Toward the end of February, Colonel Tanigawa of the Southern Army toured JAAF facilities in Thailand in order to collect observations from the unit commanders. Lt. Col. Hayashi of the 31st Sentai reported 18 light bombers in service and that the group's policy was to work in close cooperation with its fighter escort. Major Yoshioka of the 77th Sentai reported 25 fighters in service. "The 97 Fighter [Nakajim Ki-27 Nate] is inferior to the Tomahawk," he said. "The enemy's way of attacking is to use speed from high altitude, hit-and-run, and when used this way, the 97 Fighter doesn't have any possibility to win. But right now we have a larger number of fighters, so we are confident that we will not lose." Major Makino of the 50th Sentai likewise reported 25 fighters in service. He "strongly needed" more planes, and favored repetitive attacks, one after the other. "The technique of the enemy is very proficient," he concluded, "and not easy to withstand." For the 8th Sentai medium-bomber force, Colonel Honda said: "From combat experience in China we have strong confidence in attacking." He too asked for more planes.

Overall, the field commanders complained that the orders from General Obata's headquarters were too precise and detailed, that the tactical units required more freedom of action.

More furballs over Mingaladon

On February 25, 1942, the JAAF mustered every fighter plane available in the area--21 Ki-27 "Nates" from the 50th Sentai, 23 Ki-27s from the 77th Sentai, and 3 Ki-44 "Shoki" fighters of the newly arrived 47th Independent Chutai--for an attack upon Mingaladon airport outside Rangoon. As they approached, the pilots could see the smoke pall rising above the city. It was, they recalled, a "unique Burma smoke." Six AVG Tomahawks and six RAF Hurricanes took off, and the Japanese pilots "welcomed them" and began the combat at 1:30 p.m. Tokyo time. By the time it was over, the Japanese estimated that they were opposed by 20 Allied fighters. At one point, six AVGs were concentrating on the Shoki fighters, which found themselves at a disadvantage. This was a disappointment, since great things had been expected of the speedy fighters, which were essentially a Ki-43 Hayabusa fighter outfitted with a huge bomber engine.

Still, the Japanese pilots claimed a grand total of 16 certain kills--11 for the 77th Sentai, 3 for the 50th Sentai, and 2 for the 47th Independent Chutai--plus a number of probables, while suffering no losses of their own.

The mid-day furball Feb. 25 was probably the wildest event for overclaiming in the Burma campaign, for both sides. Apparently only nine Allied fighters were in the air, and that only four were actively engaged in the combat. Three AVG pilots were credited with four Japanese fighters shot down, and Tex Barrick of the RAF was credited with another. (Barrick reported that at one point he was chased and nearly shot down by a "Zero," almost certainly one of the Shokis.) Adding the claims of both sides, the fighter pilots were claiming no fewer than 21 enemy aircraft destroyed, when the actual total was zero!.

Nor was that all for the day. The Japanese fighters were back at 6:30 p.m. Tokyo time, with the twin-engined medium bombers of the 8th Sentai added to the attacking force. (The Allies recorded the time as 5 p.m.) They were met by AVG Tomahawks, as the Japanese pilots recalled; the P-40s were "happily shooting" at the bombers and their escort. This time the Japanese pilots were less optimistic. The only claim was put in by the 50th Sentai, which reported that Lt. Mihara had rammed an opponent, destroying an Allied fighter while sacrificing his own life. (This could have been a close encounter with Barry Sutton's Hurricane at low level. Sutton reported that the Ki-27 spun in, whether from the Hurricane's bullets or his own tight turn.) In addition to the lieutenant, another 50th Sentai pilot failed to return.

The AVGs, however, were even more optimistic than they had been earlier in the day, putting in claims for 21 Japanese fighters and a bomber. (One of the 8th Sentai medium bombers was indeed shot up, but it returned safely to base.) Thus the day's claims for both sides came to a grand total of 44, against actual losses of two aircraft, both of them Japanese.

On the ground, meanwhile, five Blenheims of RAF 45 Squadron were damaged or destroyed by the bombing, and a bomber pilot was killed.

Next day, February 26, the Japanese returned with twelve light bombers of the 31st Sentai, which met their fighter escort--an unknown number of fighters from the 50th and 77th sentais, plus the 47th Indepdent Chutai--over Moulmein. They attacked Hlegu (Highland Queen) at 9:20 a.m. Tokyo time. Afterward, the bombers went home to Phitsanulok while the fighters took up new quarters at fields recently wrested from the British, the 50th Sentai at the main RAF field at Moulmein, the 77th and the Shokis at Mudon dispersal field to the south. This was evidently the first they time refueled at their new forward bases.

Just as the 50th Sentai fighters were landing, they were attacked by seven "Hurricanes." The Japanese anti-aircraft crews claimed one of the enemy fighters shot down. The Allied fighters also attacked Mudon, where the 77th Sentai lost one plane destroyed on the ground, one badly damaged, and three more suffering moderate damage, and the group commander, Major Makino, was injured badly enough to be hospitalized, whether in the air or on the ground. In another account, a pilot of the 50th Sentai was trying to take off from Moulmein when his engine quit; the plane was badly damaged and the pilot badly injured, perhaps killed.

This episode is one of the most confusing in the Burma campaign, since both the AVG and the RAF reported attacking attacked the Moulmein airfields that day. Six Hurricanes attacked the main field as the 50th Sentai were landing, with the British pilots claiming five "Nates" shot down; one Hurricane was lost and its pilot captured. At about the same time, seven AVG Tomahawks strafed the 77th Sentai fighters on the ground at Mudon, claiming two destroyed before moving on to Mudon. There the Japanese reportedly were just taking off; the AVGs claimed no fewer than 12 Japanese fighters shot down in the melee. (In the Japanese account, the RAF is credited with the attack on Moulmein, while the AVG is credited with attacking Mudon.)

Nor was the day finished. The 8th Sentai light bombers raided Mingaladon, escorted by Nates from both fighter groups. They were intercepted by the Allied fighters, with the AVG claiming seven Nates and a Lily bomber shot down. Two Lilys in fact were lost, with one seen to have been shot down; and the 77th Sentai lost one of its planes. The Japanese fighter pilots claimed seven Allied planes shot down. (One Hurricane was forced down with its pilot wounded and sufficient airframe damage that it had to be written off.)

A new base at Magwe

About this time, Japanese reconnaissance planes discovered a "new" British airfield at Magwe, up the Irrawaddy River from Rangoon, with 27 aircraft on the ground. On February 28, General Obata visited Moulmein and found the airfield still under construction, still plagued with supply problems; the ingenious ground crews were able to find gasoline locally, but no ordnance. It was decided to use bombers as cargo planes, while the army pushed the completion of a road. The air force headquarters and the 4th Hikodan headquarters moved to Moulmein, while the 10th Hikodan took up residence at Mudon.

Sizing up their position at the end of the month, the 50th Sentai had only 12 planes in service while the 77th Sentai had 14; there's no mention of the 47th Indpendent Chutai. "The Japanese sidde was disadvantaged and heavily damaged." What was needed was a "recovering period" to bring up fuel and food, while unservicable fighters were put back into fighting condition.

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