Chinese Military Aviation 1912-1937 Volume 3

The Northeast (Manchurian) Government under Zhang Zuolin started to acquire aircraft in 1920: Avros, Vickers Vimys and other types. Large numbers of Breguets and Caudrons followed in the early 1920s. After the two Zhili-Fengtian wars in 1922 and 1924, a war in 1925-1926 and other conflicts, the Nanjing Government under Chiang Kai-shek became the Northeast’s main enemy. The Northeast squadrons saw action in all these conflicts.

Zhang Zuolin was assassinated in 1928 and succeeded by his son, Zhang Xueliang, who also acted as the official commander of the Northeast Air Force. The defeat of their ally, the Shandong Province, in 1928 led to an influx of Junkers aircraft when the Shandong Air Force was evacuated to Shenyang, the capital of the Northeast. The conflict with Chiang Kai-shek ended in December 1928, when the Northeast accepted Nanjing’s supremacy and adopted a new flag and new aircraft markings, but the Northeast Air Force still remained independent.

Its involvement in a local war with the Soviet Union in 1929 was a failure, which led to reorganisation. DH60 Moth trainers and Potez 25 aircraft were acquired and Japanese instructors were hired to improve training. An ambitious military aircraft competition was arranged and finally a large Fokker aircraft contract was signed. In September 1931 Japan suddenly occupied Shenyang and captured the complete Northeast Air Force aircraft inventory. During the following Japanese occupation, attempts were made by Chinese volunteer and resistance units to set up small air units.