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The war today began a critical phase.
With troops pouring ashore at merak -and the transports containing them suffering numerous hits from the defending Martins - high command began its plan to divide the DEI defenders into isolated pockets - as paratroops began to land at kragen

herbiesans plan for the DEI was this -with large number of troops at Batavia, and soerabaya -he would bend every effort to stop all those forces gathering together -before the 3 divisions from the hong kong invasion landed -probably near soerabaya.
The invasion proper would have to sail past Tarakan, balikapapan -nast fields -but plans were in play for this............

Post mark for a picture of Hyakute flying upside down -when the forum is on line!

Operations diary
47th sentai -Lashio

25/12/41
Weather: Am - clear, PM clear
47 sentai now comes under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 5
Juni V 7
Juni B 7 kills 2
Inoute 5
Iwaya 6
izumuda 5
takenaka 8
Kuroe 8
inoue 4

LTCOL kanabayashi 10

After early morning CAP operation -one enemy P40 snooper chased away, one shot down by oscar fighter, Sentai transferred to hanoi with out incident.

From Col Kanbayashi
to
Air Ministry


As requested here is my summary of the KI 44 as seen from my view after recent combat operations in Northern Burma

1/ Planes operationability is good -and it is certaintly rugged enough
2/ Flying characteristics are mixed. Not a good dog fighter at all -but rate of climb is very good.
3/ Guns - are far too in adequate -must fit cannons to this plane immediately
4/ ground handling -poor -but good enough for good pilots

I would recommend this plane for general production....
detailed report to come.........



detailed report to hell - the sights of Hanoi were calling to him and his exhausted men.

Id like to give some sort of sterling insite to Juni V's mind that night, but its impossible

he is way too drunk

OK -Juni B then
Nope -drunk as well
Hyakute then -no, he's a bit busy in a comfort station
ahhh -2lt Inoute then -yes, here he is with the 2 WO's - at a table some where in the red light area.
this should be good...............
No, they are talking shop........
Buggar it, we let the men celebrate surviving the war so far in privacy today.......

At the end of its logistics tether our Sentai transferred back to hanoi -relieved by the 77th(Falcons) -enroute back to Canton, where the Chinese airforce was trying to become a nuisance.
So far they had taken down 2 enemy fighters, damaged a few -and were still shaking themselves down -perhaps somewhat fortunate not to have yet really encountered top opposition.
Elsewhere the war continues.......

In the DEI the merack invasion was successful, despite the many hits from the daily raids of Martins and swordfish bombers -the limited CAP totally unable to save the ships from a daily succession of hits.
An invasion force landed at naga -Djangles fell, Amboina fell, but the chinese took back Inchang in China
Another air bridge was underway to Kragen, could the troops there hold?

Babs recon planes -used as a guide for flights soth from lashio

Operations diary
47th sentai -Lashio

26/12/41
Weather: Am - clear, PM clear
47 sentai now comes under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 5
Juni V 7
Juni B 7 kills 2
Inoute 5
Iwaya 6
izumuda 5
takenaka 8
Kuroe 8
inoue 4

LTCOL kanabayashi 10

Transferred Sentai back to "home field" of Canton

From the Diary of LTCOL Kanabayashi

..........never so pleased to arrive safely here than what I am today. terrible flight, terrible weather.
The sentai needs deep maintenance -have stood down for 2 days at least -we require at least 6 engine changes.
I Just hope our friends the AVG do not turn up this week -rumours are they have moved to the north of the country...........

Almost immediately after arrival at Canton, Capt Iwaya began preparations for the week ahead.
There was much to do.
Servants to re employ
A bath to procure
A decent meal -and beer.
And a few ladies would also be needed.
It was perfectly obvious that this war was going to be a serious one -a real serious one -and as Father seemed to be in no hurry to remove him from "his punishment" -then he would just have to do the best with what he had.

there was one good thought. The twins had taken him for a considerable sum last night -2 days of in action -plenty of time to win it back.

The radio was still there - and with no other fighters on the field - leaving it disturbingly empty - there was plenty of room to gather around it.
the news today was good -CL De ryter sunk south of timor.
Fighting spreading to central Malaya, naga in the phillipines.
Troops pouring ashore in the DEI.
All seemed to be going well.............

Engine change out
The Nakajima HA 109 engine

Operations diary
47th sentai -Lashio

27/12/41
Weather: Am - clear, PM clear
47 sentai now comes under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 5
Juni V 7
Juni B 7 kills 2
Inoute 5
Iwaya 6
izumuda 5
takenaka 8
Kuroe 8
inoue 4

LTCOL kanabayashi 10

47th sentai stood down for maintenance

from the diary of LTCOL Kanabayashi

I stood the unit down today - many of the men are really showing signs of tiredness.
We spent a pleasant day really, sunning ourselves -the weather was cold -but with no wind - it really was a pleasant change from the humidity of Burma.

The unit I think is coming together, at least all have displayed suitable flying skills -and aggression is no problem.
I look forward to tomorrow -enemy chinese bombers are coming over every second or third day north of here -none today -maybe we can bag a few tomorrow....

Inoute and Izumida sat on the lounge chairs, faces into the sun - sucking up the heat

The topic , of course, was flying.
Specifically tactics.
"Its a dog for turning" Inoute scowled
"yes", agreed Izumida " and I find it very heavy on the controls -and you?"
"yes -but the climb rate -and the dive! "are good, yes" - but"

The "but" was obvious to both men - but the lack of a decent cannon -already had denied some of them kills.

As our 47th sentai settled back into its surroundings at Canton -as milk was gathered, gambling conducted -and various bits and pieces were "aquired", the war continued .

japanese forces took Kupang -Timor falling under the imperial banner.
Fighting at Naga continued, and from what the reports conveyed, fierce action was occuring near the Sumutra islands.

How confusing it sounded -but the message was clear -the DEI were under bold, overwhelming attack.

KI 46 replacement a/c enroute to Saigon drops in to refuel
Nice plane
LT Hyakute cannot resist -can i borrow it for an hour?

This is given a most definate -NO!

Operations diary
47th sentai -Lashio

28/12/41
Weather: rain, heavy rain
47 sentai now comes under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 5
Juni V 7
Juni B 7 kills 2
Inoute 5
Iwaya 6
izumuda 5
takenaka 8
Kuroe 8
inoue 4

LTCOL kanabayashi 10

47th sentai stood down -heavy rain washes field into unusable state

It could have been a miserable day.
Sheets of heavy rain grounding the unit.
With only a dozen planes to service, even the maintenance crews had time to sit around, shiver, and morosley stare at the sky.

A dull day.


Until about 3, when Capt Iwaya's "comfort plan" -phase one, arrived at the field.
A small truck, a few cases of beer, and some "comfort ladies"

For many at the field - it was along boring day, for others, not quite so!