Messerchmitts in the Pacific?
Did the Japanese use German aircraft during WWII?
Background
During the Pacific War, the Allies mistakenly believed the Germans were exporting their fighters and bombers
to Japan, or licensing them to build them in Japan. The Allies assigned them codenames
(nicknames) expecting to see them in combat. This was an early war rumor, mainly
from bad intelligence and the incorect feeling that the Japanese were incapable
of designing their own aircraft. This view was proved wrong when the A6M2
Zero entered combat on September 13, 1940.
Import of German Aircraft For Testing
The
Japanese did import some German aircraft that were purchased and shipped to Japan for performance testing and were flown in mock combat against Japanese planes. The Japanese Army purchased a Ju 87A Stuka where
it might have influenced the design of dive breaks and afterwards was displayed in a hanger museum at Tokorozawa Airfield but was destroyed during a U.S. bombing raid in 1945.
Mistaken
Identity - Me-109 and the Ki-61 Tony
The rumor
that Allied pilots encountered Bf 109 (Me 109) in air combat was a case of mistaken identity.
In April 1943 when the U.S. first encountered a new fighter, the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) Type 3 Fighter / Ki-61 Tony was it was sometime
mistakenly identified as a German Messerschmitt Me 109. Others believed the new fighter was a Italian Macchi C.202 and was code named "Tony". In fact, the new fighter was neither it was a Japanese designed and built Kawasaki Type 3 Fighter Hein / Ki-61 Tony. Regardless, misidentifications continued.
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ME-109
"Mike" |
ME-110
"Doc" |
FW-190
"Fred" |
German
Secret Weapons in Japan
At the end of the war, the Japanese
did begin building and testing rocket and jet fighters based on German designs. No Allied code name was ever designated for either of these aircraft because they were never encountered in combat.
During 1945 the Japanese tested the rocket powered Mitsubishi J8M1 Shūsui (Ki-200) powered by the Mitsubishi KR10 (Tokuro-2) rocket engine. This aircraft and engine were based on the German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet powered by the Helmut Walter Kiel Kommanditgesellschaft HWK rocket engine. By the end of the Pacific War, flight tests were
made by a glider versions of the plane only.
Also, the Japanese tested the jet powered Nakajima J9Y Kikka powered by two Ishikawajima Ne-20 turbo jet engines. This aircraft was based on the Messerschmitt Me 262 but was scaled down because some blueprints were not transmitted from Germany. One successful & one aborted flight
were made before the end of Pacific War.
German
Aircraft Wrecks in New Guinea
Although Japanese never operated German aircraft in combat, there is a legacy of German aircraft in Papua New Guinea. Until 1914, northern New Guinea and the offshore islands was a German colony known as German New Guinea. After 1914, the territory was administered by Australia but German aircraft were purchased by German missionaries and commercial companies for use as airliners and transport planes. including Junker W 34 and Junker W 34 seaplanes. continued to operate in their former territory and commercial companies imported G. missionary influence is still present to this day. During
the 1930's those German ex-patriates imported German aircraft to New Guinea. At Alexishafen, there is the remains
of a Junkers W 34 and at the Bayier River in the Highlands, the
reamains of a Ju-52
References
Mikesh, Robert C. "Japanese
Aircraft Code Names & Designations" Schiffer Miliary History, PA USA. 1993.
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