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85th Hiko Sentai (第85飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 March 1941  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 6 December 1941): Hankow, China  
Higher Command: 10th Air Brigade → 5th Air Division → China Expeditionary Army Air Command  

Commanding Officer (6 December 1941)  
Major Gorō Yamamoto – veteran of the China campaign and still an active combat pilot at the start of the Pacific War. A pragmatic and disciplined leader, more respected than celebrated, known for steady command and reliability in operations.  
Attributes:  
Skill 59 | Inspiration 53 | Naval 21 | Air 65 | Land 45 | Admin 55 | Aggression 49 | Political 16  

Formation & Background  
Formed in March 1941 at Hankow from cadre elements of the 33rd and 77th Sentai, the 85th Hiko Sentai was established to secure the central Yangtze airspace and provide escort for bomber formations of the 5th Air Division.  
Throughout 1941–42, the unit participated in a series of ground-support and escort missions against Chinese forces in Hunan and Guangxi.  
Although never considered elite, the Sentai was valued for its professionalism and cohesion. Many of its pilots rotated through the China theater before redeployment to Southeast Asia.  
In 1942, the Sentai began gradual re-equipment with the Ki-43-I “Hayabusa,” replacing its aging Ki-27 “Nate” fighters.  

Organization (as of 6 December 1941)  
Structure: 2–3 Chutai (approx. 30 pilots; 30 aircraft)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate” (transition to Ki-43-I “Hayabusa” from 1942)  
·Role: Air superiority, bomber escort, and regional patrol  
·Personnel: solid veteran nucleus, reinforced with new flight school graduates  

Aircraft Strength (as of 6 December 1941)  
Total: 30 | Operational: 24 | Damaged: 4 | Reserve: 2  

Pilot Roster (as of 6 December 1941)  
0173 – MAJ Yamamoto, Gorō (Sentai Commander) – XP 64 – entry 1941/12/06  
0174 – CPT Sawada, Mitsugu ★ Ace (11 victories) – XP 74 – entry 1941/12/06  
0175 – CPT Furukawa, Haruyoshi – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
0176 – CPT Tojo, Michiaki – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
0177 – CPT Nakahara, Yoshiaki – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
0178 – 2LT Gomi, Hiroshi ★ Ace (7 victories) – XP 56 – entry 1941/12/06  
0179 – MAJ Wakamatsu, Yukiyoshi ★ Ace (18 victories) – XP 81 – entry 1941/12/06  
0180 – WO Sudo, Tokuya ★ Ace (10 victories) – XP 59 – entry 1941/12/06  
8084 – WO Nomura, Akiyoshi ★ Ace (5 victories) – XP 53 – entry 1941/12/06  
8085 – WO Sasaki, Shigeharu – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8086 – 1LT Shiki, Yoshiji – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8087 – WO Hirai, Toshiaki – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8088 – WO Nishikawa, Tamotsu – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8089 – WO Hade, Sakio – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8090 – WO Ikubo, Hidesue – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8091 – 1LT Kon-i, Kiyoya – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8092 – WO Kikikawa, Tadashi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8093 – WO Hayakawa, Haruzo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8099 – CPT Saito, Hajime – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8108 – CPT Hironaka, Nobuyuki – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8110 – MAJ Nakamura, Morio – XP 68 – entry 1941/12/06  
8118 – CPT Okimoto, Yoshikazu – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8123 – CPT Horaguchi, Akira – XP 58 – entry 1942/01/05  
8127 – WO Ohkubo, Misao ★ Ace (5 victories) – XP 67 – entry 1941/12/06  
8128 – WO Yonezu, Fumio ★ Ace (5 victories) – XP 53 – entry 1941/12/06  

(*Further entries from 1942–45 reflect later reinforcements and training staff rotations, total pilots exceeding 40 by 1944.)  

Unit Averages (as of 6 December 1941)  
·Average XP: 51–52  
·Average Morale: 71  

Evaluation  
The 85th Hiko Sentai represented the steady backbone of the IJAAF’s mid-war China operations.  
Reliable, adaptable, and competently led, it produced several notable aces but was never glamorized as a front-line legend.  
By 1943–44, its veterans had dispersed to reinforce southern units such as the 64th and 204th Sentai, while the remaining pilots continued patrol and training duties from Hankow.  
Though its history lacked dramatic highlights, the 85th epitomized the quiet professionalism of Japan’s China-based fighter force—loyal, methodical, and indispensable.  

Code: Select all

87th Hiko Sentai (第87飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 March 1941  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 6 December 1941): Harbin, Manchuria  
Higher Command: 2nd Air Division → Kwantung Army Air Force  

Commanding Officer (6 December 1941)  
Lt. Col. Tsune-enon Shindō – a career officer with extensive administrative and training background. By 1941, his leadership focused on organization and standardization rather than personal combat flying. Methodical, composed, and dutiful.  
Attributes:  
Skill 60 | Inspiration 55 | Naval 22 | Air 66 | Land 47 | Admin 58 | Aggression 46 | Political 18  

Formation & Background  
The 87th Hiko Sentai was established in March 1941 at Harbin as a standard Kwantung Army Air Force fighter formation.  
Its early purpose was the defense of Manchuria’s northern airspace and surveillance along the Soviet border, a responsibility that demanded readiness but offered little real combat.  
The unit was well equipped and well organized, but its personnel were young—mostly recent flight school graduates gaining their first operational assignments.  
Only a handful of veterans, including Kanai Moritsugu and Takiyama Yamato, carried real combat experience from earlier campaigns in China, giving the unit a small but steady professional core.  

Organization (as of 7 December 1941)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 28 pilots)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate” (conversion to Ki-43-I “Hayabusa” began in 1942)  
·Role: Border defense, air patrol, tactical support  
·Personnel: few veterans, majority junior officers and warrant officers  

Aircraft Strength (as of 7 December 1941)  
Total: 45 | Operational: 36 | Damaged: 6 | Reserve: 3  

Pilot Roster (as of 6 December 1941)  
0182 – 2LT Hosono, Isamu – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
0183 – CPT Yamaura, Hiroshi (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
0184 – 1LT Kanai, Moritsugu ★ Ace (26 victories) – XP 83 – entry 1941/12/06  
0185 – CPT Takiyama, Yamato ★ Ace (9 victories) – XP 69 – entry 1941/12/06  
0186 – CPT Nagaoka, Ryōichi – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8131 – CPT Gunji, Kanai – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8132 – 1LT Hashimoto, Hiroshi – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8133 – WO Kobayashi, Mitsuo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8134 – WO Nomachi, Kadoaki – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8135 – WO Kuriyama, Hideo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8136 – WO Sato, Kiyomitsu – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8137 – WO Kanefuku, Ryōichi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8138 – WO Onishi, Seikichi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8139 – WO Ogawa, Moriyuki – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8140 – WO Takahashi, Naokichi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8141 – 1LT Naganuma, Kyoji – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8142 – WO Hagimoto, Sakae – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8143 – WO Onodera, Kyoji – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8144 – WO Sato, Seiji – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8145 – WO Takiyama, Satoshi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8146 – CPT Hasegawa, Kenkichi – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8147 – WO Takemoto, Jun’ichi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8148 – 2LT Kinoshita, Haruo – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8149 – WO Okada, Ryozo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8150 – 2LT Fujimura, Kiyoshi – XP 46 – entry 1941/12/06  
8151 – WO Nishimoto, Takeo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8152 – WO Muraki, Yoshio – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8153 – CPT Kato, Takeshi – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  

Total (Dec 1941): 28 pilots → Average XP 55.8 (Kanai highest at 83)  

Unit Averages (as of 7 December 1941)  
·Average XP: 55.8  
·Average Morale: 69  

Evaluation  
The 87th Hiko Sentai was a transitional formation within the Kwantung Army Air Force—efficiently structured but lacking battle experience.  
Its pilots displayed discipline and strong technical training but had few opportunities to test themselves in combat.  
While not elite, it provided a critical bridge between flight schools and the active front-line Sentai in China and Burma.  
From 1942 onward, the 87th began converting to the Ki-43 “Hayabusa,” and many of its more talented officers, including Kanai and Takiyama, were later reassigned to operational units in Southeast Asia.  
The 87th’s quiet professionalism reflected the strategic caution of Manchuria’s air defense—ready, watchful, and largely untested.  

