Japan 大日本帝國陸軍航空隊 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun Kokutai Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Aircraft Code Names & Designations 1910 - 1921: The Early Years

1912 - 1921: The Early Years

The first aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army were imported, typically from France. These were generally referred to by the manufacturer's model number or name. As locally-modified derivatives of these imported aircraft were built (primarily by the Army's Provisional Military Balloon Research Association), they were identified by "Kai" (Association) followed by a sequence number. Local conversions and derivatives of imported aircraft were given a Type designation based on the phonetic pronounciation of the first Japanese character of the manufacturer's name.

Examples: Kaishiki No. 1 Aeroplane; Army Type Mo 1913 Aeroplane (Mo - Maurice Farman).

1912 - 1921

Manufacturer Designation Notes Henri Farman biplane - One purchased by PMBRA in 1910. Hans Grade monoplane - One purchased by PMBRA in 1910. Blériot monoplane - One purchased by Army in 1911. German-built Wright biplane - One purchased by Army in 1911. PMBRA Tokugawa Type Kaishiki No. 1 Aeroplane One built in 1911, based on Henri Farman biplane. PMBRA Tokugawa Type Kaishiki Nos. 2, 3, 4 One each built in 1912. Tokyo Army Arsenal, PMBRA Army Type Mo 1913 Aeroplane Four imported Maurice Farman Type biplanes, plus 26 locally-built in 1913. Tokyo Army Arsenal, PMBRA Kaishiki Second Year Model Kaishiki Nos. 5 & 6 Two derivatives of Kaishiki Nos. 3 & 4 and Type Mo built in 1913. Henri Farman Henri Farman 1914 One purchased in 1914. PMBRA Sawada Type No. 7 Kaishiki 3rd Year Model (Converted Type Mo) One Army Type Mo conversion in 1915. PMBRA Kaishiki A7 Kaishiki No. 7 Reconnaissance Aircraft One Henri Farman 1914 conversion in 1915. PMBRA Kaishiki Kaizo 3rd Year Model Aeroplane Kaishiki No. 7 Small Aeroplane One built in 1916, based on Curtiss pusher design. PMBRA Sawada Type B 7 Kaishiki 4th Year Model / Type Mo 1914 / Type Mo 4th Year Model / Army Type Mo-4 Aeroplane 84 built in 1915 - 1920 by PMBRA, Tokyo Army Arsenal, Nagoya Army Arsenal and Tokorozawa Branch. PMBRA Seishiki-1 Aeroplane One built in 1916. PMBRA Type Mo 6-Year Model Army Type Mo 6th Year Model / Type Mo Model 6 (Type Mo-6) 134 built in 1917 - 1921 by PMBRA, Tokyo Army Arsenal, Tokorozawa Branch and Akabane. PMBRA Standard H-3 Trainer - Two imported and three locally-built in 1917. PMBRA Seishiki-2 Aeroplane One built in 1917. Nieuport Nie.24 Army Type Ni-24 Unknown number imported in 1917, plus license-production by Tokorozawa Branch (?) and Nakajima (77) in 1921 - 1923. Nieuport Nie.27 Army Type Ni-24 Unknown number imported in 1917, plus license-production by Tokorozawa Branch (?) and Nakajima (25) in 1921 - 1923. SPAD S.VII - Unknown number imported in 1918. Farman F.50Bn.2 - One imported. SPAD S.XIII - 100 imported in 1919. Sopwith Pup - 50 imported in 1919. Nieuport Nie.81 - 40 imported in 1919. Nieuport Nie.83 - Unknown number imported. Salmson Sal.2A.2 - Several imported in 1919. Tokyo Army Arsenal Army Maurice Farman 5 Aeroplane 11 derivatives of Army Maurice Farman 1914 built in 1919 - 1920 by Tokyo Army Arsenal and Tokorozawa Branch. Tokorozawa Branch Army Type Ni Ground Taxi-ing Aircraft / Army Model 2 Ground Taxi-ing Trainer 15 built in 1919 - 1920 by Tokorozawa Branch and Nakajima; based on Nieuport Nie.81. Nihon Hikoki Seisakusho (Nakajima) Type 5 Trainer 101 built in 1919 - 1921. Tokorozawa Branch Army Model 3 Ground Taxi-ing Trainer 30 built in 1921 - 1923. Department of Research Koshiki-1 Experimental Reconnaissance Aircraft One Seishiki-2 conversion in 1921. Farman F.60 - Unknown number imported.

Abbreviations and Translations

• Akabane: Akabane Aeroplane Manufacturing Works.
• Department of Research: Tokorozawa Aviation School, Department of Research.
• Kaishiki: Association; aircraft originating fom the PMBRA.
• Koshiki: School Type; aircraft originating from the Tokorozawa Aviation School.
• Nagoya Army Arsenal: Nagoya Army Ordnance Arsenal, Atsuta Army Weapon Manufacturing Works.
• PMBRA: Provisional Military Balloon Research Association.
• Seishiki: Official Type; "...to mark the beginning of an all-new generation of military aircraft which came up to European military standards at that time." (Mikesh & Abe, pg. 53)
• Tokorozawa Branch: Army Department of Aviation, Department of Supply, Tokorozawa Branch.
• Tokyo Army Arsenal: Tokyo Army Artillery Arsenal.

These initial designation systems were supplanted in November/December 1921 with a new standardized Type system based on the manufacturer's name.

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