines to go after and catch the "Joker".
The earliest Ryans we had (double slotted flaps) were actually unstable at slow landing speeds. In your left-hand race track approach you had to hold top-stick and top-rudder because it kept wanting to roll over. This problem was solved by installing single slotted flaps, and by slotting the ailerons.
Squadron doctrine was to use both engines on takeoff. One day when I was leading a flight of four Ryans, we took off in formation, stood the aircraft on its tail, and rocketed straight up through the cloud deck of 9,000 feet. Upon where I got a call from the tower saying that if we continued those type of take offs, they would insist on instrument (IFR) clearances.
I'd like some help in confirming that and identifying the IJN J1N1 equipped units involved in the Okinawa campaign, if any.
AKA it is quire possible that the "Joker" was identified in a ULTRA intercept as a future Japanese tactics, but I have too many Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa AAR's that show repeated USN mentions of IJN/IJA radar planes leading Kamikaze's to radar picket ships to think that was the only source