Aircraft involved in Soviet invasion on Manchuria in 1945

[Hiromachi]

Hello, as this is my first post I'd like to say to everyone that I'm glad to be here and hope to stay here for a long time.


Now, ad rem. From the simpliest source which wikipedia is we can get the information that Soviet Union to this operation assigned 5368 aircraft, Imperial Japanese Army and Manchukuo Air Forces had no more than 1800 aircraft. That is a very simple description, what I'd like to know is what kind of planes, in which units and where those units were based.

From the materials I have I can tell you that in the moment of invasion Japanese Army had :
- 104. Sentai based in Anshan, armed with Ki-84 and Ki-43
- 25. Dokuritsu Chutai, armed with Ki-45 and possibly Ki-44 (but in that case I might be mistaken)
- 9. Sentai, armed with Ki-27 and Ki-44
- 48. Sentai based and disbanded in Tiken, armed with Ki-43

Those are all units I know. I'm also aware that Manchukuo Air Force had some older Ki-27, newer Ki-43 II and possibly Ki-44 II. But in which units those planes were used I have no idea, I try to get "Eagles of Manchukuo" but it's hard to get one.

If you would be so nice and help me to get the information about other units and aircraft used in that front (about that Soviet forces, it would be enough if you could tell me what kind of planes Soviet Union used - like La-7 or Yak-3 - just tell me what do you know please) I be very thankful.

Hiromachi

PS. If you also have any photographies from that "short war" feel free to post.

[fontessa]

Hello Hiromachi,

Imperial Japanese Army and Manchukuo Air Forces had no more than 1800 aircraft.

1,800 aircrafts is overestimation.

- 104. Sentai based in Anshan, armed with Ki-84 and Ki-43
- 25. Dokuritsu Chutai, armed with Ki-45 and possibly Ki-44 (but in that case I might be mistaken)
- 9. Sentai, armed with Ki-27 and Ki-44
- 48. Sentai based and disbanded in Tiken, armed with Ki-43

According to Senshi Soho, the forces of the 2nd Air Army at the end of July were as follows. Most was training planes. If the information I have is correct, the 9th Air Regiment had transferred to the 13th Air Division in China. At least Senshi Sosho does not mention it.
- The 81st Independent Air Squadron
---- about 9 aircrafts of Ki-46s, Ki-15s and Ki-45s
- The 104th Air Regiment
---- 3 companies of 40 Ki-84s
- The 25th Independent Air Squadron
---- 25 Ki-45s
- 羽攻撃隊 HANE Attack Air Unit (The unit temporally collected at the 101st Independent Air Training Brigade)
---- 10 Ki-27 and 10 Ki-21s
- 羽直協隊 HANE Direct Co-operation Air Unit (The unit temporally collected at the 101st Independent Air Training Brigade)
---- 10 Ki-55s
- The 5th Primary Air Training Unit 練習飛行隊
---- 50 Ki-79s and 30 Ki-55s
- The 23rd Air Training Unit 教育飛行隊
---- 10 Ki-48s, 10 Ki-54s and 10 Ki-55s
- The 24th Air Training Unit
---- 10 Ki-49s and 10 Ki-54s
- The 26th Air Training Unit
---- 20 Ki-43 and unknown number of Ki-79s
- The 42nd Air Training Unit
---- 10 Ki-46s
- The 4th Advanced Air Training Unit 錬成飛行隊
---- 30 Ki-43s
- The 13th Advanced Air Training Unit
---- 20 Ki-43s
- The 22nd Advanced Air Training Unit
---- 20 Ki-51s
- Air Military Academy Manchuria Dispatch Unit 航空士官学校満州派遣隊
---- 130 Ki-55s and 40 Ki-54s

I'm also aware that Manchukuo Air Force had some older Ki-27, newer Ki-43 II and possibly Ki-44 II. But in which units those planes were used I have no idea

Manchukuo Air Force was consisted of HQ and the 1st ~ the 3rd Air Units. It had about 20 Ki-44s, 60 K-27s and some Ki-15s. The details are unclear.

fontessa

[Hiromachi]

That is amazing, thank you.

So the real forces were really weak, and actually nothing could be done to provide even small air cover. Never though it was so bad.

1800vs 5300 doesnt look so bad, but if you go into precise numbers.
Anyway, thank you.

What about Soviet forces ? I know that 2 days after invasion one of the Soviet P-63's was shot down by a Ki-84 from 104th Sentai. But I cant find any precise data about Soviet planes involved in operation.

[LWD]

My impression is the avaiablity of the Japanese aircraft wasn't all that high but I have no data and am not even sure where I got that impression. Clarifications or corrections would thus be very much appreciated.

