List of Air Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy

Contents

1st Air Fleet

Main article: 1st Air Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)

2nd Air Fleet

The 2nd Air Fleet (第二航空艦隊 Dai-Ni Kōkū Kantai?) organized to defend National Defence Zone with 1st Air Fleet. They were in charge of Philippine air defense. However, their airplane has disappeared in November 1944 because they fought against Halsey Fleet from the front.

Date Higher unit Lower units
15 June 1944 (original) Imperial General Headquarters 141st NAG[1], 345th NAG, 762nd NAG
10 July 1944 Combined Fleet 21st Air Flotilla, 25th Air Flotilla, 141st NAG, 221st NAG, 341st NAG, 762nd NAG, 763rd NAG,
Kyūshū NAG[2]
8 January 1945 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Shigeru Fukudome 15 June 1944
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral Ushie Sugimoto 15 June 1944
2 Rear-Admiral Tomozō Kikuchi 27 October 1944

3rd Air Fleet

The 3rd Air Fleet (第三航空艦隊 Dai-San Kōkū Kantai?) was in charge of air defense of Eastern Japan.

Date Higher unit Lower units
10 July 1944 (original) Combined Fleet 27th Air Flotilla
15 December 1944 Combined Fleet 25th Air Flotilla, 27th Air Flotilla, 131st NAG, 210th NAG, 252 NAG, 343rd NAG, 601st NAG, 706th NAG, 722nd NAG, 752nd NAG, 801st NAG 1023rd NAG
25 May 1945 Combined Fleet 13th Air Flotilla, 25th Air Flotilla, 27th Air Flotilla
15 October 1945 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Shun'ichi Kira 10 July 1944
2 Vice-Admiral Kinpei Teraoka 17 November 1944
3 Vice-Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada 26 August 1945
x vacant post 1 October 1945
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral Kanzō Miura 10 July 1944 WIA on 30 July 1944
x vacant post 31 July 1944
2 Captain Tarō Taguchi 1 August 1944
x vacant post 26 December 1944
3 Captain Chūzaburō Yamazumi 1 January 1945
4 Captain Chihaya Takahashi 26 August 1945
x vacant post 1 October 1945

5th Air Fleet

The 5th Air Fleet (第五航空艦隊 Dai-Go Kōkū Kantai?) was in charge of air defense of Western Japan.

Date Higher unit Lower units
10 February 1945 (original) Combined Fleet 203rd NAG, 701st NAG, 721st NAG, 762nd NAG, 801st NAG, 1022nd NAG,
Kyūshū NAG, Nansei-Shotō NAG
25 May 1945 Combined Fleet 12th Air Flotilla, 72nd Air Flotilla, Takuma NAG, 171st NAG, 634th NAG, 701st NAG, 721st NAG, 762nd NAG, 801st NAG, 931st NAG
Kyūshū NAG, San'in NAG, Nansei-Shotō NAG, Naikai NAG, Saikai NAG
10 October 1945 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Matome Ugaki 10 February 1945 KIA on 15 August 1945
x vacant post 16 August 1945
2 Vice-Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka 17 August 1945
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Captain
Rear-Admiral		 Toshiyuki Yokoi 10 February 1945
1 May 1945

10th Air Fleet

The 10th Air Fleet (第十航空艦隊 Dai-Jū Kōkū Kantai?) was training unit.

Date Higher unit Lower units
1 March 1945 (original) Combined Fleet 11th CAG[3], 12th CAG, 13th CAG
1 June 1945 Combined Fleet Kasumigaura NAG, Yatabe NAG, Hyakurihara NAG, Jinmachi NAG, 2nd Kōriyama NAG, Matsushima NAG, Tōkyō NAG, Genzan NAG
10 October 1945 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Minoru Maeda 1 March 1945
x vacant post 1 October 1945
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral Chikao Yamamoto 1 March 1945
2 Captain
Rear-Admiral		 Shigenori Kami 20 June 1945
15 September 1945		 LODD on 15 September 1945
x vacant post 16 September 1945

11th Air Fleet

The 11th Air Fleet (第十一航空艦隊 Dai-Jūichi Kōkū Kantai?) was organized to summarize a strategy of naval air groups at first.

