JAS
Jottings
The Quarterly Magazine of Japanese Aviation
Special interest Group of IPMS-UK
Vol. 12, No. 2 May 2006
By Jim Schubert
There’s bad news for students of Japanese aviation in this issue of Jottings. Peter Starkings, founder, editor, principal researcher/writer and general factotum is retiring at the end of 2006 after 12 years of steering this fine journal. If you believe you are qualified and want to take on the job, apply to Peter at the address given below. We enthusiasts need this journal, as it is, I believe, the only SIG left in English devoted to Japanese aviation.
This issue is 34 pages of the usual good stuff. The lead article relates
to two twin-engined heavy fighter programs: the Mitsubishi Ki. 83 for
the JAAF and the Aichi S1A1 for the JNAF. Four prototypes of the JAAF
plane flew before war’s end but were plagued by engine problems
and by Boeing B-29 bombing raids. One was test flown later by the USAAF
and shipped to the US where it disappeared.
Bombing raids destroyed all the prototype JNAF planes before any were
flown.
Other articles include:
- JNAF Twin Engine Flying Boat Evolution,
- Japanese Aero Engines, 1930-1945, Part 18 (!),
- FAOW Publications (being a listing of the series of three issues of these fine reference works),
- Nakajima Aircraft, 1919-1945 (being a listing of all models built by Nakajima in this period).
The issue includes these usual departments:
Kit Comment,
Accessories,
Book Briefing,
Magazine Miscellany,
Internet Websites,
Wanted and
The 2006 Roster of Members of the SIG