Hikotai Transport Unit
Encyclopedia
The Japanese Army Air Force Hikotai Unit was an Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Air transport section whose mission was to transport personnel, weapons and equipment to occupied
territories or the combat front in wartime. Such units supported Army airborne forces during their missions as well.
the Manchukuo Air Transport Company
developed. This unit functioned as a paramilitary transport service inside of Manchukuo Air Force
for the transportation of Japanese
and Manchu military personnel. They were equipped with Junkers Ju 86 Z-2, among other airplanes.
Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
The , was the land-based aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. As with the IJA itself, the IJAAF was developed along the lines of Imperial German Army Aviation so its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground troops while maintaining a limited air interdiction...
Air transport section whose mission was to transport personnel, weapons and equipment to occupied
territories or the combat front in wartime. Such units supported Army airborne forces during their missions as well.
Fleet
These service operated various types of aircraft:- Kawasaki Ki-3 (Liaison and communications)
- Nakajima Ki-4 (Liaison and communications)
- Kokusai Ki-76 "Stella" (Liaison)
- Kobesiko Te-Go (Liaison)
- Mansyu Ki-97 (Communications)
- Mitsubishi Ki-7 (Liaison)
- Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah" (Liaison, communication and courier)
- Tachikawa (Ishikawajima) Light Ambulance (Air Ambulance/liaison)
- Tachikawa Ki-9 "Spruce" (Communications)
- Tachikawa Ki-17 "Cedar" (Communications)
- Kayaba Ka-1 (communications helicopter)
- Kawasaki Ki-56 "Thalia" (Merchant transport)
- Kokusai Ki-59 "Theresa" (Light transport)
- Mitsubishi Ki-1 (Heavy Bomber/Transport)
- Mitsubishi Ki-7 (Light transport)
- Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" (Heavy Bomber/transport)
- Mitsubishi MC-2 (Transport version of Ki-21 bomber)
- Mitsubishi Ki-57 "Topsy" (Personnel transport)
- Nakajima Ki-34 "Thora" (Personnel transport)
- Nakajima Ki-6 (Light transport, version of Fokker 8 Super Universal)
- Nakajima Ki-49 (Transport modification of Ki-49 bomber)
- Douglas DC-2 (Transport, 2 purchased, 6 manufactured under license)
- Douglas DC-5 (Transport, 1 captured at KLM, evaluated and used for transport services)
- Tachikawa Type LO "Thelma" (Personnel transport)
- Tachikawa Ki-54 "Hickory" (Light transport)
- Kokusai Ku-8 "Gander" (Transport glider)
Manchoukuoan Air Transport Services
Within this unit in ManchukuoManchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
the Manchukuo Air Transport Company
Manchukuo National Airways
was the name of the national airline of Manchukuo. It is sometimes referred to as Manchukuo Air Transport Company.Manchukuo National Airways was established on 26 September 1931 in Fengtian by order of the Japanese Kwantung Army, out of the Manchurian branch office of Japan Air Transport, the...
developed. This unit functioned as a paramilitary transport service inside of Manchukuo Air Force
Manchukuo Air Force
The Manchukuo Imperial Air Force was established in February 1937, initially with 30 men selected from the Manchukuo Imperial Army and trained at the Japanese Kwantung Army aircraft arsenal in Harbin...
for the transportation of Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Manchu military personnel. They were equipped with Junkers Ju 86 Z-2, among other airplanes.