Date Higher unit Lower units
15 January 1941 (original) Combined Fleet 21st Air Flotilla, 22nd Air Flotilla, 24th Air Flotilla
10 December 1941 Combined Fleet 21st Air Flotilla, 22nd Air Flotilla, 23rd Air Flotilla,
DesDiv. 34 (Destroyer Akikaze, Hakaze, Tachikaze), Auxiliary aircraft transport Lyons Maru, Keiyō Maru, Kamogawa Maru,
1st Yokosuka SNLF, 2nd Yokosuka SNLF
14 July 1942 Combined Fleet 22nd Air Flotilla, 24th Air Flotilla, 25th Air Flotilla, 26th Air Flotilla,
DesDiv. 34, Auxiliary aircraft transport Lyons Maru, Keiyō Maru, Nagoya Maru
24 December 1942 Southeast Area Fleet 22nd Air Flotilla, 24th Air Flotilla, 25th Air Flotilla, 26th Air Flotilla, Atsugi NAG, Toyohashi NAG, 802nd NAG,
Seaplane tender Akitsushima, Destroyer Akikaze, Tachikaze
Auxiliary aircraft transport Lyons Maru, Keiyō Maru, Nagoya Maru, Goshū Maru, Mogamigawa Maru, Fujikawa Maru
1 January 1944 Southeast Area Fleet 25th Air Flotilla, 26th Air Flotilla, 151st NAG,
Seaplane tender Akitsushima, Destroyer Akikaze, Tachikaze
15 August 1944 Southeast Area Fleet 958th NAG, 105th Air Base Unit
6 September 1945 Surrendered to Australia at Rabaul.
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Eikichi Katagiri 15 January 1941
2 Vice-Admiral Nishizō Tsukahara[4] 10 September 1941
3 Vice-Admiral Jin'ichi Kusaka 1 October 1942
24 December 1942 Commander of the Southeast Area Fleet
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral Takijirō Ōnishi 15 January 1941
2 Rear-Admiral Munetaka Sakamaki 10 February 1942
3 Rear-Admiral
Vice-Admiral		 Yoshimasa Nakahara 24 December 1942
1 November 1943		 Chief of staff of the Southeast Area Fleet
4 Rear-Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka 29 November 1943 Chief of staff of the Southeast Area Fleet
5 Rear-Admiral Sadatoshi Tomioka 6 April 1944 Chief of staff of the Southeast Area Fleet
6 Vice-Admiral Naosaburō Irifune 7 November 1944 Chief of staff of the Southeast Area Fleet
Commander of the 8th Base Force
1 December 1944 Chief of staff of the Southeast Area Fleet

12th Air Fleet

The 12th Air Fleet (第十二航空艦隊 Dai-Jūni Kōkū Kantai?) was in charge of an air cover of the Northeast Area Fleet.

Date Higher unit Lower units
18 May 1943 (original) Combined Fleet No units, they were existence only in the documents.
5 August 1943 Northeast Area Fleet 24th Air Flotilla, 27th Air Flotilla, 51st Air Flotilla,
Horomushiro Communication Unit, 5th Weather Observation Unit
1 April 1944 Northeast Area Fleet 27th Air Flotilla, 51st Air Flotilla,
Horomushiro Communication Unit, 5th Weather Observation Unit, 41st Air Base Unit
5 December 1944 Combined Fleet 452nd NAG, Hokutō NAG, Chishima Base Force
1 March 1945 Combined Fleet Hokutō NAG, Chishima Base Force
30 November 1945 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral Michitarō Tozuka 18 May 1943
5 August 1943 Commander of the Northeast Area Fleet
2 Vice-Admiral Eiji Gotō 15 September 1944 Commander of the Northeast Area Fleet
5 December 1944
15 February 1945 Commander of the Ōminato Guard District
3 Vice-Admiral Kanji Ugaki 15 March 1945 Commander of the Ōminato Guard District
x vacant post 1 October 1945
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral Yoshiyuki Ichimiya 18 May 1943
5 August 1943 Chief of staff of the Northeast Area Fleet
5 December 1944
2 Rear-Admiral Tsuyoshi Matsumoto 6 February 1945
3 Rear-Admiral Zensuke Kanome 15 February 1945 Chief of staff of the Ōminato Guard District
Commander of the Ōminato Transportation Department
x vacant post 1 October 1945

13th Air Fleet

The 13th Air Fleet (第十三航空艦隊 Dai-Jūsan Kōkū Kantai?) was in charge of an air cover of Southwest Area Fleet.