Code: Select all

101st Hiko Sentai (第101飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 July 1944): Kita-Ise, Japan  
Higher Command: 5th Air Division → 1st Air Army (Home Defense Command)  

Commanding Officer (1 July 1944)  
Major Hyōe Yonaga – former IJAAF instructor and veteran of central China operations. A methodical and conscientious officer, more administrator than combat ace, who managed to maintain unit discipline and readiness under extreme shortages.  
Attributes:  
Skill 68 | Inspiration 56 | Naval 25 | Air 65 | Land 48 | Admin 60 | Aggression 50 | Political 18  

Formation & Background  
The 101st Hiko Sentai was created in July 1944 at Kita-Ise Airfield as part of the late-war expansion of Japan’s homeland air defense structure.  
Formed from elements of the 1st Hiko Kyōdōtai and staffed with instructors and new graduates from Akeno and Hitachi flight schools, the unit’s role was dual: basic air defense and tactical conversion training.  
Material shortages were severe—fuel rationing, worn engines, and lack of replacement parts forced the Sentai to focus more on simulated combat and training flights than real operations.  
Major Yonaga’s quiet professionalism and organizational skill allowed the unit to remain functional despite these challenges.  

Organization (as of 1 July 1944)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 40–45 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-43-I/II “Hayabusa” (Oscar)  
·Role: Homeland air defense and pilot training  
·Personnel: core of experienced officers, majority trainee pilots  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 July 1944)  
Total: 45 | Operational: 30 | Damaged: 8 | Reserve: 7  
Note: Many aircraft were rebuilt trainers; parts cannibalization was routine.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 July 1944)  
8157 – MAJ Yonaga, Hyōe (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1944/07/01  
8158 – MAJ Sakamoto, Bigaku – XP 68 – entry 1944/07/01  
8159 – CPT Suenaga, Masao (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8160 – 1LT Kodama, Masami – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8161 – CPT Sasaki, Fukuo – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8162 – CPT Oda, Hiroshi – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8163 – CPT Kozu, Yukiichi – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8164 – 1LT Takamura, Shōji – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8165 – WO Murayama, Kōzō – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8166 – CPT Nakahara, Minoru – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8167 – WO Fukui, Kazuo – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8168 – 1LT Hayakawa, Michio – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8169 – CPT Yamanaka, Masaru – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8170 – WO Ishibashi, Etsuo – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8171 – 2LT Kaneko, Shōhei – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  

Total (as of July 1944): 15 pilots → Average XP 54.9  

Unit Averages (as of 1 July 1944)  
·Average XP: 45–46 (veterans 58–68 | trainees 41–46)  
·Average Morale: 66 (stable despite shortages)  

Evaluation  
The 101st Hiko Sentai reflected the strained yet orderly state of the IJAAF in 1944.  
With only limited resources, it remained primarily a training and reserve unit, but under Major Yonaga’s capable leadership it maintained better organization and cohesion than most contemporary formations.  
While it saw little actual combat, the 101st provided a valuable pool of reserve pilots for the central homeland defense network and demonstrated that professionalism could persist even amid decay.  
In structure and spirit, it was one of the better examples of Japan’s late-war home defense Sentai—disciplined, under-equipped, and enduring.  

Code: Select all

102nd Hiko Sentai (第102飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 July 1944): Kita-Ise, Japan  
Higher Command: 5th Air Division → 3rd Air Army → Homeland Air Defense Command  

Commanding Officer (1 July 1944)  
Major Kaoru Kakimi – veteran of China operations and experienced IJAAF staff officer. A disciplined, pragmatic commander who led the newly established 102nd Hiko Sentai with calm professionalism. Not a flamboyant ace, but respected as a firm and fair leader of inexperienced men.  
Attributes:  
Skill 57 | Inspiration 52 | Naval 20 | Air 63 | Land 44 | Admin 53 | Aggression 48 | Political 16  

Formation & Background  
Formed in July 1944 at Kita-Ise Airfield, the 102nd Hiko Sentai was one of several emergency air defense units created to counter the growing threat of B-29 raids.  
It drew its cadre from instructors and veterans of the 5th Air Division Training Command, reinforced by young graduates from Akeno and Hamamatsu flight schools.  
The Sentai’s task was twofold: to defend central Japan and to train new pilots transitioning to the Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate.”  
Despite modern equipment, the unit suffered from the usual late-war constraints—chronic fuel shortages, parts scarcity, and minimal flying time—making sustained operations impossible.  

Organization (as of 1 July 1944)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 30–35 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate”  
·Role: Homeland air defense / Ki-84 conversion training  
·Personnel: small veteran cadre, majority new pilots  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 July 1944)  
Total: 30 | Operational: 20 | Damaged: 6 | Reserve: 4  
Note: Pre-production Hayate models were used; maintenance downtime exceeded 50% of total availability.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 July 1944)  
8175 – MAJ Kakimi, Kaoru (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1944/07/01  
8176 – CPT Hayashi, Iwao (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8177 – CPT Mokuri, Yoshitoshi (Seibitai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8178 – 2LT Kanazawa, Takemoto – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8179 – 1LT Nagakura, Masmi – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8180 – CPT Honda, Shoichi – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8181 – 1LT Shimizu, Tamotsu – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8182 – CPT Takasugi, Haruo – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8183 – 1LT Okada, Michinori – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8184 – WO Nishimoto, Kiyoshi – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8185 – 2LT Fujikawa, Shunji – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8186 – WO Matsuo, Eiji – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8187 – CPT Tanabe, Yasuo – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8188 – 1LT Inagaki, Shozo – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8189 – WO Hori, Keitaro – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8190 – 1LT Nagakura, Kanji – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8191 – WO Higashiyama, Iwao – XP 43 – entry 1944/07/01  
8192 – 2LT Hayashi, Hiroshi – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8193 – WO Ishiga, Heiichi – XP 41 – entry 1944/07/01  
8194 – 2LT Ito, Jiro – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  
8195 – 2LT Hayashi, Haruo – XP 51 – entry 1944/07/01  

Total (as of July 1944): 21 pilots → Average XP 51.0  

Unit Averages (as of 1 July 1944)  
·Average XP: 47–48 (veterans 58–68 | trainees 41–51)  
·Average Morale: 69 (disciplined and dutiful despite grim outlook)  

Evaluation  
The 102nd Hiko Sentai was emblematic of Japan’s last-ditch air defense effort—modern in equipment, but hollow in resources.  
Major Kakimi maintained order and purpose among a young and largely untested group of pilots who flew in worsening conditions.  
Though its combat record was minimal, the 102nd fulfilled its training and local defense role with quiet professionalism.  
It stood as a transitional formation—half operational unit, half flight school—representing the IJAAF’s exhausted, but still organized, struggle to defend the homeland in 1944.  