[Wellgunde]

The situation of the 2nd Air Army was even more precarious when you consider that only enough aviation fuel was on hand to permit 2.5 sorties per plane.

Wellgunde

[fontessa]

Hello Hiromachi,

What about Soviet forces ?

◇ OOB of Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
■ The 2nd Air Army
- HQ
- The 25th Independent Air Brigade
- The 101st Independent Air Training Brigade
羽攻撃隊、 羽直協隊 and 航空士官学校満州派遣隊 were attached by 軍隊区分 (disposition of troops).

Senshi Sosho only mentions the below. The strength of each air division is unknown.
◇ OOB of Soviet Union Army Air Force
■ The 9th Air Army (under the 1st Far East Area Army)
- HQ
- The 32nd Air Division
- The 33rd Air Division
- The 34th Air Division
- The 249th Air Division
- The 250th Air Division
■ The 10th Army (under the 2nd Far East Area Army)
- HQ
- The 29th Air Division
- The 83rd Air Division
- The 149th Air Division
- The 253rd Air Division
- The 254th Air Division
■ The 12th Air Army (under Transbaikal Area Army)
- HQ
- The 30th Air Division
- The 245th Air Division
- The 246th Air Division
- The 247th Air Division
- The 248th Air Division
Total 3,446 airplanes
Other than the above was 1,549 airplanes of Navy Air Force.

fontessa

[Hiromachi]

That is a great source, thank you.

If that is not a problem could you specify what kind of planes they used ?

[fontessa]

Hello Hiromachi,

Unfortunately I don't have the information.

fontessa

[Eugen Pinak]

Some more data on Soviet air arms from Soviet sources.

Total number of combat planes in air force was 3721 planes (9th Air Army = 1137, 10th Air Army = 1260, 12th Air Army = 1324), of them 2945 were operational (1573 fighters, 740 bombers, 479 attack and 153 recce) + about 1500 planes in the Aviation of Pacific Fleet, of them 1131 operational.

As for the planes USSR used, there definitely were Il-4, Pe-2, Tu-2 bombers, La-7, Yak-9, P-63C (US made) fighters, Il-2, Il-10 attack planes, C-47 (US made), Li-2 (copy of C-47) transport planes, Po-2 liaison planes, PBY "Catalina" flying boats. Maybe there were other types, but don't have info about it.

[Hiromachi]

That is enough Eugen, thank your very much for help.

[LWD]

Indeed the operational numbers are particularly intersting and often very hard to come by.

[DocB]

Hello, I have been studying the subject for some time now. There was an article "Airwar Endgame" on Soviet Pacific Fleet aviation, that participated in the conflict by Miroslav Morozov. It was published in March 2012 in the Model Aircraft magazine. It had some nice BW pics and color profiles of Soviet planes, as well as statistics and color reference chart for modelers. Also, there is a small article about air war over Kuriles by Gabriel Garrido on j-aircraft.com. I also have Japanese article by AJ Cyclone on the same topic, but by far was unable to translate it. Would it be OK to upload its scans here?

[Mikhail Glazkov]

Hello, I have further information about organization of the Soviet Air Armies in August 1945.

Organization of The 10th Soviet Air Army (under the 2nd Far East Area Army):

1. 18th Air Corps included:
- 296th Fighter Air Division
- 96th Attack aircraft Air Division
- 777th Fighter Air Regiment
- 140th Reconnaissance Air Squadron
- 28th Artillery Adjustment Air Squadron

2. 83rd Bomber Air Division
3. 125th Mixed Air Division
4. 255th Mixed Air Division
5. 253rd Attack aircraft Air Division
6. 29th Fighter Air Division
7. 254th Fighter Air Division
8. 7th Reconnaissance Air Regiment
9.411th Artillery Adjustment Air Regiment
10. 344th Transport Air Regiment
11. 1604th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment, 1681th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment, 1685th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment.

[Mikhail Glazkov]

Organization of The 9th Soviet Air Army (under the First Far East Area Army) by the beginning of the War (August 9, 1945):

1. 19th Bomber Air Corps included:
- 33rd Bomber Air Division
- 55th Bomber Air Division

2. 34th Bomber Air Division
3. 251st Attack aircraft Air Division
4. 252nd Attack aircraft Air Division
5. 32nd Fighter Air Division
6. 249th Fighter Air Division
7. 250th Fighter Air Division
8. 6th Reconnaissance Air Regiment
9. 799th Reconnaissance Air Regiment
10. 464th Artillery Adjustment Air Regiment
11. 281st Transport Air Regiment
12. 81st Air Ambulance Regiment