The was the first aviation unit established by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1916 and survived until the end of the Pacific War. It was charged with educating and training aviation personnel, practical testing of new aircraft, and tactical research. In the event of an emergency, it was supposed to take charge of the defense of Tokyo Bay, and from February 1944, when the war situation demanded it, the unit was also involved in combat.

History The "Naval Aviation Research Committee", which was established in 1912, has laid the foundation for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. With the start of domestic production of aircraft and training of crew members on track, the Air Corps Three Group Plan was established in 1916 in order to further improve aircraft. On 1 April 1916 the Yokosuka Naval Air Group was formed in Oppama, Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture to replace the "Naval Aviation Research Committee".『海軍飛行豫科練習生 第一巻』p. 35

On 1 September 1923 the Great Kanto Earthquake caused great damage to facilities and equipment. On 1 June 1930 the first class of naval flight reserve trainees joined the service, and after that preparatory training was conducted in Yokosuka until 1945. Around 1932 Minoru Genda who worked as instructor at Yokosuka created an aerobatic squadron called "Genda Circus" which served to increase the public appeal of the Navy Air Service.

Once the Pacific War started on 8 December 1941 the unit continued its training and testing role. From February 1944 the unit was ordered to be deployed in combat. On 15 June 1944, with the launch of Operation A-Go, it formed a part of the 27th Air Flotilla and Yawata Air Attack Unit and was deployed to Iwo Jima to support the Mariana Islands operations. Due to intensive air combat and enemy air raids on Iwo Jima, all aircraft had been lost by 4 July 1944. The remaining service members returned to Yokosuka by transport plane, but some stayed on Iwo Jima and lost their lives defending the island. Afterwards the unit was moved to Kyushu and engaged in kamikaze attacks and air defense battles in the Kantō area.

Its former site is currently occupied by the Nissan Oppama car manufacturing plant.

The Yokosuka Naval Air Group also maintained two detachments. One was the Detachment Sagamino, which was responsible for training maintenance personnel; the unit was upgraded to a Naval Air Group and renamed Sagamino Naval Air Group on November 1, 1942November 1, 1942, Naval Administrative Order No. 2003.. Another one was the Detachment Ōita; because Oppama Airfield had become too cramped, several demonstration tests were conducted at Ōita Air Base.

