Akeno Army Flying School

Akeno Army Flying School (明野陸軍飛行学校) grew out of the air-gunnery section of the Army Aviation School, which began training at Akeno, northwest of Ise in Mie Prefecture, in April 1920. It was formally set up as the school's Akeno branch in April 1921 and became the independent Akeno Army Flying School in May 1924, making it one of Japan's earliest military flying schools following the post-World War I expansion of military aviation. Situated at approximately 34°32′N 136°40′E, 20 feet above sea level, the school became the Army's premier institution for advanced fighter pilot training. Students progressed through basic and advanced courses, mastering successive generations of Army fighters: the Nakajima Ki-27 (固定脚戦闘機), Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa, Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki, and eventually the Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate. Many of Japan's leading Army fighter pilots passed through the school; the ace Satoshi Anabuki (穴吹智, credited with 51 victories) served here as an assistant instructor in late 1944. By 1943–1944, as the war situation deteriorated, training was accelerated and shortened. In June 1944 the school was closed and reorganized as the Akeno Training Air Division (明野教導飛行師団), which combined training with air-defense duties and formed a number of special attack units in 1944–1945. In July 1945 it was split into the 1st Training Flying Unit and the 111th Sentai, which were demobilized after the surrender in August 1945. Today, the site is occupied by JGSDF Camp Akeno, which continues as a helicopter training facility.