Schuck explained to me through an interpreter that "attacking the huge American bomber formations even in the two sixty two was dangerous since the closing speeds were so great attacking head-on. Once we attacked it was unavoidable being separated from the Staffel and even your wingman. So great was the confusion that probable victories could not be confirmed due to the large distance required to turn and re-acquire one crippled plane out of others in the pack. If there were Mustangs around it was not at all wise."

The thing that really surprised me was his casual statement, "In the madness of it all I figure that I have nearly thirty airplanes shot down that could not be confirmed."

We all know that single firing pass tactics were often used by American pilots against the Japanese in less-than-nimble fighters. But Japanese Navy and Army pilots did the same when the situation presented itself.

FIRST KILL

Yasuo Kuwahara was in Kamikaze training. Led by Army Lt. Jiro Shimada, Kuwahara was one of five Ki 43 Hayabusa (Perigrine Falcon) IIbs flying at 12,000 feet in November 1944 near Kure. Shimada spotted a several large formations of Hellcats below them heading toward their base at Hiro. Kuwahara could not believe that the Lieutenant was nosing over to attack with four green pilots!

Training had instilled automatic functions- adjust oxygen mask, check guns, drop the gas tank. The Hayabusa, code named "Oscar" by the Allies, surged with power as he opened the throttle and clung Shimada's plane. It was paramount Japanese pilot doctrine to follow the leader at all costs.

Kuwahara realized that Shimada was planning a hit and run attack against the rear of the last formation. The F6Fs were changing from "sesame seeds to fighters with men inside. Shimada's guns rattled and orange lines are reaching out from him to the enemy," Yasuo recalled. The Ki 43 mounted two 12.7-mm machine guns with 250 r.p.g. in the fuselage cowl that sustained sixteen and a half total seconds of fire compared to the Grumman's six .50s with 400 r.p.g. They had triple the armament and double the firing time.

Remembering to fire, Kuwahara snapped out wild bursts as well. So much was happening so fast he did not know if the Hellcat he saw rolling was hit by him or whether it was an evasive maneuver. Then he realized it was Shimada's victim. "It was vomiting black smoke, and flames were flapping along the fuselage. Fascinated, I watched it going down."

The hit and run tactic was not going to work with the heavier Grummans closing on them. Dutifully all the Ki 43s had held formation and now Lt. Shimada pulled one of those classic "whoa, I can't believe he turned that tight" maneuvers to the left. Some F6Fs were thrown off but three began firing. And holes appeared in the Hayabusa. But Shimada was not finished. He led Kuwahara through a tight roll that put them behind the terrifying Hellcats.

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"I had him in my sights. I squeezed off a burst. The tracers arched over the top of the rudder. Three bursts each longer than the first. The bullets were going home!" he recalled. Later Kuwahara likened the experience to a detached dream-like one with the radials roaring and the staccato of the machine guns under the beautiful blue sky "Mildly surprised, I watched the Grumman lose altitude trailing a thin wisp of smoke. Ramming my plane into a steep climb, I watch the pilot bail out." By now everyone was separated.

A final radio message came from Lt. Shimada that he was going to crash into the enemy and that the rookies should save themselves. A fireball ensued and pieces of American and Japanese airplane fell to the Pacific below.

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