Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi:

I see posted elsewhere that Kuroe was the first Japanese pilot to shoot down a Mosquito. Anyone have details such as date, Kuroe's aircraft?

TIA

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Yes I have. Will post it here tonight as I don't have the books handy... Please remind me if I forget, memory of a goldfish and all... ;)

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

According to Henry Sakaida's "Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-1945" (Osprey 1997) Capt Yasuhiko Kuroe shot down the first Mosquito on 2 November 1943. His victim was PR.Mk.IX DZ697 of No 684 Sqn, which was being flown on a photo-recce mission to Rangoon by Flying Officers Fielding and Turton.

There is no mention of Kuroe's mount, but at the time he was flying as Hikotai leader of the 64th Sentai, which was equipped with Nakajima Ki-43-II Hayabusas ('Oscars'), based at Mingaladon. Info from "Japanese Army Air Force Units and their Aces" by Hata, Izawa and Shores.


Additionally, on 10 December Kuroe pursued another Mosquito (an FB.Mk.II of the same unit) for 40 minutes out over sea and damaged its left engine. Despite his Oscar's guns jamming he bluffed the Mosquito crew into turning back to land. They flew back to Kuroe's base in formation, when Kuroe instructed the Mosquito to land. Unfortunately, the Mosquito hit a tree and crashed fatally (Sgts Boot and Wilkins KIA).


I hope this answered your question?

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi Skyraider:

Many thanks for that. The dates appear to tie up with what I had at this end. One note - DZ697 was also an F.II, though PR.IXs were also on 684 Sqn at the time.

I was also wondering whether the "Oscars" noted in my sources was an accurate designation - apparently so, thanks again.

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hmm odd... This site mentions it was an NF.II even, plus has a different date (slow administration?) and different squadron number:
http://www.dehavilland.ukf.net/_DH98%20prodn%20list.txt
This site also suggests it could have been an NF.II:
http://www.mossie.org/squadrons/27_squadron.htm

If you ever happen to find a picture of this machine, please let me know.

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi again Skyraider:

Apparently 681 Squadron was for some reason disbanded, then re-formed a few days later as 684 Squadron. So your 684 Sqn information would appear to be correct, however the Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists both Fielding and Turton as being on 681 Squadron. Will check the dates, though IIRC the number change happened before 2 November.

The PR.IXs were all in the LR and MM series.

I keep my eye peeled for a pic, but I wouldn't be too hopeful ...

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

681 converted to Spitfires in Sep '43.

684 was formed on 29 Sep 43 from the twin-engine elements of 681 and equipped with Mitchells and various marks of Mosquito, including FII, FBVI & PRIX to begin with. At the time of the shootdown they were based at Dum Dum. DZ697 'J' was on a photo-recce of the Rangoon area when reported missing. It was a Mk II (FII). The crew were probably officially detached to 684 and still on 681 strength at the time of their loss.

More details about the equipment, fortunes and moves of these two squadrons may be found in Osprey Combat Aircraft 13 'Mosquito PR Units of WW2'. A brief account of the shootdown may be found in Air War For Burma by Christopher Shores.

DZ696 'S' was also a Mk II (FII) . Although 64th Sentai had a number of Shoki (Ki-44 'Tojo') on strength for intercept missions over Rangoon, Kuroe was actually flying a Hayabusa (Ki-43 'Oscar') when he "captured" it. On this occasion 684 were operating from Comilla in East Bengal as part of 171 PR Wing. Kuroe's own account of this encounter is most interesting - let me know if more details are needed. Shores claims that DZ696 was being flown by a FO E Cotton.

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi Nicholas, thanks for your input. Kuroe's account would be most interesting! What is your source? Bloody Shambles? I recently bought about a dozen books on the JAAF subjects and the pacific air war. Still need to get those, though :)

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

No, not 'Bloody Shambles' - it doesn't go that far! The source is Yasuhiko Kuroe himself from an interview with Peter Williams published in RAF Flying Review in 1959.

Both incidents are also covered briefly in 'Air War for Burma' which continues where 'Bloody Shambles' left off until the end of the war.

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

I forget to mention, regarding the colour schemes of the Mosquitos involved. There is a photograph of DZ697 'J' in Geoff Thomas' 'Eyes For The Phoenix' (page 233) and it appears to be in the Night Fighter scheme of overall medium sea grey with dark green camouflage on the upper surfaces. The markings appear standard rather than SEAC although only the fin flash may be seen, and there is some impressive but indeterminate artwork on the crew hatch. The photograph is miscaptioned but shows the aircraft in India when taken on charge by 684 Sqn from 681 Sqn.

