|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
 Abasaa 2009 |
Location Lat 35° 46' 0" N Long 139° 30' 0" E Tokorozawa Airfield is located at an elevation of 206' / 62m to the north of Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture in the Kantō Region of Honshū in Japan. Also known as Akitsu Airfield. To the northwest roughly 4.5 miles away is Irumagawa Airfield. To the southeast roughly 18 miles away is Tokyo. Construction During 1911, the first landing ground for aircraft was built at this location and became the first airfield built in Japan. The first flight from this location was by a Farman III biplane piloted by Japanese Army aviation pioneer Yoshitoshi Tokugawa, who months earlier also made the first flight of an aircraft in Japan when he took off from Yoyogi Parade Ground (Yoyogi Park) in Tokyo. Built prewar with two runways. The first runway measured 3,000' x 1,500' surfaced with crushed rock. The second runway measured 1,200' The facilities included six large hangars and twenty small hangars plus radio facilities, repair facilities, weather station and a barracks for roughly 1,200 personnel. Wartime History In 1928, Baron Yoshitoshi Tokugawa was the founding director of the Training Department in the Tokorozawa Army Aviation School. Prewar and during the Pacific War used by the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) as a military airfield for flight training and maintenance. Used by the Japanese until September 2, 1945. Japanese units based at Tokorozawa 27th Sentai (Ki-45kai, Ki-32 and Ki-51 Sonias) 200th Sentai (Ki-84) 1945 Tokorozawa Hikoshidan Seibi Hikotai (Instructor Maintenance Division) 52nd Sentai (Ki-84) 1945 Starting in late May 1945, attacked by U.S. aircraft until early July 1945. Hangar displaying foreign aircraft During World War II, the Japanese Army had a hangars museum that displayed foreign built aircraft and captured Allied aircraft at Tokorozawa Airfield. The displayed aircraft included a Ju 87 Stuka, Ki-20 four engined bomber and other aircraft. Possibly, captured B-17D Flying Fortress 40-3095 was also display in this hangar. During 1945, a U.S. air raid caused a fire that destroyed the museum hangar and all the aircraft stored inside. American missions against Tokorozawa Airfield May 25, 1945–July 8, 1945 Postwar During September 1945 occupied by the U.S. Army and became a Logistical Depot for vehicles, supplies and weapons. The U.S. Army continued to use the base until the end of the Korean War then was returned to Japanese control. Today Part of the original runway has been incorporated into Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park adjacent to the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park Includes part of the original runway located adjacent to the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum. Tokorozawa Aviation Museum 1 Chome-9-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa Located at Tokorozawa dedicated to Japanese aviation history accessible via the Kōkū-kōen Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line from Tokyo. The outdoor collection includes a C-46 Commando References Tokorozawa Aviation Museum Official Website References Note, this location is sometimes misspelled "Tokorazawa Airfield" in some sources. Survey of Japanese Airfields in the Empire Area. CinCPac-CinCPOA Sept. 1944 - Tokorozawa (Akitsu) Aviation History "The Surprising Story of Japan's B-17 Fleet" by Robert C. Mikesh July 2010 Contribute
Information Last Updated
|
 Map Fallingrain |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
