#36
Post
by sjchan » 03 Feb 2009, 17:27
Cont.; from Aug till end of December
Towards the end of August, the 22nd, 69th and 60th Sentai were sent to China to bolster aerial strength for a one month period. The 22nd Sentai with 30 Ki-84s arrived on Aug 21, the 29th Sentai (which was originally a recon formation now retrained to be a fighter unit) arrived at Nanking [Nanjing] on Aug 27.
Aug 28
The 22nd, 25th and 48th Sentai were supporting ground operations in the Hengyang area when more than ten P-40s and P-51s raided Yuechou. In the ensuing combat, the 48th Sentai lost two planes and one of the new Ki-84s caught fire in the air; the pilot parachuted but drowned in the Yangtze.
Eight light bombers raided Liuchou, Liangshan and Enshi airfields, and six planes were claimed to be destroyed on the ground.
Aug 29
Thirteen Ki-84s from the 22nd Sentai and sixteen Ki-43s from the 25th Sentai engaged a large number of B-24s, P-40s and P-51s near Yuechou around 1 pm. Claims were made for four P-40s, one P-51, and damages to four more P-40s, one P-51 and four B-24s. One Ki-43 and one Ki-84 were shot down, and one Ki-84 damaged.
Eleven Ki-43s from the 25th Sentai encountered eight P-40s near over Chiayu [Jiayu] at 1720 and claimed two P-40s shot down and one more damaged; one of the Ki-43s was damaged.
Three light bombers attacked Kweilin and six heavy and six light bombers raided Liangshan airfield that evening, with more than 10+ planes claimed destroyed on the ground in Kweilin and two in at Liangshan.
Aug 30
Three light bombers attacked Enshi, claiming two planes destroyed on the ground.
Three planes from the 60th Sentai attacked Suichan, setting oil tanks on fire.
Ten fighters from the 22nd Sentai claimed to have shot down three P-51s near Kueii[Guiyi] in a night battle.
Aug 31
Four P-40s sunk two Japanese ships near Shihhweiyao.
Six Ki-43s from the 25th Sentai claimed a B-25 and a P-51 shot down near Hsinshi[Xinshi].
The 44th Sentai continued to attack Chinese positions near Ertang.
Sep 1
The 5th Kokugun flew some 207 sorties on this day alone, mostly in support of ground operations
Sep 2
Two planes from the 9th Sentai were covering naval vessels southwest of Anking when they were attacked by four P-40s; one was shot down and the other heavily damaged.
Sep 3
The 25th and 48th Sentai attacked Chinese boats near Chihsien[Qixian], sinking a number of them.
The 90th Sentai raided the Laohokao[Laohekao] and Ankang airfields in night attacks.
Sep 4
The 90th Sentai raided Liuchou airfield with three planes and claimed to have set fire to five planes.
The 60th Sentai sent three planes against the Chiangchang[Jianchang] airfield.
Seven 22nd Sentai fighters patrolling near Hengyang claimed to have shot down a B-25.
Sep 6
The 22nd Sentai raided the Lingling airfield and claimed to have destroyed a P-40 on the ground.
The 44th Sentai attacked the crossing point near Lingling and claimed to have set fire to many warehouses.
Sep 7
The 6th Sentai bombed the Paoching[Baoqing] airfield and town center.
Sep 8
The 9th Sentai attacked B29s bound for raids on Manchuria around noon and claimed to damage eight near Kaifeng, with four trailing smoke and returning to the southwest. The Japanese fighters managed to intercept the B-29s on their return flight near Changte[Zhangde] and two were claimed to be shot down with one probable, with two more damaged.
At 2330 the Japanese launched a long planned assault on the B-29s based in the various airfields near Chengdu. Eight planes from the 60th Sentai, five from the 16th Sentai and five more from the 90th Sentai participated. A total of 15 B-29s were claimed to be damaged or destroyed, but two planes from the 60th Sentai did not return.
Sep 9
It was reported that a B-29 had been forced to land at Laohokao[Laohekao], and the 22nd Sentai immediately dispatched three Ki-84s to at it at 0800, claiming to have set fire to the plane on the ground.
Sep 10
Four planes from the 16th Sentai attacked the Sian airfield.
One plane from the 90th Sentai raided the Liuchou airfield and claimed to have set five planes on fire.
Sep 12
Six Ki-84s of the 22nd Sentai battled P-40s and claimed to have shot down three and damaged four others, for the loss of a single Ki-84.
Sep 13
Two planes from the 90th Sentai raided the Liuchou airfield.
Sep 17
The 25th Sentai launched an attack on the airfield at Chihkiang[Zhijiang]. However the flight leader’s plane developed a mechanical failure and had to crash land in Chinese held territory. He committed suicide. His comrades, a total of seven Ki-43s, flew cover for him until the end, but got tangled up with eight P-40s resulting in one Ki-43 crashing and another damaged seriously.
Sep 18
Three bombers each from the 16th and 60th Sentai attacked the Kanchou[Ganchou] airfield, and six more from the 60th Sentai attacked the Liuchou airfield, claiming three planes hit on the ground.
