Fascinating footage

[RichMunn]

Apologies to those who have seen this (it might be everybody!) but I found this very interesting.

"To think of 600 B-29’s all taking off to bomb Japan at one time is beyond my imagination. We hear so much about the Atom Bomb raids on Japanese cities that we forget these raids took place before that.

This is video from the color film archives so is of rather poor quality....especially at full screen.

This is spectacular live footage of the 3,000 round trip mile air assault upon the Japanese mainland, with 3 bomber wings and a host of P-51's.

The P-51 & B-29 footage is remarkable and the strafing runs by the P-51 pilots are incredible.

There are several "breaks" as the film canisters are changed, just wait for the count down."

B-29/P-51 Actual WWII Footage:




http://www.archive.org/details/TheLastBomb1945

[LeeChard]

I haven't seen that entire clip before. Very cool!

[Justus2]

ORIGINAL: RichMunn

"To think of 600 B-29’s all taking off to bomb Japan at one time is beyond my imagination. We hear so much about the Atom Bomb raids on Japanese cities that we forget these raids took place before that.

There were actually several raids after the Atom Bombs were dropped, I was surprised to learn that both the largest B-29 raid over Japan (the '1,000 plane' raid on the 14th of AUG) and the longest one (against the refinery at Akita) took place after the atomic bombings.

1000 plane raid
Akita Raid

[Yaab]

Justus2, any detailed info about raid composition and targets hit on 14th August,1945? Which groups hit Tokyo on 14th August, 1945? I browsed the web but the details are scant.

[Footslogger]

Wow! I never knew about the last raid. I always thought the dropping of the bomb on the second city (I can't spell) ended the war.

[Justus2]

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Justus2, any detailed info about raid composition and targets hit on 14th August,1945? Which groups hit Tokyo on 14th August, 1945? I browsed the web but the details are scant.

There were apparently several targets, here are some links below I found. I mentioned in a previous thread I'm taking a class this semester on the decision to drop the atomic bombs, and until I read about these 'last-day' raids, I didn't realize we were still conducting large-scale bombing in addition to the A-bombs. Wikipedia states 828 B-29s with 186 fighters took part in the attacks, hitting Iwakuni, Osaka, and Tokoyama, and night firebomb attacks at Kumagaya and Isesaki.

According to Downfall, Richard Frank (p313) Truman and Marshall were uncertain that Japan was really going to surrender as of the 13th. There was concern they might be planning one last "all-out banzie attack", so Truman ordered that US commanders "go ahead with everything we've got".

From Downfall
58th Wing - Hikari Naval Arsenal at Tokoyama
73rd Wing - Osaka Army Arsenal (and hit a train station with civilian trains, see link below)
3 groups of 313 Wing - Marifu Rail yards in Iwakuni
314th Wing - split between Kumagaya and Isasaki.
Frank lists a total of 779 bombers, and 186 fighters, no bombers lost but 4 fighters were.

Osaka - 150 B29s

[GI Jive]

I've never seen this before. My father was with the 72nd FS at Iwo (the P-51's with black-bordered yellow markings). This gives me a new perspective on his experience there.

[Yaab]

ORIGINAL: Justus2

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Justus2, any detailed info about raid composition and targets hit on 14th August,1945? Which groups hit Tokyo on 14th August, 1945? I browsed the web but the details are scant.

There were apparently several targets, here are some links below I found. I mentioned in a previous thread I'm taking a class this semester on the decision to drop the atomic bombs, and until I read about these 'last-day' raids, I didn't realize we were still conducting large-scale bombing in addition to the A-bombs. Wikipedia states 828 B-29s with 186 fighters took part in the attacks, hitting Iwakuni, Osaka, and Tokoyama, and night firebomb attacks at Kumagaya and Isesaki.

According to Downfall, Richard Frank (p313) Truman and Marshall were uncertain that Japan was really going to surrender as of the 13th. There was concern they might be planning one last "all-out banzie attack", so Truman ordered that US commanders "go ahead with everything we've got".

From Downfall
58th Wing - Hikari Naval Arsenal at Tokoyama
73rd Wing - Osaka Army Arsenal (and hit a train station with civilian trains, see link below)
3 groups of 313 Wing - Marifu Rail yards in Iwakuni
314th Wing - split between Kumagaya and Isasaki.
Frank lists a total of 779 bombers, and 186 fighters, no bombers lost but 4 fighters were.

Osaka - 150 B29s

Great info. Many thanks!

[Skyros]

There is a better quality version on Netflix in HD.

[rustysi]

The late Tokyo raid knocked power out to the Imperial Palace. This in turn helped foil the last minute 'coup' attempt to get the voice recording of the surrender, set to be broadcast the next day.

[BJStone]

ORIGINAL: Ranger5355

I haven't seen that entire clip before. Very cool!

X2