ShindenKai
Well-Known Member
Anyone know anything further about Ishibashi Katsumi's Spad?
Quoted from link:
"Ishibashi Katsumi was a star pilot in Japan in the 1920s. After serving in the French Army as a flying officer in WWI, he returned to Japan and on August 25, 1920, bought three Spad XIIIs. At a cost of 11,700 Yen, the purchase went through the French Embassy and the three aircraft were on board the Russian warship "Maguryov" which had taken refuge at the end of the war in the Japanese port of Moji in the strait between Kyushu and Honshu. Ishibashi shipped the aircraft to the Nihon Hikoki Seisakusho (later Nakajima Aeroplane Co) hangars at Ojima Airfield near the Ohta factory.
In November 1920, Ishibashi took part in the Second Airmail Competition from Osaka to Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurume ). The event was spensored by the Imperial Aviation Asociation and coming in first place, Ishibashi won the first prize of 11,000 Yen. During that competition, Ishibashi flew a Spad registered a J-TAEF. His other two Spads were registered J-TAFG and J-TAST.
Unfortunately, on August 18, 1921, a fire in the hangar destroyed all three of them.
Undaunted, Ishibashi built his own version of the type by using salvaged parts and manufacturing drawings. Unable to replace the 220hp Hispano-Suiza engine, he bought a 180hp Hispano as a substitute. A larger fuel tank was installed in the under-fuselage of this single-seat aeroplane to extend the range for his planned competitions. This gave the aeroplane a much fatter appearance than the standard SPAD XIII."
Here's where I found what little I know about it...
https://arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.com/
Quoted from link:
"Ishibashi Katsumi was a star pilot in Japan in the 1920s. After serving in the French Army as a flying officer in WWI, he returned to Japan and on August 25, 1920, bought three Spad XIIIs. At a cost of 11,700 Yen, the purchase went through the French Embassy and the three aircraft were on board the Russian warship "Maguryov" which had taken refuge at the end of the war in the Japanese port of Moji in the strait between Kyushu and Honshu. Ishibashi shipped the aircraft to the Nihon Hikoki Seisakusho (later Nakajima Aeroplane Co) hangars at Ojima Airfield near the Ohta factory.
In November 1920, Ishibashi took part in the Second Airmail Competition from Osaka to Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurume ). The event was spensored by the Imperial Aviation Asociation and coming in first place, Ishibashi won the first prize of 11,000 Yen. During that competition, Ishibashi flew a Spad registered a J-TAEF. His other two Spads were registered J-TAFG and J-TAST.
Unfortunately, on August 18, 1921, a fire in the hangar destroyed all three of them.
Undaunted, Ishibashi built his own version of the type by using salvaged parts and manufacturing drawings. Unable to replace the 220hp Hispano-Suiza engine, he bought a 180hp Hispano as a substitute. A larger fuel tank was installed in the under-fuselage of this single-seat aeroplane to extend the range for his planned competitions. This gave the aeroplane a much fatter appearance than the standard SPAD XIII."
Here's where I found what little I know about it...
https://arawasi-wildeagles.blogspot.com/
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