Corgi 1/72 Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2-21 Zero Kasamigaura Flying Group 1943 WW2 (AA33104)

Corgi 1/72 Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2-21 Zero Kasamigaura Flying Group 1943 WW2 (AA33104) | Antics Online

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Corgi 1/72 Japanese Mitsubishi A6M2-21 Zero Kasamigaura Flying Group 1943 WW2 (AA33104)
Die-cast model of the Mitsubishi Zero trainer version, typical of the aircraft used at Kasumigaura around 1943 and in colours often seen at this school, including the lower surface colour of Trainer Orange. Finely cast lines mark the panels, hatches and syrfaces of the wings and fuselage, while optional deployed or retracted landing gear parts are supplied.

In the Imperial Japanese Navy practice in aviation was given in training Naval Air Groups (NAGs) all over Japan. Edicts on training NAGs became effective in 1930 and the IJN raised many training NAGs, but named these NAGs after location of their home base. In 1944 the IJN gave three-digit numbers to operational NAGs and left other NAGs, those for training and airfield keeping, unchanged. In the last days they ordered training NAGs to join in operation, namely Kamikaze attacks by young trainees, but basically an NAG named after a location at the end of war was a training NAG, a team of about 1,800 staff of flying and ground crewmen and instructors for training.
In 1930 the IJN started a brand new flying crew traing program, yokaren. This word is used as if it was the name of a school, but in fact this system was an amalgam of various programs for rapid trainingof aviation crews. This program was for boys aged 15 to 17. Trainees were educated in a three-year preliminary course, followed by one year of flying training. They bacame corporals (third class flying sergeants) at the age of 18; it was the fastest way to become an NCO, which made this program popular among ambitious boys. They could not be promoted to Navy Commander or higher because they were not graduates of the Navy war school. After the first class the course was shortened because pilots were needed on the China front. This course began at Yokosuka NAG, but soon staff were transferred to Kasumigaura NAG (Ibaraki prefecture), a training NAG. Due to the rapid expansion of this program the IJN raised a new training NAG in the neighboring area of Kasumigaura NAG facilities, Tsuchiura NAG. Tsuchiura and Kasumigaura were often referred to as the place "the yokaren" originated, but in fact more and more training NAGs all over Japan were involved in this program after 1942. Because of rapid expansion near the end of the war the number of trainees of the yokaren system was 241,463, of which only aboput 24,000 finished the course. 18,900 men were killed in action or training, including 2,534 in kamikaze attacks.

> Corgi Aviation Archive > World War II, Fighters