Japanese Airplane Crashes in Caswell County: 1945

 Japanese Airplane Crashes in Caswell County: 1945

The airplane that crashed 1945 in Caswell County is called a Tony. It was German-inspired and came after the better-known Zero. It also went by the designation Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein: single-seat, single-seat monoplane fighter/interceptor first produced by Japan in 1943. It was faster than the Zero, had a higher service ceiling, but was not as maneuverable. 

The one that crashed in Caswell County had serial number: C/N 263. It was found by US forces abandoned at Tuluvu Airfield, Cape Gloucester, Papua New Guinea, on 26 December 1943. Because it was intact, in 1944 the US brought it back to the US to examine/study. During January 1945, C/N 263, after having been painted with US livery for test purposes, was painted back in pseudo-Japanese markings and evaluated against the Wildcat, Corsair, Hellcat, Tigercat and Bearcat, but the tests were suspended when bearing metal was found in the engine oil.

The aircraft crashed at Yanceyville, North Carolina on 2 July 1945, and was written off. I have been unable to determine why the airplane was flying over Caswell County.

The attached photograph most likely is the way the airplane appeared when it crashed in Caswell County. Also attached is a photograph of the airplane as it was found in Papua New Guinea.

Thanks to Curtis Rogers for sharing this story. He also provided the following:

"I was there on 2 July 1945. I saw the whole thing. The volunteer fire chief [Johnny] Harwood lived next door to us in front of the Baptist church.  We followed him down to the site where the Tony had just landed wheels up. We were the first on the scene. The pilot had gotten out of the plane and was smoking a cigarette. Shortly thereafter, a P38 circled the scene. That plane was escorting the Tony to its destination."

The airplane crashed/landed in a field where the Bartlett Yancey High School now stands.

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C/N 263

Japanese Ownership

Built by Kawasaki at their Kagamigahara factory during April 1943 as a Ki-61-I Ko, manufacture number 263, Uncoded serial number 163. Armed with the standard "Ko" weapon configuration of two fuselage mounted 12.7mm Ho-103 machine cannon and two 7.7 mm Type 89 machine-guns in the wings.

Assigned to the 68th Sentai, 2nd Chutai, c/n 263 was initially flown by Chutai commander Captain Shogo Takeuchi, who passed it to another pilot when he started flying a Ki-61-Hei.[2] The aircraft was subsequently abandoned intact at the airfield where it was discovered by US forces at Tuluvu airfield, Cape Gloucester on 26 December 1943.[3]

US Ownership

C/N 263 was stripped of exterior paint and markings in May 1944, allocated test serial number XJ003, repainted with a set of Star and Bars insignia, and test flown at Hangar 7 at Eagle Farm, after which the engine was rebuilt. The following month, the US TAIU contingent were ordered back to Naval Air Station Anacostia, Washington DC, to form what would become TAIC.

By July c/n 263 was among the aircraft, equipment, documentation and personnel aboard a 'Victory Ship' heading for San Francisco, from where the whole establishment were taken by train to it's new 'Hangar 151' facility at Washington. Upon arrival c/n 263 was again scheduled for repair,[4] by which time it had been redesignated as TAIC 9.[5]

During January 1945, c/n 263 -by now possibly FE-263- was painted back in pseudo-Japanese markings and evaluated against the Wildcat, Corsair, Hellcat, Tigercat and Bearcat, but the tests were suspended when bearing metal was found in the engine oil.[3] The aircraft crashed at Yanceyville, North Carolina on 2 July 1945,[5] and was written off.

References

1. http://www.j-aircraft.com/captured/capturedfrom/xjtaic/xj003/taic_xj003.htm

2. https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/ki-61/263.html

3. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qBavCgAAQBAJ&pg=PP53&lpg=PP53&dq=TAIC+XJ003&source=bl&ots=48El8cqkFe&sig=BK8FUte1ZTPJNEAeQwYxEtWhUKI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiehvGvirHKAhVFPRQKHaCPB3kQ6AEILDAC#v=onepage&q=TAIC%20XJ003&f=false

4. Aeroplane Monthly. Key Publishing Ltd. Previously published by Kelsey Publishing Group) May 2007 Page 89

5. http://silverhawkauthor.com/aviation-japanese-warplane-survivors-of-the-second-world-war_408.html

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Source: https://captured-wings.fandom.com/wiki/C/n_263

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The Ki-61 Hien and the A6M Zero were both Japanese fighter aircraft used during World War II, but they had different strengths and weaknesses. The A6M Zero was known for its exceptional maneuverability and long range, making it a formidable opponent in dogfights. However, as the war progressed, it became outclassed by newer Allied aircraft.

On the other hand, the Ki-61 Hien was developed later in the war and was designed to counter the increasing Allied air superiority. It was faster and better armed than the Zero, but it lacked the exceptional maneuverability of the Zero. Overall, the Hien was considered a more modern design, but it didn't achieve the same level of iconic status as the Zero.