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6th Air Group
was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific War that was involved in Battle of Midway and then extensively in the Guadalcanal Campaign and Solomon Islands Campaign. The air group was redesignated as the 204th Air Group on 1 November 1942. History The unit was formed on 1 April 1942 in Kisarazu, Japan, and was initially equipped with only six Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters, under the command of Lieutenant Hideki Shingō. The group made an unsuccessful interception attempt during the Doolittle Raid on 18 April. By 30 May, the group's fighter strength increased to 33 Zeros and Lieutenant Tadashi Kaneko was appointed as its commander (''Hikōtaichō''). It was intended to serve as a garrison for Midway Island after it would be captured in the upcoming Operation MI in June. Six fighters were embarked on the carrier ''Akagi'', nine ''Kaga'', three each on ''Hiryū'' and ''Sōryū'', while 12 were on ''Jun'yō''. Some of the fighters were involve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Empire Of Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent formation of modern Japan. It encompassed the Japanese archipelago and several colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories. Under the slogans of and following the Boshin War and restoration of power to the Emperor from the Shogun, Japan underwent a period of industrialization and militarization, the Meiji Restoration, which is often regarded as the fastest modernisation of any country to date. All of these aspects contributed to Japan's emergence as a great power and the establishment of a colonial empire following the First Sino-Japanese War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Russo-Japanese War, and World War I. Economic and political turmoil in the 1920s, including the Great Depression, led to the rise of militarism, nationa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Bismarck Sea
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2–4 March 1943) took place in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II when aircraft of the U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked a Japanese convoy carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea. Most of the Japanese task force was destroyed, and Japanese troop losses were heavy. The Japanese convoy was a result of a Japanese Imperial General Headquarters decision in December 1942 to reinforce their position in the South West Pacific. A plan was devised to move some 6,900 troops from Rabaul directly to Lae. The plan was understood to be risky, because Allied air power in the area was strong, but it was decided to proceed because otherwise the troops would have to be landed a considerable distance away and march through inhospitable swamp, mountain and jungle terrain without roads before reaching their destination. On 28 February 1943, the convoy – comprising eight destroyers and eight troop transports wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Aircraft Carrier Akagi
''Akagi'' (Japanese: 赤城, "red castle") was an aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), named after Mount Akagi in present-day Gunma Prefecture. Though she was laid down as an , ''Akagi'' was converted to an aircraft carrier while still under construction to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The ship was rebuilt from 1935 to 1938 with her original three flight decks consolidated into a single enlarged flight deck and an island superstructure. The second Japanese aircraft carrier to enter service, and the first large or "fleet" carrier, ''Akagi'' and the related '' Kaga'' figured prominently in the development of the IJN's new carrier striking force doctrine that grouped carriers together, concentrating their air power. This doctrine enabled Japan to attain its strategic goals during the early stages of the Pacific War from December 1941 until mid-1942. ''Akagi''s aircraft served in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s. Upon the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation MI
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Admirals Chester W. Nimitz, Frank J. Fletcher, and Raymond A. Spruance defeated an attacking fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy under Admirals Isoroku Yamamoto, Chūichi Nagumo, and Nobutake Kondō north of Midway Atoll, inflicting devastating damage on the Japanese fleet. Military historian John Keegan called it "the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare", while naval historian Craig Symonds called it "one of the most consequential naval engagements in world history, ranking alongside Salamis, Trafalgar, and Tsushima Strait, as both tactically decisive and strategically influential". Hoping to lure the American aircraft carriers into a trap and occupying Midway was part of an overall "barrier" strategy to extend ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hikōtaichō
The was a senior naval aviation position in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, normally held by a Lieutenant Commander or a very senior Lieutenant, who commanded all flight personnel in an air group. Administrative role On the ground, the ''Hikōtaichō'' commanded a unit called ''hikōtai'' (飛行隊), which was composed of all flight personnel in an air group, called ''kōkūtai'' (航空隊). However, ''Hikōtaichō'' was not the commander of the whole air group (''kōkūtai''), which also included non-flight personnel that provided aircraft maintenance and air base service functions. On an aircraft carrier, the ''hikōtai'' typically consisted of three squadrons, where each was related to a specific aircraft type (i.e., either dive bomber, torpedo bomber or fighter). The ''Hikōtaichō'' was one of the two flight command ratings in the naval air hierarchy, the other being the ''Buntaichō'' (分隊長), who commanded a division of flight personnel for a specific aircr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lieutenant (navy)
