Naoshi Kanno

[keith A]

How many victories were scored by this pilot? I have seen claims for as low as 25, and as high as 48. I know records are scarce but once source claimed to have 25 verified from a total of 53! I have Genda's Blade but this doesn't put me much further forward because there a very few claims mentioned in the text for this pilot. His 30 claims with the original 343rd and the 201st a lot given the losses inflicted on these units in 1944.

[Birgir Thorisson]

Hi.

I guess you have Hata and Izawa. I have formed the habit of trying to read between the lines, because I have sensed (right or wrong) that they are very diplomatic in their statements. When they say curtly that his officially recognized total was 25, (but mention no higher scores), I read between the lines that they think (given the circumstances) that that total is at least generous.

Not much use but..

Birgir Thorisson

[rldunn]

For data on the credibility of claims by Kanno and his buntai as well as a famous incident regarding Kanno see

http://www.missingaircrew.com/yapsum.asp

see particularly the second half of the article (Final Battles) which specifically recounts events involving Kanno's Air Groupo 201 buntai

RLD

[keith A]

Thanks chaps. It definitely looks like propaganda overruled accuracy in this case. Looks as though Kanno's 25 is a bit optimistic, never mind 48! Genda's blade does back up the impression that claims were inflated.

[Juha]

Thanks Rick
as always very interesting and well researched article.

Juha