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Japanese aircraft lost in combat over China 1937 - 1940
Hi GuerraCivil
According to Sunburst: The Rise of the Japanese Naval Air Power, 1909-1941 by Peattie the IJNAF lost 1,169 aircraft (554 destroyed and 665 badly damaged) and 828 men (680 aircrew and 148 ground crew) from 1937 to 1941. The heaviest losses were suffered in 1937 when 229 aircraft were destroyed or badly damaged and 285 men were killed. The lowest losses were recorded in 1941 when 166 aircraft were destroyed or damaged and 27 men were killed. Bomber crews suffered the highest losses with 379 men killed out of the total of 680 aircrew causalities. The book mentions that the IJAAF participated in the raids against cities in central China beginning in 1938, eventually including the use of the Sally but that the limited numbers of available IJAAF bombers, their smaller bomb loads and the absence of an adequate strategic bombardment doctrine meant that the the IJAAF could only play a supporting role in the offensives against cities in central china and none at all in in the offensives against cities in southern China. It appears that the IJAAF at the time mainly stressed ground support and that its most important campaign prior to the Pacific War came during the Khalkhyn Gol Incident against the Russians. I hope this helps.
Horrido!
Leo
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