Rumpler Taube

The Imperial Flying Association purchased two Rumpler Taube aircraft prior to the out­break of World War 1. As Japan was part of the Entente Powers, and thus against Ger­many, the Japanese Army bought the two Taubes from the Association for use in action in the Tsingtao campaign. With no aircraft, the Imperial Flying Association built their own version of the Taube calling it the Isobe Kaizo Rumpler Taube. The solitary aircraft first flew in 1915 before being wrecked in a crash later in the year. The remains were cannibalised and used in the Ozaki Soga-go of 1917.

Arado Ar 196 float plane

It was reported by Allied intelligence services that the Japanese received two Arl96 float planes. However, there is no evidence to sug­gest this occurred. The Germans operated a submarine facility at Penang, Malaysia, and the unit used the Arl96 in Japanese colours which may have led to the confusion in the intelligence report.

Arado Ar 234 Blitz

jet reconnaissance bomber

The Ar234 was a twin-turbojet, single-seat reconnaissance bomber that entered service with the Luftwaffe in September 1944. Allied intelligence intercepted a communication between Germany and Japan in March 1944 that confirmed that the Japanese had data on the Ar234. It was assumed that the data related to the Ar234A, which was not as advanced as the subsequent Ar 234B models. Another report went so far as to say produc­tion plans were in place to build the latest Ar 234 aircraft but this was based solely on the fact another report stated that the FuG 136 Nachtfee visual command indicator equip­ment (used in the Ar234P series night fight­ers) had been delivered to Japan in January 1945. It would become clear that the Ar234 was never produced in Japan and it is unknown exactly what data Japan did receive on this aircraft.