Imperial Vietnamese Air Force

Imperial Vietnamese Air Force



History



The first Vietnamese aircraft was one Yokosuka K5Y two-seat unequal-span biplane trainer which was private property of the Vietnamese emperor Bao Dai. In 1945, Bao Dai gave the aircraft to the Vietnamese government. In March 1949, Emperor Bảo Đại officially requested that the Japanese help set up a Vietnamese military air arm. Pressure was maintained with the assistance of Lt. Col. Nguyễn Văn Hinh, who had flown the Mitsubishi Ki-21 light bomber with the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. In March 1952, a training school was set up at Nha Trang, and the following year two army co-operation squadrons began missions flying the Kokusai Ki-76 high-wing monoplane artillery spotter and liaison aircraft. In 1954, the Japanese allocated a number of Kawasaki Ki-56 light transports to the inventory of this Vietnamese air arm. Vietnamese pilot trainees began to be sent to Japan for more advanced training. In May 1955, the Imperial Vietnamese Air Force was inaugurated. Japanese instructors for pilots and mechanics remained until late 1956. In 1957 the Empire of Japan transferred 69 Nakajima Ki-84 fighter aircrafts to the Imperial Vietnamese Air Force, for use with the newly created Fighter Air Regiment No.11. In 1958 another batch of 69 Nakajima Ki-84 aircrafts where transferred who would be used by Fighter Air Regiment No.12. The Nakajima Ki-84 would throughout the late-1950s to early-1960s remain the main fighter aircraft in use with the Imperial Vietnamese Air Force.



In February 1964 the Nakajima Ki-201 jet fighter became the first jet fighter to be operated by the Imperial Vietnamese Air Force when they began to be fielded by Fighter Air Regiment No.11. In 1966, Fighter Air Regiment No.12 became the second operator of the Nakajima Ki-201 jet fighter. In 1969, Fighter Air Regiment No. 13 was formed when it received the Hongdu J-6 jet fighter (Chinese-Nanking built Nakajima Ki-201). In 1972, Fighter Air Regiment, No.14 was formed when it received the Hongdu J-7 jet fighter (Chinese-Nanking built Nakajima Ki-202).



Beside the four fighter air regiments other regiments where also formed with the Air Training Regiment No.21 being formed in 1965 allowing the training of Vietnamese pilots to take place in the Empire of Vietnam instead of in the Empire of Japan as was previous the case, the Bomber Regiment No.31 which was formed in 1967, Air Transport Regiment No.41 which was formed in 1968 and Mixed Transport Regiment No.42 which was formed in 1975.



Aircraft inventory as of 1982



These are some of the aircraft in use by the Imperial Vietnamese Air Force, all of the aircraft listed are either supplied by the Empire of Japan ore the Republic of China-Nanking.



Nakajima Ki-201 jet fighter: 90 are operated by Fighter Air Regiment No.11 and Fighter Air Regiment No.12.



<p class="MsoNormal">Hongdu J-6 jet fighter: 45 are operated by Fighter Air Regiment No.13.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Hongdu J-6 two-seat jet trainer: 30 are operated by Air Training Regiment No.21.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Hongdu J-7 jet fighter: 45 are operated by Fighter Air Regiment No.14.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Harbin H-6 twin-engine jet bomber: 32 are operated by Bomber Regiment No.31.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Nakajima Ki-34 transport aircraft: 45 are operated by Air Transport Regiment No.41.

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<p class="MsoNormal">NAMC Ki-111 transport aircraft: 12 are operated by Mixed Transport Regiment No.42.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Nakajima Ki-121 two-seat propeller-driven aircraft: 16 are operated by Air Training Regiment No.21.