Code: Select all

103rd Hiko Sentai (第103飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 August 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1944): Itami Airfield, Japan  
Higher Command: Homeland Air Defense Command → 1st Air Army  

Commanding Officer (1 August 1944)  
Major Michiaki Tōjō – veteran of the China campaign, reassigned in 1944 to organize and command the newly created 103rd Hiko Sentai.  
A pragmatic, disciplined leader with a reputation for calm efficiency. Not a front-line ace, but an organizer who maintained structure and morale under deteriorating conditions.  
Attributes:  
Skill 56 | Inspiration 51 | Naval 20 | Air 62 | Land 43 | Admin 52 | Aggression 47 | Political 15  

Formation & Background  
The 103rd Hiko Sentai was established in mid-1944 at Itami Airfield as part of Japan’s final wave of homeland air defense expansion.  
Its personnel were drawn from Akeno and Tachiarai flight schools, combined with a handful of veterans from front-line units withdrawn from China and Burma.  
The unit’s twin missions were air defense of the Kansai region and advanced conversion training for pilots transitioning to the Ki-43 “Hayabusa.”  
Due to fuel and equipment shortages, the Sentai’s activity level was minimal, often limited to a few training sorties per week.  
By late 1944, it had settled into a pattern typical of late-war formations: strong discipline, low flight time, and no strategic influence.  

Organization (as of 1 August 1944)  
Structure: 2–3 Chutai (approx. 30–45 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-43-I/II “Hayabusa” (Oscar)  
·Role: Air defense and conversion training  
·Personnel: small veteran cadre, majority new graduates  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 August 1944)  
Total: 45 | Operational: 30 | Damaged: 9 | Reserve: 6  
Note: Equipment mix of older Ki-43 variants; several lacked radio gear.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 August 1944)  
0188 – 2LT Yajima, Tomesaku ★ Ace (16 victories) – XP 72 – entry 1944/08/15  
0189 – CPT Ogawa, Tomojiro (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/08/01  
8199 – MAJ Tōjō, Michiaki (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1944/08/01  
8200 – WO Toyoda, Goro – XP 43 – entry 1944/08/01  
8201 – CPT Kobayashi, Toshio – XP 58 – entry 1944/08/15  
8202 – 1LT Hoshino, Shunpei – XP 51 – entry 1944/09/01  
8203 – WO Sugiyama, Haruo – XP 43 – entry 1944/09/20  
8204 – 2LT Ishikawa, Noboru – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/01  
8205 – WO Matsui, Takeo – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/10  
8206 – CPT Ando, Masaru – XP 58 – entry 1944/11/01  
8207 – 1LT Noguchi, Seiji – XP 51 – entry 1944/11/15  
8208 – WO Hirabayashi, Keizo – XP 43 – entry 1944/12/01  
8209 – 1LT Morimoto, Ryohei – XP 51 – entry 1944/11/20  
8210 – 2LT Yajima, Sato – XP 49 – entry 1944/10/01  
8211 – 2LT So, Tetsuya – XP 42 – entry 1945/04/01  

1944: 13 pilots → Average XP 52.8  
1945: 1 pilot → Average XP 42.0  
Total: 14 pilots → Average XP 51.9  

Unit Averages (as of 1 August 1944)  
·Average XP: 45–46 (veterans 60–70 | trainees 40–45)  
·Average Morale: 66 (disciplined and loyal, though operationally stagnant)  

Evaluation  
The 103rd Hiko Sentai was a model of the late-war IJAAF condition—organized, willing, but materially paralyzed.  
Under Major Tōjō, the Sentai kept its structure intact and its pilots motivated, yet it lacked the resources to become combat-effective.  
Its primary mission remained training and reserve defense, with little real combat engagement.  
In spirit, the 103rd represented the twilight of Japan’s air power: competence and discipline surviving amid scarcity and decline.  

Code: Select all

104th Hiko Sentai (第104飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 July 1944): Ozuki Airfield, Japan  
Higher Command: 3rd Air Division → Home Defense Command  

Commanding Officer (1 July 1944)  
Major Yamato Takiyama – veteran officer with prior service in the China theater and homeland defense units. Tasked in 1944 with forming and commanding the 104th Hiko Sentai, he was a methodical, disciplined leader focused on maintaining basic functionality rather than chasing combat glory.  
Attributes:  
Skill 55 | Inspiration 50 | Naval 20 | Air 61 | Land 43 | Admin 52 | Aggression 47 | Political 15  

Formation & Background  
The 104th Hiko Sentai was formed at Ozuki Airfield on 1 July 1944 as part of the final wave of IJAAF home defense formations.  
By mid-1944, Japan’s strategic situation had deteriorated, and the new Sentai’s mission centered on defending western Japan while training fresh pilots for redeployment to front-line Sentai.  
The unit drew a small nucleus of veterans from prior China operations, reinforced by many newly graduated pilots from Akeno and Mito flight schools.  
Initially equipped with worn Ki-43-I “Hayabusa” fighters, the Sentai faced continual maintenance issues, low sortie rates, and minimal combat readiness.  

Organization (as of 1 July 1944)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 45 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-43-I “Hayabusa” (Oscar)  
·Role: Homeland defense / transition training  
·Personnel: veteran cadre with majority flight school graduates  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 July 1944)  
Total: 45 | Operational: 31 | Damaged: 9 | Reserve: 5  
Note: Airframes were heavily worn; mechanical failures and lack of spares were routine.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 July 1944)  
0191 – CPT Maeda, Susumu (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
0192 – CPT Kinjo, Shigeto (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
0193 – CPT Tomiya, Mitsuo (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8215 – MAJ Takiyama, Yamato (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1944/07/01  
8216 – CPT Kusano, Yoshitaka (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/07/01  
8217 – WO Nagata, Tadanori – XP 43 – entry 1944/08/01  
8218 – WO Akeno, Yoshihiro – XP 43 – entry 1944/08/01  
8219 – WO Kataoka, Tetsuo – XP 43 – entry 1944/08/01  
8220 – 1LT Shimizu, Takao – XP 51 – entry 1944/09/01  
8221 – CPT Arakawa, Minoru – XP 58 – entry 1944/09/15  
8222 – WO Fujita, Kenji – XP 43 – entry 1944/09/20  
8223 – 2LT Nishida, Haruo – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/01  
8224 – WO Ishihara, Masao – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/15  
8225 – CPT Ueda, Koji – XP 58 – entry 1944/11/01  
8226 – WO Takano, Shigeo – XP 43 – entry 1944/12/01  

Total (as of 1944): 15 pilots → Average XP 51.0  

Unit Averages (as of 1 July 1944)  
·Average XP: 45–46 (veterans 55–68 | trainees 40–45)  
·Average Morale: 66 (solid discipline, limited operational activity)  

Evaluation  
The 104th Hiko Sentai was one of the many late-war IJAAF home defense formations—organized, dutiful, and under-equipped.  
Its aircraft were obsolete and maintenance-heavy, and its flight operations were curtailed by the fuel crisis.  
Major Takiyama succeeded in keeping the unit orderly and functional, turning it into a disciplined training and emergency interception outfit.  
The 104th never reached full operational potential, but it typified the closing phase of the IJAAF: organized decay held together by professionalism and duty rather than resources or hope.  

