The
Japanese shipbuilding company
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd set up a subsidiary company, the
Mitsubishi Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturing Co Ltd (
Mitsubishi Nainenki Seizo KK) in 1920 to produce aircraft and
automobiles at
Nagoya. It quickly gained a contract from the
Imperial Japanese Navy to produce three types of aircraft for operation from
aircraft carriers: a fighter, a
torpedo bomber and a
reconnaissance aircraft. To produce these aircraft, it hired
Herbert Smith, formerly of the
Sopwith Aviation Company to assist the design of these aircraft, Smith bringing to Japan Jack Hyland and a team of six other British engineers . The fighter designed by Smith and his team, designated the
1MF by Mitsubishi, and known as the
Navy Type 10 Carrier Fighter by the Japanese Navy (referring to the year of design of 1921, the 10th year of the
Taishō period), first flew in October 1921. After successful flight testing, the aircraft was accepted by the Japanese Navy as a standard fighter, with 138 of various versions being built, production continuing until 1928.{{cite book|editor=Donald, David ==Operational history==