A group of night fighters from 302 Kokutai, Atsugi base, last days of July 1945.
A handful of recent notes on IJNAF night fighters have led to requests to compile and present some interesting information about 302 Ku itself. This is a fitting idea, given the unit’s unique character—not only in terms of equipment but also personnel, organization, and methods, and, above all, due to its remarkable commander. Today, I’ll somewhat paradoxically start from the end, that is, the story of a certain photograph, or rather the story told by the featured photograph.
The photo is moderately widespread but relatively well-known. Usually, captions accompany it, like “Gekko night fighters” or “302 Ku fighters.” These are modest annotations considering how much content this single shot conveys. In my description, I’ve narrowed the “event frame” down to about 2-3 days, and with a little effort, it could even be pinpointed to the hour. So, what do we see here?
Aircraft and Unit
The foreground indeed features five factory-built night Gekkos (Irving), designated as Nakajima J1N1-S. Additionally, the first one belongs to the rare final version equipped with an FD air-to-air radar (an identical example currently resides in the NASM collection, though it originally belonged to Yokosuka Ku). The second line comprises as many as nine Suisei fighters (Judy), that is, Yokosuka D4Y2-S models modified in the 1st Naval Arsenal in Yokosuka. Near the top center is one of the C6N1-S Saiun night fighters (Myrt) that I recently discussed. At the end of the row are three converted Ginga aircraft, likely two P1Y2-S Kyokko and one P1Y1-S Byakko. The 1st Naval Arsenal and the Kugisho workshops jointly undertook the conversion of Ginga bombers into night fighters.
Several units flew night Gekkos and Suiseis. Some modified Gingas appeared within Yokosuka Ku ranks. However, only one IJNAF unit operated the full range of this collection, especially the Saiun fighters. So, there’s no doubt these are 302 Kokutai aircraft, marked with “YoD-xxx” codes.
Location
The solid concrete runway and expansive parking areas signify one of the larger, well-equipped bases. During its nearly 1.5-year history, 302 Ku was stationed at three similar locations: 1) Kisarazu, where it was initially established; 2) Yokosuka, where it was physically formed and where it was stationed for some time; and 3) Atsugi, which served as its operational “nest” until the end of the war. The full transfer to Atsugi occurred in May 1944. At that time, however, the 302nd only had one type of “night hunter,” namely, the Gekko.
So, undeniably—this is Atsugi.
Time
The first C6N1-S Saiun night fighter was test-flown between late May and early June 1945, which significantly narrows the “timeframe.” It was assigned to the unit, but a series of necessary concept adjustments meant it only became operationally viable by mid-July.
However, this period brought about a rapid change in the tactical situation, impacting 302’s fate. The end of the main Okinawa battles freed up powerful forces of American carrier aviation to destroy naval and air bases in the Tokyo area (essentially the entire eastern coastline). Even worse, Japan’s weakening air defense allowed a significant number of Iwo Jima-based P-51D Mustangs of the “Tokyo Club” to be reassigned. Until then, the P-51Ds had focused on escorting B-29 raids, but now a considerable number could join strike missions. Atsugi, as one of the larger fighter bases, had to deal with constant attacks from US Navy, USMC, and USAAF aircraft. The strength of its daytime fighter component was nearly exhausted, and its night aircraft stood little chance against the hordes of Hellcats, Corsairs, and Mustangs. Thus, the unit’s commander, Commander Kozono, decided to store the few remaining daytime Raidens and Zeros in Atsugi’s powerful shelters and underground hangars, while night fighters were to operate from auxiliary airfields in Komatsu and Maebashi. Operations from these new locations began on August 1.
The reason for the mass takeoff of 302 Ku night fighters visible in the photo (and in broad daylight, no less) could only be one thing—a relocation to the mentioned airfields. This took place within the last three days of July. To be honest, I haven’t looked for further specifics in this regard, considering this “narrowing” sufficiently accurate.
In the next parts of this mini-series, I’ll strive to stick more closely to the chronology of events related to 302 Kokutai 🙂
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