BI-230 was flown by a wingman. Crew unknown. On December 7, 1941, hikotaicho Lt. Cmdr. Egusa (first squadron)
and Lt. Masai Ikeda (second squadron) were leaders of Soryu's dive bombers force with 18 Aichi D3A1, divided in
6 shotai (3 planes unit): 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th. One D3A1 failed right after launching and returned
to carrier Soryu. These 17 Val attacked USS California, USS Dobbin, USS Pennsylvania and Navy Yard (USS New Orleans,
USS Cassin and USS Downes). Two Soryu's D3A1 were shot down during the attack.
INFO CREDIT: David Aiken +
http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Pacific/OOB_WWII_Pearl_Harbor.htm + book Pearl Harbor, 1941, by Carl Smith, Osprey publishing .
BI-231 was flown by a Hikotaicho. The crew were Lt. Cmdr Takashige Egusa and PO Tatsu Ishi. Lt. Cmdr. Egusa
led the second attack wave's D3A1s. According to the research of H. Yoshimura and M. Asano, in 1941, Lt Cmdr Egusa
had two different D3A aircraft which were garishly painted. Both had unique schemes. The wild scheme in this profile is called
"Jaja Uma" [and "Akatora"] and was used on 7 Dec 1941. The other D3A1 was also cited by Kunio Kosemoto, a Soryu pilot,
in his autobiography Kanbaku Ichidai (Tokyo: Konnichi no Wadai-sha) as used both pre-war and in the French
Indochina combat. "Tora Moyo" has a green scheme seen in many plastic model kits. Japanese "Kodochosho"
(combat reports) from Soryu reveal that Lt Comdr Egusa initiated renewed attack in the harbor area with his own
bomb drop on USS New Orleans at 0902. Hiryu, Akagi and then Kaga units follow in about five minute intervals.
INFO CREDIT: Mr. David Aiken via
http://www.pearlharborattacked.com
Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa photo #1
Lt. Cmdr. Egusa (1910-1944) was a student at Etajima Naval Academy (class of 1930). He became a naval flyer
specializing in the dangerous task of precision dive-bombing and the major part he played in the development
of this arm of the Navy. His combat experiences in China in the 1930's are followed, and the careful and intense
planning he brought to the assigned task of the dive bomber force. Egusa’s victories became legendary and
his leadership inspirational, accuracy and bravery give him the title “god of dive-bombing".
BI-231 - Egusa's plane?
Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa led second wave dive-bomber force against Pearl Harbor. Calmly circling his special
flame-red Aichi dive bomber before selecting his target. Frustrated by the absence of aircraft carriers at Pearl Harbor,
Egusa's elite nonetheless made their mark, not only at that battle but in many more in the months that followed:
assaults on the deadly gun batteries of Wake Island, air support for the invasion of Ambon, the bombing of Port Darwin
and the raid at Indian Ocean. Badly burned at Midway, Egusa return to duty, only to be killed on his final mission in the
western Mariana, on June 15th, 1944. He was promoted to Captain with the honor of the most prominent citation for his various contributions to IJN since 1937. This aviation art is wrong because Egusa's plane attacked Navy Yard and NOT Wheeler field.
This illustrated D3A1's paint scheme wasn't used at Pearl Harbor, but of his OTHER D3A used in the Indian Ocean action.
BI-235 was flown by a wingman.
BI-239 was flown by a wingman. Crew unknown.
BI-240 was flown by a wingman. F1c Kunio Kosemoto (pilot).
"Another D3A1 crash in harbor" photo #1
Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941. The wreckage of a crashed Japanese plane. Official Navy Photograph # B-23582
Burnign right wing photo #1
The famous 'burning right wing' Aichi D3A1 VAL photo was taken by one photographer that was on Ford Island
south east side near USS Avocet... the last harbor area crash.
INFO CREDIT: Mr. David Aiken, Pearl Harbor historian.
Burning right wing photo # 2
BI-259 was flown by a wingman. Crew unknown.
BI-263 was flown by a wingman. PO2c Takeo Yamazaki (pilot).
D3A1 hit by Anti-Aircraft-Fire photo #1.
BI-264 was flown by a wingman. PO1c Norio Nakagawa (pilot).
BI-267 was flown by a buntaicho. Lt. Masai Ikeda (pilot). Note two yellow horizontal stripes.
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