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Hi Guys,

I'm just getting started on some "Japan 1945" builds, but one aircraft has got me puzzled

Did the P-38 ever fly missions over the Japanese home islands?

I'm in the U.K and interest in the Pacific war isn't substantial so any good books you could suggest on the subject would be appreciated, I've pretty much only got the Aces books

Regards

Lee

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I'm pretty sure the P-38 never flew over Japan during WW2. In the last year, I believe the only planes that had the range to fly from Okinawa / Iwo were P-51's and P-47N's. To be honest, I am not even sure the P-38 was even used in the theater at that time.

John

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I'm pretty sure the P-38 never flew over Japan during WW2. In the last year, I believe the only planes that had the range to fly from Okinawa / Iwo were P-51's and P-47N's. To be honest, I am not even sure the P-38 was even used in the theater at that time.

John

Thanks Guys,

I have the Tamiya P-51D/K and Academy P-47N so that's great

Did the B-24 Liberator ever fly missions over Japan?

Lee

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Found via Google:

P-38:

FRIDAY, 10 AUGUST 1945

WESTERN PACIFIC

( Far East Air Force): In Japan, 80 B-24s, 118 B-25s, and 220+ P-47s and P-38s pound the Kumamoto area;

B-24:

Units of the 5th Air force began moving to Okinawa in mid 1945.

The 22nd Bomb Group with B-24 arrived in Okinawa on 15 August

1945 and flew a few armed reconnaissance missions over the Japanese

main islands.

The 43rd Bomb Group with B-24 moved to Ie Shima in July 1945,

flying missions against the Japanese main islands.

The 90th and 390th Bomb Groups with B-24 moved to Ie Shima in

August 1945 too late to fly any combat missions against the Japanese

main islands.

Also units of the 7th Air Force began moving to Okinawa in mid 1945.

The 494th Bomb Group had the B-24 and moved to Okinawa on

24 June 1945 and began strikes on the Japanese main islands.

The 13th Air Force in Alaska had the 28th Bomb Group, which had a

mixture of aircraft, including LB-30 early in the war and B-24 from 1944

onwards. Seems to have mainly bombed the Kuril islands rather than

any of the Japanese main islands.

Jari

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This is fantastic, thanks Jari.

Found out also that P-38L's of the 8th F.G did raid the home islands from Le Shima at the end of the war.

Only thing about the B-24 definitely being over Japan is that I've now got to find, build and store a 1/48 B-24J and B-29!!!!

Happy Days

Lee

:salute:

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P-38s over Japan

I am not sure about P-38s, the fighter, but F-5Bs, the reconnaissance version made trips to southern Japan as well as other far a way locations. A most difficult trip was to Saigon and back to Clark Field in the Philippians; not every aircraft returned.

Check the IPMS Eagle Squadron web site, Gallery and review the Paul Trembley F-5B Project. He was a guest speaker some years ago at a chapter meeting. The chapter built a custom F-5B for him as a token of appreciation. Photos of his actual aircraft are on page two of the Gallery section pertaining to this project. A NMF F-5B without anti-glare panels in 1945; picture proof. If I recall he painted the tail himself; he liked the early Army Air Corps red and white markings. Paul was as super guest speaker and flew a very unique aircraft.

I no longer remember the Photo Squadron he was assigned to, but one of their pilots flew a post strike mission over Nagasaki shortly after the ‘bomb’ was dropped.

Michael A.

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