World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
25 Aug 2013 06:51:36 PM

LAST SORTIE: BY GEORGE!

The time October 1945, the place Omura Air Field, Japan. Engines are warming up for the one-time ferry flight to Yokosuka for transport by sea to the USA, to be tested and evaluated.
Thousands of Japanese aircraft were being burned, or bulldozed into scrap but a few would survive awhile longer until no longer need by the captors

Did you know that the destruction of the Japanese War Machine would continue into 1947!

STILL UNDER JAPANESE CONTROL:

At this time, the Japanese military was in the process of demobilizing its armed forces but still needed a functioning military. Under orders
from the Americans, the Japanese were responsible
to select aircraft for these ferry flights.
Aircraft were to be flown by Japanese pilots and made ready by Japanese ground crews. Aircraft were to be escorted by American planes all Japanese markings were painted out and replaced with US markings.

ON YOUR OWN:

Once the Japanese aircraft arrived at its destination the pilots and crew members were escorted off the base and had to thumb their way back by any means necessary.
Upon returning to their base some pilots never flew again or given other duties until they were discharged from the Imperial Navy or Army.

POST-WAR YEARS:

After discharge, one time Army and Navy officers
and enlisted men, survived best they could, some worked at labor jobs or started a small business.
Some experienced pilots would be recalled back into the JASDF or the JMSDF in the 1950s to rebuild Japan's ability to defend itself while others rebuilt their lives in the civilian world...

JASDF: JAPANESE AIR SELF DEFENCE FORCE
JMSDF: JAPANESE MARIIME SELF DEFENCE FORCE





AIRCRAFT OF INTEREST:

Could one of those Kawanishi N1K2-J "George" Shiden-Kai fighters be numbered TAI-001 by Allied Intelligence and served with the 343rd Kokutai and flown by Lt. Cdr. Yoshio Shiga.