1st Air Fleet (Imperial Japanese Navy)

The 1st Air Fleet (第一航空艦隊, Daiichi Kōkū Kantai) formed the primary carrier fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), a grouping of naval aircraft and aircraft carriers that at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, was the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet. With the Kidō Butai as its primary carrier battle group, the IJN would reign supreme for the first six months of America's entry to World War II.

Origins

In 1912, the British Royal Navy had established its own flying branch, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The IJN was modeled on the Royal Navy and the IJN Admiralty sought establishment of their own Naval Air Service. The IJN had also observed technical developments in other countries and saw military potential of the airplane. In 1913, the IJN seaplane carrier Wakamiya was converted into a seaplane tender and aircraft were purchased. The 1st and 2nd Air Fleet were to be the primary attack force of the IJNAS.

Organization

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service's carrier-based Air Corps or Naval Air Group (Kōkūtai) was a major component of the Combined Fleet (Rengō Kantai), and whose size (from a handful to 80 or 90 aircraft) was dependent on the mission and type of aircraft carrier used. Several Kōkūtai formed a Koku Sentai (Naval Air Flotilla or Carrier Division), while a Naval Air Fleet (Kantai) was made up of several Koku Sentai.