Code: Select all

105th Hiko Sentai (第105飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 August 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1944): Taichung Airfield, Formosa (Taiwan)  
Higher Command: Formosa Air Defense Command → 8th Air Division  

Commanding Officer (1 August 1944)  
Major Chōichirō Yoshida – experienced mid-generation IJAAF officer, formerly active in China.  
Assigned to form and command the 105th Hiko Sentai in 1944, Yoshida was a pragmatic and disciplined leader who attempted to build an operationally functional fighter unit amid the logistical chaos of late-war Japan.  
Attributes:  
Skill 55 | Inspiration 50 | Naval 20 | Air 61 | Land 43 | Admin 52 | Aggression 47 | Political 15  

Formation & Background  
The 105th Hiko Sentai was created during the summer of 1944 at Taichung Airfield as part of the emergency expansion of air defenses on Formosa.  
Intended to serve as a modern interceptor unit equipped with the Kawasaki Ki-61 “Hien,” the Sentai quickly became another victim of Japan’s industrial decline.  
Persistent shortages of Ha-40 engines, spare parts, and tools crippled its readiness from inception.  
Many of its pilots came directly from Akeno and Tachiarai flight schools, while a few veterans from China were added to provide minimal experience and training continuity.  
Its combat potential remained limited, and much of its effort went into pilot conversion and airfield defense duties.  

Organization (as of 1 August 1944)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 40–45 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Kawasaki Ki-61-I “Hien” (Tony); some Chutai retained Ki-43-II “Hayabusa”  
·Role: Air defense of Formosa / fighter training  
·Personnel: small veteran cadre, majority new graduates  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 August 1944)  
Total: 45 | Operational: 28 | Damaged: 9 | Reserve: 3  
Note: Ha-40 engine failures and missing equipment plagued operations; several aircraft were grounded indefinitely.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 August 1944)  
8230 – MAJ Yoshida, Chōichirō (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1944/08/01  
8231 – CPT Kawakami, Jirō (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/08/01  
8232 – CPT Kuriyama, Miharu (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/08/01  
8233 – CPT Iwamoto, Akira (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/08/01  
8234 – 1LT Morita, Takayuki – XP 51 – entry 1944/08/15  
8235 – WO Nakamura, Jinsaku – XP 43 – entry 1944/09/01  
8236 – CPT Tanabe, Yoshiharu – XP 58 – entry 1944/09/15  
8237 – 2LT Fujimoto, Shigeo – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/01  
8238 – WO Oishi, Kunio – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/20  
8239 – 1LT Kawai, Tetsurō – XP 51 – entry 1944/11/01  
8240 – WO Takeda, Masanori – XP 43 – entry 1944/11/20  
8241 – CPT Hayakawa, Shunichi – XP 58 – entry 1944/12/01  
8242 – 2LT Naganuma, Fujito – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/01  

Total (as of 1944): 13 pilots → Average XP 51.0  

Unit Averages (as of 1 August 1944)  
·Average XP: 45–46 (veterans 58–68 | trainees 40–45)  
·Average Morale: 66 (disciplined, low combat exposure)  

Evaluation  
The 105th Hiko Sentai was among the final standard formations of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force.  
Conceived as a modern interceptor unit for Formosa’s defense, it never achieved more than partial readiness.  
Engine failures, lack of replacement parts, and chronic fuel scarcity limited flight activity to a fraction of expectations.  
Major Yoshida nonetheless preserved structure, morale, and a semblance of combat preparedness, transforming the Sentai into a functional—if symbolic—component of Formosa’s collapsing air defense network.  
By early 1945, the unit stood as a testament to the IJAAF’s endurance: technically ambitious, operationally starved, and strategically irrelevant.  

Code: Select all

111th Hiko Sentai (第111飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1945  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1945): Honshū, Japan  
Higher Command: Homeland Air Defense Command  

Commanding Officer (1 July 1945)  
Lt. Col. Tadashi Ishikawa – senior IJAAF officer appointed during the war’s final months.  
By this stage, his duties were administrative rather than operational, overseeing a paper unit without aircraft or logistical support.  
Attributes:  
Skill 59 | Inspiration 54 | Naval 21 | Air 65 | Land 46 | Admin 57 | Aggression 45 | Political 17  

Formation & Background  
Although the 111th Hiko Sentai appeared nominally in early IJAAF planning documents, it was not formally activated until 1 July 1945—barely six weeks before Japan’s surrender.  
The unit was intended to defend central Honshū under the Homeland Air Defense Command but was never equipped with its designated Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate” fighters.  
Its personnel consisted almost entirely of flight school graduates and depot transfers, hastily assembled as part of the last-ditch defensive mobilization.  
Fewer than ten percent of its members were veterans, and their presence served more to maintain morale than to prepare for combat.  
The 111th remained non-operational until the war’s end, representing the final hollow gesture of a collapsing air force.  

Organization (as of 1 July 1945)  
Structure: nominally 4 Chutai (about 30–35 pilots)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate” (planned; none received)  
·Role: Homeland defense (Central Japan)  
·Personnel: mostly flight school graduates, minimal veteran leadership  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 July 1945)  
Total: 0 | Operational: 0 | Damaged: 0 | Reserve: 0  
Note: No aircraft allocation completed; the Sentai remained a paper formation.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 July 1945)  
8084 – CPT Mihara, Akio (5th Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8085 – CPT Tada, Ichirō (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8086 – CPT Ieda, Toriyuki (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8087 – CPT Itō, Hisa-aki (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8088 – MAJ Hinoki, Yōhei ★ Ace (12 victories, 4th Chutai Leader) – XP 76 – entry 1945/07/01  
8089 – CPT Sugiyama, Katsuji – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8090 – CPT Mihara, Akio – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8091 – 1LT Kondō, Masaharu – XP 51 – entry 1945/07/01  
8092 – WO Takigawa, Hisashi – XP 43 – entry 1945/07/01  
8093 – 2LT Nishimoto, Yasuo – XP 51 – entry 1945/07/01  
8094 – CPT Hayashi, Saburō – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8095 – WO Arakawa, Keiji – XP 43 – entry 1945/07/01  
8096 – 1LT Morioka, Tetsuji – XP 51 – entry 1945/07/01  
8097 – CPT Fujikawa, Shunpei – XP 58 – entry 1945/07/01  
8098 – WO Hino, Kazuharu – XP 43 – entry 1945/07/01  
8099 – 2LT Tanaka, Michio – XP 51 – entry 1945/07/01  
8100 – 1LT Okabe, Shigeru – XP 51 – entry 1945/07/01  
8108 – CPT Inayama, Hideaki – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8109 – MAJ Kusakari, Takeo – XP 52 – entry 1945/07/01  

Total (as of 1945): 19 pilots → Average XP 53.8  

Unit Averages (as of 1 July 1945)  
·Average XP: 44–46 (Hinoki’s XP 76 as outlier)  
·Average Morale: 48–52 (declining to 40–45 by August 1945 due to hopeless conditions)  

Evaluation  
The 111th Hiko Sentai existed in name only—a final bureaucratic artifact of a defeated air force.  
Activated mere weeks before Japan’s surrender, it possessed neither aircraft nor operational infrastructure.  
Veterans such as MAJ Hinoki lent symbolic gravitas, but their experience could not transform a paper organization into a fighting unit.  
By August 1945, the 111th represented the exhaustion of the IJAAF: men without machines, orders without means, and valor trapped within the machinery of collapse.  

