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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0859.PDF
APRIL 23RD, 1942 FLIGHT 393 ALLOCATION OF THE JAPANESE DEFENCE BUDGET FOR THE AIR FORCE 1929 1933/34 - 1937 1937/38 1940 JAPAN'S AIR POWER % so A5 40 35 30 25 20 15 . to at the beginning of military operations is by no means evidence of aerial strength. Air power has deeper roots : it is the composite result of a country's industrial capacity to produce service able types of aircraft at a rate necessi tated by the need for replacements, and the resources.of man-power, skill and material behind such production. Lacking in technical skill, the* Japanese started to build up their air power by relying on foreign support. Up to 1926 practically all aircraft had been procured by outright purchases from European countries and the U.S.A. Since then concentrated efforts have been made to develop a domestic aircraft industry. But the absence of designing knowledge and craftsmanship made the Japanese rely on buying foreign licences and pro totypes. Not only did the licence agreements burden the aircraft in dustry with some' 20 to 30 per cent, of the value of the finished aircraft, but since foreign manufacturers were y.eiuctant to dispose of their latest ^uevelopments, the Japanese industry could not keep pace with technical improvements in Europe and the U.S.A. Expansion Drive With the beginning of the arma ment programme in 1931 a steady expansion of the industry can be noted, well reflected by the increasing allocations for the Air Force in the Japanese military expenditure. This trend is graphically shown in the dia gram ; but one should not overlook the fact that, although it significantly illustrates the growing importance of air power in Japan's military prepara tions, allowance has to be made for the reduction in the purchasing power of the "Yen," and on the other hand fop expenditure provided for building the Air Arm out of public loans and donations which is not included in the diagram. A real aircraft rush started in 1937 with the opening up of the "China Incident." The Mitsubishi, the Showa Hikoki. and other concerns expanded 55 L-4-5 < a. <35 li. 030 a 25 LI (0 Z20 •3 Z 15 IO 5 O IMPORTS OF AIRCRAFT TO JAPAN ££$T 1922 1924 1927 I92S 1929 !93o|l93l 1032 1033 1934 1035 C 4 /\ * s V JO O, < V • 1936 P— / 1937 / / / 1 1 / .-<J 1938 O 1 1 1 1 their production capacities; firms manufacturing instruments, cycles, etc., rushed to the lucrative construc tion of aircraft. The Government then harnessed the industry into its war machine proper, and by a iaw of March nth, 1938, the manufacture of aircraft, engines, airscrews and parts was made subject to a licence, and no foreign licences were allowed to be bought except with the Govern ment's permission. The importation of equipment was declared free of duty, and aircraft firms were released from payment of taxes for a period of five years. Despite these efforts, however, the imports of foreign equip ment, though considerably reduced, have still retained a high level. The Japanese have acquired foreign licences ranging from the Oerlikon cannon and the Hispano-Suiza Moteur- m'fS'KX'tmlS'- .TTr-r'-::• ":.•"> .- • --v' ~ - ';;:'.,;•„..' canon to bombers and fighters. Though burdened with the heavy expenditure involved in such pur chases, their unscrupulous emulation has helped them to liberate their air craft industry from the restrictions of various patent laws to which foreign industries were subjected. This was also the shortest cut to obtaining modern equipment without the long period of development and expense connected with it, for which Japan had neither the financial nor the tech nical resources. Production Capacity The production capacity of Japan's aircraft is, for an outside observer, ex tremely difficult to judge. For reti cent as the Japanese have always been in disclosing any information about their military potential, they have sur- MITSUBISHI T-97 : Thg>»-"l*eavy bombers, which^fuip the JapS1 squadrons are in exJ»«Sive use in the Pacific are^^Tt has a range of 1, with a 4,4fft lb. bornl(Woad. f 1 JtOi
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