LieutenantThe pronunciation of ''lieutenant'' is generally split between , , generally in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, and , , generally associated with the United States. See lieutenant. (abbreviated Lt, LT (U.S.), LT(USN), Lieut and LEUT, depending on nation) is a commissioned officer rank in many English-speaking nations' navies and coast guards. It is typically the most senior of junior officer ranks. In most navies, the rank's insignia may consist of two medium gold braid stripes, the uppermost stripe featuring an executive curl in many Commonwealth of Nations; or three stripes of equal or unequal width. The now immediately senior rank of lieutenant commander was formerly a senior naval lieutenant rank. Many navies also use a subordinate rank of sub-lieutenant. The appointment of "first lieutenant" in many navies is held by a senior lieutenant. This naval lieutenant ranks higher than an army lieutenants; within NATO countries the naval rank ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
204th Air Group
The 204 Air Group was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The unit was formed on 1 November 1942 by re-designating 6th Air Group and served in New Guinea and Rabaul. The air group was disbanded on 4 March 1944. References * Bullard, Steven (translator). Japanese Army Operations in the South Pacific Area, New Britain and Papua campaigns, 1942–43' Senshi Sōshō (translated excerpts). Canberra: Australian War Memorial, 2007. . {{Imperial Japanese Navy air units 204 __NOTOC__ Year 204 (CCIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cilo and Flavius (or, less frequently, year 957 ''Ab urbe co ... Military units and formations established in 1942 1942 establishments in Japan Military units and formations disestablished in 1944 1944 disestablishments in Japan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast Pacific Ocean theater, the South West Pacific theater, the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the Soviet–Japanese War. The Second Sino-Japanese War between the Empire of Japan and the Republic of China had been in progress since 7 July 1937, with hostilities dating back as far as 19 September 1931 with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. However, it is more widely accepted that the Pacific War itself began on 7 December (8 December Japanese time) 1941, when the Japanese simultaneously invaded Thailand, attacked the British colonies of Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong as well as the United States military and naval bases in Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines. The Pacific War saw the Allies pitted against Japan, the latter ai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The was the Naval aviation, air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War. The Japanese military acquired their first aircraft in 1910 and followed the development of air combat during World War I with great interest. They initially procured European aircraft but quickly built their own and launched themselves onto an ambitious aircraft carrier building program. They launched the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, , in 1922. Afterwards they embarked on a conversion program of several excess battlecruisers and battleships into aircraft carriers. The IJN Air Service had the mission of national air defence, deep strike, naval warfare, and so forth. It retained this mission to the end. The Pilot training in the Imperial Japanese Navy, Japanese pilot training program was very selective and rigorous, producing a high-quality and long-serving pilot corps ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kōkūtai
A ''Kōkūtai'' () was a term used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) to designate a military aviation unit, similar to the Air Groups in other air arms and services of the time. (''Group'' in the British Royal Air Force, ''Gruppe'' in the German Luftwaffe, ''Groupe'' in the French Armée de l'Air etc.) A Kōkūtai could be based at land or on board aircraft carriers and could contain up to hundreds of men and aircraft. For example, the famous 343 Kōkūtai was a land based fighter group while the 652nd Kōkūtai was a carrier-based bomber group. Kōkūtai were divided into smaller units called Hikōtai, which were the equivalent of a squadron. Kōkūtai were usually divided into three Hikōtai. In general, most pilots and aircrew in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service were non-commissioned officers. The word Kōkūtai is abbreviated with the abbreviation "Ku" (空). 343 Ku, for example, stands for 343 Kōkūtai. In the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAA ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terufumi Kofukuda
, born as , was an officer and a fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. He participated in various battles and campaigns throughout the Pacific War. After the war, he served in the new Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) as the commander of the Central Air Defense Force. Early career Mitsugi Kofukuda enrolled in the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in April 1928 and graduated as part of the 59th class in November 1931. In November 1933, he started the navy pilot training program and after completing the basic course in autumn 1934, he was selected for fighter specialisation at Ōmura Air Group. In December 1935, he was assigned to the fighter squadron of the aircraft carrier ''Kaga''. At the beginning of 1937, he was transferred to Ōminato Air Group on the northern tip of Honshu, where he was experimenting with aircraft operating in show and winter conditions. In May 1937, he was posted to Kasumigaura as a flight instructor. In December 1937 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tadashi Kaneko
(25 February 1912 – 14 November 1942) was an officer, ace fighter pilot, and leader in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War. Before his death in combat, Kaneko was officially credited with destroying eight enemy aircraft. Early career He attended Tokyo First Middle School (now Hibiya High School). He entered the Imperial Japanese Navy Academy and graduated from the 60th class in November 1932. At the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Lieutenant (jg) Kaneko was posted as a section leader (''Shōtaichō'') in the carrier ''Ryūjō's'' fighter group. On 22 August, he led four Nakajima A4N fighters on patrol near Shanghai, where they encountered and engaged 18 Chinese Air Force Hawk III fighter-attack planes. During the surprise attack, his section claimed six shot down, including that of acting 4th Pursuit Group commanding officer Captain Wang Tien-Hsiang (standing-in for the wounded Colonel Gao Zhihang); two of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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