Date Higher unit Lower units
20 September 1943 (original) Combined Fleet No units, they were existence only in the documents.
1 January 1944 Southwest Area Fleet 23rd Air Flotilla, 28th Air Flotilla, 732nd NAG
15 August 1944 Southwest Area Fleet 28th Air Flotilla, 381st NAG, 102nd Air Base Unit, 104th Air Base Unit
15 December 1944 Southwest Area Fleet 28th Air Flotilla, Malay NAG, Tōin NAG
5 February 1945 10th Area Fleet 23rd Air Flotilla, 28th Air Flotilla, 11th NAG, 12th NAG, 13th NAG, 31st NAG, 936th NAG, Malay NAG, Tōin NAG
1 June 1945 10th Area Fleet 28th Air Flotilla, 31st NAG, 381st NAG
12 September 1945 Surrendered to United Kingdom in Singapore.
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral
Admiral		 Shirō Takasu 20 September 1943
1 March 1944		 Commander of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
2 Vice-Admiral Gun'ichi Mikawa 18 July 1944 Commander of the Southwest Area Fleet
15 August 1944 Commander of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
3 Vice-Admiral Denshichi Ōkawachi 1 November 1944 Commander of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
4 Vice-Admiral Minoru Tayui 8 January 1945 Commander of the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet
5 Vice-Admiral Shigeru Fukudome 13 January 1945 Commander of the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet
5 February 1945 Commander of the 10th Area Fleet and the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Rear-Admiral
Vice-Admiral		 Takeo Tada 20 September 1943
1 November 1943		 Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
2 Rear-Admiral
Vice-Admiral		 Hidehiko Nishio 1 March 1944
15 October 1944		 Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet
3 Rear-Admiral Kaoru Arima 1 November 1944 Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
Commander of the 31st Special Base Force
17 November 1944 Chief of staff of the Southwest Area Fleet and 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet
4 Rear-Admiral Bunji Asakura 8 January 1945 Chief of staff of the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet
5 February 1945 Chief of staff of the 10th Area Fleet and the 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet

14th Air Fleet

The 14th Air Fleet (第十四航空艦隊 Dai-Jūyon Kōkū Kantai?) was in charge of an air cover of Central Pacific Area.

Date Higher unit Lower units
4 March 1944 (original) Central Pacific Area Fleet 22nd Air Flotilla, 26th Air Flotilla, Seaplane tender Akitsushima
5 May 1944 Central Pacific Area Fleet Seaplane tender Akitsushima
8 July 1944 HQ was annihilated
18 July 1944 disbanded
Rank Name Date Note, additional post
1 Vice-Admiral
Admiral		 Chūichi Nagumo 4 March 1944
8 July 1944		 Commander of the Central Pacific Area Fleet
KIA on 8 July 1944
x vacant post 9 July 1944
Rank Name Date Additional post
1 Rear-Admiral
VIce-Admiral		 Hideo Yano 4 March 1944
8 July 1944		 Chief of staff of the Central Pacific Area Fleet
KIA on 8 July 1944
x vacant post 9 July 1944

Footnotes

  1. ^ NAG = Naval Air Group (海軍航空隊 Kaigun Kōkūtai?). The same shall apply hereinafter.
  2. ^ Description by the italic type character shows that they are "Category 'B' Naval Air Group" (海軍乙航空隊 Kaigun Otsu Kōkūtai?). They defended the air base with anti-aircraft arms.
  3. ^ CAG = Combined Air Group (聯合航空隊 Rengō Kōkūtai?). The same shall apply hereinafter.
  4. ^ L, Klemen (1999-2000). "Vice-Admiral Nishio Tsukahara". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/tsukahara.html.