Country of origin:

Japan

Description:

Single-seat fighter

Power Plant:

One 477 kw (640 hp) Nakajima Kotobuki 3 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

Armament:

Two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) type 89 machine guns with 500 rounds per gun; provision to carry two 30 kg (66 lb) bombs

History:

The Mitsubishi A5M Type 96 Carrier Fighter began its operational career in September 1937 when aircraft of the Imperial Navy engaged aircraft of the Chinese Nationalist Government over the capital, Nanking. The A5M stemmed from a requirement for a shipboard single-seat cantilever monoplane fighter, a team lead by Jiro Horikoshi as chief designer developing the new design. Power plant was the Nakajima Kotobuki 5 nine-cylinder radial engine and the prototype, known as the Ka.14, first flew in January 1935. During testing a speed of 444 km/h (276 mph) was achieved at 3,200 m (10,500 ft). Later the type was tested by the Imperial Army and became known as the Ki.18. Some design changes were made and it became known as the Ki.33. It was tested against the Nakajima Ki.27, losing out to that design.

The initial production model of the A5M1 Type 96 Fighter Model I was powered by a 433 kw (580 hp) Kotobuki 2 KAI 3ko radial engine and had an armament of two 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns. Some changes were made and it continued in production as the A5m2-ko from 1937. During the conflict with China the A5Ms were flown from aircraft carriers of the Japanese fleet. The fighters were continuously in combat escorting bombers, and were involved in skirmishes with Russian I-152 and I-16 fighters with Russian crews which were sent to protect Nanking.

Later the Japanese carrier group, which included the Kaga and comprised six aircraft carriers, was operating in the South China Sea in April 1938 and the A5Ms were used to escort bombers in their attacks on Canton, China . On this occasion they met 20 Gloster Gladiators and Curtiss Hawk IIIs but the latter were no match for the Japanese aircraft. The war continued through 1938 and into 1939 and during what was called the China Incident Japanese Navy aircraft claimed 330 Chinese aircraft, of which the Chinese admitted one-third aircraft lost, for the loss of 30 fighters. However, by this time the A5M was becoming obsolescent and was basically used in base defence and training roles thereafter. A two-seat training variant was built as the A5M4-K, some 103 examples being delivered.

In February 1942 thirteen A5Ms were based on airstrips at Rabaul on New Britain with the 3rd and Tairiang Kokutais and were being used for night operations with the aid of searchlights. Further examples were operated at the time from the aircraft carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. On 31 January 1942 a number were flown from their carriers to Lakunai Field, Rabaul. The Japanese wanted to set up a new base closer to Port Moresby, NG and Gasmata in western New Britain became the new base for the A5Ms. On 10 February all the surviving A5Ms were absorbed into a new unit, the 4th Kokutai. The Japanese carriers, along with the Japanese landing force, which consisted of two transports and five destroyers, anchored off Gasmata.

At this time the RAAF Nos 6, 23 and 24 Squadrons equipped with Lockheed Hudsons were operating from Port Moresby. Five Hudsons were sent to bomb the Japanese forces. One failed to find the target but the other four dropped general purpose bombs. On 11 February three Hudsons returned to bomb the Japanese vessels anchored offshore and a number of hits were claimed on the ships. But as the Hudsons climbed to escape four land-based ‘Claudes’ attacked the Hudsons. One ‘Claude’ was claimed as shot down but Japanese records do not show any loss. In the event two of the Lockheed Hudsons were lost. These three aircraft were flown by Flt Lt Pedrina, Flg Off Graham Gibson and Wg Cmdr John Lerew. Gibson’s aircraft A16-126 was shot down in flames, crashed into a hillside and exploded, the wreck not being located until 2008. Lerew in A16-91 found his aircraft on fire and the crew abandoned the aircraft.

On 19 February 1942 Darwin was attacked by large numbers of Japanese Army and Naval aircraft. Part of this force was nine A5M ‘Claudes’ which were escorting 13 B5N Kate bombers from the aircraft carrier Ryujo. The A5Ms saw little opposition and dived to strafe two Catalina flying boats on the harbour, both being destroyed, whilst the bombers attacked the American seaplane tender USS William B Preston. The ship was damaged when a bomb hit the stern but the crew was able to save the vessel by getting it underway. The crew used a number of machine guns mounted on the handrails around the ship, many of which had been removed from aircraft.

Leading the Japanese flight was Ensign Satoshi Yoshino, who claimed the two Hudsons shot down. In April 1942 the 4th Kokutai only had six ‘Claudes’ operational at Rabaul and they remained active for some months. Yoshino later converted to the A6M2 ‘Zero’ and was promoted to Warrant Officer, his unit, the 4th Kokutai, converting to the type. He was involved in a number of raids in the Port Moresby, NG area but on 9 June 1942, whilst attacking Martin B-26 Marauders of the USAAF 22nd Bombardment Group, he was shot down by Bell P-39 Aircobras, posthumously being credited with the destruction of 15 aircraft.

The first Japanese fighters to take up station at Rabaul after it was taken over was the Mitsubishi Type 96 ‘Claude’, the aircraft having been shipped to New Britain on board an aircraft transporter and arriving on 31 January 1942.  They were soon assembled at Lakuknai strip.  These aircraft were part of a Composite Group, the 4^th Air Group previously formed at Truk Island, the unit comprising 27 land-based bombers and 27 Mitsubishi A5M4s. At Rabaul they formed Rear Admiral Goto’s 24^th Air Flotilla, the unit also receiving six Mitsubishi A6M2 ‘Zeros’ on 17 February.

On 23 February 1942 six Boeing B-17E Fortresses, which were the survivors of units which operated the type in the Philippines, Java and Hawaii, and which had been evacuated south in the face of advancing Japanese forces, left their new base at Townsville, QLD to attack Japanese forces. The operation commenced with nine aircraft, but two collided on the ground before dawn, and another went unserviceable. The B-17s were to attack Rabaul Harbour 3,540 km (2,200 miles) away, land at Port Moresby, refuel, and return. A couple located the target and dropped their bombs but were attacked by fighters of the 4th Kokutai, which by this time was equipped with A6M2 ‘Zeroes’ and a few A5M4 ‘Claudes’. This was the first time the fighters were engaged in the New Guinea theatre.  Four of the B-17Es reached the target but due to weather and other factors the operation was considered to be a failure.

A Boeing B-17E (41-2446) (later known as Swamp Ghost) claimed an enemy aircraft shot down and one probable, this B-17 eventually crash landing in a swamp where it remained until 2006 when it was recovered for restoration by an American museum. It was conveyed in 2013 and spent sometime at Long Beach, California, later being transferred to the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island in Pearl Harbour. Three of the other B-17s were hit by enemy fighters or by flak. This must have been near the end of the career of the ‘Claude’ in this part of the Pacific as they were soon replaced by Mitsubishi A6M2s. Subsequently the A5M mainly saw service in the advanced training role, eventually being used for Kamikaze attacks against allied shipping in Japanese coastal waters.