From: Batavia
To: Tokyo
25 October 1941
(Purple)
#1150

Secret within the Foreign Office.

Secret within the Military.

 

Please convey to Assistant Chief of Staff: (Very secret).

 

----- ----- message #25.

 

As complete and reliable information regarding the N. E. I. air forces is not yet in hand, I will merely report the main items:

 

(1) Items concerning destroyer units:

 

(a) Formation ----- 3 planes in small triangle formation (sometimes 4 planes in a diamond shaped formation) and three of these formations making one unit.

 

(b) As for their combat methods, they have been observed to work on the plan of having three pursuit planes attack light bombers from behind and below, attacking one plane at a time, but aside from this particulars are not known.

 

(2) Items concerning organization:

 

(a) Aviation headquarters ----- in the army ----- ----- at Bandoeng. The first Bandoeng air force is at Malang in western Java, and the second air force seems to have charge of eastern and central Java (its symbol is "LFX"). The number of planes stationed there seems to be combat planes 9(?)2 planes ----- ----- light bombers ----- -----.

 

(b) Types of planes: (The number of planes given in brackets are very unreliable).

Combat (destroyer) planes: ZATAISITHUOOKU and Curtis interceptor. ----- ----- reconnoiter and bombing plane-Curtis-Falcon. (About 5 (?)).

 

Light bombers: Glen Martin and Lockheed (about 150).

Flying boats: DONIERU (about 20) and recent Catalina 5 seaplanes (medium and small types, about 50).

 

(c) The number of planes for both army and navy total about 500 of first line planes, and adding second line planes it would come to between 700 and 1000, (including training planes). During the review of troops on 1 September, about 100 planes were flying over Batavia.

(d) Points at which planes are stationed: (numbers given are very unreliable). Also see Java message #18* in regard to stations.

 
         (1) Aviation force #1. Bandon.
             Light bombers, 30.
             Combat planes, 70.
             KARIJATE "LFX"** and ----- parachute troops (temporarily
                created).
             TIRIRITAN**. Combat planes, 12; light bombers.
                "LFX" BOITE SPORUHU**, combat 70, light bombers, 6.
             PUMXNBUKKU**, (on south coast) ----- some light bombers.
         (2) Aviation force #2. "LFX".
             AARAN**, quite a number of light bombers.
             SOERABAJA, (north field), combat planes, 40; scout planes,
                30;
             light bombers, 30.
             MAOSTMAT0I**, (west of MAJION), light bomber "LFX".
             JOKUJA**, light bomber, combat plane.
         (3) Naval planes:
             SOERABAJA, flying boats, 20, (including some Catalinas
             recently arrived). Seaplanes, "LFX".
             TANJONPURIOOKU**, flying boats, "LFX".
         (4) Outlying territories:
             Menado, flying boats on the lake to the south, "LFX".
               Anbon, flying boat, "LFX". Barikupapan, light bomber,
               "LFX".

 

(3) The situation as regards replenishments and arrivals:

 

(a) Two Catalina flying boats were ferried from the United States in early part of September, and three the latter part of October.

 

(b) Others, it would seem, are being imported from time to time by American and Dutch ships, but the actual facts are not known.

 

(c) According to newspaper reports contracts have been made in the United States amounting to $24,000,000 for the purchase of two-motored medium weight bombers of the B type.

 

(d) The supplementary naval appropriation just passed provides 14,340,000 guilders for plane purchases for the purpose of creating a torpedo plane force.

 

(e) There seem to be supply depots at each of the flying fields at Soerabaja and Bandoeng; and assembling and repair of planes are done at these places.

 

(4) Other items:

 

(a) Of late volunteer flying corps are being organized in various places for the purpose of training second line pilots, and there are already about 40 each in training at Batavia and Soerabaja.

 

(b) Of late there has been an increase of plane accidents (especially light bombers) in the Netherlands East Indies. This is thought to be a result of these efforts at expansion -----.

 
JD-1: 24185                              (F) Navy Trans. 10-30-41 (6-AR)
 
*Not available.
**Place name. 
 

(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 2 JAPANESE MESSAGES CONCERNING MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, SHIP MOVEMENTS, ETC.)