Brief History

The French were among the first to introduce camouflage, starting with Nieuport fighters with which they tested a variety of schemes during the Battle of Verdun in early 1916. A light blue-grey Nieuport 11 was flown by Georges Guynemer which he named Oiseau Bleu (Blue Bird) while some Voisin IIIs were also painted in the same colour. At the same time, disruptive schemes using several colours were also tried out. By mid-1916 a silver-grey aluminium dope became the norm for Nieuports until the French introduced a standardized disruptive camouflage scheme for combat aircraft in1917. This was used widely on such aircraft as the Breguet XIV and SPAD XIII that consisted of dark and light green, dark and light brown, black (sometimes omitted), and an underside of grey or beige.

Contents

About the author

Michael John Claringbould grew up in Papua New Guinea and took an interest in aviation from his earliest school days. In the late 1970s, he was instrumental with the discovery and recovery of A-20G "Hell'NPelican". A pilot, researcher, and author, Claringbould is the author of several books on the 5th Air Force and WWII Pacific history, He is also the founder of Aerothentic Publications and partner of Pacific Ghosts, He has also discovered several important aircraft wrecks.

Introduction

Chapter 1 –JAAF Bombers and support types in the South Pacific.

Chapter 2 –Technical Notes.

Chapter 3 – The 7th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 4 – The 14th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 5 – The 26th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 6 – The 34th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 7 – The 45th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 8 – The 60th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 9 – The 61st Hiko Sentai

Chapter 10 – The 75th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 11 – The 208th Hiko Sentai

Chapter 12 – Headquarters and Command Units

Chapter 13 – Reconnaissance Units

Chapter 14 – Transport and Liaison Units

Sources

Index of Names

Review

It is understandable then that the first Japanese Army Airforce air unit to arrive at Rabaul was a reconnaissance unit the 76th Independent Reconnaissance Chutai transferred from the Philippines. When it arrived on 12th October 1942, at this early stage a cautious Japanese Army Airforce still had time to make deliveries. However, later due to combat pressures this amenity was removed, costing many airframes and lives during long delivery flights. In late 1943 after much mulling and debate, an imperial Japanese Navy -Imperial Japanese Army air force inaugural agreement was ratified on-air operations in New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomons, committing the 6th Hikoshidan (air-division) to the Southeast theatre.

Many types and different models of bombers, transports, reconnaissance aircraft, attack aircraft, and their variants served with the Japanese Army Airforce in New Guinea. The main types being the Ki-49-1 and II Donryu heavy bomber, Ki-21-I and II heavy bomber and derivative MC-21 reconnaissance aircraft Ki-48-I and II Sokei light bomber, Ki-46-II reconnaissance aircraft, and Ki-57 & Ki-56 transport

Sally – Mitsubishi Ki-21-I and II Heavy bomber, classified as a heavy bomber.

Dinah – Ki-46 II Reconnaissance Aircraft such was the prowess of this aircraft it was the only one of its type to serve both the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Airforce.

Lilly – Kawasaki Ki-48-II ko, Ostu, and Hei Sokei Light bomber although a handful of the Ki-48-Is served in New Guinea the vast majority were Ki-48-ii Ko and Otsu models.

Helen – Nakajima Ki-49-I and II Heavy Bomber/Transport, the first army bomber fitted with a tail turret, Ki-49 Type Heavy bomber.

Sonia – Mitsubishi Ki-51 Reconnaissance and Attack Aircraft were designed as ground attack aircraft with the emphasis placed on maneuverability and ability to operate from crude airfields close to the frontline.

Talia – Kawasaki Ki-56 Transport after receiving a license to build the Lockheed ed 14 civilian airliner Kawasaki was tasked with improving the type into a troop transport.

Sally – Mitsubishi Ki- 57 /MC- 20 and MC-21 transport the Mitsubishi MC-21 was a transport aircraft converted from obsolete Ki-21-Inventory withdrawn from combat.

This offering from Casemate Publishing is a book giving you an overview of the Imperial Japanese Army Airforce and their markings during the Second World War in the pacific.

Each chapter gives you some brief history about the squadron that they are explaining about for instance the 7th Hiko Sentai which was the oldest Imperial Japanese Army’s heavy bomber unit. It was stationed in Manchuria at the outbreak of the Pacific War operating Ki-21s and became the second unit to convert to the Nakajima Ki-49-I Donryu heavy bomber after the 61st'Sentai ' both units were assigned to the 9th Hikodan (Flying Brigade)

I found the history part equally as fascinating as the profiles with some very nice camouflage schemes, there is plenty of pictures throughout the book showing black and white images allowing you to capture the scenes vividly.

Conclusion

While this is supposed to be a profile book, it is so much more fascinating than just that with a good deal of history which includes, pictures, places, and information about the conflicts. It also talks about some of the pilots and commanders giving you a real story to the planes for which this book is written and not just a word and some profile pictures. I have certainly learned a fair bit more than I did before about the conflict in the Pacific War. So down to the bare bones of it, I have found this to be a book that is very useful, even though I don’t know much about this conflict I do have a soft spot for the Japanese aircraft, and for this, I have found it useful for the different camouflage schemes the profile pictures are truly spot on.