Aeroplane Monthly 1977-06
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Personal album
Seen bearing the Japanese surrender markings of white with green crosses (some aircraft simply had a green cross on a white square), this Mitsubishi Ki-21 lib heavy bomber was powered by two 825 h.p. Mitsubishi Ha-6 radials. Code-named Sally 3, this variant was the last of the Ki-21 line, the first of which were delivered in August 1938. Although successful in its time, the Ki-21 was an anachronism by the late war years, but it was popular with its crews. 688 Ki-21 IIbs were built.
Aichi E13A1 Navy Type 0 reconnaissance seaplane "A1-13". A total of 1,418 E13A1s were built, powered by the 1,080 h.p. Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 14-cylinder radial. Carrying a crew of three, production of the type began in December 1940 and it entered combat in late 1941, operating from cruisers and seaplane tenders as well as land bases. Code-named Jake by the Allies, its maximum endurance of 15hr made it a successful aircraft. The outer wing panels are folded over in this view.
Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX PM514 with No 60 Squadron, RAF; one of 225 PR.XIXs which served with the RAF at home and overseas after the war. Basically a Mk XIV airframe with f modified Mk Vc wings, it had a universal camera installation. The RAF's last operational sortie with a first-line Spitfire was made by a PR.XIX on April 1, 1954.
Mitsubishi G2M2 Model 22 or 23 "F1-03", again in surrender colours. Coded Nell and designated Navy Type 96 Attack Bomber, the G3M was developed as a land-based, long range aircraft to support carrier-based machines in the Pacific. Features which distinguished the Model 22 from earlier variants were a large dorsal turret and blister gun positions in the rear fuselage sides. Engines were two Mitsubishi Kinsei radials.
A Short S.25 Sunderland GRV, possibly VB882, of 230 Squadron, Coastal Command, based at Seletar. Previously equipped with Short Singapores, this squadron received its first Sunderlands in June 1938, and operated them until the unit was disbanded on February 28, 1957. Only four months were spent at Singapore: from December 1945 until the squadron returned to the UK.
A Japanese Navy Mitsubishi F1M2 (Navy Type 0) observation float seaplane, coded A1-16. Dubbed Pete by the Allies, the F1M2 proved very manoeuvrable, and consequently also served as a dive-bomber, convoy escort, patrol aircraft and interceptor fighter, although it carried only two forward-firing machine guns and a flexible machine gun in the rear cockpit. Powered by the 875 h.p. Mitsubishi Zuisei 13 radial, 1,118 F1Ms were built, including four F1M1 prototypes.
The all-metal Yokosuka D4Y3 Suisei (Comet) single-engined dive bomber also served as a land-based night fighter. A crew of two was carried, and the powerplant was a Mitsubishi MK8P Kinsei radial of 1,560 h.p. The D4Y1 prototype first flew in December 1940, and in late 1944 the D4Y4 single-seat suicide bomber variant was evolved, carrying a 1,764 lb bomb recessed in the fuselage underside.
A licence-built Douglas DC-3, L2D transport F1-27, in surrender markings, is obviously suffering from undercarriage troubles. Designated Navy Type D transport, 487 examples were built by Showa Hikoki Koygo KK and Nakajima Hikoki KK. Mitsubishi Kinsei radial engines powered the various L2D versions.