MISSION SUMMARY
Mission Number 187
- Date: 1 June 1945
- Target: Osaka Urban
Area
- Participating Units:
58th, 73rd, 313th and 314th Bombardment Wings
- Number A/C Airborne:
509
- % A/C Bombing Primary:
91.6% (458 primary and 16 opportunity)
- Type of Bombs and Fuzes:
M-17-30.7, 31.3, 31.9, 32.5, and 31 sec. nose: M- 47 –
instantaneous nose and non-delay tail: E-46-33.3, 34.4, 35.2, 35.5,
and 36.3, and 36.5 sec. tail, and M-26 (T4E4) -14, 14.5, 15.1,
15.2, and 15.3 nose fuzings.
- Tons of Bombs Dropped:
2788.5 Primary and 102.2 Opportunity
- Time Over Primary:
1028K - 1200K
- Altitude of Attack:
18,000 - 28,500 feet
- Weather Over Target:
0/10 - 10/10
- Total A/C Lost: 10
- Resume of Mission:
Approximately 3.4 square miles were destroyed by this mission, north
and northwest of the castle. Total damage to Osaka is now 14.65
square miles or 24 percent of the built-up portion of the city.
Eighty-five E/A sighted made 221 attacks and damaged 4 B-29’s.
Claims were 16-9-4. Flak was heavy, meager to intense, and accurate
to inaccurate, accounting for 5 B-29’s. Two A/C collided at
assembly, 2 were lost due to mechanical reasons, and 1 to unknown
causes. Thirty-five A/C were non-effective. Of the 4 crews that
bailed-out, all but 2 men were rescued. Fighter escort was formed
by 148 P-51’s, but a majority turned back. Twenty-seven P-51’s and
26 fighter pilots were lost due to severe weather conditions.
Eighty-one B-29’s landed at Iwo Jima. Average Bomb Load: 12,364
lbs. Average Fuel Reserve: 655 gallons.
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