IJN
1021st Kokutai
Passenger Hiroyoshi Nishizawa (KIA)
Shot Down October 26, 1944
Aircraft History
There is some question over the type of aircraft that was shot down, if it was a G4M2 Betty bomber, or rather a Ki-49 Helen, or even another type of transport aircraft, such as the LD2 Tabby.
Tony Feredo adds:
"Nishizawa was a passenger in a Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu "Helen" and not in a G4M Betty. Some of the Ki-49s were used as transports. Its performance was not really far from the aircraft it replaced, the Ki-21 Sally. The Army relied more on the Sally and the new Ki-67 Peggy which also flew in the Philippines. The inter use of aircraft (especially transport) aircraft was a common sight at the latter part of the war. Photos taken at Mabalacat West revealled a revelry of IJN and IJA aircraft together and in some instances, IJA and IJN units were assigned in some bases. Bamban Airfield was one. Although predominantly a Navy base, there were a few IJA sentais that were on base and on transit as well. Same goes with Nicholls and moresover at Clark.
Mission History
This bomber was transporting Zero pilots of the 201st Kokutai to ferry replacement Zeros down to Cebu. Among the passengers was Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, Japan's highest scoring ace was killed in the crash.
Took off from Cebu in the morning bound for Mabalacat Airfield. Over Mindoro Island two F6F Hellcats from VF-14 off the USS Wasp, attacked the bomber. It was shot it down in flames, likely by Lt. j.g. Harold P. Newell, who was credited with a "Ki-49 Helen over northeast of Mindoro" that morning. The bomber crashed near Calapan.
References
The Winged Samurai by Henry Sakaida tells the story of Nishizawa's shoot down, including Newell's recollections of the combat written to the author in 1983, pages 94 - 96.
Betty
