Junkers Ju 86 Z Werknummer 086 0952 was built in1937 in Dessau, Germany and registered as D-AGEY. During March 1937, over a three-week period, it was piloted by Hans Kommoll on a ferry flight from Germany to Australia. Just before landing, an engine failed resulting in it swinging off the runway. It took about five weeks before a replacement engine arrived from Germany by sea.
On May 14, 1937 it was registered in Australia as VH-UYA and named “Lawrence Hargrave” for the British-born Australian engineer, explorer, astronomer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer. This aircraft was acquired by Sydney wool broker, H. Beinssen in exchange for £23,000 worth of Australian wool being shipped to Germany.
Placed on charter to Airlines of Australia Ltd. it was hoped that the diesel engines would prove more economical to operate than other aircraft. However, engine reliability problems resulted in the operator cancelling the lease. The aircraft was shipped back Germany in August where it became D-AREY.
Junkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence HargreavesJunkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence Hargreaves still with German markingsJunkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence Hargreaves still with German markingsJunkers Ju 86Z-2 Lawrence Hargrave in Australia 1937Junkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence HargreavesJunkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence Hargreaves with Australian registrationJunkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence HargreavesJunkers Ju 86 Z Lawrence Hargreaves undergoing engine maintenance
Laid down on the 17th of March 1912 and launched on the 1st of December 1913, Kirishima was the third of the four-ship Kongō-class battlecruisers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her three sisters were Kongō, Hiei and Haruna. Commissioned into the fleet on the 19th of April 1915, she saw no action during the First World War, although she undertook patrols off the Chinese coast.
In 1927 Kirishima underwent a reconstruction to transform her into a battleship. Additional armour was added and her speed increased. In 1934 a more extensive reconstruction was undertaken, with her superstructure completely rebuilt, aircraft facilities added and her machinery upgraded. She was redesignated a fast battleship and primarily used to escort Japan’s fast aircraft carriers.
During the Second World War, she provided support for the invasion of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and in the Indian Ocean raid of April 1942. During the Battle of Midway, she provided escort to Nagumo’s four carriers, before redeploying to the Solomon Islands during the Battle of Guadalcanal. She escorted Japanese carrier fleets during the battles of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz Islands, before sailing as part of a bombardment force under Admiral Nobutake Kondō during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
On the evening of 13 November 1942, Kirishima engaged American cruisers and destroyers alongside her sister ship Hiei. On the night of 14/15 November, in one of only two battleship duels of the Pacific War, Kirishima attacked and damaged the American battleship USS South Dakota before being fatally crippled in turn by the battleship USS Washington. Kirishima capsized and sank in the early morning on 15 November 1942 in Ironbottom Sound taking 212 of her crew with her.
Kirishima under constructionKirishima is launched from the Mitsubishi shipyard’s Ichi-pan-dai construction slip at Nagasaki, Japan on December 1, 1913Kirishima at Sasebo, 1915Kirishima 4 May 1922 back side of bridge and original tripod mastKirishima in 1925Kirishima June 1927Kirishima Jan 1931Kirishima near Beppu, Kyushu, Japan in mid-October 1932Kirishima’s E4N2 floatplane mid 1930sKirishima in the mid 1930sKirishima seen in the 1930sKirishima May 1937Kirishima seen in Sukumo Bay, Japan in 1937 Kirishima seen in Sukumo Bay, Japan in 1937Kirishima off Amoy, China, on 21 October 1938Kirishima Oct 21 1938Kirishima Oct 21 1938Kirishima midships section 1940Kirishima April 27 1939Kirishima and Akagi at Sukumo Bay 1939Kirishima Kure 1940
Developed from the Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden, the N1K2-J addressed the major defects present in its predecessor, primarily the mid-mounted wing and long landing gear. The wing was lowered, thereby shortening the landing gear, while the fuselage was lengthened and the tail unit redesigned. The design changes resulted in a lightening of the fighter by 250 kg.
Despite its continued reliability issues, the Homare engine was retained as there was no alternative available. Armament was maintained at four 20mm cannon all located in the wings. First flying on 1 January 1944, it was named Shiden-Kai (kai meaning modified), while the Allies maintained the code-name George.
A total of 406 Kawanishi K1N2-J Shiden-Kai fighters were built.
Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai343 Kōkūtai Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai in flight, LT Kanno’s aircraft is to the left.Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-KaiKawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai
Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai in US Markings
Captured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-KaiCaptured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai in US MarkingsCaptured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai in US MarkingsCaptured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai in US MarkingsCaptured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-KaiCaptured Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai
