Ki43s over 'Broadway' March 17th 1944
 

Hi

Im just wondering if anyone has details on the Units that fought an action over the allied forward base known as 'Broadway' on March 17th 1944.

The base was North of Myiykyina on the Irrawaddy river and was used to support Chindits in the area.

In the Particular action Im interested in Alan Peart in a MkVIII Spitfire was alone against 24 K43s and fought them off for 40 minutes until they broke off the fight.

I'm keen to know the markings on the Japanese aircraft who were likely involved.

Any help would be great :)

Re: Ki43s over 'Broadway' March 17th 1944
 

Hi,
"Air War For Burma (Bloody Shambles - Vol 3" by Christopher Shores gives several pages to this action pp183 - 186. The Japanese unit involved was 204 Sentai.
Chers

Bruce Lander

Re: Ki43s over 'Broadway' March 17th 1944
 

There were two Japanese fighter sweeps that day. The first was against Imphal by 18 Type 1 fighters of 50, 64 and 204 Flying Regiments. The second was against the "airfield used by the landed force at the area South-east of Mohnyin." (Broadway) This involved 15 Type 1 fighters of 204 Flying Regiment.

There is some conflict in the Japanese records available to me but Japanese bombers were also involved (probably pre dawn and dawn attacks) and the Imphal attack may have been partially diverted to Mohnyin.

Shores (vol. 3) gives some details but does not really sort all this out.

RLD

Re: Ki43s over 'Broadway' March 17th 1944
 

First up, apologies for replying to an old thread.

I am in the process of doing some research into Alan Peart's action over Broadway & came across this thread.

I am currently reading Alan Peart's book "From North Africa to Arakan" for the second time. It just so happens that his son Alastair is conducting a Working at Heights training course at our mine site at present. There have been some interesting conversations!

As to Japanese markings, Alan Peart does not go into them in the book & would take the advice of previous 2 post's.

Alan Peart is due to catch up with his son Feb - March 2010. Hopefully will get a chance to talk with him.

Apologies for not a very helpfull post, but interesting. Any questions regarding the action, please let me know via Pm & i can see what i can find out.

Re: Ki43s over 'Broadway' March 17th 1944
 

50th Sentai-------lighning flash from rudder to wing root , in Chutai colours( blue HQ, then red ,yellow, white).
64th Sentai------broad arrow diagonnally across fin-rudder (colours blue,white,red,yellow).
204th Sentai---------short bar on leading edge of fin, (red-white for HQ, then white,red,yellow) (there's one on the cbi-history site under "artwork").
Overall finishes dark green uppers or bare metal with green dapple. Undersides varied,unpainted or light grey. They would normally have the white rear fuselage band.
Nick