Geoff Thomas writes that all the Mk II and Mk VI "were re-finished in PRU Blue in service with 681 and 684 Squadrons" so this statement and the photograph present a conundrum as to the actual finish of this particular aircraft when it was shot down!

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi Nicholas:

I'd love to hear more details of this encounter. Not much has been written about Mossies in this theatre of the war, let alone from the Japanese side!

As I'm also unlikely ever to be able to put my hands on a 1959 edition of the RAF Flying Review, I'd be especially grateful for any further details you could provide!

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe & The Mosquitos
 

Just to stick with the Mosquito side of things for the time being I did a bit more digging and discovered that the 3 Mk IIs and 3 Mk VIs (HJ730, HJ759 & HJ760) were first allocated to 27 Sqn (Beaufighters) for trials. One of the Mk IIs was lost in a crash before the 5 remaining Mossies were "modified for PR work and handed over to 681 Sqn at Dum Dum, Calcutta in August 1943". ('Mosquito Bomber/Fighter-Bomber Units 1942-45' by Martin Bowman, Osprey Combat Aircraft 4)

The trials were weathering trials under the supervision of F G Myers, the De Havilland tech rep in India. The Mk IIs were standard production aircraft for 'operational trials and familiarisation' only whilst the Mk VIs had been given special protective treatment before being despatched.

"Much to the surprise of those at the aerodrome on the morning of 11 April (1943), a strange aircraft approached and was quickly identified as a De Havilland Mosquito. Mosquito Mk II DZ695 was to be attached to us for weather trials and operational familiarisation, being the first Mosquito sent to the tropics for this purpose. The crew, F/Lts McCullock DFC and Young had flown the aircraft from the UK. One week later a second Mosquito, crewed by FO Fielding and F/Sgt Steer, and on 2 May a third, crewed by FOs Dupee DFM and McDonnell, were attached for the same purpose. Their arrival was to coincide with the approaching monsoon season and, no doubt, had been deliberately chosen to expose the Mosquitos to the tropical elements." ('Beaufighters Over Burma' by David J Innes)

The first Mosquito operation was flown on 19 May by FO Dupee DFM and McDonnell along the central Burma railway where a train was attacked and stopped. The second operation, on 29 May, was an armed recce of Japanese aerodromes at Kangaung, Meiktila, Thedaw (a Meiktila satellite) and He-Ho during which an Oscar attempted to intercept the Mossie but was outrun at ground level.

During the same month one of the Mosquito IIs was lost when FOs Fielding & Steer overan the Agartala runway when making an emergency landing. Steer sustained a fractured spine.

During the return from an operation in June, to attack Kangaung, DZ696 piloted by FO Dupee DFM developed a glycol leak in the starboard engine and had to make a single-engine flight to Cox's Bazaar where on landing one of the tyres burst and the resultant loss of control caused the port undercarriage to collapse.

A photograph of Mk VI HJ759 at Agartala shows it be in the overall PRU blue scheme with SEAC style roundels.

To be continued . . .

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe & The Mosquitos
 

The mystery continues because the Osprey book has a photograph of a taxying Mossie captioned as being FB VI HJ811 of 27 Sqn, supposedly in early 1944 in "Dark Green and Ocean Grey camouflage with Medium Sea Grey undersurfaces and 'day fighter' Sky markings"! I feel sure that this photograph must be mis-captioned!

In the interview Kuroe claimed his encounter with the Mosquito occurred in October 1943. He was flying a 01 - an Oscar. When the Mosquito saw him it turned away to the right. Kuroe was below "weaving in and out like a pendulum" and came up beneath it. He fired at the port engine, making it stop, but the Mosquito continued flying on its starboard engine. Kuroe chased the Mosquito for almost an hour before regaining a firing position but was then unable to fire due to his guns jamming.

Kuroe continued the pursuit and then saw the Mosquito pilot "indicate he cannot fight anymore". Kuroe flew alongside and gestured to the pilot to turn around (shades of The Blue Max here!). The Mosquito complied but on the return journey the "Mosquito had much trouble with engine and he indicate he must land". Kuroe signalled OK and the Mosquito attempted a forced landing in a small clearing. Kuroe estimated the Mosquito attempted to land at 120 knots and hit the trees. One of its wings came off and it swung around and exploded. Kuroe circled the site for some time looking to see if the crew had survived but both men had been killed in the crash.

From this description it is not really clear whether Kuroe's victim on this occasion was DZ696 or DZ697!

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Hi Nicholas:

Many thanks for that. Certainly both Air Britain and Mosquito say the Rangoon Mosquito on 2 November was DZ697, so that leaves DZ696 as the most likely aircraft for the later interception, though they say December, not October.

