Thanks Jim!
On a similar note, 75 years ago
today, on 8 December 1941, Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" fighters of the 1st Sentai of the Japanese Army Air Force claimed the first victims of the Pacific War when they shot down a Catalina W8417 FV-Y of 205 Sqn, flown by Australian Flying Officer P.E. Bedell and his seven-man crew, who all perished. Note that despite the date, this happened several hours *before* the attack on Pearl Harbor!
Below is an illustration of a 1st Sentai Ki-27 as it looked in 1939. No photos seem to exist of 1st Sentai Ki-27s at the time of the start of the Pacific War.
Colour research: Nicholas Millman
