Photo request Manchurian campaign

[ChristianK]

And right to the next question:

Is there any good source for pictures of VVS airplanes used in the Manchurian campaign in August 1945? I just have an article in the german Fliegerrevue Extra magazine #7 and this is merely a translation of an older article from Mir Aviazij (forgot the exact issue). So if anyone has any pictures or knows where to find them, i would welcome and appreciate any help..

-Christian

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
there is an article of Miroslav Morozov, in French, on Avions n.158. Is it a further translation of the work that you already have?
Massimo

[ChristianK]

Yes, at least it is the same author, so i guess it is the same. Seems that this article is showing up occasionally in many magazines in many different languages That's fine by me, for it reduces costs for the publishers, but i doubt that this will bring any new picture material, too..

[Renato71]

Hi,
I'm also very interested into this "forgotten campaign", mainly for reason to build captured Japanese aircraft. I've found very little photographs beside those already mentioned. Only few additional that state something like "In flight over Manchuria/Korea", but are of poor quality and if you add usual amount of questionability... Very large number of availble pics show ground troops.
There is a bit more to be found on the subject of Japanese forces, and one of those is:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/joe_brennan/order_of_battle.htm
On large number of pics you can see plenty of captured and abandoned equipment, but USSR had no official interest into serious evaluation of captured aircraft. Only very small number of liaison (or similar) aircraft were used, as personal trophies of army commanders. Latest Japanese models of a/c were not deployed to China and Korea, but I'm going a bit OT here...
Please, take a look at my topic on J-aircraft, maybe that will give you some ideas:
http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=3845.0

Cheerz!

[Massimo Tessitori]

I forgot, I have some photos of captured Japanese planes in a Russian book. Could them be of any use?
Massimo

[ChristianK]

Actually i was looking for photos of russian airplanes, but of course, why not. It won't hurt to get the counterparts  In fact, japanese aviation is another interest of mine.
But if your photos show that famous Ki-84 line-up, the japanese Bf 108, the Ki-51 "white 58" or the Ki-46 III of 100th Sentai then save your time, they are widespread like the Morozov article. Otherwise i would welcome your efforts, of course!

P.S. in my first post i forgot to mention the two Il-2 depicted on Pilawski's site, which suit our topic:

http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Ilyushin/Il-2/AM/Dual/index.php

Any source known for them, or are the original pictures in private ownership?

[Renato71]

Actually i was looking for photos of russian airplanes, but of course, why not. It won't hurt to get the counterparts? In fact, japanese aviation is another interest of mine.
But if your photos show that famous Ki-84 line-up, the japanese Bf 108, the Ki-51 "white 58" or the Ki-46 III of 100th Sentai then save your time, they are widespread like the Morozov article. Otherwise i would welcome your efforts, of course!

Same here, plus check that topic on Jap forum. I've posted few more pics in one place.
Both sides are interesting and info is scarce, so anything is helpful.

Cheers!

[ChristianK]

Hi Renato,

have you checked this book:

http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?FRI-018

it's mainly Luftwaffe, but its is said it covers the Far East, too..I know this publication might be pretty well known, but maybe it's new to you ?? I personally hadn't had a look into it, so i couldn't give any statements about the content..

[Renato71]

Thanks Chris, I know about that book, but I'm having trouble with ordering (payment method in fact) from Aviapress. Also, I found deveral items from thier catalogues for half the price in other stores or ebay.
Other options for this book are currently more expensive, still looking.
I have hard copy (real book? ? ) of "Under the Red Star", and I'm waiting for "Japan against Russia in the Sky of Nomonhan 1939" to arrive ( LINK )

Anyway, to return to the topic, I've heard about Soviet fighters engaing Japanes over Japan mainland. So far only general notions about that, no details. Anybody familiar with those?

Cheers!

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Renato,

have you checked this book:

http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?FRI-018

it's mainly Luftwaffe, but its is said it covers the Far East, too..I know this publication might be pretty well known, but maybe it's new to you ?? I personally hadn't had a look into it, so i couldn't give any statements about the content..

 
It's the same book I have.

Here is the list of jap images: Ki-57 M-716
Ki-79 at Mukden
ki-84 of 104th sentai (2 photos with different markings)
Ki-36 at Mukden
Ki-56 and 54
Me-108
Ki-46 III
Ki-45
 
 Massimo

[ChristianK]

Hi Massimo,

i would be interested in the two photos of the Ki-84s, as i know just the one depicted on this site (already linked by Renato):

http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/joe_brennan/order_of_battle.htm

I guess your picture of the Ki-45 is also the one from this site. If not, please post it, too! Unfortunately the rest sounds very familiar.

[Renato71]

Massimo, any of those with Soviet markings? I guess not, otherwise you would say so with a cheerfull grin, ayeh?

Of little info about Japanese a/c in Manchurian and Korea, most of which I was able to find thanks to guys from j-aircraft, about 99% of captured equipment was handed over to the Chinese Communists. Korean Communists also captured significant number of a/c on their own. Everything, and especially aircraft, was in so bad contion due to the lack of spares that Soviets did not bother to take anything.
It is highly probable that all machines from those pics from Mukden ended up in Chinese hands. Quite frustrating, as it would be nice to build Ki-84 with Red Stars, and I have Ki-45-II, not -III, and a friend of mine offered me B7A1 Grace (apparently one was captured in good condition and used by Soviets, but no pics).
If anybody is thinking about Zero, in my opinion forget about that. There is a story about a Zero that crashed on Sakhalin, but it was damaged in crash landing, It was examined by Soviets, but they did not discover anything that would be worth bothering to fix it.

Regarding  Ki-45-III (the one with cool canopy), this is the only pic I have:
http://www.airpages.ru/cgi-bin/epg2.pl?page=imgki46
Pic is repeated in "Under the Red Star", but there its shown in mirror - props are turning in incorrect direction, and (surprisingly) its of a much poorer quality.

Cheerz

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
unfortunately none of the planes has Soviet markings.?
If you have images of Japanese planes with chinese markings, I would be interested to see them.

Christian, this image is of the same line, but shows partially the different makings of the second plane.



Massimo

[Dave]

Hi,
unfortunately none of the planes has Soviet markings. 
If you have images of Japanese planes with chinese markings, I would be interested to see them.

Christian, this image is of the same line, but shows partially the different makings of the second plane.



Massimo

Hi Massimo, regarding the Finnish LaGG photos on this site by Jouni Ronkko - are they copyrighted from the books he used or had the copyright expired? I would like to use them for a video about that LaGG-3 (LG-3).

Cheers ,
Dave.

[ChristianK]

Hi Massimo,

and thanks for posting. So you want chinese planes now? Maybe we should rename the thread?

Whatever, here are some japanese planes in chinese markings (i will leave out the most common pictures, as the color shot of the two chinese Ki-48 for example):










The next one is a true rarity, as it is the only pictorial evidence for the 9th sentai marking on a Ki-44
(Thanks to Jim Lansdale from j-aircraft.org). Notice the chinese roundels haven't been painted directly over the hinomarus as usual.



And the last -although not chinese - is one of my favorite web findings: a vichy-french Potez 25 in japanese markings. The hinomarus were just painted over the french roundels and the original markings were left intact - even the red and yellow vichy-stripes on the engine cover! Additionally, those Indochina-Potez had red tails. Now i just have to wait for the Potez promised by Azur



P.S. I'm still looking for pictures of soviet aircraft from the manchurian campaign!