Biplane fighter aces

Japan

Sergeant Yohei Machiba

Sergeant Yohei Machiba served in the 2nd chutai, 2nd Daitai commanded by Yonesuke Fukuyama, as fighting in China broke out. This unit was equipped with Kawasaki Ki-10s.

On 11 March 1938 13 Ki-10s, led by the new 2nd Daitai commander, Major Tamiya Teranishi, escorted bombers to Sian. Lieutenant Yonesuke Fukuyama’s shotai of three Ki-10s encountered nine Chinese fighters and engaged them in a dogfight at 18,000 ft. Fukuyama engaged the leader (reportedly a Soviet volunteer) for ten minutes before finally shooting him down with eight bursts at 2,000 ft (according to some sources the enemy aircraft was a Gladiator). He then shared an I-15 with Sergeant Machiba. Sergeant Major Matsui claimed two more I-15s while Warrant Officer Umekawa claimed a forth I-15.

Machiba ended the war with 1 shared biplane victory.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1938
	11/03/38	½	I-15	Shared destroyed	Ki-10		Sian area	2nd Daitai

Biplane victories: 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 shared 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
Additional information kindly provided by Nick Millman.