Chinese Air Force Air Combat Illustrated ...

[bdk]

No question that book is full-on propaganda. Much of war history has been clouded by these kinds of documents which are taken as well researched fact, which they are not.

Although I agree with much of your post as a whole, I'd love to have you point out a few specifics regarding your remarks towards this book. Not trying to put you on any sort of spot bdk, just curious if there is a specific area you have in mind as being full-on propaganda. The brief research I have done concerning a few sections in this book has proven to be somewhat authentic history. Again yes I see forms of propaganda and embellished history, full-on? not so sure. That's just IHO though.

Don't have specifics, but the book is purely one sided and has not been researched to the level that the European war losses were where claims were counter-checked with losses documented from the other side. The true facts also aren't always in the best interest of the authors in these types of documents.

Certainly the Flying Tigers kills and losses have been researched over and over, so I would trust the results of all that private research over this single brief book which seems to feature quite a bit of sensationalism.

On a side note, I have a Chinese leaflet in my collection somewhere, but don't remember the specifics of what was written on it. I'll have to look for it if I get a chance.

[Old Man]

That is a great find, Sir!

Is the plate for account No. 8 missing in your copy? The account, titled 'a dogfight', describes an air fight in September, 1937, over Shansi, in which a Japanese maj. Miwa was killed.

If you have the plate for No. 8, it would be great if you could post it up. The markings of Maj. Miwa's machine are a subject of some interests, and while the painting could hardly be taken as definitive, it might contain some hint. Some of the depictions of the machines in those paintings show some accuracy in detail.

A good account of that fight can be found here, by the way:

http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/sino-japanese-1937.htm
(scroll down to Sept. 21 entry)

"Seven Curtiss Hawk IIs from the 28th PS, 3rd PG were scrambled at 14:00 to intercept the IJAAF raiders. Captain Chan Kee-Wong, commander of the 28th PS, flying Hawk II No.7 from the Academy, led them. The IJAAF fighters arrived before the Chinese Hawks were able to climb to altitude. Diving into the attack, the IJAAF fighters scattered the Chinese Hawks. Lieutenant Liang Ting-Yuan in Hawk no. 2810 was shot down and killed. Lieutenant Louie Yim-Qun’s guns jammed and he had to retire from the action.

"Captain Chan found himself all alone facing three IJAAF Ki-10s led by Major Miwa. In what appeared to a challenge to "single combat", Miwa apparently ordered his wingmen to circle above while he took on Chan alone. Chan saw Miwa dive at him from above. Chan countered by pulling his nose up to face Miwa head-on. Anticipating that Miwa would need to pull out of his dive after they pass each other, Chan pulled into a tight chandelle. He was into his manoeuvre even before Miwa passed him head-on. As a result, Chan was able get turned around and was above and behind Miwa when he began to pull out of his dive. Taking advantage of his position for a zero-deflection shooting pass, Chan shot up Miwa's Ki-10, sending it crashing into a field near Ta Meng. Miwa was pulled from the wreckage alive but later died of his injuries.

"After seeing their flight leader downed, the two remaining Ki-10s dived into the attack. Without a wingman to cover him, Chan was put at a big disadvantage. Chan fought desperately to hold off the two Ki-10s, which were co-ordinating their attacks. After a series of frenzied turns, Chan found that he had lost a lot of altitude and running out of room to manoeuvre. In an attempt to shake his pursuers, Chan headed for the walls of Tai Yuan. Chan had hoped that ground fire from the Tai Yuan defenders would help drive off the IJAAF fighters. However, as he passed, Chan saw that the defensive positions on Tai Yuan's walls were empty. The defenders had probably taken cover when they saw what appeared to be three aircraft in a diving pass at them. Chan led the two Ki-10s in a mad dash above the rooftops of Tai Yuan, dodging around the smokestacks of the industrial city. Finally, the inevitable happened. Turning to avoid one of the Ki-10s, Chan was caught from behind by the gunfire of the other. Raking across the Hawk's unarmored seat from behind, two bullets hit Chan, one in the small of his back and the other in his left elbow. Chan recalled that his left arm "went cold" and he began to feel faint. Fearing that he would go into shock and lose control, Chan quickly looked for a place to land. He made for the playing fields of the Tai Yuan Women's High School, but could not clear one of the school buildings that was in the way. The stricken Hawk II crashed into the roof of the building causing Chan further injuries. Pulled from the wreckage gravely injured, Chan was evacuated to the rear. Doctors from the famous American-run Hsiang-Ya Hospital in Hunan were able to save Chan’s arm but his flying career was over."

[Mark Allen M]

Your welcome Sir,

Here is the link to the SDASM archives containing this album.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarch ... 743856012/

[Old Man]

Thank you for that link, Sir.

Unfortunately plate 8 is missing. A pity. Ah well, there are many minor mysteries, eh?

Maj. Miwa was a fairly well-known figure in his day in the Japanese Army Air Force. The Arawasi Magazine people were contemplating doing a feature on him a while back, but I do not know if they ever completed it.

[sdennison]

Ding Hao!

[Chris Brame]

If you look closely at the text page, you can see a bit of plate 8 right underneath it. Looks like it does exist, but they didn't digitize it (yet). Maybe if you contacted the museum they would do it?

[Scott Rose]

The images for this topic have been restored.