343rd Naval Air Group
The 343rd Naval Air Group (第三四三海軍航空隊, Dai San-Yon-San Kaigun Kōkūtai) was an aircraft and airbase garrison unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. Created in late 1944 due to the desperate situation of Japan in the closing stages of the war, the 343rd was composed of the best surviving ace fighter pilots the Imperial Navy had at the time, with Captain Minoru Genda in command. This unit was equipped with the best airplane Japan had left by then, the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai, known as George by the Allies; this aircraft could compete with the best wartime Allied fighters, namely, the F6F Hellcat, the P-51 Mustang and the F4U Corsair.
| 343rd Naval Air Group | |
|---|---|
Naoshi Kanno's Kawanishi N1K2-J "343 A-15" of 301st Fighter Squadron/343rd Naval Air Group, Matsuyama air base, 10 April 1945. | |
| Active | January 1, 1944–July 10, 1944 December 25, 1944–postwar |
| Country | Empire of Japan |
| Branch | Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Type | Naval aviation unit |
| Role | Fighter, interceptor fighter |
| Size | various |
| Part of | First generation 1st Air Fleet 61st Air Flotilla Second generation 25th Air Flotilla 3rd Air Fleet 5th Air Fleet 72nd Air Flotilla |
| Garrison/HQ | First generation Kagoshima, Japan Tinian, Marianas Peleliu, Palau Second generation Matsuyama, Japan Kanoya, Japan Kokubu, Japan Ōmura, Japan |
| Nickname(s) | First generation Hayabusa Corps (隼部隊) Second generation Tsurugi Corps (剣部隊) |
| Aircraft flown | A6M Type 0 "Zeke" N1K1-J Shiden "George" N1K2-J Shiden-Kai "George" C6N1 Saiun "Myrt" |
| Engagements | World War II
|
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Minoru Genda |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | First generation 隼 (Hayabusa, used in Japan homeland) 43 (outside Japan homeland) |
| Identification symbol | Second generation 343 with squadron code example; 343 A-xx (301st FS) |
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