Yasuhiko Kuroe

[rldunn]

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