One (or two) for our Japanese aviation experts!
 

Hi guys

Can anyone advise which Japanese single-engine dive-bombers were active over northern Malaya during the early days of the invasion, and their losses, particularly 9 December 1941?

Secondly, 59th Sentai Ki-43s made a number of claims during the campaign. Are the claimants known, particularly for 12 January 1942 when a Blenheim was claimed?

Cheers
Brian

Re: One (or two) for our Japanese aviation experts!
 

Brian,


Strangely enough under 227 (Scale of Enemy Air Effort) it says the Japanese dive bombers were somehow identified as "Junkers 87N - Japanese Version".

See http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2..._to_23rd_d.htm

But didn't Japan receive only two Stukas for testing?

On the other hand this website refers to the "Nate" in the role as dive bomber in Malaya: https://changipowart.com/archives/152

Regards,

Leendert

Re: One (or two) for our Japanese aviation experts!
 

Thanks Leendert

I believe that Ki-51s of 27th Sentai were involved in early operations but can't find much about the unit and its losses.

Cheers
Brian

Re: One (or two) for our Japanese aviation experts!
 

While we wait for an acknowledged expert to share his/her knowledge, I can add my 2c worth to tell you that the Mitsubishi Ki-30 (Ann) and Ki-51 (Sonia) was used by the IJAAF as a light bomber around the time of the early Malaya-NEI-Burma campaigns. These are both fixed undercarriage single-engined aircraft. I believe the Ki-51 was likely to have taken part in Malaya.


...geoff