343rd Naval Air Group

343rd Naval Air Group
Kawanishi N1K2-J "343 A-15" of 301st Fighter Squadron/343rd Naval Air Group, Matsuyama air base, 10 April 1945.
Active	January 1, 1944–July 10, 1944 December 25, 1944–postwar
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Navy
Type	Naval aviation unit
Role	Fighter, interceptor fighter
Size	various
Part of	First generation 1st Air Fleet 61st Air Flotilla Second generation 25th Air Flotilla 3rd Air Fleet 5th Air Fleet 72nd Air Flotilla
Garrison/HQ	First generation Kagoshima, Japan Tinian, Marianas Peleliu, Palau Second generation Matsuyama, Japan Kanoya, Japan Kokubu, Japan Ōmura, Japan
Nickname(s)	First generation Hayabusa Corps (隼部隊) Second generation Tsurugi Corps (剣部隊)
Aircraft flown	A6M Type 0 "Zeke" N1K1-J Shiden "George" N1K2-J Shiden-Kai "George" C6N1 Saiun "Myrt"
Engagements	World War II Mariana and Palau Islands campaign Air raids on Japan
Insignia
Identification symbol	First generation 隼 (Hayabusa, used in Japan homeland) 43 (outside Japan homeland)
Identification symbol	Second generation 343 with squadron code example; 343 A-xx (301st FS)

The 343rd Naval Air Group (第三四三海軍航空隊 Dai San-Yon-San Kaigun Kōkūtai) was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. Created in 1944 due to the desperate situation of Japan in the closing stages of the war, the 343rd was composed of the best surviving ace fighter pilots the Imperial Navy had at the time, with Captain Minoru Genda in command. This unit was equipped with the best airplane Japan had, the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai, nicknamed George by the Allies, this aircraft could compete with Allied planes at the time, the F6F Hellcat, the P-51 Mustang and the F4U Corsair. This unit achieved success however it was far too late to have any affect in the war.

First generation

Structure

• Higher unit
  • 1st Air Fleet (1 January 1944–31 January 1944)
  • 61st Air Flotilla (1 February 1944–10 July 1944, dissolved.)

• Commanding officers
  • Commander Masakatsu Takenaka (1 January 1944–10 July 1944, dissolved.)

Second generation

Reborn as interceptor fighter unit.

Structure

• Higher unit
  • 25th Air Flotilla (25 December 1944–4 February 1945)
  • 3rd Air Fleet (5 February 1945–4 May 1945)
  • 5th Air Fleet (5 May 1945–24 May 1945)
  • 72nd Air Flotilla (25 May 1945–postwar.)

• Lower unit
  • 301st Fighter Squadron (25 December 1944–postwar.)
  • 401st Fighter Squadron (5 February 1945–postwar.)
  • 402nd Fighter Squadron (5 February 1945–28 February 1945)
  • 407th Fighter Squadron (25 December 1944–postwar.)
  • 701st Fighter Squadron (25 December 1944–postwar.)
  • 4th Reconnaissance Squadron (1 February 1945–30 April 1945)

• Commanding officers
  • Vacant post (25 December 1944)
  • Captain Iwao Minematsu (26 December 1944–15 January 1945)
  • Captain Minoru Genda (15 January 1945–7 October 1945)
    • Captain Genda also served as commanding officer of the 352nd Naval Air Group, from 27 June 1945 through 8 July 1945.

See also

• Jagdverband 44

Bibliography

• Kingendaishi Hensankai, Military history of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Groups and Imperial Japanese Army Flying Regiments, Shin-Jinbutsuoraisha Co., Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan, 2001, ISBN 4-404-02945-4.
• The Japanese Modern Historical Manuscripts Association, Organizations, structures and personnel affairs of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy, University of Tokyo Press, Tōkyō, Japan, 1971, ISBN 978-4-13-036009-8.
• Seiki Sakamoto/Hideki Fukukawa, Encyclopedia of organizations of the Imperial Japanese Navy, K.K. Fuyo Shobo Shuppan, Tokyo, Japan, 2003, ISBN 4-8295-0330-0.
• Bunrin-Dō Co., Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan.
  • Famous airplanes of the world
    • No. 56, Type Zero Carrier Fighter Model 22–63, 1996, ISBN 4-89319-053-9.
    • No. 124, Kyofu, Shiden, Shidenkai, 2007, ISBN 978-4-89319-158-8.
  • Koku-Fan Illustrated No. 42, Japanese Imperial Army & Navy Aircraft Color, Marking, 1988.
• Model Art, Model Art Co. Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan.
  • No. 510, Special issue Camouflage & Markings of the I.J.N. Fighters, 1998.
  • No. 587, Special issue Imperial Japanese Navy Fighter N1K1 Kyōfū, N1K1-J Shiden, N1K2-J Shidenkai, 2001.
• Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (http://www.jacar.go.jp/english/index.html), National Archives of Japan, Tokyo, Japan.
  • Reference Code: C08051771200, Transition table of formation of Imperial Japan Navy Air Units (special establishment) during Pacific War, Japan Demobilization Agency, 1949.