Friday, August 14, 2015

Japan-era Airplane ID chart

Issued in Taiwan by Japan during the war, an airplane ID chart.
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6 comments:

Carlos said...

That's from quite early in the war - the US Army Air Force insignia and tail markings correspond to the first half of 1942 or earlier. Do you have a larger image? It's very cool for us aircraft nerds.

Unknown said...

Were the British flying over Taiwan? I was under the impression they were pretty busy over in Europe and that they bases they had in east Asia (HK, Singapore) had been overrun by the Japanese. Were Australian planes using British markings?

Anonymous said...

Note that the aircraft from China was identified as "Aircraft from Chungking" (重慶機). The reason:

At that time, there were three Chinas:
1. The ROC (中華民國) in Nanking, headed by Wang Ching-wei (汪精衛). This government cooperated with Japan for "peace" and was recognized by Japan as the Chinese government.

2. The ROC (中華民國 ) in Chungking, headed by Chiang Kai-shek; recognized by the US.

3. The Soviet Republic of China (中華蘇維埃共和國) in Yen-an (延安), headed by Mao Tse-tung (Mao Ze-dong); recognized by the Soviet Union.

The first one was a "peace maker", not "troublemaker" to Japan (as in today's Ma Ying-jeou to China); thus, no aircraft from them.

The third one did not have air force; thus, nothing from them.

Since Japan did not recognize the government of Chaing Kai-shek in Chungking, the aircraft from there was marked as "Aircraft from Chungking", as opposed to "Chinese Aircraft" (中國機).

TaiwanAirPower said...

British airplanes, launched from British aircraft carriers, attacked Matsuyama (Sungshan) and Shinchiku (Hsinchu) air bases on April 12 and 13, 1945. Australian Catalinas laid mines off Formosa ports in March 1945.

I will publish a day-by-day account of air raids against Formosa during WWII. It's due around August 20. It's written in Chinese, though.

Jerome Besson said...

For Carlos, TaiwanAirPower and other WWII aircraft buffs:

Aircrafts listed in the right column (American markings)
ノースアメリカンB-二五 = North American B-25 Mitchell
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-25_(航空機)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_B-25_Mitchell

ボーイング B-十七 = Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-17_(航空機)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress

カーチス P-四〇 = Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-40_(航空機)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk

Aircrafts listed in the left column (British markings)
ホーカー ハリケーン= Hawker Hurricane fighter
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ホーカー_ハリケーン
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane

ショート サンダーランド = Short S.25 Sunderland flying boat:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ショート_サンダーランド
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sunderland
ブリストル ブレニム = Bristol Blenheim twin engine light bomber
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ブリストル_ブレニム
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Blenheim

————————————-
In the upper left corner, “備えあれば憂いなし” (そなえあればうれいなし= sonaereba, ureinashi) )is a proverb explained as follows:
“備えあれば憂いなしとは、普段から準備をしておけば、いざというとき何も心配がないということ。”
The equivalent in English would be:
“Better safe than sorry”
http://kotowaza-allguide.com/so/sonaeareba.html
better safe than sorry
Literally translates as:
“preparedness means no sweat”
http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/備えあれば憂いなし

——————————————
Too bad I could not enlarge that photo enough to make out the text in the box dedicated to “重慶機“ (じゅうけいき=juukeiki), or “aircraft from Chungking.” Like Aug. 15, 3:24 am Anon, I noticed how “our great ally” is referred to. Located in the US-occupied (or liberated, if you will) area of the Chinese theater of war, “重慶“ (Juukei, Chungking) echoes “ Vichy”. Surveying the historical landscape through the Japanese lens, China (Nanjing), then an ally of Japan, lost WWII.

Anonymous said...

Love this post and comments!!! merci beaucoup !!