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AIR SP IN BURMA CAMPAIGN

Gen

1. When the Japanese Forces entered Burma in early 1942, Allied Def Forces were not much in str.
Burma Air Force consisted of two sqn and was capable of sending only 45 sorties as against 260 sorties per
day by the Japanese. Inadequate air sp was identified as one of the main contributing factor for allied defeat in
Burma. The British started creating a bal Air Force for the reconquest of Burma.

Dev of Air Sp

3. The no of airfds in India increased as new aircraft arr from UK and Middle East. The Americans
wanted to keep the Chinese sup with all war mat through North Burma.

4. With the loss of Burma, a fleet of American tpt ac were engaged in carr sup to China over the ‘Hump
Route”. This led to the creation of large no of tpt sqn base in India. Fol dev took place:

a. Beginning as a skeleton svc, the American ferry fleet grew to a size of 300 ac.

b. The 10 USAF was formed in India in 1942 which consisted of fighter, tpt and bomber ac.

c. American tpt ac proved to be the backbone of all tpt and sup msn that were flown during re-
conquest of Burma.

5. In contrast, the Japanese air activity decreased over Burma towards the end of 1942 due to transfer of
aircrafts to Pacific where the American pressure was increasing.

6. After the creation of SEAC (South East Asian Comd) in Aug 1943, a single Air Force was org known
as Eastern Air Command with HQ at Calcutta to con all btl ac in Burma theatre. It consisted of 67 sqn having
850 first line ac:

Eastern Air Command

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3rd Tac Strat Tp Carrier Photo Recce

Air Force (UK)Air Force (US) Command (US) Force (UK)

221 Gp 224 Gp Northern Air Sec Force

(Cen Front) (Arakan Front) (For NCAC and for Hump Route)

7. Though the British and US air elm in Burma were brought under single comd but both the air forces
were quite active on the war front from early 1943. The broad tasks of this fleet were as under:

a. To provide close sp to fwd tps.

b. To sup the Army with POL, wpns, eqpt, food, med and even water.

c. To deny sup to en by disrupting his L of C and Attk his depth.

d. To tpt rft and evac btl cas.

Influence on Burma Campaign

8. Allied air supremacy transformed the tech of ftg as well as increased the flexibility in land ops. The
most distinctive aspect of Burma campaign was the great use Allied made of air tpt. Large fmn were maint by
air sup. Std divs were mov long dstn by air.

9. Air sup enabled the Allied forces to radically alter other tac methods which had proved so vulnerable
to Japanese outflanking and infiltration methods. It was not the static British who were starved into surrender
but the mob Japanese who starved into retreat.

10. Large forces were infiltrated and subsequently maint by air sup behind Japanese lines for considerable
pd. This long range pen forces inflicted confusion, damage and loss on the Japanese and disorg Japanese L of
C.

11. Starting from the sup of gar/def locs or raiding columns, air sup were provisioned, fuelled and
munitioned by ac for 2 x Army Corps.

12. Due to difficult terr, bad comm and shortage of arty all ops had to rely on air as much as poss. It mov
tps, tons of sup incl food, water, wpns, eqpt and CASEVAC in addition to normal roles of CAS and air def.

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Illustrations from Burma Campaign/ Contributions by Air Force

13. First Arakan Offn. RAF flew about 2000 sorties and at the ht of campaign they flew 150 sorties
per day.

13. Second Arakan Offn. 5th and 7th Divs were cut off from the rear by Japanese infil force. These forces
were imm put on air sup from Comilla and Agartala. This offn is considered as turning pt for Burma
Campaign being the first allied victory against the Japanese.

14. Second Chindit Op. It was planned and depended completely on air sup. The op envisaged infil
by air of a force having str of about six bdes in various phases and subsequently maint them by air drop behind
Japanese lines. Such a big force was maint by air for a pd over three months and hundreds of their battle cas
were evac by air.

15. Btl of Imphal. The Air Force came to rescue of 4 Corps when it was completely cut off. Kohima Gar
after having been fully encircled by the Japanese, survived the seize because of constant sup drop and fire sp
provided by RAF. At this critical moment where Dimapur was threatened 5 Indian Div was airlifted straight
from Arakan to Dimapur. Allied air dominance was the key to their success at Imphal and Kohima.

16. Btls of Irrawaddy Shore. Japanese Comd, being denied eff air recce, had insufficient int
to make correct aprc of Slim’s intentions and allied disposn. CAS to beat back C attk against brH were vital.

17. Btl of Meiktila. Air tn of 99 Bde, air sup and CAS during the btl of Meiktila were decisive.

18. CASEVAC and Sup. In Burma Campaign, a total of 1, 10,000 cas were cvac by air and
1,30,000 tons of sup was air lifted by Air Force.

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