This Mitsubishi Ki-15 aircraft was sponsored by the Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun. The plane became famous around the world on April 9,
1937, when it arrived at Croydon Airport in London. It was the first Japanese-built aircraft to fly to Europe. The flight from Tokyo to London took 51
hours, 17 minutes and 23 seconds and was piloted by Masaaki Iinuma, with Kenji Tsukagoshi serving as navigator. The aircraft flew from Tokyo via
Taihoku to French Indochina, then via India and the Middle East to Europe.
The arrival of the Kamikaze caused a sensation in the Western world. Several years earlier, a prize had been offered for the first flight between Paris and
Tokyo within less than 100 hours. Many European aviators had failed at this challenge, and one year before the flight of the Kamikaze, a French pilot
attempting the challenge was killed when his aircraft crashed into a mountain on Kyūshū (see photo below, left).
Kamikaze's pilot, Masaaki Iinuma (see photo above, right), was killed during WW2.
1937, when it arrived at Croydon Airport in London. It was the first Japanese-built aircraft to fly to Europe. The flight from Tokyo to London took 51
hours, 17 minutes and 23 seconds and was piloted by Masaaki Iinuma, with Kenji Tsukagoshi serving as navigator. The aircraft flew from Tokyo via
Taihoku to French Indochina, then via India and the Middle East to Europe.
The arrival of the Kamikaze caused a sensation in the Western world. Several years earlier, a prize had been offered for the first flight between Paris and
Tokyo within less than 100 hours. Many European aviators had failed at this challenge, and one year before the flight of the Kamikaze, a French pilot
attempting the challenge was killed when his aircraft crashed into a mountain on Kyūshū (see photo below, left).
Kamikaze's pilot, Masaaki Iinuma (see photo above, right), was killed during WW2.
Ki-15 World-Record Breaker 'Kamikaze'
by
Ron Cole
by
Ron Cole
The Asahi Shimbun also sponsored a second Ki-15 (at
left) that was mechanically identical to the aircraft that
flew to London. Cosmetically, the aircraft was painted
in the same polished silver finish, trimmed in medium
blue, but without the trim on the landing gear covers
(though the gear covers were painted to match at a
date after this photo was taken - see photo inset).
'Kamikaze' was put on display in Japan, along with
other aviation-related patriotic symbols, before she
was severely damaged in a crash (see below, left).
The trail of the original 'Kamikaze' Ki-15 then runs
cold, but her sister ship was moved the roof of the
15-story tall Asahi Shimbun building in downtown
Tokyo - where the newspaper had collected several of
its historic airplanes.
Ki-15 'J-BAAL' remained there until her sad end in
1944, when a single high-explosive bomb dropped
from a B-29 landed on the roof during a night raid.
The building suffered moderate damage, and one
employee of the newspaper was killed.
No one seems to remember what happened to the
remains of the aircraft that had been there on display,
as no doubt such things were far from the minds of
people who henceforth had to fight for their lives.
left) that was mechanically identical to the aircraft that
flew to London. Cosmetically, the aircraft was painted
in the same polished silver finish, trimmed in medium
blue, but without the trim on the landing gear covers
(though the gear covers were painted to match at a
date after this photo was taken - see photo inset).
'Kamikaze' was put on display in Japan, along with
other aviation-related patriotic symbols, before she
was severely damaged in a crash (see below, left).
The trail of the original 'Kamikaze' Ki-15 then runs
cold, but her sister ship was moved the roof of the
15-story tall Asahi Shimbun building in downtown
Tokyo - where the newspaper had collected several of
its historic airplanes.
Ki-15 'J-BAAL' remained there until her sad end in
1944, when a single high-explosive bomb dropped
from a B-29 landed on the roof during a night raid.
The building suffered moderate damage, and one
employee of the newspaper was killed.
