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B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 2nd 12, 05:19 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
a425couple
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Posts: 69
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

While reading about the Japanese Heavy cruiser Aoba
(Unusual looking, with undulating decks, and remodel drasticly
changed what some consider 2 of the class, from 6 turrets to 3.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cruiser_Aoba

I saw this unusual account:
"On April 3, ((1943)) while moored at Kavieng, New Ireland,
Aoba was bombed by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the
Fifth Air Force's 43rd Bomb Group. A direct hit on Aoba caused
two Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes to explode and set the ship
on fire while the B-17's strafed the decks with machine guns.
Aoba had to be beached to avoid sinking."

Hmmm??, It's clarified by
http://www.combinedfleet.com/aoba_t.htm
"The big bombers skip-bomb from between 75 and 250 feet with
delayed-action fused 500-lb. bombs. A direct hit on AOBA explodes
two Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes stored aboard and sets the ship
afire while the B-17's .50-cal. machine guns strafe her decks."
I'll admit, I did not know the B-17s were used for skip bombing.

That site also has this,,, ahh 'irritating' story,
"18 March 1944: Departs Batavia. While enroute to Singapore,
Rear Admiral Sakonjo complies with the Imperial "disposal" policy
concerning POWs. He orders the beheading of each of the remaining
72 captives aboard TONE." (from British SS BEHAR)
----- "Postwar, the British try and convict Sakonjo as a war criminal,
then execute him at Hong Kong."

(IMHO, Aoba is interesting 'hard luck' story, as gradually over years,
damage reduced her from good CA cruiser, to slower,
to limping, to floating AA battery, to non-floating
'decoy target' ((hey every bomb that hit her could have
meant one less bomb hit a still OK ship ehh??))
Oh, by the way, I do have her in my 1/700 ship collection.)

  #2  
Old April 2nd 12, 05:47 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
Gordon[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 57
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

On Apr 2, 9:19*am, "a425couple" wrote:
While reading about the Japanese Heavy cruiser Aoba
(Unusual looking, with undulating decks, and remodel drasticly
changed what some consider 2 of the class, from 6 turrets to 3.)http://en..wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cruiser_Aoba

I saw this unusual account:
"On April 3, ((1943)) while moored at Kavieng, New Ireland,
Aoba was bombed by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the
Fifth Air Force's 43rd Bomb Group. A direct hit on Aoba caused
two Type 93 Long Lance torpedoes to explode and set the ship
on fire while the B-17's strafed the decks with machine guns.
Aoba had to be beached to avoid sinking."

Hmmm??, It's clarified byhttp://www.combinedfleet.com/aoba_t.htm
"The big bombers skip-bomb from between 75 and 250 feet with
delayed-action fused 500-lb. bombs. A direct hit on AOBA explodes
two Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes stored aboard and sets the ship
afire while the B-17's .50-cal. machine guns strafe her decks."
I'll admit, I did not know the B-17s were used for skip bombing.

That site also has this,,, ahh 'irritating' story,
"18 March 1944: Departs Batavia. While enroute to Singapore,
Rear Admiral Sakonjo complies with the Imperial "disposal" policy
concerning POWs. He orders the beheading of each of the remaining
72 captives aboard TONE." (from British SS BEHAR)
----- "Postwar, the British try and convict Sakonjo as a war criminal,
then execute him at Hong Kong."

(IMHO, Aoba is interesting 'hard luck' story, as gradually over years,
damage reduced her from good CA cruiser, to slower,
to limping, to floating AA battery, to non-floating
'decoy target' ((hey every bomb that hit her could have
meant one less bomb hit a still OK ship ehh??))
Oh, by the way, I do have her in my 1/700 ship collection.)


I don't know about you guys, but I am highly impressed with the amount
of damage this ship absorbed during the war. Must have been a first-
rate crew with a decent skipper, or it would have been lost at any
number of times.
  #3  
Old April 2nd 12, 05:54 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
Jim Wilkins[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 52
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs


"a425couple" wrote in message
...
...
"The big bombers skip-bomb from between 75 and 250 feet with
delayed-action fused 500-lb. bombs. A direct hit on AOBA explodes
two Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes stored aboard and sets the ship
afire while the B-17's .50-cal. machine guns strafe her decks." I'll
admit, I did not know the B-17s were used for skip bombing. ...


General Kenney mentioned a B-17 that flew so low to fire into the
embrasure of a beach bunker that its tail scraped the sand when it
pulled out.

They were pretty free to do anything that got results out there, and
those who complained about broken regulations were sent home with
"combat fatigue".

jsw


  #4  
Old April 2nd 12, 09:05 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
Gordon[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 57
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

On Apr 2, 9:54*am, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:
"a425couple" wrote in message

...

...
"The big bombers skip-bomb from between 75 and 250 feet with
delayed-action fused 500-lb. bombs. A direct hit on AOBA explodes
two Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes stored aboard and sets the ship
afire while the B-17's .50-cal. machine guns strafe her decks." I'll
admit, I did not know the B-17s were used for skip bombing. ...


