Virtual Museum - Japanese aviation items

WWII Japanese aviation items command a high price at auction.  This is due to their rarity.

This photograph shows Japanese aircraft being incinerated by a flame thrower near Sasebo, Japan, in December 1945. Sitting on the top of the pile is an A6M Zero. The Allies were scared of a revolt by the Japanese and, as a result, destroyed most of Japan's aircraft that had survived the war.  For this reason, Japanese aircraft parts are scarce.

Ref. No. 208. WWII JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CLOCK. Probably 1943. Plate on top has faded kanji and stamped numbers “6465” and “17” and “12”. The 12-Shi of the Japanese calendar (twelfth year of the Showa reign) would put the clock manufactured date at 1938 if the “12” figure was used or 1943 if the “17” number relates to the year. Kanji also on face in luminous paint as well as engraved/etched/stamped. Luminous numbers from one to 12. Face has two “bugs”, one red, the other blue. Blue bug moved by bezel and blue pushes red around to set. Dial diameter 55mm. Interior of clock is stainless steel and bears the name “SEIKOSHA” and “7 JEWELS”. Inside the aluminium case is stamped 0203 and this number is also on the inside of the exterior back cover plate. There is also kanji handwritten on the outside of the back cover plate. Also on the back cover plate is written, in very small letters “JLM222” and, on the inside, an unusual symbol with numerals “217102”. Very rare.
Ref. No. 993. JAPANESE Ki-21 SALLY BOMBER COMPASS – MK 1 MODEL 2. This type of compass was fitted above the instrument panel in Sally (Ki-21) bombers of the Imperial Japanese Army. Data plate (see below) has Army Star stamped on it. 
The data plate shows that the serial number is 9623 and the date of manufacture was January and the year was in the Emperor’s Reign Showa 16 – this being 1941, the year Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.  A photograph of this compass is shown on page 66 of Japanese Aircraft Interiors 1940-1945 by Robert C. Mikesh and on page 67 it is shown in a Sally being flown on operations. 

Ref. No. 959. J03252 (IJN) AIR-BUBBLE SEXTANT. A blackened alloy sextant. The sextant is approximately 9 1/2" in overall length. Its right forward section features a flange for the thumb to its underside and its uppermost surface is moulded to fit the fingers. A large dial is to the reverse of this section, which, when moved, advances the indicator with large red numbers and smaller increments of sixty, positioned along the side above the thumb flange. A screw-off cap is to the front of this section, which, when unscrewed, reveals a 1 3/8" diameter cavity for a battery. "04," and anchor and the accompanying inspection symbol used by the Tokyo Office Supervisor of the Naval Technical Department, and "N242" is stamped alongside the thumb flange. Behind this section, but still to the right side of the sextant, is a pentagonal compartment with a 1 9/16" x 1 3/16" white plate, upon which are divisions and kanji characters, riveted to it. A 1 1/4" x 5/8" alloy plate is also riveted to the reverse of this compartment. The left side of the sextant has an open top and bottom. Within are a couple of rectangular filters, and the front of this side features an angled tube with a lens and one of the circular filters, with a post, slid over it. Beneath this lens is a movable aluminium disk, and hidden bubble level, identical to that already described. "05," the anchor and the, now familiar, accompanying inspection symbol, and "N242" is stamped to the angled tube. A large, 2 13/16" diameter knob is to the left side, which has sliding toggle within a groove along its edge, to either end of which are kanji characters. A three-position toggle is between this knob and the body of the sextant, which also has corresponding kanji characters alongside it.  This instrument is shown being used during WWII on page 237 of “Japanese Aircraft Interiors” by Mikesh.

Ref. No. 325. JAPANESE ZERO FIGHTER FUEL PRIMER. Circa 1940s. Brass and aluminium. Total length 230mm. Knob has Japanese characters. Brass ring for panel mounting has “15341” with star symbols. Inlet and outlets are marked “In” and “Out” and there are star symbols on line nuts.
Ref. No. 994. JAPANESE ALTIMETER FACE AND POINTERS.