was, depending on the source, the second or third highest flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

 of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, with 39 victories (51 claimed). 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).

Early life

Born into a farming family, he entered the Tokyo Army Aviation School in April 1938. He was assigned to the 3rd Chutai of the 50th Sentai, stationed on Formosa

Formosa

Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...

 in 1941.

Imperial Japanese Army Air Force career

With the outbreak of the Pacific War

Pacific War

The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...

, he fought in the conquest of the Philippines

Japanese occupation of the Philippines

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines was the period in the history of the Philippines between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the previously American-controlled Philippines during World War II....

, where he claimed his first victory, a Curtiss P-40

Curtiss P-40

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...

, 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

Nakajima Ki-27

The was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied nickname was "Nate", although it was called "Abdul" in the "China Burma India" theater by many post war sources; Allied Intelligence had reserved that name for the nonexistent Mitsubishi Navy...

 "Nates" for more advanced Ki-43

Nakajima Ki-43

The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II...

 "Hayabusa" (allied code name "Oscar"). The 50th Sentai was then sent to Burma in June 1942. On 24 January 1943 he shot down his first heavily-armed B-24

B-24 Liberator

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...

 bomber. He claimed to have shot down three B-24s and one P-38

P-38 Lightning

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...

 fighter escort in a single engagement on 8 October 1943, but this has been disputed.

In 1944, he was reassigned back in Japan to be a flight instructor at the Akeno Army Flying School. He flew in the defense of the home islands and survived the war. When the Japan Self-Defense Forces

Japan Self-Defense Forces

The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...

 were formed in the early 1950s, he enlisted and flew a helicopter for many years before retiring.

Victory claims of Satoru Anubiki, data from

Kill	Date	Flying	Victim	Comments
1	22/12/1941	Ki-27 Nakajima Ki-27 The was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied nickname was "Nate", although it was called "Abdul" in the "China Burma India" theater by many post war sources; Allied Intelligence had reserved that name for the nonexistent Mitsubishi Navy...	P-40	Lingayen Lingayen, Pangasinan Lingayen is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pangasinan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the capital municipality and the seat of government of the province of Pangasinan. According to the latest census, it has a population of 95,773 people in 16,467 households.Lingayen... , Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
2	-	Ki-27	unknown	unknown
3	09/02/1942	Ki-27	P-40	Bataan Bataan Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north... , Philippines
4	25/10/1942	Ki-43 Nakajima Ki-43 The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa was a single-engine land-based tactical fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II...	P-40	Chinskia, India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
5	10/12/1942	Ki-43	Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...	Chittagong Chittagong Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading... , India
-	15/12/1942	Ki-43	Hurricane	Chittagong, India (probable)
6	20/12/1942	Ki-43	Hurricane	Magwe Magwe -Burma:*Magway, Burma, the capital city of Magway Division of Burma *Magway Division *Magway District in Magway Division*Magway Township in Magway District*Magway University in Magwe, Burma... , Burma
7	20/12/1942	Ki-43	Blenheim Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...	Magwe, Burma (injured)
8	23/12/1942	Ki-43	unknown	Fenny Fenny Fenny or Feni is a Goan Spirit made from either coconut or the juice of the cashew apple. The popular brands of fenny are 'Cashyo' , 'Reals' , and 'Big Boss'... , Burma ?
9	23/12/1942	Ki-43	Blenheim	Magwe, Burma (Night kill )
10-12	24/12/1942	Ki-43	3 Hurricanes	Magwe, Burma
13	30/12/1942	Ki-43	Blenheim	Meiktila Meiktila Meiktila is a city in central Myanmar, located on the banks of Lake Meiktila in Mandalay Division, at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air... , Burma
14	14/01/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Inden Inden Inden is a municipality in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the river Inde, approx. 10 km north-west of Düren. In the area around Inden lignite is extracted in open-pit mines. Several hundreds of inhabitants have been resettled in the 1990s and... , India ?
15	16/01/1943	Ki-43	P-40	Yunnan Yunnan Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
16	17/01/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Fenny, Burma ?
17-18	19/01/1943	Ki-43	2 Hurricanes	Akyab, Burma
19	24/01/1943	Ki-43	Wellington Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...	Rangoon, Burma
20	26/01/1943	Ki-43	B-24 B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...	Mingaladon Mingaladon Township Mingaladon Township is located in the northernmost part of Yangon, Myanmar. The township comprises 31 wards, and shares borders with Hmawbi township in the north, North Okkalapa township in the east, Insein township and Shwepyitha township in the west, and Mayangon township in the south... , Burma (first B-24 daylight kill)
21	30/01/1943	Ki-43	B-25 B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...	Toungoo, Burma
22	28/02/1943	Ki-43	Blenheim	Akyab, Burma
23	28/02/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Akyab, Burma
-	02/03/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Fenny, Burma ? (probable)
24	24/03/1943	Ki-43	B-25	Meiktila, Burma
-	29/03/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Mindon Mindon Mindon may refer to:*mindon - hypothetical spirit particles for telepathy*Mindon Min -King of Burma*Mindon, Burma - a town... , Burma (probable)
25-26	30/03/1943	Ki-43	2 Hurricanes	Mindon, Burma
27-29	31/03/1943	Ki-43	3 Hurricanes	Patenga Patenga Patenga is a sea beach located 14 kilometres south of the port city of Chittagong, Bangladesh. It is near the mouth of the Karnaphuli River.... , India
30-31	04/04/1943	Ki-43	2 Hurricanes	Dohazari Dohazari Airfield Dohazari Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in Bangladesh used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. It is now abandoned.-History:... , India
-	20/04/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Imphal Imphal Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr.... , India (probable)
32	20/04/1943	Ki-43	P-36	Imphal, India
33-34	21/04/1943	Ki-43	2 P-36s	Imphal, India
35	28/04/1943	Ki-43	P-40	Kunming Kunming ' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government... , China
36	04/05/1943	Ki-43	Hurricane	Cox's Bazar Cox's Bazar Cox's Bazar is a town, a fishing port and district headquarters in Bangladesh. It is known for its wide sandy beach which is the world's longest natural sandy sea beach. It is an unbroken 125 km sandy sea beach with a gentle slope. It is located 150 km south of Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar... , India
37-40	15/05/1943	Ki-43	4 P-40s	Kunming, China
41-42	22/05/1943	Ki-43	2 Hurricanes	Chittagong, India
43-44	29/05/1943	Ki-43	1 Hurricane 1 Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... ?	Chittagong, India Ki-43 "Fubuki" retired of service with 230 hours of flying
45-48	08/10/1943	Ki-43	1 P-38 P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament... , 3 B-24s	Rangoon, Burma (heavily injured) flying Ki-43 "Kimikaze"
49-52	unknown	Ki-84 Nakajima Ki-84 The Nakajima Ki-84 was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was . Featuring excellent performance and high maneuverability, the Ki-84 was considered to be the best Japanese fighter...	4 Hellcats	Philippines (In separated sorties)
53	unknown	Ki-100 Kawasaki Ki-100 The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter"...	B-29 B-29 Superfortress The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...	Honshu Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait... , Japan

External links

• Anabuki Satoru's deed over Rangoon
• Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Aces
• Satoshi Anabuki