In 1939, the Naval Aviation Headquarters conceived a plan of test production a floatplane fighter, a new type beyond all precedents in the world. Regarding the presumption of landing and invading the Southern areas, the Japanese Navy intended in those days to place float planes in waterways and bays near the landing places until the completion of land air bases for the purpose of defending those under construction and occupied territories. Considering that the floatplanes may need to fight with enemy fighters in the air, these people were necessary to be pure fighters comparing favourably with enemy fighters in performance. The Navy firmly thought that adequately armed floatplanes would be able to fight on equal terms with fighters considering that Type 95 Scout Seaplanes shot down Chinese fighters as effectively as did land based fighters at the early phase of this sino-Japanese incident. In 1940, the Naval Aviation Headquarters chose to trial make floatplane fighters and ordered Kawanishi Aircraft, which was well skilled in production floatplanes, to test manufacture them under the title of 15- Shi Floatplane fighter (later called Floatplane Fighter "Kyofu"). For the time being, relations aided by the United Sates, Britain, etc. were slowly deteriorated together with risk of rushing into war together became larger daily. Due to the fact war aided by the United States and Britain could be inevitable, the Department of Operations of the military mapped out an agenda of campaign and asked for the Aviation Headquarters to straight away develop and finish floatplane fighters which, in case of incading the Southern regions, had been to take fee of atmosphere defence for advanced level bases under construction and at the same time demanded that short-term floatplane fighters is made available apart from the 15-Shi Floatplane Fighter that was then under purchase and had been likely to be delivered to fighting units as late as 1943 (36 months from then). The Naval Aviation Headquarters proposed remodelling the kind O Ship-Based Fighter Model 11 of Mitsubishi Aircraft, which exercised its power into the Chinese Continent and ended up being named an excellent airplane, into floatplane fighter. This proposal had been officially accepted at the beginning of 1941. The remodelling was to be carried out by Nakajima Aircraft that has been also responsible for the mass production regarding the Zero Fighter. Like Kawanishi Aircraft, Nakajima was well experienced inside manufacture of floatplanes. Nakajima designers including Shinobu Mitsutake, mind of Designing Department, had currently created the kind 90 and 95 scout Seaplanes of single-float type, the superiority of both having been fully recognized. Nakajima involved within the remodelling work on Koizumi Plant all the time under the leadership of Shinobu Mitsutake, then primary engineer, and young developers including Atsushi Tajima. The remodelled version had been tentatively called No.1 Suisen (A6M2-N). The remodelling work had to be made straight away, and three utilized Zero Fighters Modell 11 had been utilized and remodelled into the first experimental planes.
The design of primary float was accepted after model tests repeated during the Naval Air Technical Institute. Only about one year following the start of the plan, the first journey was effectively made at an aquatic base in Kasumigaura on 8th December 1941, i.e. the day when the Pacific War began. After energy tests had been repeated by seaplane devices of Yokosuka and Oppama, the remodelled plane was formally accepted for mass manufacturing in name of Type 2 Floatplane Fighter on 6th July, 1942. It absolutely was somewhat lowered in performance when compared with the original Zero Fighter Model 11, e.g. the utmost speed had been reduced from 534 km/h to 436 km/h and also the cruising cover anything from 2,220 km (when carrying no auxiliary gas tanks) to 1,778 kilometer. It was as the big float increased plane fat and air opposition. They Type 2 Floatplane Fighter still inherited excellent manoeuvrability through the Zero Fighter and had good taking off and landing capability and ocean kindliness. The Type 2 Floatplane Fighter ended up being a well-timed superior plane to be used the purposed of defending separated islands in the Pacific Ocean and air bases under construction before the conclusion associated with 15-Shi Floatplane Fighter that has been then being manufactured by Kawanishi. Powerfully armed with two 20 mm and two 7.7 mm device weapons, the Navy's expected brand new kind 2 Floatplane Fighter came into existence sent to isolated islands inside Southern Seas and tiny islands in north Seas in mid 1942 as soon as the Japanese were still making brilliant drives regarding the enemy. In spiete regarding the handicap proper to a floatplane, it fought desperately with big bombers and fighters associated with Allied Forces and rendered distinguished solution. Even the Americans praised the Floatplane Fighter for its powerful on an even using the Zero Fighter. Within final stage associated with war, most of floatplane fighter devices on front lost their planes and pilots, meeting with a glorious end.
