Japanese WWII Aircraft

The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (often called the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (Dainippon Teikoku Rikugun Hikōsentai?) (IJAAS or IJAAF), was the land-based aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. As with the IJA itself, the IJAAS was developed along the lines of Imperial German Army Aviation so its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground troops while maintaining a limited air interdiction capability. The IJAAS also provided important reconnaissance support for the Army. However, the Army Air Service usually did not control the light aircraft or balloons deployed and operated by the IJA artillery battalions as spotters or observers. Although the Army Air Service engaged in strategic bombing of enemy cities such as Shanghai, Nanking, Canton, Chongqing, Rangoon, and Mandalay, this was not its primary mission, and it lacked the heavy strategic bombers as were later deployed by the United States Army Air Forces.

The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was responsible for long-range strikes and strategic air defense and it was not until the later stages of the Pacific War that both services attempted anything like integrated air defense.