Development Of Chinese Nationalist Air Force (1937 1945)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Republic of China Air Force was formed by the Kuomingtang after the establishment of the Aviation Ministry in 1920. As tensions mounted between the China and Imperial Japan in the 1930s, a number of smaller Chinese warlord airforce' men and equipment became integrated into the ROCAF in a centralized effort to counter Imperial Japanese military ambitions. Polikarpov I-16 with Chinese insignia. I-16 was the main fighter plane used by the Chinese Airforce and Soviet volunteers. During the Sino-Japanese War, the ROCAF participated in attacks on Japanese warships on the eastern front and along the Yangtze river including interdiction and close-air support for the Battle of Shanghai in 1937. Initially, the Chinese frontline fighter aircraft were mainly Curtiss Hawk II and III's and Boeing P-26C model 281. These engaged Japanese fighters in many major air battles beginning on the 14th of August 1937, when Imperial Japanese Navy warplanes raided Chienchiao airbase; "814" has thus become known as "Air Force Day".