Takao Kōkūtai (Takao Air Group)
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN)

Background
On April 1, 1938 the Takao Kōkūtai (Takao Air Group) was established in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as a medium bomber unit quipped with the Type 97 G3M (Nell). Assigned to the 23rd Air Flotilla, 11th Air Fleet, Southwest Area Fleet. During May 1940 became the first unit equipped with the new Type 1 / G4M1 (Betty). During 1941, moved to Hankou in central China. Later, moves to Saigon.

Wartime History
At the start of the Pacific War, have the unit participates in the Japanese invasion of Malaya. Meanwhile, the other half based at Kaohsiung Airfield on Formosa (Taiwan) and participates in the invasion of the Philippines.

On December 10, 1941 at 12:30pm with the Takao Kōkūtai (Takao Air Group) bombs the Cavite Navy Yard at Cavite and cause heavy damage to the central wharf and hit a torpedo warehouse causing torpedoes to explode and burn and damage USS Peary (DD-226) and score two bomb hits on USS Sealion (SS-195) and damage USS Seadragon (SS-194). Minesweeper USS Bittern (AM-36), and submarine tender USS Otus (AS-20), suffer varying degrees of damage from bombs or bomb fragments; ferry launch Santa Rita (YFB-681) is destroyed by direct hit.

On March 14, 1942 the half in Saigon moves to Koepang Airfield on Timor to conduct bombing missions against northern Australia. On April 17, 1942 after the fall of the Philippines, the other half moves to Koepang Airfield.

On August 23, 1942 after noon, 27 G4M1 Bettys from Takao Ku escorted by 12-15 A6M2 Zero fighters bomb Hughes Field south of Darwin (Raid 27). Destroyed on the ground is CA-9 Wirraway A20-599 and Buffalo A51-6 from the newly arrived No 1 Photo Reconnaissance Unit (PRU). Fuel and ammunition dumps were also hit, 250 drums of aviation fuel destroyed and the runway cratered. The Japanese formation was intercepted by P-40 Warkhawks from 49th Fighter Group (49th FG) that claimed four bombers destroyed along with eight fighters, for the loss of just one aircraft.

On September 22, 1942 a detachment of twenty bombers moves to Rabaul to support the 25th Air Flotilla. On September 27, 1942 eighteen bombers from Kisarazu and Takao bomb Guadalcanal and were intercepted by U.S. Navy an U.S. Marine Corps fighters with two losses. On September 28, 1942 twenty-even bombers from Kisarazu, Kisarazu and Takao bomb Guadalcanal and were intercepted by U.S. Navy an U.S. Marine Corps fighters with five losses.

On November 1, 1942 the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) redesignated air groups with three digit identifiers. The Takao Kōkūtai (Takao Air Group) was redesignated 753 Kōkūtai (753 Air Group) at Rabaul and returms to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).

Tail Code
Operated the G4M1 Betty. Tail code "T-XXX" (three numbers).

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