Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu IN The Solomons

[fontessa]

Thanks for the comments. A famous Japanese WWII Airplane Magazine also says that he stood on a J2M3 Model 21 in the caption of the same photo. But please look at the below photos. The Raiden behind him was equipped with 7.7mm MGs from the layout of the instrument panel in the 1st and 2nd pictures.
The Raiden in the 3rd picture was handed over from the 831st Naval Air Group to the 302nd Naval Air Group.
fotessa

I hate to disagree Fontessa. But the J2M Nakamura is standing on clearly has the notched cowl-flaps of the Model 21. Yes, the instrument panel does appear to more closely match the earlier version, but there is no 7.7mm visible in the opening.

The only the other photo we have, shown below, is a Model 21. Its possible that its one of the other 3, but the gun port panel is clearly unpainted as well. Again, its possible that none of them had painted gun port panels (possibly the panel is made of a heavier stainless steel, more able to withstand heat and concussion of the 20mm). To my eyes, the notched cowl-flaps are clear as day. An aircraft with a collector ring exhaust wouldn't use notched cowl-flaps.

Thank you again Fontessa, for all the info you bring to light.

Thanks for the comments. I understand about cowl flaps. But I want to stick to the instrument panel layout. After further investigation, I found that J2M1 was a collective exhaust pipe, but after J2M2 they had independent exhaust pipes as shown in the 1st picture. And the 302nd Naval Air Group had Raiden Model 11s as shown in the 2nd picture. Note the 7.7mm MGs position. The hole was a 7.7mm MG bullet belt arranging hole that was usually closed with a cover. Unfortunately, it was hidden behind Nakamura and we couldn't see it. . . But I'm pretty sure Nakamura performed the oblique gun test with Raiden Model 11. I think 4 Raiden Model 21s were equipped with a side-oblique 20mm gun. The 3rd picture shows the cockpit of them. I have mentioned they didn't have a good sight, but seems that it was about Nakamura's test Raiden. Actually, Raiden Model 21s were equipped with 2 sighs. When I first saw this photo, I was surprised to see that "something like a barrel" was sticking out. As shown in the 4th picture, it was a handle for "climbing" up to the cockpit of the giant Raiden. In the 3rd picture, I added some details about the Raiden you have shown. The name of 機付長 who was the chief mechanic of this plane (I don’t know the correct English translation for 機付長) was shown on the vertical tail. And the 2 kill marks on the vertical tail were not yet shown. At last I would like to correct the picture I have shown.
I apologize for my inadequate investigation.

雷電 手掛け足掛け.jpg (112.97 KiB) Viewed 465 times

雷電 J2M1 301航空隊.jpg (49.78 KiB) Viewed 465 times

fontessa

[ShindenKai]

I agree, its possible that it is the "improved" type J2M2. Though as stated before the 7.7mm's have been removed from their mounting as they should be protruding into the cockpit, partially obscuring the instrument panel in that view. Or for whatever reason, the instrument panel had been swapped (repair issue? shortage of newer panels?) Or not yet updated in that particular Model 21. Mysteries that will never be fully solved unless more previously unpublished photos surface.

Is there a larger, uncropped picture of the pic with the pilot in the cockpit of the J2M with Type 3 & Type 98 sights?

Thx Fontessa.

[fontessa]

Is there a larger, uncropped picture of the pic with the pilot in the cockpit of the J2M with Type 3 & Type 98 sights?

雷電 照準器 3.jpg (58.18 KiB) Viewed 407 times

fontessa

[ShindenKai]

Thank you again for the info Fontessa.

I understand you meant to enlarge the 7.7mm gun gas exhaust port but inadvertently enlarged the 20mm drum blister in the wing instead.

[fontessa]

Thank you again for the info Fontessa.

I understand you meant to enlarge the 7.7mm gun gas exhaust port but inadvertently enlarged the 20mm drum blister in the wing instead.

Oh, I was panicking.

fontessa

[Takao]

I'm not getting why notched cowl flaps are an issue, when they were introduced on the Model 11.

Clearly shows the notched cowl flaps, albeit in the closed position, and the information plate, aft of the "meatball", clearly reads " - - ", which is "11".

