Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
  Ki-44-IIc Tojo Manufacture Number 2068 Tail 毛 (S11)
JAAF
29th Sentai

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
TAIU February 1945

Click For Enlargement
TAIU June 1945

Aircraft History
Built by Nakajima during early July 1944. Uncoded serial number 1068. At the factory, painted with dark green upper surfaces with light grey-green lower surfaces with the Hinomaru (Rising Sun) insignia outlined in white. Delivered to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as Army Type 2 Single-Seat Fighter Shoki / Ki-44-IIc Tojo manufacture number 2068 with Hei armament configuration of four Ho-103 machine cannons, two in the nose and two in the wings.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 29th Hiko Sentai (29th Flying Regiment). Tail code 毛 (Japanese hiragana "Mo"). This Ki-44 operated in China and Formosa. During November 1944 assigned to Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines. During late 1944 or January 1945 abandoned at Clark Field with the exterior paint heavily weathered with areas of bare aluminum on the fuselage.

Wartime History
On January 30, 1945, captured by the U.S. Army at Clark Field. Largely intact, this Ki-44 was selected by Technical Allied Intelligence Unit (TAIU) and moved to an area of captured Japanese planes for technical evaluation as a "Tojo 2".

Afterwards, restored to flying condition for flight testing. This Tojo was stripped to a bare aluminum finish with black paint on the upper nose. The wing and fuselage have U.S. star and bar insignia. Tail code S11 with "Technical Allied Intelligence Unit". The rudder had red and white strips with a red outline. Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped or otherwise disappeared.

References
Nakajima Ki-44 Serial Number Chart page 2 of 2 by Jim Long
Setting Suns (2007) pages 69, 70
Thanks to Dave Pluth and Tony Feredo for additional information

Contribute Information
Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned?
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
August 2, 2023

 

Tech Info
Ki-44

Tech Info
Photo Archive
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram