Imperial Japanese Army Air Force

Sentais 1+

Version_2006_11_15

128 pics in total

 

 

 

1. Hiko Sentai
(Hiko = Flying / Sentai  =  Group)
It seems to me, this unit first appeared as a single small group, with different colours for each pilot.
Plus the Katakana Letter on the rudder for the beginning of his name.
Similar seems to have happend at all early units.
1938   -   Kawasaki Ki-10-I PERRY   -   Manchuria
-

-
1938-1939   -   Nakajima Ki-27-Ia/Ib NATE   -   China / Japan,  Gifu prefecture (Kagamigahara AB)

CO Lt. Col. Toshio Kato

-
Captain Shigetoshi Inoue
 Some western sources indicate that
precisely this destroyer rammed
 in the air battle on 20 July 1938,
CO 2-1 of squadron of 22nd IAP
Senior Lieutenant v.F. Skobarikhin
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai Shimodate 3. Chutai
Sometime after the China action, the different Chutais were introduced.
So far I understand the colours as indication of the Chutai and the stripes as marking of the hierarchy.
Some sources interpret them just the other way (III stripes= third Chutai), though.
????
1942, Summer   -   Nakajima Ki-43-Ib Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Akeno AB, Mie, Japan

CO
CO 1. Chutai		  - -
1942, Fall   -   Nakajima Ki-43-Ib Hayabusa OSCAR   -   China-Burma-India
- -
CO Major Kinishiro Takeda
Hanoi, Indochina, October		 -

Burma, late 1942		 -
-		 -
1943   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Shimodate AB, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan
-    - -
1944-45   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Philippines
- - -
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK   -   Japan
-
CO 1. Chutai		 - -
- - -

 

 

 

2. Hiko Daitai
(Daitai  =  ?)
-
1937, Autumn -1938(?)   -   Kawasaki Ki-10-II PERRY   -   China

ACE Captain Tateo Kato
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1943   -  Mitsubishi Ki-46-II DINAH   -   where ???
 - -


# 79

 -
1945, October   -  Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   Philippines
 - -

-

 

 

 

3. Attack-Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1942   -   Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIa SALLY   -   China-Burma-India
  -

-

 -
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-48-I LILY   -   Philippines
- -

-

 

 

 

4. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai

1939   -   Ki-4
- - -

1944-45   -   Nakajima Ki-27-Ib NATE
III III III

1944-45   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-Kai)c Toryu NICK   -   Japan, Honshu, Hyogo Prefecture, Kozuki AB
(III) (III)
(III) Lt. Isamu Kashiide
(III)
(II) (II)
(II)
(II) Lt. Miosaburo Yamamoto
(I) (I)
(I)
(I)

 

 

 

5. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
All Chutai aircraft carried the same marking,
but each machine was named after a famous mountain, which was generally painted on the rudder.		 - -
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-KAI)b Toryu NICK   -   Kiyosu AB, Aichi prefecture, Honshu, Japan
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-KAI)c Toryu NICK   -   Kiyosu AB, Aichi prefecture, Honshu, Japan
   
1944, November   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-KAI)c Toryu NICK   -   Kiyosu AB, Aichi prefecture, Honshu, Japan


1st Lt. Totaro Ito 
(Note: Ito was a famous ACE, he flew a Ki-61 with similar Tailmarking in the 19th Sentai, maybe it his a personal marking)

 - -
1945, March =>   -   Kawasaki Ki-100-Ib TONY   -   Japan, Honshu, Gifu prefecture (Nagoya) + Aichi prefecture (Seishu)


# 10 - Seishu


#17 - Nagoya, Summer 1945 		-

# 33 - Nagoya, Summer 1945
#37 - Seishu, 1945
# 39 - CO Captain Ёsido Baba,
Seishu, june 1945

 

 

 
6. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai

1941   -   Kawasaki Ki-32 MARY  -   Manchuria
- - -

 

 

 

7. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai

1943   -   Nakajima Ki-49-IIa Donryu HELEN
- - -

1945   -   Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu PEGGY
- - -

 

 

 