[Takao]

Rabaul - Gadalcanal 1,000km Journey
Zero's cruising range of 3,000 km made operations between Rabaul - Guadalcanal possible. Fuel consumption, however, depended on flight conditions. A survived Zero pilot recalled that a one-way trip of 1,000km required flying at an altitude of 4,000m and a speed of 250km/h. It was a four-hour trip in thin, cold air, with the right hand on the control stick, the left hand on the throttle lever, and both feet on the foot pedals. Several ten minutes of aerial combat on Guadalcanal, followed by a four-hour journey to Rabaul. He says, "By repeating this, even a very skilled pilot would be exhausted. If he was exhausted, he would have made a mistake." Solomon was a pilot's graveyard. Many Zero pilots were killed in action within a few months. Fortunately, Nakamura survived for 0ne year and four months. I saw somewhere that the P-51 cruise speed was 440km/h. (Really?) If this was true, the 1,200km trip between Iwo Jima and Tokyo would have taken three hours. Would US pilots have been similarly exhausted?

Oh, yes, such very long range missions were very taxing on American fighter pilots.

P-51s, flying escort, would cruise at 200-210 mph at 10,000 feet, the pace of the bombers, to Japan. Many pilots looked forward to combat over Japan, as it broke the tedium of the long flight(helped by the adrenaline). However, once the return to Iwo began, and the adrenaline stopped flowing, the became very weary. The pilots would slightly perk back up nearing Iwo to land. Once, on the ground, many had problems simply getting out of the cockpit, and had to be helped out.

Here, however, the Americans had the advantage. While, Japanese pilots literally flew until they died. The Americans would rotate their fighter pilots out after 15 completed VLR missions - aborts did not count - which was roughly 100 hours of combat flying.

Thanks for the comments. Do you know the flight altitude of P-51s?

fontessa

Usually 10,000 feet on the flight to Japan. Of course, this would vary due to weather(it was not unusual to climb to 20,000 feet and higher, or dive to 500-1,000 feet) to safely get through the many storms encountered.

Once near Japan, the fighters would move to whatever altitude they were assigned for the mission. Escort was higher altitude with the bombers, while strafing/fighter sweep was 10,000 or lower(with some fighters flying higher as "top cover").

Return flight was done at best altitude for maximum range with engines throttled back and a lean fuel mixture.

[fontessa]

Rabaul - Gadalcanal 1,000km Journey
Zero's cruising range of 3,000 km made operations between Rabaul - Guadalcanal possible. Fuel consumption, however, depended on flight conditions. A survived Zero pilot recalled that a one-way trip of 1,000km required flying at an altitude of 4,000m and a speed of 250km/h. It was a four-hour trip in thin, cold air, with the right hand on the control stick, the left hand on the throttle lever, and both feet on the foot pedals. Several ten minutes of aerial combat on Guadalcanal, followed by a four-hour journey to Rabaul. He says, "By repeating this, even a very skilled pilot would be exhausted. If he was exhausted, he would have made a mistake." Solomon was a pilot's graveyard. Many Zero pilots were killed in action within a few months. Fortunately, Nakamura survived for 0ne year and four months. I saw somewhere that the P-51 cruise speed was 440km/h. (Really?) If this was true, the 1,200km trip between Iwo Jima and Tokyo would have taken three hours. Would US pilots have been similarly exhausted?

Oh, yes, such very long range missions were very taxing on American fighter pilots.

P-51s, flying escort, would cruise at 200-210 mph at 10,000 feet, the pace of the bombers, to Japan. Many pilots looked forward to combat over Japan, as it broke the tedium of the long flight(helped by the adrenaline). However, once the return to Iwo began, and the adrenaline stopped flowing, the became very weary. The pilots would slightly perk back up nearing Iwo to land. Once, on the ground, many had problems simply getting out of the cockpit, and had to be helped out.

Here, however, the Americans had the advantage. While, Japanese pilots literally flew until they died. The Americans would rotate their fighter pilots out after 15 completed VLR missions - aborts did not count - which was roughly 100 hours of combat flying.

Thanks for the comments. Do you know the flight altitude of P-51s?

fontessa

Usually 10,000 feet on the flight to Japan. Of course, this would vary due to weather(it was not unusual to climb to 20,000 feet and higher, or dive to 500-1,000 feet) to safely get through the many storms encountered.

Once near Japan, the fighters would move to whatever altitude they were assigned for the mission. Escort was higher altitude with the bombers, while strafing/fighter sweep was 10,000 or lower(with some fighters flying higher as "top cover").

Return flight was done at best altitude for maximum range with engines throttled back and a lean fuel mixture.

Thanks for the answer. I believe P-51 was the best fighter in WWII. At the end of the war, fighters with similar performances appeared, but I think P-51 was the best considering both the performance and the long length of operation. Yes, I am a P-51 lover.

fontessa