6th Air Division (Japan)

6th Air Division
Active	November 26, 1942 – August 31, 1944
Country	Empire of Japan
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Army aviation unit
Role	Fighter, bomber, reconnaissance
Part of	8th Area Army
Garrison/HQ	Rabaul, New Britain Wewak, New Guinea
Nickname(s)	Abbreviation code: 6FD HQ code: Yō 9301
Engagements	World War II New Guinea campaign

The 6th Air Division (第六飛行師団, Dai 6 Hikō Shidan) was a land-based aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was formed on 25 November 1942, as part of the Eighth Area Army.[1] It was incorporated into the Fourth Air Army based at Rabaul in June 1943.[1]

The division moved its headquarters to Wewak on 9 July 1943. After being reduced in men and aircraft due to Allied aerial attacks and bombing missions by 31 May 1944, the division was disbanded in August at Hollandia.[1]

Commanders

• Lieutenant General Giichi Itahana (26 Nov 1942 - 1 Apr 1944)[1]
• Major General Masazumi Inada (1 Apr 1944 - 31 May 1944)[1]

Organisation

• 11th Hikō Sentai (1943)
• 68th Hikō Sentai (1943)
• 78th Hikō Sentai (1943)
• 13th Hikō Sentai (1943)
• 24th Hikō Sentai (1943)

See also

• List of air divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army

Notes and references

1. "6. Division (Japan)". Axis History Factbook. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.

• Shindo, Hiroyuki. 2001, Japanese air operations over New Guinea during the Second World War, Journal of the Australian War Memorial.
• Rekishi Dokuhon, Document of the war No. 42 Overview of Imperial Japanese Army Units, Shin-Jinbutsuoraisha Co., Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan, 1998, ISBN 4-404-02639-0.