Code: Select all

112th Hiko Sentai (第112飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1945  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1945): Nitta Airfield, Japan  
Higher Command: Homeland Air Defense Command (Kantō Region)  

Commanding Officer (1 July 1945)  
Lt. Col. Hidemi Yusuhara – senior IJAAF staff officer, appointed during the war’s final weeks.  
Given his position and the desperate state of Japan’s defenses, Yusuhara’s role was purely administrative. Operational command was largely nominal, as the Sentai had neither aircraft nor logistics to function.  
Attributes:  
Skill 58 | Inspiration 53 | Naval 21 | Air 64 | Land 46 | Admin 57 | Aggression 44 | Political 17  

Formation & Background  
The 112th Hiko Sentai was established at Nitta Airfield on 1 July 1945 as part of the final mobilization of the Homeland Air Defense Command.  
It was intended to protect the Kantō region against U.S. raids but existed only as an organizational formality.  
Personnel were drawn almost entirely from accelerated flight school programs and replacement depots.  
The Sentai was theoretically to be equipped with the Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate,” but the aircraft deliveries never materialized, leaving the unit grounded.  
By August 1945, most of its “operations” consisted of administrative drills, evacuation procedures, and preparation for a final stand that never came.  

Organization (as of 1 July 1945)  
Structure: Nominally 4 Chutai (approx. 40–45 pilots planned)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate” (Frank) – planned  
·Role: Homeland air defense / emergency interceptor training  
·Personnel: almost entirely new graduates; negligible veteran presence  

Aircraft Strength (as of July 1945)  
Total: 0–15 (incomplete deliveries) | Operational: 0 | Damaged: 0 | Reserve: 0  
Note: Most airframes were unfinished or unassembled; the Sentai never became flight-capable.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1–25 July 1945)  
8091 – MAJ Tsugawa, Jiro (Hikotai Leader) – XP 52 – entry 1945/07/01  
8092 – CPT Hara, Masao (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8093 – CPT Takahashi, Fumio (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8094 – CPT Takasugi, Kageyori (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8095 – CPT Ishihata, Ryōichirō (4th Chutai Leader) – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8096 – MAJ Yamazaki, Shin-ichi (Seibitai Leader) – XP 52 – entry 1945/07/01  
8097 – CPT Takagi, Norio – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/05  
8098 – 1LT Nishio, Kenji – XP 44 – entry 1945/07/10  
8099 – WO Yamamoto, Hideo – XP 39 – entry 1945/07/15  
8100 – 2LT Fujita, Masaharu – XP 44 – entry 1945/07/20  
8101 – 1LT Aoyama, Yoshinori – XP 44 – entry 1945/07/25  
8102 – CPT Mori, Tatsuo – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  
8103 – WO Saitō, Tomokazu – XP 41 – entry 1945/07/01  
8110 – CPT Saotome, Eisaku – XP 48 – entry 1945/07/01  

Total (as of 1945): 15 pilots → Average XP 44.6  

Unit Averages (as of 1 July 1945)  
·Average XP: 44–45 (no veteran offset; entirely inexperienced cadre)  
·Average Morale: 47–50 (falling toward 40–45 as surrender approached)  

Evaluation  
The 112th Hiko Sentai was emblematic of Japan’s military collapse in 1945: a unit that existed on paper but never in the air.  
Its pilots were fresh from flight schools, its leadership symbolic, and its equipment nonexistent.  
Despite the formalities of organization, it never conducted a single operational sortie.  
The Sentai’s creation reflected the final stage of the IJAAF’s disintegration—bureaucratic inertia attempting to mask total incapacity.  
When the war ended in August 1945, the 112th had neither flown nor fought, a ghost unit marking the last breath of Japan’s once-formidable Army Air Force.  

Code: Select all

200th Hiko Sentai (第200飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 October 1944  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 October 1944): Nitta / Akeno, Japan  
Higher Command: Army Air Training Command (Akeno Kyōiku Hikōshidan)  

Commanding Officer (1 October 1944)  
Lt. Col. Takeshi Takahashi – veteran IJAAF officer charged with organizing one of the final wartime Sentai formations.  
By 1944, his role was largely administrative, coordinating training and logistics rather than leading combat sorties.  
A methodical officer, dependable but uninspired, he represented the exhausted professionalism of Japan’s late-war command cadre.  
Attributes:  
Skill 61 | Inspiration 55 | Naval 22 | Air 67 | Land 47 | Admin 58 | Aggression 46 | Political 18  

Formation & Background  
The 200th Hiko Sentai was created in October 1944 during the IJAAF’s last major structural expansion.  
Formed at Nitta and Akeno Airfields, it was intended as an advanced training and conversion unit to transition new pilots to the Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate.”  
Although formally categorized as a front-line Sentai, it functioned primarily as a training and reserve group under the Army Air Training Command.  
Eighty percent of its pilots were fresh graduates from Akeno, Hitachi, and Kumagaya schools, while the remainder were seasoned officers from China and Burma.  
The Sentai suffered from mechanical unreliability, particularly with the Ha-45 “Homare” engines, and was constrained by severe fuel shortages.  
Despite its nominal readiness, its operational capacity was marginal at best.  

Organization (as of 1 October 1944)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 29 pilots total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-84-I “Hayate” (Frank)  
·Role: Advanced training / limited homeland defense  
·Personnel: majority flight school graduates; minority veterans from China/Southeast Asia  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 October 1944)  
Total: ~29 | Operational: 24–26 | Damaged: 2–3 | Reserve: 1–2  
Note: Frequent Ha-45 failures and lack of spare parts limited operational readiness to roughly 50%.  

Pilot Roster (as of 12 October 1944)  
204 – 2LT Kanazawa, Nobuo – XP 46 – entry 1944/10/12  
205 – MAJ Sakagawa, Toshio (Executive Officer) – XP 68 – entry 1944/10/12  
8286 – CPT Nakagawa, Chinnosuke (Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8287 – CPT Tabata, Masaru – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8288 – CPT Fukami, Kazuo – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8289 – CPT Miyamaru, Masao – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8290 – CPT Kono, Tokio – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8291 – CPT Kuwabara, Shigeru – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8292 – CPT Kawaguchi, Saburō – XP 58 – entry 1944/10/12  
8293 – WO Seki, Shirō – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8294 – 2LT Nakazono, Ryōsuke – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8295 – WO Nishioka, Shigenori – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8296 – WO Kashima, Shintarō – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8297 – 1LT Takahashi, Masakuni – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8298 – WO Miyake, Kōichi – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8299 – WO Ōishi, Koshiji – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8300 – WO Kiyono, Nobuo – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8301 – 1LT Nakatake, Masatane – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8302 – 1LT Ōmori, Yoshio – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8303 – WO Morita, Kiyoyoshi – XP 41 – entry 1944/10/12  
8304 – 2LT Nakajima, Naobumi – XP 46 – entry 1944/10/12  
8305 – MAJ Kamata, Ichirō – XP 68 – entry 1944/10/12  
8306 – WO Mune, Noboru – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8307 – WO Yoshino, Tokijirō – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8308 – 1LT Shirowa, Ryōjirō – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8309 – 1LT Nishi, Tetsuo – XP 51 – entry 1944/10/12  
8310 – WO Ueno, Arata – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8311 – WO Kajita, Shichinosuke – XP 43 – entry 1944/10/12  
8312 – WO Kira, Katsuaki ★ Ace (21 victories) – XP 78 – entry 1944/10/12  

Total (as of 1944): 29 pilots → Average XP 52.4  

Unit Averages (as of 1 October 1944)  
·Average XP: 47–49 (veterans 60–70 | trainees 42–46)  
·Average Morale: 55–60 (falling toward 45–50 by late 1944 due to fuel and supply collapse)  

Evaluation  
The 200th Hiko Sentai embodied the IJAAF’s final structural ambitions—formally established, but operationally hollow.  
Although nominally equipped with the Ki-84 “Hayate,” the Sentai functioned mainly as a conversion and training group rather than a combat force.  
Its pilots displayed determination and professionalism, but logistical decay rendered the unit ineffective for sustained operations.  
By late 1944, the 200th represented not so much a fighting formation as a desperate administrative construct: disciplined, dutiful, but trapped in the ruins of Japan’s collapsing air war.  

