Hello everyone!
How are you doing?
Today I would like to introduce you to the Japanese Army flight helmets.
At the time, there were traces of modifications made to suit the application and adapt to different situations.
Let's take a look at them right away!
Captain Isamu Kashiide, 4th Squadron, Flying Corps.
Captain Isamu Kashiide gained fame for shooting down the most B-29's. In the spring of 1940, he was transferred to Tachiarai and assigned to No.4 Squadron.
Just before the outbreak of war, he temporarily moved to Taiwan and flew air defence missions, but did not participate in the Philippine Air Battle, returning to the mainland and engaging in air defence training with Kawasaki Ki-45 at Ozuki Air Base. He was promoted to Captain in June 1945.
As soon as the B-29s based in China began to attack, the 4th Squadron was sent out to intercept them one after another, and the 37 mm gun's power and successes made the Ozuki Squadron famous, with Lieutenant Kashiide's performance particularly remarkable.
He was commended by the commander of the Western Army for his "fierce fighting spirit and excellent warfare skills" and was awarded the Bu-Kou insignia.
The 4th Squadron in formation at Ozuki Air Base.
Kawasaki Ki-45 flown by Lt Isamu Kashiide.
Reproduction of Lt Kashiide's flight helmet.
Look closely at the ears.
The receiver and Gosport (ear tube) are set together.
It is surprising that the communicator and Gosport were used in this way.
Sergeant Tatsuo Morimoto, who serves in the same unit as Captain Kashiide, also wears a Gosport (ear tube) and receiver in one ear. The position of the installation seems to be upside down.
Next is Lieutenant Kazuo Demaru, commander of the Army Special Attack Force "Yasukuni Corps".
A Ki-43, piloted by Lieutenant Kazuo Demaru, commander of the 'Yasukuni Corps', takes off from No. 2 Squadron (Gyeongseong, Korea) on 9 November 1944, bound for Tachikawa Arsenal.
Note the ear cups.
What an interesting way of attaching the receiver.
Let's try to reproduce it right away!
Reproduced flight helmet of Lt. Demaru.
The receiver is attached from the backside of the ear cup (circular with a diameter of approximately 5 cm), the lower end of the ear cup is cut and the receiver cord is passed through there.
The ear cups and receiver are exactly the same size.
Unlike Lt Demaru, the other crew members had a large hole drilled through the centre of the ear cup and the receiver fitted into it.
Next, Corporal Yukio Araki（17 years old）, 72nd Shinbu-Tai (centre of photo).
Boy airmen holding and smiling at a puppy before a special attack sortie.
Pilots of the 72nd Shinbu-Tai, a special attack unit equipped with Mitsubishi Ki-51s, during the Battle of Okinawa on 26 May 1945. On the following day, 27 May, the 72nd under the command of Lt. Mutsuo Sato, the squadron's commander, launched a sortie from Banze Army Airfield and entered the Destroyer USS Braine 50 km off the coast of Okinawa, achieving certain results in the form of heavy damage and flames.
Mitsubishi Ki-51
All of the members appear to be wearing late-war, Showa 18 and 19 (1944, 45) pattern flight helmets with receivers built-in.Corporal Yukio Araki's flight helmet, in the centre of the photo, has a Gosport (ear tube) in the left ear and a receiver in the right ear.
Reproduction of Corporal Araki's flight helmet.
Every time I make a discovery like this, I am reminded of the fact that it is only under difficult circumstances that one's imagination can be developed.
That's all for today.
See you again.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
ry.oide@nifty.com