A really cool photo.

[String]

I didn't know that they flew in so low.. Betties at Guadalcanal 08/08/1942

[Brausepaul]

Wow, the Betty pilots must have gotten wet feet[X(]

[Tom Hunter]

I'll bet that there is a shot on the same roll of film showing the torpedos going into the water.

[Speedysteve]

They look bloody low [X(]

[Sharkosaurus rex]

The rookie pilot is too high!

[Greyshaft]

Very still water helps, but one flak burst above the cockpit causing you to twitch on the stick and its goodnight Irene.

[Lord_Calidor]

ORIGINAL: Sharkosaurus rex

The rookie pilot is too high!

He's a flak bait. [:D]

[Brausepaul]

Maybe they try to exploit a buffer underflow in height calculation to score 30 hits with 10 bombs[:D]

[Onime No Kyo]

No wonder they keep getting all those torpedo hits. They hand-delivered the bloody things. Like a singing telegram.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

No wonder they keep getting all those torpedo hits. They hand-delivered the bloody things. Like a singing telegram.

Alas for the IJN - things did not go well with this attack. Iirc, the only "hit" achieved is when one of these bombers crashed into a transport after being hit by flak. Losses were heavy - heavy enough to cripple attacks in the following days/weeks.*

*Factsaresubjecttomemoryerrorsandmisleadinginformationoriginallysuppliedbyvariousauthorsofsometimesdubiousveracity.

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


*Factsaresubjecttomemoryerrorsandmisleadinginformationoriginallysuppliedbyvariousauthorsofsometimesdubiousveracity.

It's lucky you said that since you know how many would jump on you for imprecise data etc [;)]

[Tom Hunter]

Notice that all the ships visible are turning stern to the attack? The DD that is moving off photo on the left hand side has a wake pattern indicating a hard turn to Port. Not likely to get many hits under those circumstances.

[Sharkosaurus rex]

The Jap commander can use his message board to set up another attack run or co-ordinate with some nearby planes.

[rtrapasso]

Notice that all the ships visible are turning stern to the attack? The DD that is moving off photo on the left hand side has a wake pattern indicating a hard turn to Port. Not likely to get many hits under those circumstances.

Admiral Kelly Turner, commander of the transports was a master (supposedly) at this tactic. He would invite a Japanese attack by maintaining a steady course, and as soon as the Japanese aircraft committed to an attack, be would order a 90 degree turn of the taskforce. I can ALMOST forgive him some of his other sins for getting this right (if true.)

[JamesM]

I am sure I have seen that on a documentry before, but for the life of me I can not remember.

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: String

I didn't know that they flew in so low.. Betties at Guadalcanal 08/08/1942

Normally they didn't. The 8th attack was not a typical example. Since most of the participants died one cant say for sure what was going through their heads at the time but I tend to agree with Richard Frank's view that they were over-enthusiastic in their desire to find 'worthwhile' targets to strike....which only made them even more vulnerable to flak. Just say no to weaving in and out among transports armed with Oki's

[Moquia]

I was a bold attack. Here is how many of them ended:







The 2 first is probably the same bomber though.

[scout1]

That pilot had a serious pair of go-nads to come in THAT low ......

[ChezDaJez]

Normally they didn't. The 8th attack was not a typical example. Since most of the participants died one cant say for sure what was going through their heads at the time but I tend to agree with Richard Frank's view that they were over-enthusiastic in their desire to find 'worthwhile' targets to strike....which only made them even more vulnerable to flak. Just say no to weaving in and out among transports armed with Oki's

I've read somewhere on the web (can't find it now) that the Betty aircrews routinely practiced and used extreme low level flying because they thought that US AA guns couldn't be depressed low enough to effectively engage them. From looking at the photo, it looks like there may be some validity to the argument as it appears most AA fire is too high.

A side effect of flying that low is that the AA fire would probably also hit friendly ships as the planes flew by. I doubt that was a consideration for the Bettys but it certainly would have been for the ship crews.

They were also required to fly straight and level for a minimum of 30 seconds so that the primitive guidance systems on the torpedoes would stabilize once they were armed and allow them to maintain a straight course after water entry. Last minute manuevering caused them to be less accurate.

Of course, with my luck, if I were on a mission flying that low, my pilot would have hayfever or something and have a sneezing fit and we would become a submarine real quick.

Chez

[panda124c]

Now you see why using the big guns to throw up splashes was a good tactic against torpedo bombers.