Biplane fighter aces

Japan

Sergeant Major Akira Ishikawa

Ishikawa graduated from the first Army Juvenile Flying School (Sho-1).

In September 1938 Ishikawa belonged to the newly-formed 33rd Sentai.

During the Nomonhan Incident the Sentai was dispatched from its base at Xingshu to the Manchurian/Mongolian border as reinforcement on 27 August 1939, although still equipped with the old Kawasaki Ki-10 (Type 95).

On 4 September seven of the units Ki-10s led by Captain Takeo Kawada, encountered a reported 20-30 Soviet aircraft at a height of 5,000 metres. Kawada had been personally forbidden to engage, but Second Lieutenant Tadashi Harada (NCO54) and Sergeant Major Ishikawa charged in, followed by the rest of the formation.
Nine and three probables were claimed, including three by Ishikawa personally, although he force-landed after suffering severe wounds, from which he died next day. Harada and Sergeant Major Seizo Hiraki (NCO66) were also killed.

At the time of his death Ishikawa was credited with 3 biplane victories.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1939
1	04/09/39	1	Enemy fighter	Destroyed	Ki-10		Nomonhan	33rd Sentai
2	04/09/39	1	Enemy fighter	Destroyed	Ki-10		Nomonhan	33rd Sentai
3	04/09/39	1	Enemy fighter	Destroyed	Ki-10		Nomonhan	33rd Sentai

Biplane victories: 3 destroyed.
TOTAL: 3 destroyed.

Sources:
Japanese Army Air Force fighter units and their aces 1931-1945 - Ikuhiko Hata, Yasuho Izawa and Christopher Shores, 2002 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-89-6