BaronYoshitoshi Tokugawa (徳川 好敏, Tokugawa Yoshitoshi, 24 July 1884 – 17 April 1963) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army and one of the pioneers of military aviation in Japan. The first Japanese to obtain his pilot's licence from the Aéro-Club de France, he is credited with having made the first flight in a powered aircraft in Japan in 1910.
Tokugawa Yoshitoshi was born in Tokyo and was the son of Count Tokugawa Atsumori (1856–1924) (head of the Shimizu Tokugawa clan). Through his father, he was the grandnephew of the last Shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Although his father had been created a count in the kazoku peerage in 1884, he had relinquished the title in 1899, so Yoshitoshi did not inherit his title.[1]
On orders of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, he purchased a Farman IIIbiplane, which he shipped back to Japan. On 19 December 1910, Tokugawa flew Japan's first successful powered aircraft flight at Yoyogi Parade Ground where Tokyo's Yoyogi Park is now located, only seven years after the Wright Brothers' first flight in the United States.[2] On 5 April 1911, Tokugawa piloted the inaugural flight at Japan's first permanent airfield in Tokorozawa.[3] Shortly afterwards, he successfully took the first aerial photographs in Japan to prove the utility of the aircraft for reconnaissance. On 23 April 1911, he set a Japanese record with a Blériot Aéronautique, flying 48 miles in 1 hour 9 minutes 30 seconds. Also in 1911, several more aircraft were imported and an improved version of the Farman III biplane, the Kaishiki No.1, was built and flown by Tokugawa in Japan.[4]
In 1914, with the outbreak of war, the Japanese laid siege to the German colony of Tsingtao, aircraft from the army together with seaplanes flown from the Japanese seaplane carrier Wakamiya conducted reconnaissance and bombing operations. The Provisional Air Corps consisting of four Maurice Farman MF.7 biplanes and a single Nieuport VI-M monoplane flew 86 sorties between them.[5] In December 1915, a air battalion was created under the Army Transport Command, which became responsible for all air operations.[6] However, serious interest in military aviation did not develop until after World War I. Japanese military observers in Western Europe were quick to spot the advantages of the new technology.
Tokugawa led the 2nd Air Battalion, was commander of the 1st Air Regiment, and after his promotion to lieutenant general was commander of the Imperial Japanese Army Aviation Corps three times through the 1920s and 1930s. In 1928, he was created a baron in the kazoku peerage.[7]
He served as Director of the Training Department in the Tokorozawa Army Aviation School, as Commandant of the same school and the Akeno Army Aviation School, and was later attached to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff. Tokugawa came to be known in Japan as "the Grandfather of Flight"[8]
He entered the active reserve in 1939 and was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1940. He was recalled to command the Imperial Army Aviation School in March 1944, before finally retiring the following year.
Referencesedit
Boyne, Walter (1997). CLASH OF WINGS: World War II in the Air. Simon & Schuster. ISBN0-684-83915-6.
Francillon, René J. (1979). Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam. ISBN0-370-30251-6. OCLC 6124909. (new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books, ISBN0-85177-801-1.)
Hallion, Richard P (2003). Taking Flight: Inventing the Aerial Age, from Antiquity through the First World War. Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-516035-5.
Hata, Ikuhiko; Izawa, Yashuho; Shores, Christopher (2012). Japanese Army Fighter Aces: 1931-45. Vol. Stackpole Military History Series. London: Stackpole Books. ISBN978-1-461-75118-2.
Stephenson, Charles (2017). The Siege of Tsingtau: The German-Japanese War 1914. Pen and Sword. ISBN978-1-52670-295-1.
Yoshimura, Akira (1996). Zero Fighter. Praeger Trade. ISBN0-275-95355-6.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yoshitoshi Tokugawa.
The Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Air Forces, Alvin Coox
yoshitoshi, tokugawa, baron, 徳川, 好敏, tokugawa, yoshitoshi, july, 1884, april, 1963, lieutenant, general, imperial, japanese, army, pioneers, military, aviation, japan, first, japanese, obtain, pilot, licence, from, aéro, club, france, credited, with, having, m. Baron Yoshitoshi Tokugawa 徳川 好敏 Tokugawa Yoshitoshi 24 July 1884 17 April 1963 was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army and one of the pioneers of military aviation in Japan The first Japanese to obtain his pilot s licence from the Aero Club de France he is credited with having made the first flight in a powered aircraft in Japan in 1910 Yoshitoshi TokugawaGeneral Yoshitoshi TokugawaNative name徳川好敏Born 1884 07 24 24 July 1884Tokyo JapanDied17 April 1963 1963 04 17 aged 78 Tokyo JapanAllegiance Empire of JapanService wbr branch Imperial Japanese ArmyYears of service1903 1945RankLieutenant GeneralCommands heldTokorozawa Army Aviation School Akeno Army Aviation SchoolAwardsOrder of the Rising Sun 1st classLieutenant General Baron Tokugawa Yoshitoshi Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Family and early career 1 2 Later career 2 References 3 External links 4 FootnotesBiography editFamily and early career edit Tokugawa Yoshitoshi was born in Tokyo and was the son of Count Tokugawa Atsumori 1856 1924 head of the Shimizu Tokugawa clan Through his father he was the grandnephew of the last Shōgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu Although his father had been created a count in the kazoku peerage in 1884 he had relinquished the title in 1899 so Yoshitoshi did not inherit his title 1 Tokugawa graduated from the 15th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1903 after having specialized in military engineering In 1909 he was sent as a military attache to France specifically to study aeronautical engineering and military applications for the use of aircraft in combat He became the first Japanese to obtain his pilot s licence from the Aero Club de France On orders of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff he purchased a Farman III biplane which he shipped back to Japan On 19 December 1910 Tokugawa flew Japan s first successful powered aircraft flight at Yoyogi Parade Ground where Tokyo s Yoyogi Park is now located only seven years after the Wright Brothers first flight in the United States 2 On 5 April 1911 Tokugawa piloted the inaugural flight at Japan s first permanent airfield in Tokorozawa 3 Shortly afterwards he successfully took the first aerial photographs in Japan to prove the utility of the aircraft for reconnaissance On 23 April 1911 he set a Japanese record with a Bleriot Aeronautique flying 48 miles in 1 hour 9 minutes 30 seconds Also in 1911 several more aircraft were imported and an improved version of the Farman III biplane the Kaishiki No 1 was built and flown by Tokugawa in Japan 4 Later career edit Tokugawa together with fellow aviation pioneer Hino Kumazo promoted the new technology to the army Despite budgetary cutbacks by Army Minister Ugaki Kazushige the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service was established in 1912 In 1914 with the outbreak of war the Japanese laid siege to the German colony of Tsingtao aircraft from the army together with seaplanes flown from the Japanese seaplane carrier Wakamiya conducted reconnaissance and bombing operations The Provisional Air Corps consisting of four Maurice Farman MF 7 biplanes and a single Nieuport VI M monoplane flew 86 sorties between them 5 In December 1915 a air battalion was created under the Army Transport Command which became responsible for all air operations 6 However serious interest in military aviation did not develop until after World War I Japanese military observers in Western Europe were quick to spot the advantages of the new technology Tokugawa led the 2nd Air Battalion was commander of the 1st Air Regiment and after his promotion to lieutenant general was commander of the Imperial Japanese Army Aviation Corps three times through the 1920s and 1930s In 1928 he was created a baron in the kazoku peerage 7 He served as Director of the Training Department in the Tokorozawa Army Aviation School as Commandant of the same school and the Akeno Army Aviation School and was later attached to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Tokugawa came to be known in Japan as the Grandfather of Flight 8 He entered the active reserve in 1939 and was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1940 He was recalled to command the Imperial Army Aviation School in March 1944 before finally retiring the following year References editBoyne Walter 1997 CLASH OF WINGS World War II in the Air Simon amp Schuster ISBN 0 684 83915 6 Francillon Rene J 1979 Japanese aircraft of the Pacific War London Putnam ISBN 0 370 30251 6 OCLC 6124909 new edition 1987 by Putnam Aeronautical Books ISBN 0 85177 801 1 Hallion Richard P 2003 Taking Flight Inventing the Aerial Age from Antiquity through the First World War Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 516035 5 Hata Ikuhiko Izawa Yashuho Shores Christopher 2012 Japanese Army Fighter Aces 1931 45 Vol Stackpole Military History Series London Stackpole Books ISBN 978 1 461 75118 2 Stephenson Charles 2017 The Siege of Tsingtau The German Japanese War 1914 Pen and Sword ISBN 978 1 52670 295 1 Yoshimura Akira 1996 Zero Fighter Praeger Trade ISBN 0 275 95355 6 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yoshitoshi Tokugawa The Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Air Forces Alvin Coox Yoshitoshi Tokugawa early aviator http www rcooper 0catch com etokugaw htmFootnotes edit Genealogy Hata Izawa amp Shores 2012 p 1 Tokorozawa Aviation Museum Information Department Francillon 1979 p 29 Stephenson 2017 p 96 Francillon 1979 p 30 Genealogy 1 Time Magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yoshitoshi Tokugawa amp oldid 1175300092, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