8. Light Bomber-Sentai
2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1942   -   Mitsubishi Ki-15-II BABS   -   China
III
Prewar   -   Kawasaki Ki-48-I LILY   -   China
III
1942-43   -   Kawasaki Ki-48-I LILY   -   Burma
II
I

 

 

 

10. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1938   -   Nakajima Ki-27-Ia NATE   -   Manchuria
-
-
?. Chutai
1942   -   Kawasaki Ki-30 ANN
-
1943   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-II DINAH   -   NewGuinea, Rabaul
- -
1944-45   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   Taipeh AB, Formosa (Taiwan)

# 22		 -

# 88		 -
1945   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   Japan
- -

 

 

 
11. Hiko Sentai ,
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1.Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1939   -   Nakajima Ki-27-Ib NATE   -   China, during "Nomonhan Incident"
-


Sgt. Hiromichi Shinohara (?)

 -
(green ?)
-
Sgt. Hiromichi Shinohara		 - -
The 11th was part of the 6th Hikoshidan (12th Hikodan) which was formed at Rabaul on 27th November 1942 equipped with Ki-43's.
1942, November 27 =>   -   Nakajima Ki-43-Ic Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Rabaul

CO Major Katsuji Sugitara
-
-
-
1944   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK   -   Philippines
-
# ?
# 24 		-
- -
# 46 		-
- -
# 62 		-

 

 

 

12. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai

1938-39   -   FIAT BR.20 Cicogna RUTH   -   China
- - -

 

 

 

13. Sentai
1942(?)   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-Kai)a Toryu NICK   -   Philippines (?)
1944, Septeamber   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-Kai)a Toryu NICK   -   Philippines

 

 

 

14. Sentai
3. Chutai
1944  -    Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb SALLY   -   Papua-New Guinea

 

 

 

15. Sentai (recon)
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1938-1940   -   BABS, IDA, Ki-79   -   where ?

Mitsubishi Ki-15-I BABS		 -  
1944, January-1945   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46 DINAH   -   where ?
Philippines
New Guinea
French-Indo-China
(created by merger of the 50th, 51st and 55th Dokuritsu Dai Shijugo Chutais)

50. Dokuritsu
Dai Shijugo Chutai

51. Dokuritsu
Dai Shijugo Chutai

55. Dokuritsu
Dai Shijugo Chutai
- - -

With new marking in 1945
1945   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   where ?
-  

 

 

 

17. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien TONY
- -
1945   -   Kawasaki Ki-100-Ib TONY
- -

 

 

 

18. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-61-Ic Hien TONY   -   Philippines
- -
1945   -   Kawasaki Ki-61 Ic Hien TONY   -   Kofu AB, Japan

-
1945, March =>   -   Kawasaki Ki-100-Ia Hien TONY   -   Kashiwa AB, Chiba-Ken, Japan
- -  
6th Shinten special attack unit
1945, January   -   Kawasaki Ki-61-Ic Hien TONY   -   Kashiwa AB, Chiba-Ken, Japan
-
1st Lt. Mitsuyo Oyake
 Armed with 20-mm cannons instead of wing's machine-guns 		-

 

 

 

19. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-61-Ic Hien TONY   -   Philippines, Luzon, Manila

# 33
# 40		 -
- -
1945, April   -   Kawasaki Ki-61-IIa Hien TONY   -   Julan AB, Formosa (Taiwan)
-
-
 
Lt. Kunebe Watanabe
22 April 1945
1945, April   -   Kawasaki Ki-61-II(-Kai)c Hien TONY   -   Julan AB, Formosa (Taiwan)
- -
CO 3rd Chutai Captain Fudzitaro Ito
(He was one of the best Japanese aces)
Note his own tailmarking,
which he used on other planes before.

 

 

 

20. Sentai
3. Chutai
1944-45   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIIa Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Formosa

No error, this seems to be a blue Hayabusa !

