Biplane fighter aces

Japan

NA 1/C Saburo Takayasu

In February 1942 Takayasu served on the seaplane tender Sanuki Maru flying the Mitsubishi F1M2 ‘Pete’ biplane scout.
During the afternoon on 24 February he encountered a twin-engined flyingboat reportedly 345 miles off Kota Baru (Laut Island, south-east of Borneo). He claimed that he shot it down in collaboration with two fighters. His own aircraft received five hits from return fire in this combat.
On 10 April Sanuki Maru arrived of Cebu to assist with operations in the area. During the day Takayasu engaged a P-40 15 miles south-west of Cebu. Lieutenant Walter B. Putnam of 3rd Pursuit Squadron operating from Del Monte, Mindanao flew the American aircraft. In the ensuing combat both pilots claimed each other but both returned to base! Takayasu’s aircraft suffered just three hits in this combat. It seems that he also claimed a second floatplane shot down, and believed that he had sunk two transports, a motor launch and several barges during this sortie!
Takayasu ended the war with 2 biplane victories.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1942
	24/02/42	1/3	Enemy flyingboat	Shared destroyed	F1M2		Kota Baru	Sanuki Maru
1	10/04/42	1	P-40 (a)	Destroyed	F1M2		15m SE Cebu	Sanuki Maru
2	10/04/42	1	Enemy floatplane	Destroyed	F1M2		Cebu area	Sanuki Maru

Biplane victories: 2 and 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 2 and 1 shared destroyed.
(a) Claimed in combat with P-40 from Del Monte flown by Lieutenant Walter B. Putnam of 3rd Pursuit Squadron. They both claimed each other shot down but both returned to base with minor damage.

Sources:
Bloody Shambles Volume Two - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Yasuho Izawa, 1993 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-67-4
Alexander Crawford has been most helpful, while compiling this information.