World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
29 Oct 2011 08:19:04 PM

AICHI A6M1 SEIRAN: THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND

The Seiran was assigned to the 631st Kokutai
aircraft number K6-01 was the 28th Seiran built before the end of the war.
Flown from Fukuyama Naval Air Station, to Yokosuka by Lt.Kazuo Akatsuka of the IJNAF, surrendered to US Forces in 1945.
Production was 26 M6A1 Submarine-launched
attack bombers, 6 M6A1 Prototypes and 2 land-based M6A1-K Trainers. Two M6A1-K Trainers
were shipped to the USA for testing what happened to them after the tests, are unknown

The M6A1 Seiran was designed to attack the Panama Canal, with the end of the war the operation was cancelled. To prevent capture
the M6A1s aboard the I-400 were catapulted
overboard.
The M6A1 could be made ready for flight in
7 minutes and launched by catapult.
For storage aboard the I-400 Class Subs, the wings were pivoted to the main spar where it joined the fuselage. Rotating the leading edge downward, the wing would lie back flat against the fuselage sides. The stabilizer and elevator hinged and folded downward the top of the tail folded down for storage.
Powered by a 12-cylinder Atsuta 32 liquid-cooled engine, based on the German Daimler-Benz DB603.

SUGGESTED READING:

I-400: Japan's Secret Aircraft-Carrying Strike Submarine
Hikoki Publications (2006)
Hardcover
ISBN: 1902109457
Evaluated by the US Navy after WWII it was stored for years outside, the aircraft was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1962. Restoration started in 1989, and was completed in 2000.

2.  Bill says:
30 Oct 2011 10:06:43 AM

The Seiran that was surrendered to US Forces
in 1945 was part of an operational training
unit coded K6-01, "K" for Kogeki (Attack) and
the 6, for the 6th Fleet.
The aircraft was assigned to the 631st Kokutai, number 631 would be painted on the tail, however due to the secrecy of the unit and mission, it was deleted.

The M6A1 and M6A1-Ks were built by Aichi
(Aichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha) which means, The Aichi Watch & Electric Machinery
Company Ltd.
The Company built a number of aircraft for the Imperial Japanese Navy from Training airplanes, Torpedo and Dive Bombers and
Reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft engines
both radial air-cooled and Liquid cooled.
Aichi did contract work repair, service and modifications of aircraft for the Navy.

During WWII, Aichi Kokuki KK was the 4th largest aircraft manufacturer in Japan, with a number of smaller companies doing contract assembly work.
Like other wartime industries, Aichi was bombed and created production problems and supply of spare parts to the Navy.

AICHI TODAY:

After WWII Aichi was dissolved, but its current descendant, Aichi Machine Industry Co.,Ltd. manufacturers automotive parts and light trucks for Nissan.

3.  Bill says:
5 Jan 2012 07:40:51 AM

Fighter to right of the Aichi M6A1 Seiran is the Kawanishi N1K2-Ja code named (George)
A-343-35 was built in 1944, and assigned to the 343th Kokutai, pilot was CPO Kataue Kato

LAST MISSION:

April 1945 Kato sortied from Kanoya airfield to intercept US Navy carrier aircraft, but had to abort and returned to base.
Aircraft was later captured at wars end, by US Forces at Yokosuka airfield, shipped with other aircraft to the USA for tests and evaluation.
This is the same George that was on outdoor display for years at Willow Grove NAS, Pa.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE:

The George along with the other aircraft that were on outdoor display at Willow Grove were moved for restoration. In 1983 George was transferred to the Smithsonian for storage and later restoration, in 1991 was on long-term loan to Champlin Fighter Museum in Arizona for restoration returned to NASM
and is now on display.

ONE LAST NICK:

Fuselage of Kawasaki Ki-45 (Nick) to left of Seiran is planned for restoration.

4.  Bill says:
10 Nov 2015 02:55:55 PM

MADE IN JAPAN: PLASTIC MODELS OF COURSE

Did you know that the Tamiya Corp of Japan that
manufactures plastic model airplanes and other model kits, gave an $80,000 dollar grant to the National Air & Space Museum to help restore the Aichi M6A1's two floats that were damaged.

MAKE IT SMALL:

Tamiya later gained access to the museums Aichi M6M1 Seiran to scale it for both 1/48th and 1/72nd scale models. Tamiya produces all the 1/72, 1/35 and 1/48 scale Axis and Allied ships, aircraft, tanks, armored vehicles and other vehicles used during WWII, it also manufactures the 1/35 scale troops to man them both Axis & Allied...