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    Army Pilot Badge Evolution


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    Posted

    Hello Nick;

    Please forgive this question but; What was the insignia used by Japanese pilots prior to 1923 when this badge was created?

    I know there were Japanese pilots active in WWI and I am wondering what devices they used.

    Posted (edited)

    Hi Claudius!

    "..there were Japanese pilots active.."

    Hmmm...

    As far as I know back in 1913 transport ship Wakamiya was converted into a seaplane tender and couple of seaplains were bought (I believe 4 or 5 Maurice Farman).

    During the Tsingtao siege these Maurice Farman started reconnaissance flights and later actual aerial bombardments of German positions and ships (without any serious results by the way). About 50 sorties were made. That`s the only episode that I could remember.

    So was there any special insignia?!

    Personally I don`t have an accurate answer...

    Four or five plains...

    It was more like experimental unit ...

    Could be no special insignia at all...

    Edited by JapanX
    Posted

    Anyway I am not an expert in the uniform and insignia ...

    The clear answer to your question may be inside this two-volume set ;)

    Posted

    Hi Claudius!

    "..there were Japanese pilots active.."

    Hmmm...

    As far as I know back in 1913 transport ship Wakamiya was converted into a seaplane tender and couple of seaplains were bought (I believe 4 or 5 Maurice Farman).

    During the Tsingtao siege these Maurice Farman started reconnaissance flights and later actual aerial bombardments of German positions and ships (without any serious results by the way). About 50 sorties were made. That`s the only episode that I could remember.

    So was there an special insignia?!

    Personally I don`t have an accurate answer...

    Four or five plains...

    It was more like experimental unit ...

    Could be no special insignia at all...

    Exactly. It is the Siege of Tsingtau that I'm referring to as verification that there were pilots in 1914 and they were even sent to the battlefield to reconnaissance and bomb targets. (I would add one more thing that they did; they drove off the German's aerial reconnaissance missions.)

    As you might imagine, I am interested in the Tsingtau theater and your thread gave me the impetus to ask what those Japanese pilots were wearing. If they were ready in August 1914 to go overseas (crossing the Yellow Sea) with the contingent of land forces they had to be trained much earlier. There would be at least one flight school in Japan and at the end of the course earned a certificate or technical rating to show proficiency in operating these flying machine.

    Thank you for your thoughts and your book suggestion.

    Posted (edited)

    If they were ready in August 1914 to go overseas (crossing the Yellow Sea) with the contingent of land forces they had to be trained much earlier. There would be at least one flight school in Japan and at the end of the course earned a certificate or technical rating to show proficiency in operating these flying machine.

    Not necessary mate ;)

    Since they created their flight formation after the image and likeness of Royal Navy I think it will be quite realistically to assume

    a) British instructors

    or even

    b) special short-term course in the British flight school.

    Thank you for your thoughts and your book suggestion.

    I'll ask around about this insignia f4df5a3ceb3ae02bddbacb9c6f13c438.gif

    Edited by JapanX
    Posted (edited)

    Not necessary mate ;)

    Since they created their flight formation after the image and likeness of Royal Navy I think it will be quite realistically to assume

    a) British instructors

    or even

    b) special short-term course in the British flight school.

    Ahhh, I had not considered that. I see your point that if the Japanese were modeling their flight formations around the Royal Navy, then it wouldn't be hard to imagine that the British influence extended to their training. Maybe with British instructors.

    At the end of the course the new pilots had a flying competency entry in their personnel files and a handshake.

    I'll ask around about this insignia f4df5a3ceb3ae02bddbacb9c6f13c438.gif

    Edited by Claudius
    • 1 month later...
    • 4 weeks later...
    Posted

    Another interesting NCO badge made in silver and inscribed on reverse - close realtive of “jubilee” badge from posts #27 and #28 .

    • 2 months later...

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