The remains of Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien("Tony")

The wreckage of the Japanese fighter Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien "Tony"

Aug 14, 2005, Iki-Iki land Katano in Katano-city Osaka
Photo and Writing : by Mr. Inochan and webmaster Omami

The wreckage of Japanese fighter Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien "coad name Tony" were excavated in the construction place of "the Second Keihan Highway" in Katano City, Osaka on March 23, 2005. Then, this wreckage are opened to the public in Iki-Iki land Katano (Katano municipal gymnasium ) from August 13.

On July 9, 1945, about 60 planes of B-29 bombers and P-51 fighters attacked Osaka from Iwo Jima US air-base. The 17 IJA fighters scrambled from Itami air-base (the present Osaka international airport) to intercept them at once. 3 IJA fighters were shot down by this dog fight. 2 fighters made an emergency landing in an airport, but they were destroyed with machine-gun fire to the ground.
At about 12:10 p.m., the Ki-61 Hien was shot down in the sky of Hoshida village Kitacawachi district (the present Hoshida town Katano-city Osaka). Second lieutenant Junichi Nakamura who was the pilot escaped from the aircraft by the parachute. But the P-51 fighter cut the strings of his parachute by the wing. He fell into the vicinity of the Hoshida station and was killed in action, aged 23.
An air battle was rare case in this village. At first, villagers thought that the US aircraft crashed. When they rushed to the scene of the crash, the Japanese pilot was dead thrusting his head in the rice field. Second Lieutenant Nakamura's body was cleaned with water of the brook by villagers, and held a wake with all due respect. His body was received to the Itami base next morning. Junichi Nakamura was promoted to First Lieutenant by a glorious death in action.

Details of this battle are put on the website of Katano-city.

A death in battle place of Second Lieutenant Junichi Nakamura (written in Japanese)

Well, the wreckage of Ki-61 excavated this time are the nose parts that sink into the ground. The engine, propeller; and machine gun etc...

Hasegawa 1/48 scale Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien / Builder : Inochan

Click on the images below for enlargements.

This picture is the scene of Hoshida where an air battle was done in those days. It is an about 30-minute by a car from Hirakata-city where I live. This town has still agricultural area, and looks just as it did in the old days.
The elevated at the left of the pylon is the construction field on the Second Keihan Highway. The wreckage of Ki-61 were found here.

I went to the death in battle place of First Lieutenant Nakamura later. There is the stone monument for his repose of soul there. The PET bottles of water and tea were offered to the monument because it was a hot day of summer. The offering of flowers that would have been offered at War Memorial Day have already died. I regretted not having prepared a new offering of flowers. And I joined my hands prayer for the repose of his soul.

I thought that the war damage in the Kansai area was only the carpet bombing of Osaka and Kobe. But, I noticed that there was the scars of the war anywhere. Here was certainly a battlefield 60 years ago.
We Japanese must never war again. It will be the best consolation for their souls who were killed by the World War II.

Open to the public the wreckage of Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien

Address : Mukaida 2-5-1 Katano Osaka Japan, Iki-Iki land Katano 1F
Host organization : Katano-city government office, 072-892-0121
Katano city website : http://www.city.katano.osaka.jp/
Iki-Iki land Katano (Katano municipal gymnasium) website : http://www.city.katano.osaka.jp/kakka/ikiiki/

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