Whirlwind - Barrett Tillman [40]
Tokyo lagged badly in the material realm as well as the human. Japanese aircraft production simply could not match attrition. From an average wastage of 500 per month in early 1942 the number quadrupled by the fall of 1944. From 1941 onward Japanese factories turned out nearly 70,000 airplanes but losses reached 50,000, more than half in accidents.
In comparison, throughout the war U.S. forces lost 27,000 planes in the Pacific, one-third on combat missions. At the end America produced 11,000 planes in August 1945, almost exactly the number of Imperial Navy aircraft lost to all causes from April 1943 to March 1945.
Japan’s unexpected dilemma called for exceptional measures. In October the JAAF’s 10th Flying Division formed dedicated ramming flights with fighters stripped of guns and armor plate. Thus lightened, the Kawasaki Tonys could reach B-29 operating altitudes. The 244th Sentai’s “special attack” unit debuted on December 3 when two pilots collided with bombers but the rammers survived. In all, the 10th Division claimed two other ramming successes among five B-29s lost to all causes.
The Imperial Navy’s premier air defense unit was the 302nd Air Group (Hikotai) established in March 1944. From Atsugi the 302nd’s fighters could reach Tokyo in about fifteen minutes, and equipment reflected the growing concern for combating “B-san.” At the time of the first U.S. carrier strikes in February 1945 the group’s squadrons flew seventy Zekes, Jacks, Irving night fighters, and six generally ineffective twin-engine Franceses. There was also a reconnaissance squadron. The most potent were the Jacks, rugged single-seaters with four 20mm cannon; and the twin-engine Irving night fighters with radar and four cannon.
A few Irving crews claimed spectacular success, despite their mount’s slower speed than the B-29. One was Lieutenant Sachio Endo, credited with eight victories. At age twenty-nine Endo was unusually experienced; since 1933 he had been a carrier aviator and fought in China. After three years back in Japan he was sent to Rabaul, New Britain, where he was mated with the Gekko but without success. Following that unproductive tour he reported to Omura in 1944, training more night fighter crews. There he hit his stride. He began scoring by night and day, and was transferred to Atsugi in November, in time for the first Marianas B-29 missions.
During an interception on January 14, 1945, Endo piled into a 73rd Wing formation and attacked two Superforts. One was thought destroyed; the other damaged. However, in the running battle his Irving was riddled by .50 caliber rounds that ignited the fuel. The observer bailed out, apparently while Endo kept their burning aircraft under control, then he jumped. But he was too low; both men died in the attempt to save themselves. It was doubtful that either would have survived their burns.
Superfortresses over Tokyo
The November 24 mission was a historic event: the first B-29 attack on Tokyo. Leading from the front, as expected of the flying generals, was Rosie O’Donnell in Dauntless Dottie. Across the throttle console from him was Major Robert K. Morgan, famous throughout America as the pilot of the B-17 Memphis Belle. Having survived his 8th Air Force tour in 1943—a feat statistically unachievable at the time—Morgan had stepped up to Boeing’s next bomber for the Pacific half of the war. By then he had married and named his new bomber for his bride.
Following O’Donnell and Morgan were 110 other Superforts rising from Guam’s runways on the mission code-named San Antonio 1. Seventeen never reached Japan, aborting with mechanical (mostly engine) problems. Six more lined up a target in their Norden sights but could not release their bombs.
Buffeted by terrific winds and bedeviled by clouds, only twenty-four planes found the primary target, the Nakajima Company’s Musashino aircraft factory. Most of the other Superforts went after