DI-106 was flown by a wingman of carrier IJN Hiyo that was commissioned at Kure and assigned to Carrier Division # 2,
Third Fleet, on 31 July 1942. The unit designation DI-xxx was placed in use in July 1942.
INFO CREDIT: book JAPANESE NAVAL ACES AND FIGHTER UNITS IN WORLD WAR II, by Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa, page 64.
INFO CREDIT:
http://www.combinedfleet.com/hiyo.htmDII-114 was flown by a wingman of IJN Junyo.
DIII-105 was flown by a wingman of IJN Ryujo.
DIII-107 was flown by a wingman of IJN Ryujo.
DIII-307 was flown by a wingman of IJN Ryujo.
AVIATION ART CREDIT: "First Marine Ace" is hand signed by legendary Marine Ace Marion Carl, and artist Roy Grinnell. This combat in this lithograph depicts Capt. Marion Carl's Fifth Victory, August 24, 1942 near Lunga Point, Guadacanal, S.I. Capt. Carl was in VFM-223.
AVIATION ART CREDIT: "First Marine Ace" is hand signed by legendary Marine Ace Marion Carl, and artist Roy Grinnell. This combat in this lithograph depicts Capt. Marion Carl's Fifth Victory, August 24, 1942 near Lunga Point, Guadacanal, S.I. Capt. Carl was in VFM-223.
DIII-313 was flown by a wingman of IJN Ryujo.
TAIL CODE CREDIT: AirReview magazine, October, 1965.
EI-108 was flown by a wingman of IJN Shokaku.
Sometime between August 24, 1942 to early September 1942 this Zero took off on a mission over Guadalcanal
and was shot down or force landed in western Guadalcanal.
Houkoku Number 515 (civilian presentation number 515) with the inscription painted in black:
"Presented by Kure Chapter of the Hiroshima Commercial Trade Association Patriotic Society".
INFO CREDIT:
https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/a6m2/2666.htmlIJN Shokaku’s D3A1 shows white borders of red hinomarus painted with a dark color during August, 1942.
D3A1 shot down over USS Enterprise
A Japanese "Val" dive bomber is shot down by anti-aircraft fire directly over USS Enterprise.
EI-232 was flown by a wingman of IJN Shokaku.
This photo shows the third bomb hit.
D3A1s shot down
On 24 August, 1942, Lt. Cmdr. Mamoru Seki (hikotaicho) and Lt. Keiichi Arima (buntaicho) were leaders of Shokaku's first wave to attack American carriers. The third chutai was from IJN carrier Zuikaku and was under leadership of Lt. Reijiro Otsuka. Shokaku’s dive bomber force with 18 Aichi D3A1 and Zuikaku’s group of 9 planes were divided in 3 chutai (9 planes unit). Many planes of these three groups attacked USS Enterprise and scored three hits. After these attacks, Shokaku’s losses were 10 Vals and Zuikaku’s losses were 7 Vals. These planes were shot down by American F4F-4 fighters (CAP) and AA. INFO CREDIT: book Carrier Clash, by Eric Hammel.
EI-234 was flown by a buntaicho of IJN Shokaku.
According to the Japanese research, this D3A1 with spinner is EI-234.
EI-234 photo #1
EI-234 taking of IJN Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book Aichi D3A1/2 Val, by Peter C. Smith. This D3A1 has spinner.
EI-234 photo #2
EI-234 taking of IJN Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book Aichi D3A1/2 Val, by Peter C. Smith. This D3A1 has spinner.
EI-234 photo #3
EI-234 taking of IJN Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book Aichi D3A1/2 Val, by Peter C. Smith. This D3A1 has spinner.
EI-234 photo #4
EI-234 taking of IJN Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book Aichi D3A1/2 Val, by Peter C. Smith. This D3A1 has spinner.
EI-235 was flown by a wingman of IJN Shokaku.
Battle of Eastern Solomons, August, 1942
EI-235 was flown by a wingman. EI-232 is in the foreground. By that time the planes had received a coat of green on the upper surface. The motion picture was taken by Lt. Keiichi Arima, observer of the 21st Shotai of Shokaku’s Type 99 Carrier Bomber Squadron in the 1st Strike Group at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August, 1942. After striking the Enterprise for direct hits with 250-kg ordinary bombs, PO1c Tamotsu Akimoto, wingman of Arima in the 21st Shotai Type 99 carrier bomber EI-232, looks at the camera. The aircraft commander PO1c Hiroshi Koitabashi is in the rear cockpit. The crew of EI-235 might be PO2c Ryoroku Tsuchiya in the 22nd Shotai because only three out of nine second chutai of IJN Shokaku’s carrier bombers flew by Arima, Koitabashi and Tsuchiya survived in the fierce antiaircraft and interceptions by combat air patrol F4F.
EI-237 was flown by a wingman of IJN Shokaku.
According to the Japanese research, the D3A1 tail code EI-237 belonged to a wingman.
EI-237 was flown by a wingman of IJN carrier Shokaku.
EI-237 was flown by a wingman of IJN carrier Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book FAOW #30, edition of the year 1972.
EI-237 spat photo #1
EI-237 was flown by a wingman of IJN Shokaku.
PHOTO CREDIT: book FAOW #30, year 1972.