Henry Sakaida's "Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-45" covers all the well-known IJAAF aces. Here an example of a fascinating story: "Maj Yohei Hinoki, flying a Ki-100-I-Otsu of the Akeno Fighter School, scores a direct hit on the P-51D flown by Capt John W Benbow of the 457th FS/506th FG over Nagoya Bay on 16 July 1945. The latter was leading the second element of Capt William B Lawrence's flight when Hinoki closed to within 20 metres of his target and delivered the fatal blow--the latter was forced to attack from such close range due to sever propeller vibration ruling our the accurate use of his gunsight. On this day, the USAAF's Seventh Fighter command sortied the 21st and 506th FGs from Iwo Jima on a long-range mission to Japan to destroy airfields in the Nagoya area. Whilst in the process of completing their attacks, the P-51 pilots ran into Japan's 'Douglas Bader'--the wooden-legged Yohei Hinoki, who commanded a unit equipped with a dozen deadly Ki-100s. Hinoki had lost his leg after sustaining serious wounds during an engagement with a P-51A Mustang flown by future ace 2Lt Robert Mulhollem of the 530th FS/311th FG over Burma on 27 Novermber 1943. The Japanese ace finally exacted a measure of revenge for the loss of his leg by downing Capt Benbow (who was lost without trace), who proved to be his last victory. Hinoki ended the war with at least 12 kills" [This message has been edited by babek- (edited 24 August 2001).]