Code: Select all

204th Hiko Sentai (第204飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 April 1942  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 April 1942): Zhenxi, China  
Higher Command: Under formation (no fixed superior assignment at creation)  

Commanding Officer (1 April 1942)  
Major Hajime Tabuchi – combat veteran of the China campaign who personally led the newly formed Sentai in early operations.  
Initially an active pilot-commander, Tabuchi gradually shifted to administrative and organizational duties as the unit stabilized.  
Attributes:  
Skill 59 | Inspiration 53 | Naval 21 | Air 65 | Land 45 | Admin 55 | Aggression 49 | Political 16  

Formation & Background  
The 204th Hiko Sentai was created in April 1942 as part of the post-reorganization phase of the IJAAF’s China deployment.  
Formed at Zhenxi, it drew its nucleus from experienced flyers who had served in earlier campaigns and was filled out with recent graduates from Akeno and Mito flight schools.  
Equipped with the Nakajima Ki-43-I “Hayabusa,” the unit was conceived as a mobile air-superiority formation capable of escort and interception across central and southern China.  
Initial operations revealed uneven training and logistical deficiencies common to new formations, yet its leadership and discipline helped the unit achieve early stability.  

Organization (as of 1 April 1942)  
Structure: 3 Chutai  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-43-I “Hayabusa” (Oscar)  
·Role: Air superiority, escort, and tactical support  
·Personnel: veterans blended with large numbers of new flight-school graduates  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 April 1942)  
Total: ~37 | Operational: 30–32 | Damaged: 3–4 | Reserve: 1–2  

Pilot Roster (April 1942 – March 1944)  
210 – CPT Takiguchi, Hiroshi ★ Ace (9 victories) – XP 69 – entry 1942/04/01  
211 – 1LT Nishioka, Shigetsune ★ Ace (8 victories) – XP 56 – entry 1942/04/01  
212 – WO Katō, Kenji – XP 43 – entry 1942/04/01  
213 – WO Yamaguchi, Bunichi ★ Ace (19 victories) – XP 76 – entry 1942/04/01  
8316 – MAJ Tabuchi, Hajime (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1942/04/01  
8317 – CPT Yamamoto, Junzō (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/04/01  
8318 – CPT Kanazawa, Tomohiko (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/04/01  
8319 – CPT Nakajima, Masami (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/04/01  
8320 – CPT Itō, Shōchi – XP 58 – entry 1942/04/01  
8321 – 1LT Kitada, Noritsune – XP 51 – entry 1942/04/01  
8322 – WO Tamura, Masuo – XP 43 – entry 1942/04/01  
8323 – WO Nagasaki, Tomekichi – XP 43 – entry 1942/04/01  
8324 – 1LT Ōtsubo, Toshio – XP 51 – entry 1942/04/01  
8325 – WO Nagaoka, Toshio – XP 43 – entry 1942/04/01  
8326 – WO Hashiguchi, Kōkichi – XP 43 – entry 1943/04/01  
8327 – WO Fujimoto, Kin’ichi – XP 43 – entry 1943/04/01  
8328 – CPT Suzuki, Takehiro – XP 58 – entry 1943/04/15  
8329 – 2LT Nakashio, Toshinaga – XP 46 – entry 1943/05/01  
8330 – 1LT Kawase, Takao – XP 51 – entry 1943/05/01  
8331 – WO Endō, Takeshi – XP 43 – entry 1943/05/20  
8332 – WO Nakamura, Hayashi – XP 43 – entry 1943/06/01  
8333 – WO Kataoka, Kyūgo – XP 43 – entry 1943/06/01  
8334 – WO Horii, Kenzō – XP 43 – entry 1943/06/15  
8335 – WO Kasahara, Takuzō – XP 43 – entry 1943/06/15  
8336 – 1LT Kawamura, Yoshiaki – XP 51 – entry 1943/07/01  
8337 – WO Matsui, Kin’ichirō – XP 43 – entry 1943/07/01  
8338 – CPT Araki, Tomio – XP 58 – entry 1943/07/15  
8339 – 2LT Shimizu, Saburō – XP 46 – entry 1943/08/01  
8340 – WO Okabe, Takashi – XP 43 – entry 1943/08/01  
8341 – 1LT Hoshino, Keizō – XP 51 – entry 1943/08/15  
8342 – WO Tanabe, Shinsaku – XP 43 – entry 1943/08/15  
8343 – CPT Minami, Toshio – XP 58 – entry 1943/09/01  
8344 – 1LT Nishikawa, Jirō – XP 51 – entry 1943/09/01  
8345 – WO Kurata, Masayoshi – XP 43 – entry 1943/09/15  
8346 – 2LT Aoyagi, Yutaka – XP 46 – entry 1944/01/01  
8347 – WO Tsuru, Nobuo – XP 43 – entry 1944/01/01  
8348 – WO Kōshū, Nao – XP 43 – entry 1944/01/01  
8349 – MAJ Aizawa, Torashirō – XP 68 – entry 1944/03/01  

Yearly Overview  
1942: 13 pilots → ∅ XP 55.4  
1943: 21 pilots → ∅ XP 49.5  
1944: 3 pilots → ∅ XP 51.3  
Total: 37 pilots → ∅ XP 51.7  

Unit Averages (as of April 1942)  
·Average XP: 49–50  
·Average Morale: 68–70 (dropping to ~56 after sustained losses)  

Evaluation  
The 204th Hiko Sentai exemplified the mid-war IJAAF: organized, disciplined, but increasingly overstretched.  
It produced several accomplished aces such as Takiguchi, Nishioka, and Yamaguchi, yet never achieved elite status comparable to the 64th or 59th Sentai.  
Operationally competent and tactically conventional, the unit’s strength lay in its stability and training function rather than daring innovation.  
By 1943–44 it had shifted toward a replacement and refresher role, mirroring the IJAAF’s broader decline as veteran cadres thinned and resources waned.  