When you originally posted, I wondered whether the port engine hadn't been damaged before the chase began - your post above seems to confirm that. Not surprising I suppose that the Mossie crew eventually had trouble with the starboard engine - they must have had it at full boost and revs for the hour-long chase. I've heard of other pilots going flat out for 30 minutes and getting away with it, never an hour.

Kuroe sounds like a most interesting chap. A shame the Mossie crew weren't able to pull off their landing.

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Very interesting! Many thanks for your great contributions, Nick!

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

I agree about the serials and dates of losses. What I meant was that Kuroe's recollection of the incident as being in October throws into doubt whether the "captured" Mossie episode involved DZ697 in November (perhaps more likely) or DZ696 in December.

I also realised that anyone reading my post and visiting the Mosquito website entry for 27 Sqn may have got mighty confused! I should have made it clear that after the initial Mossie trials period, 'A' flight of 27 Sqn converted to Mosquito VI at Agartala in December 1943 whilst 'B' flight remained on Beaufighters. As the trials missions were flown by attached crews the website is technically correct in stating the first 27 Sqn Mosquito mission was made by Nicholson on Christmas Day (He also broke his wrist in the Christmas Day "celebrations" that followed!).

The camouflage & markings issue remains a bit of a mystery. From photographs it appears that the Mosquito aircraft were delivered in the day fighter scheme and were gradually re-painted on unit to SEAC standards. I presume those II & VI modified as PR aircraft were re-painted in PRU Blue with SEAC roundels, making them an interesting hybrid - but I've not seen them illustrated this way.

The taxying photograph of HJ811 suggests that the Mossies were perhaps used on operations in the day fighter scheme before being re-painted?

We've dragged the Japanese thread a bit off-side but the early missions and appearance of Mossies in Burma remains something of a mystery, has not received much attention and is quite fascinating none the less!

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

According to Dr. Izawa: "But the myth of invincibility was broken on 2 November 1943 when Capt. Kuroe and Lt. Sumino caught one, Capt. Kuroe shooting it down from below at close range. The Mosquito was DZ 697 of 684 Squadron flown by Pilot Officer Fielding. On 10 December, Capt. Kuroe found a Mosquito at 27,000 feet, but the Mosquito also spotted him, turned west and pulled away. Capt. Kuroe lowered his Hayabusa to 13,500 feet, pursued at full throttle and eventually begann to close the distance. After 40 minutes pursuit he sat just 160 feet below and behind the Mosquito. From there he shot up its left engine." Goes on to say he suffered a m/g stoppage and tried to get the Mosquito flown by Flying Officer E. Cotton of 684 Squadron to land but it crashed.

Contemporaneous Japanese press reports also place these incidents on the dates mentioned by Dr. Izawa. "It was on the afternoon of November 2 that a 'Mosquito' plane which taken by surprise by our anti-aircraft fire was shot down at 40 kilometers east of XX at one blow by Captain Kuroye..." and "On December 10, about noon while Captain Kuroe was on patrol over a certain area in search of enemy planes, he discovered a Mosquito plane flying at very high altitude..." going on to describe in some detail Kuroe's actions and attempt to 'capture' the aircraft. (reporter E. Suzuki in Greater Asia).

Rick

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

Thanks Rick - I am aware of the Izawa version and it is probably correct but Kuroe's own version was recorded in 1959. Clearly the October date is wrong but was he referring to the incident in November or the incident in December? As far as RAF records go both Mossies were simply missing on ops with the crews subsequently reported as KIA.

BTW did you get the info I sent you about 9 Nov 43? Sent it to your second email address on 08 Sep.

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

I added the brief press accounts hoping they would help connect the stories with events. Yes, I got the info. I will be sending you parts of a POW interrogation report from a pilot who flew a 34th FR light bomber during the raid on 9 Nov 43. Interestingly, he also garbles the date and places it in October.

Rick

Re: Yasuhiko Kuroe
 

I found a couple of photographs relating to these early Mosquitos in Burma. Thanks to Skyraider3D for his assistance with posting these!

The first one shows DZ695, the first to arrive in India, which appears to be in standard ETO camouflage & markings.

The second photo shows DZ696 after its crash on 5 June '43 prior to repair and re-allocation to 681 Sqn. Looking at the pic it is hard to imagine this aircraft was repaired and used again on ops - but maybe it is not surprising that Kuroe was able to catch it! Again the aircraft appears to be in the standard ETO finish.

The De Havilland rep was horrified to find 27 Sqn using these Mossies on ops - they were supposed to be pegged out as static test beds for weather trials only!

It would be interesting to know what mods were carried out when the aircraft were converted to PR configuration for 681 and if and how the aircraft were re-painted.

http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com/files/uk/DZ695.jpg

http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com/files/uk/DZ696.jpg