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December 5, 1921 – June 2005, sometimes Satoshi was, depending on the source, the second or third Warbird colors via http://www.warbirdcolors.com highest-scoring flying ace of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II, with 39 victories (51 claimed). Sgt. Satoru Anaubuki downs three B-24s and a P-38 via http://www.j-aircraft.com Anabuki Satoru's deed over Rangoon via http://www.elknet.pl Strangely enough there are 53 claimed victories to be found in his autobiography Soku no Kawa (see below), where his first triple kill (nos. 10-12) was mis-counted as just one (next kill was noted as no. 11).
With the outbreak of the Pacific War, he fought in the conquest of the Philippines, where he claimed his first victory, a Curtiss P-40, on December 22, 1941. On February 9, 1942, he shot down two more.
Soon after, his unit returned to Japan to exchange their Nakajima Ki-27 "Nates" for more advanced Ki-43 "Hayabusas" (allied code name "Oscar"). The 50th Air Squadron was then sent to Burma in June 1942. He was promoted to sergeant in December. On 24 January 1943, he shot down his first heavily armed B-24 bomber. He claimed to have shot down three B-24s and one P-38 fighter escort in a single engagement on 8 October 1943, but this has been disputed. Error oft repeated -- The Anabuki hoax via http://www.j-aircraft.com The third B-24 claimed was reported rammed by him causing great damage to his aircraft in which he crash landed on the shoreline to be rescued three days later. In recognition of this achievement he was awarded an individual citation - at that time unprecedented for a pilot who was still alive.Hata (2002), p.189
In 1944, he was reassigned to Japan to be a flight instructor at the Akeno Army Flying School. He flew in the defense of the home islands. In December 1944, he was promoted to sergeant major and returned to action over the Philippines, where he claimed at least four F6F Hellcats shot down flying the Ki-84 "Hayate". Anabuki scored his last victory over Japan, a B-29.
| +Victory claims of Satoru Anubiki, data from ! Kill !! Date !! Flying !! Victim !! Comments |
| Lingayen, Philippines |
| unknown |
| Bataan, Philippines |
| Chinskia?, India (modern Bangladesh) |
| Chittagong, India |
| Chittagong, India (probable) |
| Magwe, Burma |
| Magwe, Burma (injured) |
| Fenny, Burma ? |
| Magwe, Burma (Night kill ) |
| Magwe, Burma |
| Meiktila, Burma |
| Inden?, India (modern Bangladesh) |
| Yunnan, China |
| Fenny, Burma ? |
| Akyab, Burma |
| Rangoon, Burma |
| Mingaladon, Burma (first B-24 daylight kill) |
| Toungoo, Burma |
| Akyab, Burma |
| Akyab, Burma |
| Fenny, Burma ? (probable) |
| Meiktila, Burma |
| Mindon, Burma (probable) |
| Mindon, Burma |
| Patenga, India |
| Dohazari, India |
| Imphal, India (probable) |
| Imphal, India |
| Imphal, India |
| Kunming, China |
| Cox's Bazar, India |
| Kunming, China |
| Chittagong, India |
| Chittagong, India Ki-43 "Fubuki" retired of service with 230 hours of flying |
| Rangoon, Burma (heavily injured) flying Ki-43 "Kimikaze" |
| Philippines (In separated sorties) |
| Honshu, Japan |
Many of Anabuki's victory claims during the Burma Campaign have been contested by comparing them to Allied records of lost aircraft on particular occasions. In several cases, there were no records of Allied planes even operating in the area where the claims were made.Shores (2005)
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