Biplane fighter aces

Japan

NAP 2/C Hosono

In December 1941 Hosono served on the seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru flying the Mitsubishi F1M2 ‘Pete’ biplane scout.
On 19 December 1941 Japanese invasion forces were operating on the northern part of Borneo. Glenn Martin bombers from 2-VIG-I (based at Singkawang) and 1-VIG-I (based at Samarinda) attacked Japanese shipping off Miri during the morning. These were intercepted by F1M2s from Kamikawa Maru and four floatplanes intercepted the separate trios of bombers appearing at 15 minute intervals. Warrant Officer Yatomaru (ZI-16) and NAP 2/C Hosono (ZI-10) attacked and shot down the third bomber of the first flight. This was Glenn Martin M-571 of 2-VIG-I, flown by Lieutenant J. H. Groeneveld. One of the crew was being seen to bale out. They also claimed hits on a second bomber were they believed that the gunner was killed. ZI-16 suffered seven hits, whilst ZI-10 was hit twice, although no casualties occurred.
On 23 December F1M2s from Kamikawa Maru and A6Ms of the 22nd Air Flotilla’s Miri detachment patrolled over a Japanese convoy. Hosono was ordered of in ZI-17 when a Dutch aircraft was spotted. This was Dornier Do24 X-35 of GVT-1 based at Java, which was shadowing the convoy. After once catching sight of the flyingboat and then losing it again, Honso finally managed to engage it at about 1000 feet over the sea and claimed to have shot it down. In fact the Dornier escaped and returned to Sourabaya, following a sea landing when temporary repairs were carried out to the damage it had suffered.
Hosono ended the war with 1 biplane victory.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
	19/12/41	½	Glenn Martin (a)	Shared destroyed	F1M2	ZI-10	off Miri, Borneo	Kamikawa Maru
	19/12/41	½	Glenn Martin (b)	Shared damaged	F1M2	ZI-10	off Miri, Borneo	Kamikawa Maru
1	23/12/41	1	Do24 (c)	Destroyed	F1M2	ZI-17	off NW Borneo	Kamikawa Maru

Biplane victories: 1 and 1 shared destroyed, 1 shared damaged.
TOTAL: 1 and 1 shared destroyed, 1 shared damaged.
(a) Glenn Martin M-571 of 2-VIG-I, flown by Lieutenant J. H. Groeneveld. One of the crew was being seen to bale out.
(b) Glenn Martin of 2-VIG-I. It was believed that the gunner was killed.
(c) Dornier Do24 X-35 of GVT-1 only damaged in this engagement.

Sources:
Bloody Shambles Volume One - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Yasuho Izawa, 1992 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-50-X
Alexander Crawford has been most helpful, while compiling this information.