MISSION SUMMARY
Mission Number 96
- Date: 24 April 1945
- Code Name: Cat Call
#1
- Target: Hitachi A/C
Plant Tachikawa 90.17-2009 - See Shizuoka
- Participating Units:
73rd, 313th and 314th Bombardment Wings
- Number A/C Airborne:
131
- % A/C Bombing Primary:
77.l% (101 primary, 8 Secondary and 13 Opportunity)
- Time Over Primary:
240952K - 241006K
- Altitude of Attack:
10,000 - 14,500
- Weather Over Target:
0/10 - 2/10
- Total A/C Lost: 5
- Resume of Mission:
Bombing results - crews reported well to excellent. Smoke obscured
most of Target but severe damage reported to the large main engine
assembly building and many direct hits on buildings in southwest
portion of plant. Strike photography shows that aircraft of 3l3th
Wing bombing Tachikawa Aircraft Company (Secondary Target) made 15
hits on major buildings of plant and two hits on hangars with
several additional bursts in the service apron area. Also that
aircraft of 73rd Wing bombing Shizuoka A/C plant (Secondary Target)
reported 60 visible hits along W-edge of Target destroyed four small
buildings. Two aircraft lost to AA, one aircraft lost to enemy
action, one aircraft lost to accident and one aircraft lost to
unknown reasons. Enemy air opposition heavy & aggressive - 249
attacks. Enemy aircraft destroyed seventeen, probably destroyed
twenty-three and twenty-five damaged. AA heavy, meager to intense,
inaccurate to accurate. Average bomb load 73rd Wing 9,898 lbs.,
313th Wing 10,058 lbs., and 314th Wing 10,063 lbs. Average gas
reserve 73rd Wing 855 gallons, 313th Wing 1077 gallons and 314th
Wing 1070 gallons.
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