Sep 23
Six planes from the 16th Sentai raided Chihkiang[Zhijiang] and claimed two planes burnt.
Seven planes from the 90th Sentai raided Lichou and claimed to have burnt two planes and damaged five others
Sep 24
Seven planes from the 16th Sentai raided Chihkiang[Zhijiang] again and claimed four planes burnt and five damaged.
Six planes from the 90th Sentai raided Lichou and claimed to have burnt two planes and damaged two others.
The 85th Sentai claimed to have shot down eight P-51s and damaged 16 more in air combat.
Sep 25
Seven planes from the 60th Sentai raided the Liangshan airfield claiming to have hit two planes on the ground.
Sep 28
Nine planes from the 90th Sentai attacked Liuchou and claimed to have destroyed five planes on the ground.
Nineteen Ki-44s from the 85th Sentai met a mixed formation of some 50 P-51s and B-24s near Wuchou and in a five minute melee claimed to have shot down five P-51s and one B-24.
Sep 29
Nine planes from the 90th Sentai attacked Liuchou and claimed to have destroyed eight planes on the ground and damaged five more.
Three planes from the 90th Sentai raided Nanning and claimed to have destroyed two planes and damaged eleven more.
Sep 30
The 90th Sentai sent eight bombers to Liuchou again claiming to have destroyed one plane and damaged another.
Oct 4
Eight light bombers from the 16th Sentai and four heavy bombers from the 6th Sentai raided Hanchung (claiming eight planes hit) and five heavy bombers from the 60th Sentai attacked Sian[Xian].
One heavy bomber leaving Wencheng[Yuncheng] was shot down at dusk, and a number of planes at the Wencheng[Yuncheng] airfield were strafed by enemy fighters and destroyed.
Oct 6
The 16th Sentai sent fourteen planes againt the Kanchou[Ganchou] airfield, claiming two planes burnt and five more damaged.
The 85th Sentai intercepted a mixed formation of some 20+ fighters and 10+ bombers over Chaoching[Zhaoqing], claiming to have shot down five for a loss of three planes.
Oct 7
Five Ki-44s of the 29th Sentai claimed to have shot down a single P-51 and damaged two P-40s from a formation of nine P-40s and three P-51s near Erhtaokou[Ertaokou].
Four light bombers from the 16th Sentai attacked B-29s at Pangshan and claimed to have destroyed twenty six large planes and some twenty other smaller planes. Four heavy bombers from the 60th Sentai attacked other airfields in the Chengdu vicinity without much success. One of the returning bombers did not get back to Wencheng[Yuncheng] until daybreak and was bounced by lurking fighters and shot down.
Oct 15
The 85th Sentai encountered a large formation of B-24 with escorting fighters, and claimed to have shot down four B-24s and one P-51 using both guns and cluster bombs.
Oct 16
The 85th Sentai claimed to have shot down 4 fighters near Canton.
Oct 17
The 85th Sentai claimed three P-51s near Chaoching[Zhaoqing].
Oct 20
The 85th Sentai lost a plane in Southern China, reducing its aviators to just eight. It had to be reinforced by a chutai from the 9th Sentai.
Oct 25
Twelve planes from the 25th Sentai intercepted returning B-29s and claimed to have shot down one and damaged another.
Oct 26
The 16th and 90th Sentai attacked the Chengdu airfields from Kingmen[Jingmen], claiming to have destroyed more than 60 B-29s on the ground.
After the departure of the 22nd and 29th Sentai to Japan and Taiwan respectively, it was found necessary to initiate a training course to convert twenty-seven pilots (mainly from recon fliers) to fighter pilots.
Oct 27
Trying to repeat the success of the previous night, eight Ki-43s from the 25th Sentai escorted the attacking light bombers to a forward base at Kingmen[Jingmen]. However, just as the formation arrived at Kingmen[Jingmen], barely 10 minutes before night fall, they were bounced by eighteen fighters, and three fighters and three light bombers were shot down, and one Ki-43 and two light bombers were burnt in the action which lasted little more than 90 seconds.
Oct 28
In retaliation for attacks on Wuchou, the 90th Sentai sent ten light bombers to raid Liuchou, losing one plane in the process.
Oct 29
To avenge the debacle at Kingmen[Jingmen], six planes from the 16th Sentai and two from the 90th Sentai attacked Chengdu, while four from the 16th Sentai and one for the 90th Sentai attacked Enshi. Due to weather conditions, it was decided after the planes were launched to concentrate on Enshi. About 10 planes were claimed destroyed at the Chengdu airfields and due to weather conditions, results could not be confirmed at the latter. One plane from the 90th Sentai did not return.
Oct 30
The 16th Sentai attacked Chihkiang airfield and claimed to have destroyed ten planes on the ground. In addition, four planes were dispatched to attack Laohokao[Laohekao].
Nov 1
Four planes from the 6th Sentai attacked ten boats loaded with men and equipment east of Kweihsien[Guixian] and claimed to have sunk them all.
Nov 8
Twenty-five Ki-43s of the 48th Sentai were landing at the Hengyang airfield when eight P-51s bounced on them. However the 1st Chutai flying top cover was able to shoot down one of the P-51s and drove off the rest.