Commanding Officers and Commander of Yokosuka Naval Air Group C.O., Captain. Shirō Yamanouchi: April 1, 1916April 4, 1916, Official Gazette No. 1099 – December 1, 1917December 3, 1917, Official Gazette No. 1601 C.O., Captain. Shōsaku Harada: December 1, 1917December 3, 1917, Official Gazette No. 1601 – July 1, 1919July 3, 1919, Official Gazette No. 2073 C.O., Rear Admiral. Kiyokaze Yoshida : July 1, 1919July 3, 1919, Official Gazette No. 2073 -December 1, 1919December 2, 1919, Official Gazette No. 2199 C.O., Rear Admiral. Shirō Yamanouchi: December 1, 1919December 2, 1919, Official Gazette No. 2199 -November 12, 1920November 12, 1920, Official Gazette No. 2486 C.O., Captain. Yūji Tajiri: November 12, 1920November 12, 1920, Official Gazette No. 2486 – November 1, 1922November 2, 1922, Official Gazette No. 3077 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Shirō Furukawa: November 1, 1922November 2, 1922, Official Gazette No. 3077 - December 1, 1923December 4, 1923, Official Gazette No. 3385 C.O., Captain. Shirō Inoue: December 1, 1923December 4, 1923, Official Gazette No. 3385 – December 1, 1924December 2, 1924, Official Gazette No. 3684 C.O., Commander./Captain. Daijirō Ichikawa: December 1, 1924December 2, 1924, Official Gazette No. 3684 – November 1, 1927November 2, 1927, Official Gazette No. 255 C.O., Captain. Hideho Wada: November 1, 1927November 2, 1927, Official Gazette No. 255 – November 30, 1929December 2, 1929, Official Gazette No. 878 C.O., Captain. Gorō Hara: November 30, 1929December 2, 1929, Official Gazette No. 878 – April 2, 1931April 4, 1931, Official Gazette No. 1276 C.O., Captain. Chūji Yamada: April 2, 1931April 4, 1931, Official Gazette No. 1276 – November 15, 1932November 16, 1932, Official Gazette No. 1765 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Jirō Ōnishi: November 15, 1932November 16, 1932, Official Gazette No. 1765 - November 15, 1934November 16, 1934, Official Gazette No. 2364 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Toshisuke Sugiyama: November 15, 1934November 16, 1934, Official Gazette No. 2364 – December 1, 1936December 2, 1936, Official Gazette No. 2976 C.O., Captain. Teizō Mitsunami: December 1, 1936December 2, 1936, Official Gazette No. 2976 – July 11, 1937 vacant post: July 11, 1937 - December 25, 1937 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Torao Kuwabara: December 25, 1937 – December 15, 1938December 15, 1938, Official report of commission of Navy No. 273 (extra volume) C.O., Rear Admiral. Michitaro Tozuka: December 15, 1938December 15, 1938, Official report of commission of Navy No. 273 (extra volume) – October 20, 1939October 20, 1939, Official report of commission of Navy No. 393 vacant post: October 20, 1939 - January 15, 1940 C.O., Rear Admiral. Torao Kuwabara: January 15, 1940January 15, 1940, Official report of commission of Navy No. 430 – November 15, 1940November 15, 1940, Official report of commission of Navy No. 555 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Keizō Uwano: November 15, 1940November 15, 1940, Official report of commission of Navy No. 555 – November 17, 1942November 18, 1942, Official report of commission of Navy No. 989 vacant post: November 17, 1942 - November 23, 1942 C.O., Rear Admiral. Ryūnosuke Kusaka: November 23, 1942November 24, 1942, Official report of commission of Navy No. 994 – November 20, 1943November 20, 1943, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1265 vacant post: November 20, 1943 - December 6, 1943 C.O., Rear Admiral. Sadayoshi Yamada: December 6, 1943December 8, 1943, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1276 – March 15, 1944March 15, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1372 Commander, Vice Admiral. Shun'ichi Kira: March 15, 1944March 15, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1372 - July 10, 1944July 14, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1535 C.O., Rear Admiral. Katsuji Hattori: July 10, 1944July 14, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1535 - September 29, 1944October 1, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1607 C.O., Captain./Rear Admiral. Tadao Katō: September 29, 1944October 1, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1607 – March 20, 1945March 27, 1945, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1756 C.O., Rear Admiral. Chiaki Matsuda: March 20, 1945March 27, 1945, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1756 - November 1, 1945November 17, 1945, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1985. Rear Admiral Matsuda was automatically relieved of his post upon being transferred to the reserves.

Chief of staff of Yokosuka Naval Air Group Yokosuka Naval Air Group appointed a chief of staff during the period when Shun'ichi Kira served as commander. Captain. Toshitane Takada: March 15, 1944March 15, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1372 - April 7, 1944May 31, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1491 Captain. Kanzō Miura: April 7, 1944May 31, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1491 - July 10, 1944July 14, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1535

Leader of Detachment Sagamino Captain (Engineering). Sakurō Morihiro: March 1, 1942May 31, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 820 - October 10, 1942October 10, 1942, Official report of commission of Navy No. 961 Captain (Engineering). Minoru Tanaka: October 10, 1942October 10, 1942, Official report of commission of Navy No. 961 - November 1, 1942November 1, 1942, Official report of commission of Navy No. 976. Detachment Sagamino became the Sagamino Naval Air Group on November 1, 1942.

Leader of Detachment Ōita Commander./Captain. Masaichi Kataoka: June 15, 1944 June 15, 1944, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1515 - January 25, 1945February 5, 1945, Navy Personnel Secrets No.339. Captain Kataoka died of illness during the war. vacant post: January 25, 1945 - February 14, 1945 Commander. Kumao Okada: February 14, 1945February 18, 1945, Official report of commission of Navy No. 1725 - April 5, 1945April 19, 1945, Official report of commission of Navy No.1777

References

Bibliography 引頭文博「[ 横須賀海軍航空隊の概況]」『軍港と名勝史蹟』軍港と名勝史蹟発行所、1933年、pp.44-53。 『海軍飛行豫科練習生 第一巻』 国書刊行会、1983年。 海軍歴史保存会『日本海軍史』第9巻、第10巻、第一法規出版、1995年。 『官報』

See also Oihama Naval Air Group -Separated from Yokosuka Naval Air Group to train maintenance personnel. List of air groups of the Imperial Japanese Navy