208th Hiko Sentai (208th Flying Regiment)
Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF)

Background
The Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) 208th Hiko Sentai (208th Flying Regiment) equipped with the Type 99 Light Bomber / Ki-48-II Lily.

Markings
The unit motif was a large "8" on the tail with a dot on each side painted in red. A horizontal stripe on the tail indicated assignment. Sentai Hombu (Headquarters) used a blue horizontal stripe. 1st Chutai used a white stripe, 2nd Chutai used a red stripe and 3rd Chutai used a yellow stripe.

In New Guinea, the 208th Sentai Ki-48 Lilys were painted overall gray with mottled green spots applied by paintbrush or using a spray gun over top to create camouflage markings.

On June 2, 1943 sixteen Ki-48 Lilys from 208th Hiko Sentai (208th Flying Regiment) took off from Dagua Airfield escorted by Type 1 fighters / Ki-43 Oscars from the 24th Hiko Sentai (24th Flying Regiment) target Bulldog Airfield and Bulldog. One of the attackers, Ki-48 Lily piloted by Lt. Ezaki failed to return, unknown if due to weather or damage sustained over the target. On the ground, the Australians observed sixteen unidentified Japanese planes attacking with three of fifteen bombs hit the runway and strafing severely damaged a parked C-47 Dakota (damage and identity unconfirmed: RAAF or USAAF). On the ground five were wounded including two Europeans and three natives. Due to the air raid, 500-700 natives in the area fled in fright, disrupting construction and labor.

On July 26, 1943 seven Ki-48 Lilys from 208th Hiko Sentai (208th Flying Regiment) took off from Dagua Airfield with close escort by fourteen Type 1 fighter / Ki-43 Oscars from 1st Hiko Sentai (1st Flying Regiment) plus indirect support from twenty Type 3 Hein / Ki-61 Tony from 68 Hiko Sentai (68th Flying Regiment) and 78th Hiko Sentai (78th Flying Regiment) plus a handful of Ki-43 Oscars from 24th Sentai (24th Flying Regiment) under Capt. Shoji Miura on a mission to support Japanese Army in the Salamaua area. The bombers and close escort fly the mission without interception while the indirect support engage in a dog fight with twenty-five P-38s Lightnings from 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) and 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS) over the Markham Valley.

On August 15, 1943 at 9:10am seven Ki-48 Lilys from 208th Hiko Sentai (208th Flying Regiment) took off from Alexishafen Airfield on a bombing mission against Tsili Tsili Airfield for the first time. They were escorted by twenty-two Ki-43 Oscars from 59th Hiko Sentai (59th Flying Regiment) and twelve Ki-43 Oscars from 24th Hiko Sentai (24th Flying Regiment). The Lilys manage to bomb Tsili-Tsili Airfield but only cause minor damage and one Lily shot down crash landed at the edge of the runway. Over the target, intercepted by P-39N Airacobras with seven Lilys shot down including Ki-48 Lily 1210, Ki-48 Lily 1235, Ki-48 Lily 1242, Ki-48 Lily 1249 and Ki-48 Lily 1250.

References
Emblems of the Rising Sun (1999) pages 38, 85
Thanks to Richard Dunn for additional information

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