Photos Japanese Army Airforce

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a Nakajima Ki-27 (I think) at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/25528903170...oAAOSwgA1hvuiW


It has the Hiragana character No (26) on top of the tailplane and the band on the rudder is not unlike that worn by Ki-27 of the Tokorozawa flying school. Can anyone say whether the aircraft does belong to that unit?


Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of more Tokorozawa Nakajima Ki-27, in the foreground a machine with Hiragana Su (47) at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/26547281477...wAAOSw5Plhydll


Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Clint

My knowledge of Japanese is basically nil (perhaps even minus zero to be honest)
Never bothered to understand the script.
Can you explain to me what these inscriptions stood for (ie 'No' and 'Su')?

Also wasn't the famous airfield in Japan called Tokorozawa?

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Stig,


Yes I mispelt the airfield in the first post and then copied it in the second. Damn.Tokorozawa it is.No & Su are, quoting from the Starkings book on Imperial Japanese Army flying Schools 'Higana charecters ....used occasionally as a system in order to indicate an order sequence similar to the western use of the alphabet (A,B,C etc). So No & Su are respectively the 25th and 47th syllables in the Higana system and indicate the 25th and 47th aircraft of the Tokorozawa Flying School.



Regards,


Clint

[Stig Jarlevik]

No worries Clint

Thanks for the explanation. So these signs are actually a symbol identification system. That also explains the numbers you wrote after each symbol.
Since the Japanese used "normal" digits as well, I wonder why they used symbols here...

Ah yes, and then we have that book.....

Cheers
Stig

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a Nakajima Ki-43-II with US Markings at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/37384835724...AAAOSwPHhh0JvQ


Further damaged Japanese aircraft can be seen at:


https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item...anese&_sacat=0


and US aircraft at:


https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item...itaria&_sop=10



Regards,


Clint

[musec04]

Hello,


Currently on ebay is a photo of a Tachikawa Ki-9 at:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/12508648413...cAAOSw2fZh1l0Q


Does anyone have any information on the significance of the three stripes on the cowling ring above the Katakana symbol Ho?


Regards,


Clint