Comments on: Hiroyoshi Nishizawa: Japan's World War II Ace of Aces http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:36:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Is There A Book That You Want To Read But It Doesn't Exist? http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-780146 Is There A Book That You Want To Read But It Doesn't Exist? Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:32:47 +0000 #comment-780146 [...] You Want To Read But It Doesn't Exist? For Poppy; A short snippet of Japanese pilot report; Hiroyoshi Nishizawa: Japan's World War II Ace of Aces Many leading fighter pilots of World War II, such as Germany's Erich Hartmann, Russia's Ivan [...] [...] You Want To Read But It Doesn't Exist? For Poppy; A short snippet of Japanese pilot report; Hiroyoshi Nishizawa: Japan's World War II Ace of Aces Many leading fighter pilots of World War II, such as Germany's Erich Hartmann, Russia's Ivan [...]

]]> By: john cruz http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-498837 john cruz Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:46:12 +0000 #comment-498837 I like your discussion regarding the Ace!! I like your discussion regarding the Ace!!

]]> By: Roger Bohn http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-409563 Roger Bohn Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:48:59 +0000 #comment-409563 Gian Piero Milanetti, One of the WW II Allied memoirs I read recently mentioned the Macchi 205. Pilots were told "you can outfly any other Italian plane, but the 205s will shoot you down. Fortunately, there are not many of them." Soon after, the author ran into a 205 and sure enough he had to retreat fast. Gian Piero Milanetti, One of the WW II Allied memoirs I read recently mentioned the Macchi 205. Pilots were told "you can outfly any other Italian plane, but the 205s will shoot you down. Fortunately, there are not many of them."

Soon after, the author ran into a 205 and sure enough he had to retreat fast.

]]> By: Cyrus http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-340803 Cyrus Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:43:31 +0000 #comment-340803 I believe, Nishizawa & Sakai could have not downed as many U.S planes as they did, if it were the Hellcats they fought against. The best fighters the U.S had was the Hellcat s which was operational after Nishizawa & Sakai had already downed a lot of less manueverable U.S planes in the early stage of the war. Over-all, I believe the kill-ratio was very much in favor of the US pilots. As per records shows: Japanese lost 5,163 planes (56% of all Naval/Marine air victories of the war) at a cost of 270 Hellcats. It was almost a mismatch. The Aces of course were the exception, as they really have the penchant for one on one dogfight which was not really much of the U.S techniques, although the U.S also produces aces which had only half of Nishizawa's claim… I believe, Nishizawa & Sakai could have not downed as many U.S planes as they did, if it were the Hellcats they fought against. The best fighters the U.S had was the Hellcat s which was operational after Nishizawa & Sakai had already downed a lot of less manueverable U.S planes in the early stage of the war. Over-all, I believe the kill-ratio was very much in favor of the US pilots. As per records shows: Japanese lost 5,163 planes (56% of all Naval/Marine air victories of the war) at a cost of 270 Hellcats. It was almost a mismatch. The Aces of course were the exception, as they really have the penchant for one on one dogfight which was not really much of the U.S techniques, although the U.S also produces aces which had only half of Nishizawa's claim…

]]> By: Giacomo Bagarella http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-316174 Giacomo Bagarella Sat, 07 Aug 2010 11:28:50 +0000 #comment-316174 Gian Piero: grazie delle informazioni, appena posso cerchero' il tuo libro e ti faro' sapere. Purtroppo il mio nonno e scomparso poco dopo la guerra, e io so poco o niente delle sue esperienze, e in questo non ti posso aiutare. Mi dispiace, ma spero che tu riesca a trovare qualcun'altro che ti possa far avere informazioni utili :) Gian Piero:
grazie delle informazioni, appena posso cerchero' il tuo libro e ti faro' sapere.
Purtroppo il mio nonno e scomparso poco dopo la guerra, e io so poco o niente delle sue esperienze, e in questo non ti posso aiutare. Mi dispiace, ma spero che tu riesca a trovare qualcun'altro che ti possa far avere informazioni utili :)

