Japanese Metal Airplane Tool Box??

[FightenIrish35]

Hey everyone...
Over the weekend my father did a trade and recieved this. The story to it was it is a Japanese Water Plane tool box. Has anyone seen one of these before and can anyone verify what it says in Japanese that might give a date or type of plane this was used for?
Thank you guys for any help!

[kaigunair]

definitely a neat box. sorry, I can't read the top line. its dated showa 18, so 1943 and in June. maybe the guy your dad got it from has the tools lying around in his garage?

thanks for posting pics.

[ZERO-sen]

Mars model 10 internal parts 1/2.

[FightenIrish35]

Wow,excellent guys! Any idea on what the other Kanji reads and is there anyway to tell that this was used on a waterplane? I do see there are two Naval symbols so Im guessing that is a hint that it was used on water or used by a navy squadron?

[Nick Komiya]

With output of approx 1500 PS the Mars 10 series engines were used for larger planes like bombers. It started to be produced by Mitsubishi in 1939 and later evolved into the Mars 20 series. Mars was the name used by the manufacturer. The Army and Navy did not use this name, but called them by code. It would have contained tools rather than parts and this case was No 1 out of 2.
The engine was also mounted on torpedo boats

[FightenIrish35]

Thank you very much Nick much more information than I thought i would be able to get on this i really appreciate...so did these planes have two engines and tool box 1 would be to one engine and toolbox 2 would go with the other? Also would the area where there are two Naval Anchors mean it was Navy issued and used with a Naval Plane,possibly a waterplan as was told to my dad when he got it? The box weight about 60 pounds so my guess is this was made heavy so as it was inside the plan it wouldnt roll back and forth and slide but im just guessing. Any ideas?

[Jareth]

Curious to know Nicks thoughts as to these boxes being on the plane or on ground in a hanger?

[blinky]

I'm not that familiar with the "Kasei" Mars 10, the H8K2 "Emily" seaplane used the Mars 11 and I'm a little familiar with some of the later models so I think this was a pretty old design by 1943. Most of the aircraft flying by that time had the later engines so I really do wonder if this might have been for a boat engine. Nick knows more than I do I'm sure though.

Jareth, I wouldn't think these would be carried on planes. Weight was pretty much the prime concern with Japanese aircraft due to the ranges they were required to fly.....more weight meant less fuel. One of the biggest faults was the lack of armor on almost all Japanese aircraft and I can't imagine them leaving out armor plate for the pilot but throwing on a couple of heavy boxes of aircraft tools. One exception might be for the larger seaplanes but off the top of my head I can't think of any that used this engine.

Just a few thoughts.

[Jareth]

Eric, I'm sure your right. Tool boxes likely were left behind.

[blinky]

I'm working on two hours sleep right now and feel a bit dim

[FightenIrish35]

Thank you blinky!!Som real good information here...the person that my dad got it from actually said it was used on a SeaPlane-On board and was most likely so heavey so it wouldnt roll all over....but now that you mention it,it does make sense that they wouldnt want any extra weight on board if they didnt need it...Now is there a way to find out all the possibilities of planes or boats that these tools would work on? Also would it make more sense that because its marked twice with anchors on the front it probally does mean it was used on boats?
Thanks for the help guys.this information is just awesome so far!

[FightenIrish35]

Also just for thoughts...on the front of the plate is an Airplane propeller...and if this was used for a boat...what kind of boat would have used this or what kind of seaplane?
Thanks guys

[blinky]

The anchor insignia would be used on all naval equipment, aircraft or boats. As for the prop, if I'm not mistaken the Mars was developed as an aircraft engine and only later used in small boats. Since the engine was pretty much the same, the tools and spare parts would be as well and there wouldn't be any point making new tool boxes for engines used in boats. One box fits all so to speak.
I do have a listing of different engines and the aircraft they were used in I'll try to find unless Nick has some thoughts....he knows A LOT more about this than I do.....if I'm not correct about any of this I hope he'll set me straight

eric

[FightenIrish35]

Hey guys I got some information on the planes using this type of engine from the j-aircraft.com forum and thought id share....

It had a tool lay-out diagram pasted to the inside of the lid. This diagram seems to indicate that the box contained tools specific to the Kasei engine. As such they would not be likely to be found onboard the aircraft.

The Kasei, or Mars, engine was used on several seaplanes or floatplanes: the H8K (Emily), the E15K Shiun, and the N1K Kyofu (Rex). The same engine was used on a number of land-based aircraft: the G4M (Betty), the J2M Raiden (Jack) and the B6N Tenzan. The engine was in production until the end of the war.

The two anchors do indeed point to a naval provenance. However, these are inspector's stamps and most likely indicate acceptance by the inspector of the tools within the box.


I just want to thank all of on the forum for giving me such good information,thank you gentleman!

[blinky]

I thought the Kasei 11 was used on the H8K and later airplanes, not the Kasei 10? It's true that different models ofthe Kasei were produced until the end of the war but I thought production of the Kasei 10 stopped fairly early. I suppose tools for the Mars 10 would work just as well for the later model engines, maybe a case of recycling an old toolbox.