Code: Select all

144th Hiko Sentai (第144飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 July 1941  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 April 1942): Chōfu, Japan  
Higher Command: Kantō Homeland Defense Sector → later 10th Air Division, 1st Air Army  

Commanding Officer (as of 1 July 1943)  
Major Shigechika Tomari – a steady and composed IJAAF officer who oversaw the Sentai’s reorganization during 1943.  
Originally an active combat flyer, Tomari transitioned to administrative command once the unit matured.  
He was respected for calm judgment and fair discipline—qualities vital to maintaining morale in a formation that saw limited glory.  
Attributes:  
Skill 60 | Inspiration 54 | Naval 21 | Air 66 | Land 46 | Admin 55 | Aggression 49 | Political 16  

Formation & Background  
The 144th Hiko Sentai was officially raised in the summer of 1941 as part of Japan’s prewar expansion of home-based air defense forces.  
Initially intended for deployment to China, the outbreak of hostilities in December 1941 kept the unit stationed in Japan, where it served in homeland air defense and as a training and reserve group.  
Its early years were spent flying the Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate,” with conversion to the Ki-43 “Hayabusa” beginning in 1942.  
By 1943, under Tomari’s leadership, the Sentai had evolved into a reliable though modestly equipped interceptor formation conducting limited operations against U.S. reconnaissance aircraft over the Kantō region.  

Organization (as of 6 December 1941)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (approx. 15 pilots each, total ~45 aircraft)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate” (transition to Ki-43 planned for 1942)  
·Role: Homeland air defense / training / tactical readiness  
·Personnel: majority new graduates supported by an experienced officer cadre  

Aircraft Strength (as of 6 December 1941)  
Total: 45 | Ready: 30 | Damaged: 9 | Reserve: 6  

Pilot Roster (as of 6 December 1941)  
198 – CPT Saitō, Tōgō (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
199 – CPT Iwakura, Tomokuni (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
200 – CPT Nozaki, Seiji (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
201 – WO Yoshida, Takeo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
202 – WO Andō, Kiyoshi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8353 – MAJ Tomari, Shigechika (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1941/12/06  
8354 – 2LT Takayama, Shōichi – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8355 – WO Honda, Kazuo – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8356 – CPT Ōhara, Tsutomu – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8357 – WO Takada, Setsuho – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8358 – CPT Shirai, Nagao ★ Ace (13 victories) – XP 74 – entry 1941/12/06  
8359 – WO Negishi, Nobuji ★ Ace (6 victories) – XP 54 – entry 1941/12/06  
8360 – WO Sumi, Tadao ★ Ace (6 victories) – XP 54 – entry 1941/12/06  
8361 – 2LT Kobayashi, Teruhiko ★ Ace (12 victories) – XP 68 – entry 1941/12/06  
8362 – 1LT Itagaki, Masao ★ Ace – XP 76 – entry 1941/12/06  
8363 – 1LT Nakano, Matsumi – XP 65 – entry 1941/12/06  
8364 – CPT Shinomiya, Tōru – XP 68 – entry 1941/12/06  
8365 – 1LT Yamaguchi, Masao – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8366 – CPT Nishimura, Shōji – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8367 – WO Fukui, Tameichi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8368 – 2LT Harada, Ichirō – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8369 – WO Sugimoto, Takashi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8370 – 1LT Okabe, Seiji – XP 51 – entry 1941/12/06  
8371 – WO Tanaka, Norio – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8372 – CPT Kinoshita, Tōru – XP 58 – entry 1941/12/06  
8373 – WO Matsuda, Hachirō – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8374 – 2LT Tange, Mitsuyuki – XP 46 – entry 1941/12/06  
8375 – WO Nakatsukasa, Ryūzō – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8376 – WO Hamada, Kiyoshi – XP 43 – entry 1941/12/06  
8377 – WO Abe, Tadashi – XP 46 – entry 1941/12/06  
8378 – WO Kuroishikawa, Shigeru – XP 46 – entry 1941/12/06  

Total (as of December 1941): 32 pilots → Average XP 52.6  

Unit Averages (as of 6 December 1941)  
·Average XP: 48–50  
·Average Morale: 65–68 (declining to ~56 after attrition)  

Evaluation  
The 144th Hiko Sentai represented a typical mid-tier homeland defense unit of the early Pacific War.  
It bridged the technological and organizational shift from the Ki-27 “Nate” to the Ki-43 “Hayabusa,” training new pilots while maintaining modest defensive coverage over Japan’s capital region.  
The Sentai produced several accomplished aces—Shirai, Kobayashi, and Itagaki—but remained primarily a steady, workmanlike formation rather than an elite combat outfit.  
Its value lay not in glory but in continuity: maintaining discipline, training standards, and readiness within an air force racing to modernize under the pressure of total war.  

Code: Select all

246th Hiko Sentai (第246飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 August 1942  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1942): Kakogawa Airfield, Japan  
Higher Command: Army Air Training Area (Kansai), Army Air Training Command  

Commanding Officer (as of 1 August 1942)  
Major Takeo Miyamoto – veteran officer and former flight leader of the 59th Hiko Sentai.  
Appointed to organize the 246th from Akeno-trained graduates, he brought a reputation for calm professionalism and exacting discipline.  
Known for his methodical instruction and steady temperament, Miyamoto turned the new unit into a model training formation.  
Attributes:  
Skill 59 | Inspiration 53 | Naval 21 | Air 65 | Land 45 | Admin 55 | Aggression 48 | Political 16  

Formation & Background  
The 246th Hiko Sentai was established in August 1942 at Kakogawa to address the IJAAF’s growing demand for replacement pilots.  
Structured as a transitional formation, it combined experienced instructors from the 59th and 64th Sentai with new graduates from Akeno, Mito, and Hitachi flight schools.  
Its main purpose was conversion training from basic trainers to operational fighters, primarily on the Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate.”  
Although not designated a combat unit, the 246th maintained full Sentai structure and discipline, operating as an intermediary stage between flight school and front-line assignment.  
Official IJAAF evaluations later described it as “disciplined, dependable, and instructional in character rather than tactical.”  

Organization (as of 1 August 1942)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (~30 pilots; ~30 aircraft)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate”  
·Role: Conversion and intermediate fighter training  
·Personnel: majority new pilots; minority veterans and NCO instructors from China  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 August 1942)  
Total: 30 | Ready: 22 | Under repair: 5 | Reserve: 3  
Note: Aircraft were often rebuilt trainers with high wear and limited reliability.  

Pilot Roster (as of 1 August 1942)  
215 – CPT Yakuyama, Takehisa (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
216 – CPT Okuda, Noburu (Hikotai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8383 – MAJ Miyamoto, Takeo (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1942/08/01  
8384 – CPT Sano, Kiyonori (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8385 – WO Kuroda, Masuo – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8386 – WO Ōmae, Jirō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8387 – WO Kawamoto, Shōzō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8388 – 1LT Nakazawa, Hyō – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8389 – WO Murai, Kaname – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8390 – WO Mochizuki, Tetsuzō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8391 – WO Ueno, Yoshio – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8392 – WO Ōta, Hiroshi – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8393 – CPT Otonari, Sadahiko – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8394 – WO Hara, Minori – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8395 – WO Suzuki, Eisaku ★ Ace (11 victories) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8396 – WO Satō-ura, Toshio ★ Ace (15 victories) – XP 62 – entry 1942/08/01  
8397 – WO Kashima, Shintarō ★ Ace (10 victories) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8398 – WO Iwase, Kōichi ★ Ace (10 victories) – XP 59 – entry 1942/08/01  
8399 – WO Matsui, Yoshio – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8400 – 1LT Ishihara, Kōzō – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8401 – CPT Nakano, Tomiji – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8402 – WO Sugiyama, Eizō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8403 – 2LT Yamagishi, Saburō – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8404 – WO Taniguchi, Tadashi – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8405 – 1LT Kinoshita, Ryōzō – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8406 – WO Umeda, Tameichi – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8407 – CPT Shibata, Tōru – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8408 – WO Takagaki, Haruo – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8409 – MAJ Ishikawa, Tsuneyuki – XP 68 – entry 1942/08/01  

