FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1924
1924 - 0209.PDF
APRIL 10, 1924 IBSE THE BRITISH AVIATION MISSION TO THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY* By COLONEL THE MASTER OF SEMPILL, A.F.C, A.F.R.AE.S. (Lately, Acting Captain, Imperial Japanese Navy, and Commanding British Aviation Mission) DURING the late War, it is no idle boast to say that the Japanese Navy became impressed with the work of our own Naval Air Service and convinced of the necessity of having a similar organisation. Admiral Baron Kato, I.J.N., then Minister of the Navy, known to all as the Chief Japanese Delegate at the Washington Conference, decided to approach the British Government through the usual channels for assistance. It can well be'realised that, in view of the very close relationship on naval matters which had always existed between the two countries, with admirable results, such a decision was a most natural one. In 1920 official application was made for the loan of the services of an Aviation Mission composed of per sonnel seconded from the Royal Air Force. The request no doubt came at an awkward time, as the endeavour then was to clear up after the War and reorganise the fighting services on a peace basis. Several departments of State had a voice in such a matter and a decision was long delayed. From the Japanese aspect this was serious, particularly as no indication was given that the request would be acceded to at all. Eventu ally a reply was sent regretting that the British Government was not in a position to render the assistance required, mainly on the grounds of extreme shortage of personnel. At this time the Japanese authorities, perturbed at the delay, were seriously considering the advisability of applying elsewhere, and we must bear in mind that a French Aviation Mission had already been despatched to Japan for the purpose of re organising the Military Air Service. So impressed, however, were they with the undoubted pre-eminence of Great Britain in matters pertaining to the naval side of aviation that they decided to request that the name of a suitable officer who had served in the Air Forces might be suggested, and I must consider myself singularly fortunate in being given the first offer of undertaking this work. In January, 1921,1 came to an agreement with Rear-Admiral Kobayashi, then the Naval Attache, and actually commenced the organisation of the British Aviation Mission on the first of the following month. The Japanese authorities, very wisely realising that we had experience that would be peculiarly valuable to them, placed no major restrictions whatever in regard to the organisation of the Mission, which was charged with the reorganisation, equipment and training of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service. The Mission was composed almost without exception of personnel who had been in the Royal Naval Air Service, as they naturally possessed the particular experience which was desired. The staff numbered thirty, there being eighteen officers and twelve warrant officers (second class). The organisation was similar to that in the Royal Naval Air Service, and in consequence conformed very closely indeed to that of the Japanese Navy. The Japanese Admiralty granted acting commissions to all members with ranks equivalent to those they had already held previously in the British Air Service. The original agreement was for one year, but it was clearly realised on both sides that such a period would have to be considerably extended. As it transpires, over three years have been spent, approximately 70 per cent, of which time in an executive capacity and 30 per cent, in an advisory. Air Organisation in the Japanese Admiralty In the Japanese Admiralty there is at the moment no separate Air Department, but there are sections in the principal departments appointed to deal with aircraft matters. The work of these various sections is co-ordinated by the Minister of the Navy. Air stations generally are administered under a Commander- in-Chief, as is the case with ordinary Admiralty establish ments. In special cases, such as for air training stations, an officer may be appointed in command being directly respon sible to the Minister of the Navy. Plans have been put forward for the creating of a Naval Air Service, manned by personnel seconded from the Navy, or in certain instances obtained by direct entry. This would necessitate the creation of a Naval Air Department, the head of that department being directly responsible to the Minister for all air matters, the closest liaison being kept with the N.G. Staff and other departments as circumstances dictated. The well-known controversies that have raged round Air * Extracts from paper read before the Royal Aeronautical Sogiety <m April 3, 1924. Service organisation have occurred in Japan, and there was at one time a serious move towards a unified and separate Air Service. This emanated from the Military Air Service, but it may be remarked that such an idea was at no time very popular with those on the naval side. The late Admiral Baron Kato, the Prime Minister and Minister of the Navy, who was Chief of Staff to Admiral-of-the- Fleet Count Togo at the famous. b»ttle of Tsu Chima, and Admiral Yamashita, the Director of Operations at that time and now Chief of the Naval General Staff, were very wisely strongly opposed to such a suggestion, in view of the divergent policies and different system of the Military Air Service and for other important reasons. Organisation of the Mission The Mission was divided into four principal sections : Flying, Technical, Armament and Photography. In addition to the staff under the above heads there was a medical officer and first lieutenant and a W.O. writer. It naturally took some time .to get together the necessary personnel, many of whom could not be secured at once. By the middle of March, however, the bulk of them had been obtained. Whilst it was necessary to keep back a number of officers to assist in obtaining the material required, it was possible to despatch an advance party under the Second in Command, including three flying officers and two engineer warrant officers, on March 12 by quickest route uta America. The rest of the personnel sailed in batches, via the Ports, as prepara tions on this side advanced. It can well be realised that the vast quantity of material of every description that was required took a considerable amount of time to purchase, inspect and ship. The advance party arrived in Japan in the middle of April, and proceeded at once to inspect the site proposed for the new Central Training Station of the Naval Air Service. The activities of the Mission were concentrated chiefly at this station—Kasumigaura, meaning "Lagoon in the mist"— •which lies on the shores of a lagoon of the same name about 40 miles north-east of Tokyo. The site had been well chosen, as was quite evident from the preliminary inspection of the ground marked out, and whole-hearted approval was given. The aerodrome lies about one mile from the shores of the lagoon on a raised plateau, and is of very generous dimensions. The area at the present moment available for landing on is about 700 acres, and there are excellent facilities for expansion to over double that area when such is found necessary. I do not propose to go into further details of the lay-out of the aerodrome, as these can be so much more readily appreciated from a few slides I have to show. Arrangements were made on the shores of the lagoon for the building up of a seaplane station suitable for preliminary training. The lagoon is not tidal and isTif vast area, covering over 60 square miles, being some 25 to 30 miles in length, with an average width of 3 to 4 miles, and offering unique facilities for training purposes with seaplanes and flying boats. A light railway was constructed for bringing in stores from the nearest railway station. Communication for personnel between the railway and air station was by road or water. Very excellent quarters were specially constructed for the Mission with every possible facility, including a billiard-room with two full-size tables and tennis courts adjoining. As has already been mentioned, certain Avro machines and " F.5 " flying boats had been ordered. This was unfortunate in some respects, as it committed us to using the " F.5 " type of flying boat, which, although undoubtedly an excellent machine in its day, had been superseded by a more modern type in the " P.5." The Avros were naturally useful as this machine had been selected for preliminary training. It was most important to select types of machines which could be easily obtained, as it was necessary to have them shipped to Japan at the earliest moment. Equipment was obtained from many firms such as Messrs. Armstrong-Whit- worth Aircraft Company, Blackburn Aeroplane Company, Gloucestershire Aircraft Company, Supermarine Aviation Company, Vickers, Ltd., Rolls-Royce, Ltd., Napier and Son, Ltd., Geo. Parnall and Co., Short Bros., A. V. Roe, Ltd., Disposals Company, Nobel Industries, Ltd., Monarch 209
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
