IJN
553rd Kokutai
Hokuto Kokutai
Peter Arnold 2003
Aircraft History
Originally part of the 553rd Kokutai, with tail number
53-305, it operated out of Kataoka Airfield on Shumushu
Island.
Redesignated the Hokuto Kokutai its tail number changed to H-305 in October
1944 until the end of the war. During
the Philippine
campaign, the entire unit moved south, leaving only four
Kates
and one
Jill behind
at
Shumushu for defense.
Missions Against Russian Forces
In the last days of the WWII, on
August 10, 1945 when the Russians attacked Shumushu, this and the other
remaining Kates attacked Lopatka Point on the southern tip of the Kamchatka
Peninsula. After the cease-fire was declared on August 15, theSoviets
bombed Shumushu on 17th August. Retaliating, the remaining Kates were
reportedly used again to hit a Soviet Convoy
off Lopatka Point, and reportedly sunk
a Russian Minesweeper. Finally, on August 21, 1945 a localized cease
fire ended the continuing war.
Wreckage Abandoned
Abandoned
on Shumushu Island, it was gradually broken up with a gas torch,
and scrapped, but large peieces remained until 2003.
Recovery
Recovered by Hunt brothers 2003, after negotiation with
the Russian government for recovery, who cut it up further for export
from the island. The
wreckage consists of a wing set, and center fuselage, missing everything
forward of the cockpit. Currently, it is in storage
in the United Kingdom, and offered for sale. Although
reported as a restorable airframe, with so few parts available, and
general lack of interest in Japanese aircraft,
it seems this wreck will remain unrestored, at least for the time being.
Replacement Fuel Tank Discovery B5N2 vs. B5N1
One identification tag, on the port undercarriage
reveals Manufacture number '5353', which would make the aircraft B5N2
Kate, built in 1942-43. A data plate from a fuel tank reads '474', from
a 1939 built B5N1 Kate 474 . This fuel tank
must have been fitted as a replacement part into B5N2 5353 at some stage
in the war.
References
Thanks to Peter Arnold, Daniel Hunt and Giuseppe
Picarella.
FlyPast "World's Only Nakajima Kate Arrives in UK", by Giuseppe
Picarella in June 2004 about this aircraft.
Kate
Dataplate
