Tag: Pacific War

The Survivors: Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū Floatplane Fighter

Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū aka "Rex" floatplane fighter on display at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas (September 2019)

Designed during World War Two to provide air cover for Imperial Japanese forces deployed for amphibious beach landings in advanced locations that lacked prepared airstrips or aircraft carriers, the Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū (“Strong Wind” or “Mighty Wind” depending on the translation, Allied reporting code name “Rex”) floatplane fighter must have seemed a great idea to the Imperial Japanese… Read More The Survivors: Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū Floatplane Fighter

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The Survivors: Restoring a RAAF DAP (Bristol) Beaufort Torpedo Bomber

1942 DAP (Bristol) Beaufort Mk.VII A9-141 restoration project at the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre in Caboolture, Queensland (November 2018)

During World War Two the Australian Department of Aircraft Production (DAP) licence built 700 Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). They conducted maritime patrol, anti-shipping, maritime reconnaissance, bombing and training duties in Australia and the South West Pacific theatre. The Beaufort’s were constructed at the main DAP factories in Fishermens… Read More The Survivors: Restoring a RAAF DAP (Bristol) Beaufort Torpedo Bomber

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The Survivors: Mitsubishi J2M Raiden – The Last Japanese Thunderbolt

Imperial Japanese Navy Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden (Jack) interceptor at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California in 2013

One of the better fighter designs operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War Two but not built in enough numbers, was the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (“Thunderbolt” – Allied Code Name: Jack) land based interceptor used to attack Allied bombers such as the USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress. It was designed to be fast with… Read More The Survivors: Mitsubishi J2M Raiden – The Last Japanese Thunderbolt

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