Japanese airport closed after WWII bomb found

vienna · 10-30-12, 06:10 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/japanese-airpo...--finance.html

<O>

Gerald · 10-30-12, 06:15 PM

Apparently quite common to find bombs in Japan, according to the article,

Oberon · 10-30-12, 07:48 PM

Well, we (the Allies) did drop a fair few on them. I imagine that it's as commonplace as it is in Germany, but this is the first I've heard of one, I must admit.

Stealhead · 10-30-12, 08:44 PM

Most likely it was dropped by a B-29 during one of the earlier B-29 raids on mainland Japan in late 44 or early 45 before they starting using the fire bombing tactics.

I knew this retired USAF colonel he had been a navigator during WWII he flew on B-24s and later B-29s during the war his time in the B-29 was bar far the most exciting of his career to say the least. He told me several stories about early 29 missions and how they had much trouble with the very strong jet stream over Japan.Sometimes they would be above it and drop their bombs and they would land 10 and even 20 miles off target being pushed backwards and sometimes even forwards by the jet stream other times they would be in ahead wind against the jet stream and the true air speed to an observer on the ground would only be 30 or 40 mph making them an easy target for flack.Those early B-29 missions where pure hell and thats if the plane managed to stay flying long enough to even get to the target area.

Oberon · 10-30-12, 10:05 PM

The B-29s were a remarkable aircraft, and it's sad they often get overlooked for the B-17. First aircraft with a fully pressurised cabin for the crew IIRC too.

Stealhead · 10-30-12, 10:48 PM

They where remarkable but they had lots of issues mainly because they where so complex one of the big problems was the engines they had alot of overheating problems that where never fully resolved before the war ended and they where very bad about leaking oil.

They where the first plane to have full crew pressurization and they also had a climate control system really just heat and air circulation they did not so they where heated so they crew was much more comfortable to say the least.

A little known fact about B-29 operations during the war was when they went to night time fire bombing they really had no need for most of the gunners so at first they had them stay but Curtis LeMay realized that leaving half of the crew behind was having a negative effect on the crews so he allowed the gunners to fly anyway if they wanted they where that dedicated.

Of course that bomb could have come from a Navy or Marine Corps carrier based aircraft all the same.

Platapus · 10-31-12, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

The B-29s were a remarkable aircraft, and it's sad they often get overlooked for the B-17. First aircraft with a fully pressurised cabin for the crew IIRC too.

Just a nit to pick until it bleeds.

The B-29 was the first American bomber with pressurized crew compartment, not the first aircraft or even the first bomber with pressurized crew compartment.

Aside from several American and German experiments in the 1920-1930's, the Boeing 307 was the first production aircraft with pressurization. First flight 31 Dec 1938

The Germans made the Ju 86 P1 which was a high altitude bomber. Its maiden flight was in Feb 1940.

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles...ers_ju86P.html

The B-29's Maiden flight was 21 Sep 1942.

10-30-12, 06:10 PM	#1
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Japanese airport closed after WWII bomb found http://news.yahoo.com/japanese-airpo...--finance.html <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

10-30-12, 06:15 PM	#2
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	Apparently quite common to find bombs in Japan, according to the article, __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie

10-30-12, 07:48 PM	#3
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Well, we (the Allies) did drop a fair few on them. I imagine that it's as commonplace as it is in Germany, but this is the first I've heard of one, I must admit.

10-30-12, 08:44 PM	#4
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Most likely it was dropped by a B-29 during one of the earlier B-29 raids on mainland Japan in late 44 or early 45 before they starting using the fire bombing tactics. I knew this retired USAF colonel he had been a navigator during WWII he flew on B-24s and later B-29s during the war his time in the B-29 was bar far the most exciting of his career to say the least. He told me several stories about early 29 missions and how they had much trouble with the very strong jet stream over Japan.Sometimes they would be above it and drop their bombs and they would land 10 and even 20 miles off target being pushed backwards and sometimes even forwards by the jet stream other times they would be in ahead wind against the jet stream and the true air speed to an observer on the ground would only be 30 or 40 mph making them an easy target for flack.Those early B-29 missions where pure hell and thats if the plane managed to stay flying long enough to even get to the target area.

10-30-12, 10:05 PM	#5
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	The B-29s were a remarkable aircraft, and it's sad they often get overlooked for the B-17. First aircraft with a fully pressurised cabin for the crew IIRC too.

10-30-12, 10:48 PM	#6
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	They where remarkable but they had lots of issues mainly because they where so complex one of the big problems was the engines they had alot of overheating problems that where never fully resolved before the war ended and they where very bad about leaking oil. They where the first plane to have full crew pressurization and they also had a climate control system really just heat and air circulation they did not so they where heated so they crew was much more comfortable to say the least. A little known fact about B-29 operations during the war was when they went to night time fire bombing they really had no need for most of the gunners so at first they had them stay but Curtis LeMay realized that leaving half of the crew behind was having a negative effect on the crews so he allowed the gunners to fly anyway if they wanted they where that dedicated. Of course that bomb could have come from a Navy or Marine Corps carrier based aircraft all the same.