]]> By: Gian Piero Milanetti http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-287490 Gian Piero Milanetti Sat, 29 May 2010 16:19:44 +0000 #comment-287490 Giacomo, scusa, leggo solo ora il tuo "Comment"! Il libro che ho scritto ha il titolo provvisorio di "Pilota di guerra"... lo stanno valutando diversi autori... alcuni lo hanno già valutato: Dicono: "Bello! COn qualche correzione sarebbe ancora più bello! Ma in Italia i libri di aviazione non vendono!" Speriamo che si sbaglino: Proprio adesso sta uscendo - giugno 2010 - un libro di racconti di aviazione tra cui ce ne è uno mio. Si intitola "Bomba a bordo e altri racconti", l'editore è Ibn (Aviolibri) di Roma. AA.VV. (Autori vari) . Mi farebbe piacere, ovvio, che lo leggessi e mi dicessi che ne pensi! Come mi farebber piacere sentire le storie di chi si è fatto la guerra d'Africa in carro armato!! Volevo scrivere un romanzo su un carrista! Fammi sapere!! SORRY FOR THE WRITING IN ITALIAN!! Please, le me just say that: I am one of the contributors of aviation in wikipedia, English and Italian versions. Please, have a look to the pages of celebrated aces like "Marmaduke" Pattle or George Beurling that I jhelped to write... the overclaims from RAF side was impressing!! The celebrated "Buzz" Beurling in one day of the summer 1942 reported - and was credit for them - to have disintegrated several Germans planes whem the Luftwaffe that day did not loose any plane!! About Pattle let me remember that one day of the beginning of 1941 - it was 27 February. if I remember well - he (and his squadron) claimed 7 FIAT C.R. 42 - and several other pnales - shot down, when, actually, "Regia Aeronautica" lost only one! But the pilots were credited for all their claims and some days later, King George V - I hope to remember well his name - awarded them for that brilliant victory!!! You can comment it as You like!! And this is only one thing... how many people knows that in summer 1943 RAF Spitfires flew at top tree height over the roofs of Rome, strafing the civilian population? History is a bitch, and Allied had more money than the Axis nations... Regards from Rome Gian Piero Milanetti Giacomo, scusa, leggo solo ora il tuo "Comment"! Il libro che ho scritto ha il titolo provvisorio di "Pilota di guerra"… lo stanno valutando diversi autori… alcuni lo hanno già valutato: Dicono: "Bello! COn qualche correzione sarebbe ancora più bello! Ma in Italia i libri di aviazione non vendono!" Speriamo che si sbaglino: Proprio adesso sta uscendo – giugno 2010 – un libro di racconti di aviazione tra cui ce ne è uno mio. Si intitola "Bomba a bordo e altri racconti", l'editore è Ibn (Aviolibri) di Roma. AA.VV. (Autori vari) . Mi farebbe piacere, ovvio, che lo leggessi e mi dicessi che ne pensi! Come mi farebber piacere sentire le storie di chi si è fatto la guerra d'Africa in carro armato!! Volevo scrivere un romanzo su un carrista! Fammi sapere!!
SORRY FOR THE WRITING IN ITALIAN!! Please, le me just say that: I am one of the contributors of aviation in wikipedia, English and Italian versions. Please, have a look to the pages of celebrated aces like "Marmaduke" Pattle or George Beurling that I jhelped to write… the overclaims from RAF side was impressing!! The celebrated "Buzz" Beurling in one day of the summer 1942 reported – and was credit for them – to have disintegrated several Germans planes whem the Luftwaffe that day did not loose any plane!! About Pattle let me remember that one day of the beginning of 1941 – it was 27 February. if I remember well – he (and his squadron) claimed 7 FIAT C.R. 42 – and several other pnales – shot down, when, actually, "Regia Aeronautica" lost only one! But the pilots were credited for all their claims and some days later, King George V – I hope to remember well his name – awarded them for that brilliant victory!!! You can comment it as You like!!
And this is only one thing… how many people knows that in summer 1943 RAF Spitfires flew at top tree height over the roofs of Rome, strafing the civilian population?
History is a bitch, and Allied had more money than the Axis nations…
Regards from Rome
Gian Piero Milanetti