 

 

 

21. Sentai
1. Chutai
1943   -   Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu NICK   -   Burma

 

 

 

22. Hiko Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1943-44   -   Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb SALLY   -   Burma
- -
(?)
1944-45   -   Nakajima Ki-44-IIb Shoki TOJO  -   Naktsu airbase, Japan (?)
- -
1944, April   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK (prototype)  -   Naktsu airbase, Japan
- -
(s/n 84062), flown by Susuma Kuge
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK   -   Burma
-
I am unsure about the tailmarking, there is another unit carrying the same or at least a close one:  149 Shinbu-Tai

 

 

 

23. Hiko Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1943   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Japan
- -
-
1943-1944   -   Nakajima Ki-44-IIb Shoki TOJO   -   Japan
- -
# 55 (on wheel covers)
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-84 Ia Hayate FRANK   -   Okinawa
- -

 

 

 

 

 24. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1941, december   -   Nakajima Ki-27-Ib NATE   -   Philippines
-
Captain Hyoe Yonaga
1943   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Sumatra (?)

 # 87		 -
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK   -   Sumatra

 # 87		 -

 # 91		 -

 

 

 

25. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
Note: the numbers are horizontal, when the A/C is on its wheels, like #51 & #62
1943, Summer   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   China, Jiangsu Province, Nanking + Hubei province, Hankow
-


# 20
Co 1./- Captain Takashi Tsuchiya
# 21
Co 2./-
# 67
Co 3./-

# 20
pilot ?
# 22
pilot ?
# 15
Sgt. Kushiro Otake (15 victories)
# 62
pilot ?
- -
# 45
pilot ?
# 65
pilot ?
- -
# 51
pilot ?
# 90 ?
pilot ?
1943, Summer   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Jiangsu Province, Nanking, China
-

-
# 71
 Co 2./-  Lt. Nakazo Ozaki		 -
1944, spring   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Hankow, China

# 00
Major Toshio Sakagawa

-

 - -

 

 

 

26. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1943   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIa Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Palembang airfield, Sumatra
- -

 

 

 

27. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1944   -   Kawasaki Ki-45(-Kai)c Toryu NICK   -   Philippines
-
1944-45   -   Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu NICK   -   Philippines
-  
1944
-

 

 

 

28. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai
1944   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-IIIc DINAH   -   Manchuria&Japan
- -
1945   -   Kawasaki Ki-102 RANDY   -   Japan, Chiba
- -
1945

 

 

 

29. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-84 I Hayate FRANK   -   Formosa
-
- - -

 

 

 

31. Hiko Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1943, November   -   Kawasaki Ki-30 ANN   -   Nanchan
 III III
II II
1944   -   Nakajima Ki-84-Ia Hayate FRANK
- -
1945   -   Kawasaki Ki-102-I RANDY
- -

 

 

 

33. Hiko Sentai
1.Chutai 2.Chutai 3.Chutai
late 1942-43   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIa Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Burma


 CO Captain Kyoshi Namai (16 Victories)
CO
# 6
1944, October   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIIb Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Birsun airfield, Sumatra
- -
Lt. Hitosi Yamamoto

 

 

 

38. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) 1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1944, April   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   Obihiro AB, Hokkaido, Japan
 - - -
1945   -   Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH   -   Formosa
 - - -
In july 1945, the 38. Sentai became a Dokuritsu Hikotai

 

 

 

44. Sentai
Sentai Hombu (HQ) (?). Chutai
1942   -   Ki-51 SONIA   -   China

 

 

 

48. Sentai
1. Chutai 2. Chutai 3. Chutai
1943   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIa Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Papua-New Guinea
- -


# 35
1945   -   Nakajima Ki-43-IIIa Hayabusa OSCAR   -   Papua-New Guinea

# 21		 -

-

 

 

 

General information

 

Aircraft abbreviations
Subtypes were marked with : Japanese Word Translation
a Ko, Kou, Kai 1st in rank
b Otsu 2nd in rank
c Hei 3rd in rank
d Tei 4th in rank
KAI Kaizen/Kaizo modification/improvement
- - -
Ki- Kitai Airframe
- Kensan Experiment

 

Aircraft nominations
plane type named after
Fighter weather situations
Attacker mountains
Bomber star/-pictures (groups)
Recons oceans
Transporter skys
Trainer plants

 

 

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