Nov 9
Nine Ki-43s of the 48th Sentai shot down a P-40 at dusk over Kweilin.
The 6th and 44th Sentai were responsible for supporting the ground attack on Kweilin.
A heavy bomber bound for Hengyang crashed after departure from Hankou, killing all on board including senior staff membersof the 5th Kokugun.
Six light bombers from the 16th Sentai bombed the Ankang airfield.
Two light bombers from the 16th Sentai and three from the 90th Sentai bombed the Laohokao[Laohekao] airfield.
Nov 10
The 48th Sentai returned to rearm after morning sorties at Kweilin and were approaching the Hengyang airfield. Rearming at a forward airfield Hengyang was hazardous but there was no time for doing so at Baileiqi. Just when the four fighters providing air cover got the all clear signal and started to land, eight P-51s swooped down from the rear, causing one plane to crash; another was shot up.
Nov 11
The Hengyang airfield was hit no less than seven times by P-40s and P-51s. The 48th Sentai sent up fourteen Ki-43s; four P-51s were claimed to have been shot down and two damaged, for the loss of three Ki-43s. Moreover, six planes were burnt on the ground and six more were damaged. This debacle was witnessed by the commander of the 5th Kokugun, who happen to be at Hengyang. The 48th Sentai had to be reinforced by a few planes from the 9th Sentai, and eventually it was decided that Hengyang was not suitable for large formations and the 48th Sentai was moved back to Baileiqi.
Four light bombers each from the 90th Sentai and the 6th Sentai bombed the Liuchou city area.
A large force of B-29s bombed Shanghai, Nanjing as well as Korea and Japan. The 5th Kokugun deployed major forces to attack the B-29s on its return path. Twenty-one fighters attacked about twenty B-29s near Hsinyang[Xinyang], claiming to have destroyed six for the loss of one crash-landed fighter (pilot unharmed). Over Shanghai, ten Ki-43s attacked the B-29s repeatedly but failed to bring down any, while losing one of its own in the process. At Nanking [Nanjing], forty-three fighters intercepted 20+ B-29s and lost two fighters while claiming to have destroyed three B-29s.
Nov 13
On this day the 5th Kokugun was down to 152 operational aircrafts:
9th Sentai 9 Ki-44s
25th Sentai 9 Ki-43s and 3 Ki-84s
48th Sentai 2 Ki-43s
85th Sentai 17 Ki-44s and 10 Ki-84s
16th Sentai 20 light bombers and two twin-engine fighters
90th Sentai 18 light bombers
44th Sentai 32 aircrafts (including 15 recon planes)
54th Independent Chutai 10 planes (including 3 recon)
6th Sentai 16 light bombers
82nd Sentai 8 recon planes
Nov 21
B-29s once again raided northern Kyushu before dawn. Some thirty-five Japanese fighters were massed to intercept the bombers on their return. Near Hsinyang[Xinyang], thirty B-29s were attacked: three were claimed to be shot down with ten more damaged for the loss of two fighters.
That night, six light bombers were sent to attack the Hsinchin[Xinjin] airfield, claiming to have destroyed five large planes.
Dec 7
B-29s returning from bombing raids in Manchuria were intercepted in the return flight and two were claimed to be shot down near Kaifeng, with one more damaged.
Dec 8
P-51s raided the Nanking area, shooting down two Ki-84s. A total of 25 planes were destroyed on the ground (including five light bombers, two heavy bombers, five Ki-43s, three recon planes and various other planes including trainers). Casualties were however remarkably light: two killed and three slightly wounded.
P-51 raided Hong Kong, setting a supply ship as well as a transport plane on fire.
These attacks were virtually uncontested due to dwindling Japanese fighter strength.
Dec 18
A large formation of B-29s set large sections of Hankou on fire. They were intercepted by the 25th, 48th and 85th Sentai which claimed to have scored two probable kills and eleven others damaged in addition to four P-51s shot down and three more damaged. Two planes from the 85th Sentai were shot down and two more did not return. At the airfield eight fighters, four light bombers and one recon plane burnt out, and six more fighters were destroyed by bombs. After these losses, operational strength in the Wuhan area dropped to less than 20.
Dec 19
Five light bombers each from the 16th and 90th Sentai attacked the B-29s at the Chengdu airfields. The six that reached the destination claimed one large plane burnt.
Dec 21
Five Ki-84s from the 85th Sentai intercepted B-29s returning from bombing runs in Manchuria in the Changte[Zhangde] area and shot down three (two unconfirmed) and damaged three more.
Dec 25
About ten P-51s attacked Nanking again. Nine Japanese fighters piloted mainly by trainers were no match for the intruders, claiming one P-51 shot down and three others damaged for the loss of six planes (one pilot parachuting to safety) and the other three damaged.
Dec 27
Ten fighters from the 9th Sentai dueled with sixteen P-51s over Canton; in the course of the battle eight more planes arriving from Hankou joined in the fray. Nonetheless seven of the ten planes of the 9th Sentai did not return. The strength of the 9th Sentai was greatly reduced as a result of this action.