Battles within the Solomon Islands
The Allies inititated a counterattack up against the Japanese in a battle for Guadalcanal Island situated during the southeast end of the Solomon Islands in South Seas. It had been clear that, in the event that Japanese had occupied Guadalcanal, an essential point regarding the communication line between your usa and Australia, and finished atmosphere bases here, the Allies would have lost the demand associated with the atmosphere from New Guinea to Australia and been brought into a crucial situation. The Japanese Navy had been constructing Lunga Field (the Americans called it Henderson Field) in Guadalcanal about 1,000km southeast of Rabaul, the important thing Japanese base for invading Australia, and Buin Field in Bougainville lying halfway between them. The atmosphere protection of Lunga Field, the Navy constructed an aquatic base at Tulagi of Florida Island near Lunga Field plus in mid June of 1942 stationed there part of the 4th Air Fleet equipped with twelve Type 2 Floatplane Fighters and some Type O Observation Seaplanes and Type O Three Seater Scout Seaplanes. (The 4th Air Fleet was 1st product to use the kind 2 Floatplane Fighter). On 7th August when the airfields were nearly completed, the Americans attacked Guadalcanal and Tulagi of Florida and occupied them in 2 days. The twelve Kind 2 Floatplane Fighters associated with 4th Air Fleet which fought to repulse the enemy attack carried a No.3 bomb under each primary wing. (The No.3 bomb is a time bomb containing little balls of yellowish phosphor. If dropped from above an enemy airplane formation, it will explode in the air and scatter the balls to shoot down a number of planes at a time. The extra weight is 30 kg). They kind 2 Floatplane Fighters dropped No.3 bombs against enemy planes traveling in formation and utilized 20 mm and 7.7 mm device weapons against those traveling separetely or scatteringly, inflicting great losings regarding the Allies. The detachment of the 4th Air Fleet, however, lost all it males and ended up being annihilated within fighting of 7th August. Japan straight away delivered army troops from Rabaul to Guadalcanal with a view to recapturing Guadalcanal. Navy planes escorted them and bombed airfields under enemy occupation. Because the exact distance from Rabaul to Guadalcanal was ab muscles limitation of Zero Fighter's cruising range, but the Zero Fighter could not make adequate assault or escort. Thus the Navy constructed an aquatic base in shortland Island lying 470 kilometer southeast of Rabaul and organized the 11th Air Flotilla comprising planes of seven seaplane tenders including the Kamikawa Maru (19 Type 2 Floatplane Fighters, 54 Type O Observation Seaplanes and 13 type O Scout seaplanes). Utilizing the wonderful shoal of Shortland as a runway, these planes became popular to attack Allied planes from airfields that have been completed after being captured by the Americans and also to escort the army reinforcements going to Guadalcanal in host to land based planes of Rabaul. From 4th september to 9th November of 1942, they repeated intense air battles 7 days a week with bombers and fighters such as the Grumman F4F over Kolombangara and Shortland isles. By 7th November, they encountered over 150 enemy planes and confirmed 17 shot down. On tenth October, Master Sergeants Kawai and Maruyama, each piloting a sort 2 Floatplane Fighter, engaged with 20 Grumman F4F's and had been killed, nonetheless they fought desperately and shot down four, certainly one of which by human anatomy cras. This fact eloquently speaks the skill and morale of Floatplane Fighter pilots. The Sort 2 Floatplane Fighter was also trusted in bombing of Guadalcanal, reconnaissance, etc. through the usage of Lekata, Santa Isabel Island as an intermediate base.
