Japanese Forces

BR.20 in Japan Army Air Force

When Japan entered into the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese Army Air Force, because the new Mitsubishi Ki-21 was again on test, required, July 1937, an interim purchase of aircraft from abroad. Italy was willing to give priority to any Japanese orders and offered the Caproni Ca.135 and the Fiat BR.20. Since the plane of Fiat closely matched the specification, but not the Caproni, in late 1937 the Japanese Army Air Force placed an initial order for 72 Br.20s, designated by Japanese I-Type (Yi-shiki), soon followed by an another contract for further 10 aircraft. Deliveries to Japanese Wings in Manchuria commenced in February 1938, for equipping, replacing the obsolete Mitsubishi Ki-1, the 12th and 20th Sentai (Air Wings ), deployed on long-range bombing missions against Chinese cities and supply centres during the winter of 1938–39. The BR.20s were operating with no fighter cover at the extremes of their range and incurred heavy losses from Chinese fighters. Later the 12th Sentai was redeployed to the Mongolian-Manchurian border to be involved in missions against the Russians (battle of Khalkhin Gol). In September 1939, the BR.20s were progressively phased out from operational service and replaced by the Ki-21. The Allied reporting name allocated to BR.20 was "Ruth". VS