KAWASAKI Ki-61 HIEN IN JAPANESE ARMY AIR FORCE SERVICE
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Characteristics
| ISBN-13 | 978-0764300691 |
| ISBN-10 | 0-7643-0069-5 |
| Book cover finish(es) | sewn paperback |
| Condition | Very good |
| Author(s) | Richard M. Bueschel |
| Publisher | Schiffer Publishing Ltd. |
| Number of pages | 64 |
| Published date | 1996 |
| Language(s) | English |
| Collection / Series | A Schiffer Military History Book |
| Size | 21.5 x 27.9 x 0.5 cm |
| Categorie(s) | • AVIATION MILITAIRE • APPAREILS - CONSTRUCTEURS |
Description
SANGUINE SWALLOW
In April, 1943, Kawasaki's promising new in-line engine Ki-61 HIEN (Swallow) was introduced into combat by Captain Akira Onozaki's 68th Sentai (regiment), rightfully capturing the attention of the Allies but failing to capture air superiority on the Southern Front. In little more than a year of operations in New Guinea, the regiment would be annihilated predominantly owing to hopeless field logistics at their primitive jungle air strips while fighting an enemy who was better equipped and maintained. After the fall of New Guinea and the Philippines, the Swallows of the JAAF soared one final time in defense of the home islands, and for those untried young flyers, the results were again disastrous.
Despite such disparity, several JAAF pilots proved the Hien could be deadly, even against the best of the Allied fighters. Depicted here is Captain Onozaki in his Model 1A Swallow duelling Lightnings over Markham Valley in central New Guinea circa August of 1943, besting one opponent yet fatefully losing another irreplaceable JAAF wingman.