No one seems to remember what happened to the
remains of the aircraft that had been there on display,
as no doubt such things were far from the minds of
people who henceforth had to fight for their lives.
| By: Ron Cole Video via YouTube Photos c. 1937 Asahigraph Magazine |
These photographs were first published in Aeroplane
Magazine c.1937. They were then reprinted in Japan's own
Asahigraph Magazine the same year - along with the above
drawing based upon the notes of a London reporter.
This cockpit configuration was unique to the civil-registered
Ki-15 aircraft. The military versions, of which there were several
for both the Army and Navy, were equipped quite differently.
While 'Kamikaze' and her sister were built to contain all
equipment within their cockpit enclosures, military versions
mounted gyro-compasses above the instrument panels (front
and rear) on the fuselage deck. Oxygen for the crew was held
in pressure tanks on the fuselage deck behind the pilot's
position on military machines.
Interior colors were likely identical: so-called Mitsubishi "bamboo
green" (see image below) with some major sub-contracted
components in silver, black, or darker green.
Magazine c.1937. They were then reprinted in Japan's own
Asahigraph Magazine the same year - along with the above
drawing based upon the notes of a London reporter.
This cockpit configuration was unique to the civil-registered
Ki-15 aircraft. The military versions, of which there were several
for both the Army and Navy, were equipped quite differently.
While 'Kamikaze' and her sister were built to contain all
equipment within their cockpit enclosures, military versions
mounted gyro-compasses above the instrument panels (front
and rear) on the fuselage deck. Oxygen for the crew was held
in pressure tanks on the fuselage deck behind the pilot's
position on military machines.
Interior colors were likely identical: so-called Mitsubishi "bamboo
green" (see image below) with some major sub-contracted
components in silver, black, or darker green.
The Ki-15 was always a rare bird - built in
very limited numbers. The photo at left
shows that at least one Ki-15 survived WW2
to be captured in Japan.
The halftone images below depict 'Kamikaze'
during her post-flight, pre-crash, period on
display in Japan - among other military and
technological equipment of the time.
very limited numbers. The photo at left
shows that at least one Ki-15 survived WW2
to be captured in Japan.
The halftone images below depict 'Kamikaze'
during her post-flight, pre-crash, period on
display in Japan - among other military and
technological equipment of the time.
Left:
This unpublished photograph shows an Army Ki-15
as delivered from Mitsubishi c. 1937 - most likely
operating in China.
Externally this aircraft, being an early 'Model 1' type,
was identical to 'Kamikaze.' The latter was equipped
with additional fuel tanks and different interior
equipment.
This unpublished photograph shows an Army Ki-15
as delivered from Mitsubishi c. 1937 - most likely
operating in China.
Externally this aircraft, being an early 'Model 1' type,
was identical to 'Kamikaze.' The latter was equipped
with additional fuel tanks and different interior
equipment.
Right:
Charles Darby's expedition to Papua New Guinea in
the 1970s came upon these remains of a Navy C5M
(the Navy's version of the Ki-15). At the time it was
regarded as the world's only surviving example of this
aircraft type.
In 1987, Australian Bruce Hoy told me that these
remains had been moved to indoor storage along with
the world's last remaining G3M "Nell" bomber - also in
New Guinea.
Since then I've heard rumors that these remains were
dumped in a river following a dispute over ownership
with the New Guinea government, along with other
Japanese aircraft relics. I tend to doubt such rumors,
but it's not reassuring that no photo evidence
revealing the preservation of this rare machine has
surfaced since 1976.
Charles Darby's expedition to Papua New Guinea in
the 1970s came upon these remains of a Navy C5M
(the Navy's version of the Ki-15). At the time it was
regarded as the world's only surviving example of this
aircraft type.
In 1987, Australian Bruce Hoy told me that these
remains had been moved to indoor storage along with
the world's last remaining G3M "Nell" bomber - also in
New Guinea.
Since then I've heard rumors that these remains were
dumped in a river following a dispute over ownership
with the New Guinea government, along with other
Japanese aircraft relics. I tend to doubt such rumors,
but it's not reassuring that no photo evidence
revealing the preservation of this rare machine has
surfaced since 1976.