The combat formation was the air division of about nine airplanes. Each air group comprised a base unit and 12 to 36 aircraft with 4 to 12 in reserve, depending on size. The fleets were further divided into air flotillas (each commanded by a rear-admiral), which were themselves composed of two or more air groups. Japanese Navy December 1941Īll these aircraft were organized in the Combined Air Fleet, based at Kanoya, and were subdivided into the 1st Air Fleet (the Carrier Fleet) and the 11th Air Fleet (under Vice-Admiral Nishizo Tsukuhura) shore-based in Formosa and Indochina. They were all rebuild from 1933 to 1940 as fast battleships with eight 36.6 cm guns and a top speed of 30 kn. The Kirishima, one of the four Kongo class battlecruisers build during World War I. A somewhat similar organization existed for submarines.įor administrative purposes, the Combined Fleet was divided into lesser fleets according to function. Thus, four destroyers made up a division, four divisions a destroyer squadron, plus a cruiser as flagship. It was customary for groups of smaller warships to be led by a bigger one. The intelligence sections of other navies assigned the terms fleet, squadron and division for the purpose of description as appropriate. All other units, regardless of function or size, were designated as tai or butai, both of which could be translated as corps, force or body. The HQ of C-in-C Combined Fleet was finally located at Keio University in the Tokyo suburb of Hiyodashi.Īs its name implies, the Combined Fleet (Rengo Kantai) was just that – the whole Navy. Although permanently anchored first in Tokyo and then in Hiroshima Bay, her communications facilities proved inadequate. There was a constant restriction on radio communication whenever she put to sea, and at such crucial times, the C-in-C was out of touch with all but the immediate situation.įrom May to September 1944, the C-in-C’s flagship was the Oyodo, a command cruiser for combined striking forces of submarines and aircraft. Admiral Yamamoto flew his flag in the battleship Nagato until the super-battleship Yamato was commissioned on 16 December 1941. In addition to the responsibility for implementing strategic moves generally, they were also expected to take tactical command of the most important operation in progress.
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