]]> By: Gamini Akmeemana http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-212772 Gamini Akmeemana Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:43:13 +0000 #comment-212772 Well, governments decide military policy and soldiers have to follow suit. With hindsight, we can pass judgement on everyone, but should we? Not all Germans were Nazis (for example). In any case, to where could a German or Japanese 'draft dodger' escape? Watching the film 'Pianist' was a revelation to me in many ways. Let's hope people learn from history and these horrors aren't repeated ever again. Well, we are drifting away from our main theme, Japanese air aces in the Pacific War. In this, as in other theatres, both sides killed randomly. I read in Wikipedia that, soon after a Rabaul-based Japanese fighter strafed the crew of a downed B-17 bomber, US pilots fired at every Japanese survivor following a naval battle. Arguing about atrocities isn't going to get anyone anywhere. The thing is to forgive but not forget, so that they won't be repeated. None of the above detracts from the bravery and achievements of Japanese pilots such as Nishizawa. It must have taken a lot of guts to go up there, day after day, in a fighter that was clearly becoming obsolete, and face superior opposition in superior numbers. Also, their tenacity and will to survive was incredible. Consider the epic flight of Saburo Sakai in his crippled Zero, blind in one eye and bleeding badly, over the Pacific back to his base. Finally, the Zero is a tribute to the creativity of a nation with resources and technology vastly inferior to the US at that time. Well, governments decide military policy and soldiers have to follow suit. With hindsight, we can pass judgement on everyone, but should we? Not all Germans were Nazis (for example). In any case, to where could a German or Japanese 'draft dodger' escape? Watching the film 'Pianist' was a revelation to me in many ways. Let's hope people learn from history and these horrors aren't repeated ever again.

Well, we are drifting away from our main theme, Japanese air aces in the Pacific War. In this, as in other theatres, both sides killed randomly. I read in Wikipedia that, soon after a Rabaul-based Japanese fighter strafed the crew of a downed B-17 bomber, US pilots fired at every Japanese survivor following a naval battle.

Arguing about atrocities isn't going to get anyone anywhere. The thing is to forgive but not forget, so that they won't be repeated. None of the above detracts from the bravery and achievements of Japanese pilots such as Nishizawa. It must have taken a lot of guts to go up there, day after day, in a fighter that was clearly becoming obsolete, and face superior opposition in superior numbers. Also, their tenacity and will to survive was incredible. Consider the epic flight of Saburo Sakai in his crippled Zero, blind in one eye and bleeding badly, over the Pacific back to his base.
Finally, the Zero is a tribute to the creativity of a nation with resources and technology vastly inferior to the US at that time.

]]> By: Greg http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-206585 Greg Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:04:26 +0000 #comment-206585 Lets not forget the rape of nanking, batan death march, korean comfort girls for the japanese soldiers pleasure. Medical and biological warfare experiements on civillians in china, etc.. These men fought for an Evil empire and deserved everything they got. Lets not forget the rape of nanking, batan death march, korean comfort girls for the japanese soldiers pleasure. Medical and biological warfare experiements on civillians in china, etc..

These men fought for an Evil empire and deserved everything they got.

]]> By: Gamini Akmeemana http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-191149 Gamini Akmeemana Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:43:41 +0000 #comment-191149 I am a Sri Lankan history and aviation buff and am delighted to find so much interest today about Japanese fighter aces and the Zero fighter. I have always admired pilots such as Sakai and Nishizawa. I don't admire what Japanese forces did on land, but the air war is another matter. There are stories that Japanese pilots were required to shoot Allied pilots who baled out. I don't know if this is true but I don't believe aces such as Nishizawa did this, as they were men of honour. In any case, being sent to battle isn't a matter of choice for most people. Countries go to war and their citizens are required to fight. The Pacific air war, with its furious dogfights over picturesque atolls, has always captured my imagination. The Mitsubishi Zero was a lovely fighter and had great pilots like Nishizawa to fly it. I wish somebody would film this story. I am a Sri Lankan history and aviation buff and am delighted to find so much interest today about Japanese fighter aces and the Zero fighter. I have always admired pilots such as Sakai and Nishizawa. I don't admire what Japanese forces did on land, but the air war is another matter. There are stories that Japanese pilots were required to shoot Allied pilots who baled out. I don't know if this is true but I don't believe aces such as Nishizawa did this, as they were men of honour.

In any case, being sent to battle isn't a matter of choice for most people. Countries go to war and their citizens are required to fight. The Pacific air war, with its furious dogfights over picturesque atolls, has always captured my imagination. The Mitsubishi Zero was a lovely fighter and had great pilots like Nishizawa to fly it. I wish somebody would film this story.

]]> By: Terrence Flynn http://www.historynet.com/hiroyoshi-nishizawa-japans-world-war-ii-ace-of-aces.htm#comment-98234 Terrence Flynn Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:17:32 +0000 #comment-98234 The upsetting part of this story is that the Western media has watered down his kills to 'around' 86. The figure of 272 is the correct one. He was usuaklly the only plane left to return on many missions from late 1942 and on. Figuring his life was over, he just never counted. The upsetting part of this story is that the Western media has watered down his kills to 'around' 86. The figure of 272 is the correct one.

He was usuaklly the only plane left to return on many missions from late 1942 and on. Figuring his life was over, he just never counted.

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