General Kenney mentioned a B-17 that flew so low to fire into the
embrasure of a beach bunker that its tail scraped the sand when it
pulled out.

They were pretty free to do anything that got results out there, and
those who complained about broken regulations were sent home with
"combat fatigue".


One of my favorite stories of the air war over Europe features a
returning Lancaster dropping out of the sky to strafe retreating
German columns after a late war daylight Main Force raid. The visual
impression of a heavy bomber so completely disregarding its own safety
as well as the enemy light and medium AA fire to rain down a barrage
of MG fire and sow bombs on their cornered targets is quite striking
  #5  
Old April 2nd 12, 09:48 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 121
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

So, by then, the B-17 crews had figured out that high altitude level
bombing of moving ships wasn't working out very well?

Did anyone ever try equipping the B-17 with torpedoes?
  #6  
Old April 2nd 12, 09:56 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
Dan[_12_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 451
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

On 4/2/2012 3:05 PM, Gordon wrote:
On Apr 2, 9:54 am, "Jim wrote:
wrote in message

...

...
"The big bombers skip-bomb from between 75 and 250 feet with
delayed-action fused 500-lb. bombs. A direct hit on AOBA explodes
two Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes stored aboard and sets the ship
afire while the B-17's .50-cal. machine guns strafe her decks." I'll
admit, I did not know the B-17s were used for skip bombing. ...


General Kenney mentioned a B-17 that flew so low to fire into the
embrasure of a beach bunker that its tail scraped the sand when it
pulled out.

They were pretty free to do anything that got results out there, and
those who complained about broken regulations were sent home with
"combat fatigue".


One of my favorite stories of the air war over Europe features a
returning Lancaster dropping out of the sky to strafe retreating
German columns after a late war daylight Main Force raid. The visual
impression of a heavy bomber so completely disregarding its own safety
as well as the enemy light and medium AA fire to rain down a barrage
of MG fire and sow bombs on their cornered targets is quite striking


The only way to end such a mission is to do a barrel roll on climb
out after the strafing run followed by a similar roll at home station.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired
  #7  
Old April 3rd 12, 06:18 AM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
Bill Shatzer[_2_]
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Posts: 9
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

wrote:
So, by then, the B-17 crews had figured out that high altitude level
bombing of moving ships wasn't working out very well?

Did anyone ever try equipping the B-17 with torpedoes?


Well, sorta.

http://tinyurl.com/7sr3lmu

  #8  
Old April 3rd 12, 11:41 AM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval
dott.Piergiorgio[_2_]
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Posts: 3
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

Il 02/04/2012 18:19, a425couple ha scritto:

That site also has this,,, ahh 'irritating' story, "18 March 1944:
Departs Batavia. While enroute to Singapore, Rear Admiral Sakonjo
complies with the Imperial "disposal" policy concerning POWs. He orders
the beheading of each of the remaining 72 captives aboard TONE." (from
British SS BEHAR)


I was under the impression that all were beheaded on TONE....

----- "Postwar, the British try and convict Sakonjo as a war criminal,
then execute him at Hong Kong."
(IMHO, Aoba is interesting 'hard luck' story, as gradually over years,
damage reduced her from good CA cruiser, to slower, to limping, to
floating AA battery, to non-floating 'decoy target'


The war scars and wear & tear of Aoba is in se one of most interesting
story of luck (not hard) and (apologies to Gene...) embodiement of
Japanese spirit on IJN ships

Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.

[removal of unneded ng from X-post]

Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.
  #9  
Old April 3rd 12, 12:02 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval
dott.Piergiorgio[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

Il 02/04/2012 22:56, Dan ha scritto:

One of my favorite stories of the air war over Europe features a
returning Lancaster dropping out of the sky to strafe retreating
German columns after a late war daylight Main Force raid. The visual
impression of a heavy bomber so completely disregarding its own safety
as well as the enemy light and medium AA fire to rain down a barrage
of MG fire and sow bombs on their cornered targets is quite striking


The only way to end such a mission is to do a barrel roll on climb out
after the strafing run followed by a similar roll at home station.


mhm... IMVHO perhaps was more safe an heavy four-engine TB, at least the
ventral and tail guns can suppress the AA fire from the ship's unengaged
side...

Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.
  #10  
Old April 3rd 12, 05:49 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval,alt.history.british
David E. Powell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 168
Default B-17s straffing & IJN Aoba, & UK POWs

On Apr 3, 1:18*am, Bill Shatzer wrote:
wrote:
So, by then, the B-17 crews had figured out that high altitude level
bombing of moving ships wasn't working out very well?


Did anyone ever try equipping the B-17 with torpedoes?


Well, sorta.

http://tinyurl.com/7sr3lmu


Thank you! If this was 1940 than this stuff is huge! It's huge either
way, but wow!
 




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