Aichi E13A1 "241-03", Battleship Yamato in Operation Ten-Gō

[Franklin]

Hi,
Some questions about the airplanes embarked on the Battleship Yamato in Operation Ten-Gō.

In Yamato's TROM it reads:

7 April 1945:
0600: YAMATO launches her Aichi E13A1 Type 0 "Jake" reconnaissance floatplane.
0630: [...] YAMATO's "Jake" returns to Kyushu.

It seems that this Aichi E13A1 had the code "241-03". This aircraft belonged to some Kokutai? Is it possible to find the name and rank of the crew of this aircraft?

How translate in Japanese "Surface Special Attack Unit"? Something like "Tokko Kantai"?

Thank you for your help.

[fontessa]

Hello Franklin,

This aircraft belonged to some Kokutai?

No, it belonged to YAMATO 飛行科 Hiko-ka Flight Department.
The battleships and cruisers planes belonged not to 航空隊 Kokutai, but to their own 飛行科 Flight Department.

Is it possible to find the name and rank of the crew of this aircraft?

Unfortunately it isn’t possible.

How translate in Japanese "Surface Special Attack Unit"? Something like "Tokko Kantai"?

It may be 水上特攻隊 Suijo Tokko Tai. As for Operation Ten-Gō the fleet was named 第1遊撃部隊 First Raiding Unit.

fontessa

[Franklin]

Many thanks Fontessa! You are always very kind.

How would “First Raiding Unit” be transliterated?

At the Yamato Museum there was a touching picture of the YAMATO Hiko-ka crew. I thought there would be some document preserved with the names of the crew that made that last flight in abril 1945.

[fontessa]

Hello Franklin,

How would “First Raiding Unit” be transliterated?

It is 第1遊撃部隊 Dai-ichi Yugeki Butai.

fontessa

[Franklin]

Hi!

Is it possible that the surviving crew of the Yamato seaplanes served on the Dai 12 Koku Sentai 2-za Suitei-tai?

Is there any way to know what happened to them after taking off from Yamato and returning to Kyushu?