World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
22 Jul 2013 08:35:34 PM

WARS END: AUGUST 1945

Abandoned aircraft in file photograph are Manshu Ki-79b two-seat trainers, along with Manshu Ki79a single-seat trainers and Tachikawa Ki55 Ida trainers in background. The single-seat Ki79a was an advanced trainer still being produced by Manshu in Manchoukuo up to wars end.

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING:

This is what Russian forces found when they reached Mukden in Manchoukuo in August 1945 the Russians turned over all captured aircraft and equipment to the Communist Chinese.

BORN AGAIN AIR FORCE:

Captured Japanese Army Air Force and former Manchoukuo aircraft were put back into service by ex-Japanese pilots along with ground crews and trained the Chinese to fly and operate them many of these aircraft remained standard trainers up to the early 1950s until replaced by Russian aircraft.

WARLORDS:

Did you know that Chinese Warlords operated their own air forces between 1920 to 1949 with the support from both the Japanese and the Central Nanking Government. Even Communist leader Mao Tse Tung's forces operated a small air unit

2.  Bill says:
31 Jul 2013 09:27:02 AM

REPLACEMENT KILLERS:

Late in World War II the Manshu Aircraft Co. Ltd.
started the design for a high-performance fighter known as the Ki98. Much of the design was based on the Japanese Navy's J7W1 fighter.
Changes to the design started with the fuselage a bubble canopy for the pilot, twin-booms and retractable landing gear, and was similar in
appearance to the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

The aircraft would have been the same length and size as the North American P-51 Mustang.
Designed as a pusher type propeller aircraft, with the engine behind the pilot, powered by 1 x Mitsubishi 2,000hp engine. Armament was to have been 2 x 20mm cannons and 1 x 37mm cannon.
At wars end all data, engineering drawings were destroyed by the Japanese...

3.  Bill says:
31 Jul 2013 03:06:46 PM

FINDER'S KEEPER'S: WE'LL JUST TAKE IT

Manshu Aircraft Company, Ltd. was a subsidiary of the Nakajima Aircraft, Company of Japan.
From 1941 to 1945 Manshu built 2,196 airframes of which 798 were combat aircraft, the company also produced 2,168 aircraft engines and supplied both repair and service facilities to the (IJAAF)Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and to the Manchukuo Air Force.

With the Soviet invasion of Manchuria/Manchukuo all of the industrial centers were captured all machine tools and other equipment was taken by the Red army, and shipped back to the USSR.
Manchu Aircraft Company's facilities and support equipment, tools, aircraft jigs were taken over by Red forces and turned over to the Chinese communist or sent back to Mother Russia.

THEY DON'T BUILD'EM LIKE THAT ANYMORE:

Manchu produced 18 different types of Japanese aircraft under license ranging from fighters, trainers to transport aircraft, along with its own indigenous designs.
Another fighter that was modified and improved by Manchu, was the Ki-116 a late war version of the Nakajima Ki-84 (frank) single-seat fighter. It was powered by 1 x Mitsubishi 1,500hp air-cooled radial engine driving a three-blade propeller this aircraft was undergoing testing at wars end one was built.

4. Bill says:
11 Aug 2013 04:37:58 PM

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE:

The Manchu Aircraft Company was able to produce about 94 Ki84(Frank)fighters for the(IJAAF)in Manchukuo. The Ki84 was a high-performance single seat, single engine fighter, that could hold its own against the American P-51 and P-47 fighters of the USAAF.

Due to fuel shortages, spare parts, maintenance problems, support equipment, experienced and trained pilots kept the Ki84 from reaching its full potential.
Operated by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force(IJAAF)in Manchukuo. There is no evidence that the Ki84 was flown in Manchukuo Air Force service in 1944, but its possible. Any records that survived, have never surfaced since the end of WWII, covering Manchukuo A/F Ki84 operations any photographs or other documents, could have been destroyed by the Japanese or captured at wars end this is just my guess.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT:

At wars end, abandoned or captured Japanese aircraft in China and Korea, were pressed into service with the Communist Chinese, and used against the Nationalist Chinese during the Civil War fought after WWII. The survivors soldiered on into the 1950s until replaced with post-war Soviet aircraft.

5.  Bill says:
14 Aug 2013 03:08:57 PM

INHERIT THE WIND: CHI-COM AIR POWER

Japanese aircraft that were abandoned in China, that once served both the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and the Manchukuo Air Force, were captured by advancing Russian forces and turned over to Chinese Communist.

AIRCRAFT WHO'S WHO:

Many of the Japanese aircraft were unserviceable and needed work to make them airworthy.
ex-Japanese(IJAAF)pilots and mechanics were hired to maintain and instruct the new owners in the operation and service of these aircraft.

Shortage of spare parts,support equipment kept many of these planes grounded and this led to many aircraft being cannibalized for parts, to keep others airworthy.

FIGHTERS & BOMBERS:

Nakajima Ki43(Oscar),Ki44(Tojo)and Ki84(Frank) single-seat, single-engine fighters.

Kawasaki Ki61(Tony)single-engine fighters,Ki45
(Nick)twin-engine two-seat fighter, and the Ki48(Lily)twin-engine light bomber.

Mitsubishi Ki46(Dinah)twin-engine,two-seat aircraft and Ki30(Ann)two-seat,single-engine light bomber.

TRAINERS:

Tachikawa(Ida)trainer and the Manshu Ki79a and Ki79b single-seat and two-seat trainers. Most of these aircraft continued in service until the late 1940s early 1950s.

CHINESE CIVIL WAR 1946-1949:

FIGHTERS & BOMBERS

Communist forces captured numbers of abandoned
Nationalist Air Force aircraft, during their retreat from the mainland, to the island of Formosa(Taiwan)

North American P-51 Mustang single-engine,single seat fighters and B-25 Medium bombers, were used by the PLAAF.

Douglas C-47 and Curtiss C-46 transport aircraft
all aircraft were used, until replaced with modern
Soviet types.

I thank the editor/ww2db for allowing me to once continue to contribute my knowledge of WWII...