The N1K2-J Shiden-Kai proved to be one of the best dogfighting aircraft produced by either side.
Posted on 01/07/2019 2:06:39 PM PST by Snickering Hound
Mitsubihsi made the Betty. And the Zero fighter. Both were about the only two good aircraft the Japs made.
Kermit at it again???
Looks like all they need to fly is some penetrating oil, some paint, and new ball bearings (it’s all ball bearings these days), and they’ll be ready to fly.
My guess would be New Zealand or Australia. They both have significant warbird restoration operations.
I don’t know how they do it. It would be like digging up a grave, pulling out the skeleton, making a Frankenstein, and then animating it. Almost like 90% new manufacture, 10% ghost in the shell.
It will take millions to restore one of these to flying condition, but I can just imagine of these screaming low down the line at Oshkosh, Being chased by a pair of P-38’s.
The Japs made many fine aircraft but they came too late to make a difference.
I had that discussion with a docent at the D-Day Museum in New Orleans several years ago. They were “restoring” a Higgins PT-Boat. It’s now operable and currently berthed on Lake Pontchartrain.
They were replacing all the hull planking, among other things. I asked when does “restoration” become “replica?”
He didn’t have an answer.
Definite air show desirable
The Zero, the Betty and the B5 N “Kate’’ were their really only best aircraft. In China they were using bi-planes. By the end of the war what they were making were crap and being shot out of the sky or crashed into ships.
The Zero, the Betty and the B5 N “Kate’’ were their really only best aircraft. In China they were using bi-planes. By the end of the war what they were making were crap and being shot out of the sky or crashed into ships.
The Zero, the Betty and the B5 N “Kate’’ were their really only best aircraft. In China they were using bi-planes. By the end of the war what they were making were crap and being shot out of the sky or crashed into ships.
A huge problem was engines.
For example, by 44' they only had enough gas to bench test 10% of the Homare engines coming off the line for 30 minutes that went into the Ki-84 Frank.
Very hot aircraft on paper. If you had a working engine. And experienced crews, both in short supply.
The N1K2-J Shiden-Kai proved to be one of the best dogfighting aircraft produced by either side.
A tanker truck or two of Metal Rescue might help.
They were replacing all the hull planking, among other things. I asked when does “restoration” become “replica?”
He didn’t have an answer.
It's a restoration when they keep the original data plate...:^)
The wreck of the Betty in which Yamamoto died still lies where it crashed.
Too bad the Betty’s that carried the Jap surrender delegation (white with green crosses) weren’t preserved. One later crashed, the other was incinerated. A Marine who boarded one after the Japs were flown to Manila recalled the cabin floor was strewn with official papers.
Bet he kicked himself for the rest of his life for not scooping up all he could find. Intel would have confiscated it anyway I suppose.
The Smithsonian collection had an intact Betty after the war. When Korea flared up, and the vacant Douglas Aircraft plant in Chicago that stored the collection was needed again, it was scrapped, with only the cockpit/nose section being sent east with the rest of the planes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.