Total (1942): 29 pilots → Average XP 52.4  

Unit Averages (as of 1 August 1942)  
·Average XP: 48–49 (instructors 58–68 | trainees 41–46)  
·Average Morale: 66–68 (dropping to ~56 after training accidents and attrition)  

Evaluation  
The 246th Hiko Sentai stood as a crucial bridge between IJAAF flight schools and operational combat units.  
It was neither glamorous nor widely known, yet its contribution to maintaining pilot quality during Japan’s mid-war expansion was significant.  
Aces such as Suzuki, Satō-ura, and Kashima lent the unit tactical credibility and instructional skill, while Miyamoto’s disciplined leadership ensured consistent performance.  
By 1943, the Sentai had effectively become a feeder organization for front-line formations like the 59th and 64th Sentai.  
In historical retrospect, the 246th represents the quiet backbone of the IJAAF—competent, disciplined, and essential for sustaining Japan’s dwindling pool of trained aviators.  

Code: Select all

248th Hiko Sentai (第248飛行戦隊)  
Founded: 1 August 1942  
Classification: Standard Unit  
Base (as of 1 August 1942): Ashiya Airfield, Japan  
Higher Command: Western District Army Air Command (Heimon Chiku Kōkū Shireibu)  

Commanding Officer (as of 1 August 1942)  
Major Yasuo Makino – a disciplined IJAAF officer with prior service in training establishments.  
Assigned to organize the 248th at Ashiya, he was known for his precise methods and emphasis on readiness and flight discipline.  
Though not flamboyant, his quiet professionalism maintained the cohesion and credibility of this hybrid training-defense unit.  
Attributes:  
Skill 60 | Inspiration 54 | Naval 21 | Air 66 | Land 46 | Admin 56 | Aggression 49 | Political 17  

Formation & Background  
The 248th Hiko Sentai was established on 1 August 1942 at Ashiya Airfield to strengthen the newly formed Western Air Defense Zone.  
Originally intended as a reserve and training formation, it gradually took on limited operational roles—performing airspace patrols and interception drills over Kyūshū and the Inland Sea.  
Personnel were mostly newly graduated pilots from Akeno, Mito, and Kumagaya schools, complemented by a small cadre of veterans from China-based units.  
The Sentai initially operated Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate” fighters before progressively converting to the Ki-43 “Hayabusa” during 1943.  
It served as both a training and standby operational group, ensuring a steady flow of combat-ready pilots for Japan’s western air defense network.  

Organization (as of 1 August 1942)  
Structure: 3 Chutai (~15 pilots each; ~45 aircraft total)  
·Aircraft Type: Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate”  
·Role: Training, homeland defense, and readiness patrols  
·Personnel: new graduates supported by experienced NCOs and instructors  

Aircraft Strength (as of 1 August 1942)  
Total: 45 | Ready: 36 | Under repair: 6 | Reserve: 3  
Note: The aircraft were aging trainer variants, adequate for instruction but of limited combat reliability.  

Pilot Roster (1942/08/01 – 1943/10/31)  
218 – CPT Sakaya, Saburō (1st Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
219 – CPT Tokunaga, Nobuo (2nd Chutai Leader) – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8411 – MAJ Makino, Yasuo (Sentai Commander) – XP 68 – entry 1942/08/01  
8412 – 1LT Ōhata, Hideo (3rd Chutai Leader) – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8413 – WO Suzuki, Sōsaku – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8414 – WO Toda, Shirō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8415 – 1LT Ejiri, Hisamatsu – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8416 – WO Ichikawa, Ryōichi – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8417 – WO Katō, Yoshimata – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8418 – 1LT Fueki, Masaji – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8419 – CPT Shimizu, Hideyuki – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8420 – WO Sakoda, Sumio – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8421 – WO Nakayama, Ichirō – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8422 – WO Furukawa, Masaosa – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8423 – WO Tsutsut, Matsuo – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8424 – 1LT Maekawa, Yoshihari – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8425 – WO Nakatsuka, Takeo – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8426 – MAJ Muraoka, Shin-ichi – XP 68 – entry 1942/08/01  
8427 – CPT Kojima, Shigeo – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8428 – 1LT Koga, Keiji – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8429 – 1LT Howashi, Tomokazu – XP 51 – entry 1942/08/01  
8430 – CPT Ikakura, Kaneji – XP 58 – entry 1942/08/01  
8431 – WO Tagomori, Yoshio – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/01  
8432 – WO Matsushita, Kenkichi – XP 43 – entry 1942/08/20  
8433 – 1LT Tanimoto, Masao – XP 51 – entry 1942/09/01  
8434 – CPT Fujikawa, Keiji – XP 58 – entry 1942/09/15  
8435 – WO Okabe, Toshirō – XP 43 – entry 1942/10/01  
8436 – 2LT Araki, Shunsuke – XP 51 – entry 1942/10/10  
8437 – 1LT Morizawa, Shintarō – XP 51 – entry 1942/11/01  
8438 – WO Nishida, Kōhei – XP 43 – entry 1942/11/15  
8439 – CPT Uehara, Hideo – XP 58 – entry 1942/12/01  
8440 – WO Tomimoto, Haruo – XP 43 – entry 1942/12/15  
8441 – WO Yoshida, Hiroshi – XP 43 – entry 1943/10/01  
8442 – 2LT Ōta, Hideo – XP 51 – entry 1943/11/09  
8443 – 2LT Mayekawa, Yoshihari – XP 43 – entry 1943/11/09  
8444 – 2LT Wakayama, Nobuo – XP 46 – entry 1943/06/01  
8445 – WO Midera, Toyoshi – XP 43 – entry 1943/07/01  
8446 – CPT Totsuka, Nobuyoshi – XP 58 – entry 1943/06/01  
8447 – WO Saitō, Akiharu – XP 43 – entry 1943/08/01  
8448 – WO Nakazawa, Yukitami – XP 43 – entry 1943/09/01  
8449 – MAJ Kuroda, Takefumi – XP 68 – entry 1944/01/12  
8450 – WO Saitō, Yasuo – XP 43 – entry 1943/10/31  
8451 – WO Aihara, Takeshi – XP 41 – entry 1943/10/31  

1942: 27 pilots → ∅ XP 52.1  
1943: 14 pilots → ∅ XP 48.6  
1944: 2 pilots → ∅ XP 54.5  
Total: 43 pilots → ∅ XP 51.0  

Unit Averages (as of 1 August 1942)  
·Average XP: 49–50  
·Average Morale: 67–69 (dropping to ~56 after transfers and accidents)  

Evaluation  
The 248th Hiko Sentai embodied Japan’s disciplined yet unremarkable mid-war air defense formations.  
Under Major Makino’s meticulous leadership, the unit combined training, reserve, and limited interception roles with steady efficiency.  
Its pilots maintained proficiency through constant local patrols, forming a dependable though unsung element of Japan’s western defense network.  
By 1944, the Sentai had evolved into a preparation and replacement pool for Kyūshū-based front-line units.  
In retrospect, it stood as one of the quiet workhorses of the IJAAF—structured, loyal, and professional even as Japan’s strategic situation deteriorated.