Ki-43 and A6M

[mike furline]

I was watching Nat Geo and they used a bit of film that showed a Ki-43 with two blade prop and a non-accurate paint job. I initially thought this was the Ki-43 now with the Flying Heritage Museum (formally the Australian War Memorial).
https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ki-43/750.html
https://worldwarwings.com/flying-herita ... i-fighter/

A few seconds later the same Ki-43 is flying with an A6M with an all green paint job upper and lower.

When was this video made and which specific aircraft are we looking at?

[Matt Gunsch]

if I was to guess, I would say Planes of Fame, but I don't recall the Zero ever being painted that way. They did have a flyable Ki-43 at one time, it was sold to someone in Japan.

[mike furline]

if I was to guess, I would say Planes of Fame, but I don't recall the Zero ever being painted that way. They did have a flyable Ki-43 at one time, it was sold to someone in Japan.

I believe you are thinking of the Ki-84 that was sold to Japan.
https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbird ... ayate.html

[JohnB]

Two bladed prop?

Update...I found a photo of one with a two bladed prop at Rabaul. Never heard of that on one.

[Randy Wilson]

According to Francillon in Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, the early Ki-43s with Ha-25 or Ha-105 engine had two-bladed props. Later models with the Ha-115 had three-bladed props.

Randy

[JohnB]

Thanks for checking.
I should have checked the Francillon book, it's my "go to" on Japanese warplanes.
Like !most of us, I'm not up to speed on certain Japanese types.

Also, not many fighters of the period had two a blade props...early Spitfires come to mind as a exception.

[JohnTerrell]

The footage is from June of 1945 (believe it or not), filmed while flying above the US Navy's base at Patuxent River, Maryland, where a number of captured Japanese aircraft were evaluated.

Full film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWJ8CPrO_nA


While although the Planes of Fame's Zero was at Patuxent River in late 1944, it was flown back to San Diego, California, well before the time this film was made. Also, the Planes of Fame's Zero is an A6M5, while the example in the film appears to be an A6M2 (longer wings, different cowl and exhaust, etc.)

Speaking of two-bladed props on Ki-43s, the original Ki-43 Type 1 displayed at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Washington, is also fitted with a two-bladed prop (correct to the early model type it is).

[Chris Brame]

Some of that footage also shows up in the 1968 Bob Hope comedy The Private Navy of Sergeant O'Farrell.

[mike furline]

The footage is from June of 1945 (believe it or not), filmed while flying above the US Navy's base at Patuxent River, Maryland, where a number of captured Japanese aircraft were evaluated.

Full film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWJ8CPrO_nA


While although the Planes of Fame's Zero was at Patuxent River in late 1944, it was flown back to San Diego, California, well before the time this film was made. Also, the Planes of Fame's Zero is an A6M5, while the example in the film appears to be an A6M2 (longer wings, different cowl and exhaust, etc.)

Speaking of two-bladed props on Ki-43s, the original Ki-43 Type 1 displayed at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum in Everett, Washington, is also fitted with a two-bladed prop (correct to the early model type it is).

Thanks John.

What's weird, interesting or just stupid is that I have dozens of photos of captured Japanese aircraft at US bases but not one that shows a complete flyable Ki-43.
Additionally, while the A6M's are very well documented there doesn't seam to be any photos of this A6M with the odd paint scheme.

Based on the response over here, https://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=19278.0 it was most likely a later model Ki-43 with the earlier flat sided canopy.

[old iron]

Mike wrote:

but not one that shows a complete flyable Ki-43.

This could well be due to the Ki-43 being a earlier design without the Zero "mystique".

One of the Oscars brought over during or immediately after the war survives in the US, this being the NASM Ki-43 II (three prop propellor) on loan to the Pima museum (this plane was previously on display at the EAA museum)