25th Air Flotilla

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25th Air Flotilla
RabaulJapaneseEnlistedFighterPilots.jpg
Enlisted fighter pilots of the Tainan Air Group, part of the 25th Air Flotilla, pose at Lae in 1942. Several of these aviators would be among the top Japanese Naval aces, including Saburō Sakai (middle row, second from left), and Hiroyoshi Nishizawa (standing, first on left).
Active1 April 1942 – 5 May 1944
10 July 1944 - 10 February 1945
Country Merchant flag of Japan (1870).svg Empire of Japan
AllegianceEmpire of Japan
Branch Naval ensign of the Empire of Japan.svg Imperial Japanese Navy
TypeNaval aviation unit
Role Bomber, Fighter, Reconnaissance
Part of 11th Air Fleet
Garrison/HQ Rabaul, New Britain
Lae, Buka, and Buin, Papua New Guinea, and Shortland Islands and Tulagi, Solomon Islands
Engagements New Guinea Campaign
Solomon Islands Campaign
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Sadayoshi Yamada

The 25th Air Flotilla (第二五航空戦隊,, Dai Nijūgo Kōkū Sentai, "Nijūgo Kōsen") was a combat aviation unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Pacific Campaign of World War II.

Contents

History

The 25th Air Flotilla, mainly consisting of land-based bombers, fighters, and reconnaissance aircraft, reported to the 11th Air Fleet. As originally organized, the flotilla's core units were the 4th Air Group, Tainan Air Group, and Yokohama Air Group. The 4th flew bombers, the Tainan fighters, and the Yokohama reconnaissance aircraft. The flotilla, under the command of Rear Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada, was deployed to Rabaul, New Britain on 29 March 1942. From this location, the unit supported Japanese military operations in the New Guinea and Solomon Islands Campaigns. During these campaigns, the unit was augmented by aircraft from other flotillas (i.e., 2nd Air Group and 3rd Air Group). The operational title for this hybrid organization was the 5th Air Attack Force. The organization took heavy losses in air combat over Guadalcanal. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Organization

DateHigher unitAviation units and vessels
1 April 1942 (original) 11th Air Fleet 4th Air Group [N 1] , Tainan Air Group [N 2] , Yokohama Air Group [N 3] , MV Mogamigawa Maru
29 April 19424th Air Group, Tainan Air Group, Yokohama Air Group, Seaplane tender Akitsushima, MV Mogamigawa Maru
7 August 19424th Air Group, Tainan Air Group, 2nd Air Group, Yokohama Air Group (detachment), 14th Air Group (detachment) [5]
12 September 19424th Air Group, Tainan Air Group, 2nd Air Group, Toko Air Group, Yokohama Air Group (detachment) [6]
10 October 1942Tainan Air Group, 2nd Air Group, 3rd Air Group (detachment), 751st Air Group (ex-Kanoya fighter unit), Toko Air Group, 14th Air Group (detachment) [7]
1 November 1942 251st Air Group, 702nd Air Group, 801st Air Group
18 May 1943251st Air Group, 702nd Air Group
1 July 1943251st Air Group, 501st Air Group [N 4] , 702nd Air Group
1 September 1943251st Air Group, 253rd Air Group [N 5] , 702nd Air Group, 705th Air Group [N 6] , 751st Air Group [N 7]
1 December 1943251st Air Group, 253rd Air Group, 751st Air Group
1 February 1944251st Air Group, 582nd Air Group [N 8] , 751st Air Group
5 May 1944dissolved
10 July 1944 2nd Air Fleet Nansei-Shotō Air Group [N 9]
15 November 1944203rd Air Group [N 10] , 701st Air Group [N 11] , Nansei-Shotō Air Group
15 December 1944 3rd Air Fleet 203rd Air Group, 701st Air Group
10 February 1945dissolved

Commanding officers

RankNameDateNote
1 Rear-Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada 1 April 1942
2Rear-Admiral Keizō Ueno 17 November 1942
xdissolved5 May 1944
3 Captain / Rear-Admiral Tomozō Kikuchi 10 July 1944Rear-Admiral on 15 October 1944.
4Captain Toshiyuki Yokoi 24 October 1944
xdissolved10 February 1945

Notes

  1. ↑ Attack bomber unit. Renamed 702nd Air Group on 1 November 1942.
  2. ↑ Fighter unit. Renamed 251st Air Group on 1 November 1942.
  3. ↑ Flying boat unit. Renamed 801st Air Group on 1 November 1942.
  4. ↑ Combined fighter- and dive bomber unit.
  5. ↑ Fighter unit.
  6. ↑ Attack bomber unit. Before the Misawa Air Group, until 31 October 1942.
  7. ↑ Attack bomber unit. Before the Kanoya Air Group, until 31 October 1942.
  8. ↑ Dive bomber unit. Before the 2nd Air Group, until 31 October 1942.
  9. ↑ Air base guards unit.
  10. ↑ Fighter unit. Before that known as the Atsugi Air Group, until 19 February 1944.
  11. ↑ Attack bomber unit. Before that known as the Toyohashi Air Group, until 19 February 1944.

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References

Sources

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