JN017         “Lieut Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, Imperial Japanese Navy”

Possibly Japan’s most successful Naval aviator.  He claimed 87 enemy victories ... Some sources even claim over 100!

Early in 1942 he was flying over New Guinea before being moved to Rabauland operating against the Americans who had just landed on Guadalcanal. In his first encounter he shot down two U.S. Navy “Wildcats” ...more were to follow. By November 1942 his score stood at 40.

After a training tour back in Japan he returned to active service in mid 1943 and by 1944 was flying in the Philippines.

Sadly for him, he was shot down and killed while flying as a passenger in a transport aircraft over Mindoro Island on 26 October, 1944.