JAAF
244th Sentai
Tom Burchill 1999
Aircraft History
Built by Kawasaki in September 1944. Armament "Hei" configuration 2 x 12.7mm fuselage; 2 x 20mm Mauser wings. Note: this aircraft's manufacture number has been incorrectly listed as 5070 or 5071.
Wartime History
Severed in three marking patterns during the war. At the end of the war it was surrendered at
Yokota Airfield. It was not scrapped by American occuping forces.
Display
Displayed at the Yokota Air Base until the at least 1969.
Al Nord recalls:
"I saw this Ki-61 sometime in 1969 while I was stationed with the 56th Weather
Recon Squadron at Yokota AB Japan. The number 17 is painted on both landing
gear doors. Also the upper left side air inlet scoop is a different shape then
any of the drawings or paintings of
the KI-61's that I have seen. The bottom air scoop is also shaped different.
I remember the plane was painted an off white, and #17 on the wheels."
Museum Display
Later, the aircraft was moved to the Chairan
Kamikaze Museum. Some report this aircraft
as a 'replica', but this is untrue.
References
Thanks to Jim Long for manufacture data.
Ki-61
Photo Archive
J-AIrcraft
Research
