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fighter was recovered from the Bungo
Channel in shallow water some 200 m (220 yd) from shore. Among the fishermen who helped bring the aircraft to the surface were ones who had witnessed it falling into the water on 24 July 1945. The wrecked aircraft showed no bullet holes and provided no
348:, thrusting and attacking with a fighter aircraft rather than a sword. Muto's wife read these triumphant reports while recovering from the birth of their daughter. The story of Muto flying alone was the one related by Genda to Norman Polmar, U.S. Navy historian, and to
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Japanese military officials gave Muto credit for 35 aerial victories at the time of his death. Sakai wrote in 1957 that this figure included four B-29s, which were very difficult to shoot down. After the war, Muto was credited with 28 victories by
31:
340:, newspaper reporters wrote about Muto alone, ignoring the others in his flight. Muto was said to have fought a dozen Hellcats alone, shooting down four and chasing the others away. They compared him to the legendary
434:. It was restored for display and placed in an exhibit at a nearby museum in Shikoku. No evidence is available to identify which 343rd Air Group pilot flew the fighter, so the museum honors all six of the
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329:. The Americans were well-trained but this was their first combat, and the Japanese veteran pilots shot down four without loss to themselves. Two of the Americans were killed in action and two were taken
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with five victories. For his distinguished service, he was honored with an official commendation on 30 April 1938. Among his fellow pilots he was well-liked for his good sense of humor.
109:
721:
401:, Muto and other pilots scrambled to attack a larger group of American fighters which turned out to be Hellcats from VF-49, part of Task Force 38 supporting the
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On 16 February 1945, Muto and at least nine fellow airmen scrambled to meet an incoming flight of enemy fighters. The
Japanese fighters were a mixed group of
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he applied for flight training to advance his career. In July 1936 he graduated as a naval aviator and was assigned to the Omura Air Group.
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232:, Japanese forces attacked the Philippines. On 8 December 1941 Muto, flying with the 3rd Air Group, took part in the attacks on
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Muto continued to serve in combat, defending Japan against
American forces such as in March 1945 when aircraft from
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attacks. Muto has also been identified as a tactics instructor with the
Yokosuka Air Group, based at
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s such as the one Muto flew. The latter two types were heavily armed, each carrying four 20 mm
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187:. Muto grew to a height of 1.6 metres (5 ft 3 in) —short in stature—and enlisted in the
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flying with the 12th Air Group. He earned his first air victory on 4 December 1937 during the
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374:. In June he was posted to the 343rd Air Group, 301st Squadron commanded by veteran ace
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in June 1935 when he was 19. After serving for a brief period aboard the destroyer
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566:
Aircraft
Carriers: A History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence On World Events
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In
December 1944, Muto was posted to the Japanese Home Islands to join Captain
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pilots who lost their lives that day, including Muto and
Oshibuchi.
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Kaneyoshi Muto was born to a humble farming family in June 1916 in
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405:. Greatly outnumbered, Muto was shot down and never seen again.
212:. Muto continued fighting in China, flying many sorties over
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Okumiya, Masatake; Horikoshi, Jiro; Caidin, Martin (1957).
569:. Vol. 1. Washington DC: Potomac Books. p. 1050.
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Zero!: the story of the
Japanese Navy Air Force, 1937–1945
662:. United States Air Force Air War College. Archived from
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to eliminate the immediate threat of
American air power.
727:
Imperial
Japanese Navy personnel killed in World War II
545:Sakai, Saburō; Saito, Fred; Caidin, Martin (1957).
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62:
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624:"History of the 343rd Kokutai during World War II"
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336:After the squadron of Japanese pilots landed at
478:Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942–1945
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524:. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 93–94.
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654:Bowers, Al; Lednicer, David (17 May 1999).
285:in early 1945. There, Muto flew a powerful
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722:Military personnel from Aichi Prefecture
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626:. 343rd Kōkūtai, Imperial Japanese Navy
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243:Muto fought further air battles in the
422:researchers studying battle records.
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522:Imperial Japanese Navy Aces, 1937-45
430:other clue as to what caused it to
702:Aviators killed by being shot down
259:through mid-1944 on the island of
175:called him "a genius in the air."
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707:Japanese World War II flying aces
323:flying from the aircraft carrier
316:. The enemy was a group of seven
163:was a Japanese naval aviator and
208:when he shot down a Soviet-made
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717:Imperial Japanese Navy officers
482:. Simon and Schuster. p.
1:
167:known for his great skill in
603:. Cassell. pp. 313–314.
161:, June 1916 – 24 July 1945)
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397:On 24 July 1945, over the
385:A recovered and preserved
656:"Fighter Pilot Aces List"
474:Tillman, Barrett (2010).
283:Naval Air Facility Atsugi
279:Boeing B-29 Superfortress
277:formed to defend against
151:
28:
393:, possibly flown by Muto
360:, who co-wrote the book
179:Second Sino-Japanese War
123:Second Sino-Japanese War
712:Japanese naval aviators
563:Polmar, Norman (2006).
520:Sakaida, Henry (1998).
549:. Dutton. p. 352.
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255:. He fought alongside
230:attack on Pearl Harbor
189:Imperial Japanese Navy
92:Imperial Japanese Navy
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98:Years of service
613:Sakaida, 1998, p. 89
589:Polmar, 2006, p. 464
321:Grumman F6F Hellcats
298:Mitsubishi A6M Zeros
644:Sakai, 1957, p. 361
16:Japanese flying ace
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493:978-1-4165-8440-7
407:Takashi Oshibuchi
206:Battle of Nanking
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425:In the 1970s, a
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346:Miyamoto Musashi
308:, and Kawanishi
228:Parallel to the
185:Aichi Prefecture
169:fighter aircraft
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660:Air University
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420:U.S. Air Force
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354:Jiro Horikoshi
314:Type 99 cannon
238:Clark Airfield
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158:Mutō Kaneyoshi
146:Kaneyoshi Muto
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70:(aged 29)
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23:Kaneyoshi Muto
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387:Kawanishi N1K
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368:Task Force 58
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358:Martin Caidin
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216:to become an
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171:. Fellow ace
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73:Bungo Channel
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668:. Retrieved
664:the original
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628:. Retrieved
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376:Naoshi Kanno
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268:Minoru Genda
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257:Saburō Sakai
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234:Iba Airfield
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202:war in China
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173:Saburō Sakai
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128:World War II
116:Battles/wars
68:(1945-07-24)
66:24 July 1945
697:1945 deaths
692:1916 births
670:23 December
630:23 December
224:Pacific War
133:Pacific War
38:Nickname(s)
686:Categories
442:References
370:flew over
344:swordsman
326:Bennington
253:New Guinea
165:flying ace
80:Allegiance
318:U.S. Navy
251:, and in
247:, in the
53:June 1916
547:Samurai!
338:Yokosuka
261:Iwo Jima
245:Java Sea
372:Shikoku
342:Samurai
274:Kōkūtai
270:in his
194:Uranami
101:1935–45
75:, Japan
58:, Japan
43:Musashi
573:
528:
490:
436:Shiden
427:Shiden
413:Legacy
391:Shiden
310:Shiden
304:Raiden
291:Shiden
272:343rd
214:Hankou
110:Ensign
89:
432:ditch
362:Zero!
152:武藤 金義
41:"Sky
672:2011
632:2011
571:ISBN
526:ISBN
488:ISBN
356:and
302:J2M
236:and
106:Rank
63:Died
50:Born
484:117
389:-J
289:-J
218:ace
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450:^
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634:.
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149:(
45:"
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