Early on in the American Solomon Islands campaign during WW2, there were several instances of American and Japanese long range patrol aircraft encountering each other over vast expanses of the Pacific ocean. The Japanese H6K flying boat proved to be inadequate against the more heavily armored and armed American B-17′s and B-24′s. During these encounters, “dogfights” would ensue between the bombers, with gun positions designed for defense firing at each other while the pilots tried to maneuver their cumbersome aircraft.
Kawanishi Flying Boat.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the crew was chitting bricks watching that flame come out of the starboard fuel tank. Bail out time fast approaching.
DeleteWith the places those aircraft flew (middle of the Pacific), the hope of rescue was somewhere near zero -- more so in a culture which demanded suicide before capture.
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