A few of the first US planes to land in Japan ...

[Mark Allen M]

... right after the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Interesting to note the lineup of what look to be Ki-61's in good condition, as well as the airfield seems to be untouched. Not sure exactly where in Japan these photos were taken and the exact date, but it looks like those US Navy pilots were greeted with 'samurai swords' ...
Also looks to have been a busy day with a B-24 belly landing and catching on fire. Never a dull moment.


Photo of a lineup of Japanese planes in the distance, taken from under the wing of a PBY. Liked to know exactly where this airfield was.


The photographer now panning to the right you see the Avenger and crew with their new swords raised.


Panning further to the right just in time to catch a B-24 belly landing ...


... and quickly catching on fire. Hopefully the crew all got out OK.

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Allen M]

So now here's a photo for those of you who know your "Doolittle Raiders" stuff (of which I'm certainly no expert).
The photo below states: "Occupation of Japan, 1945. Doolittle Raid B-25 wreckage. Photographed at Sasebo, Japan, September 23, 1945, NARA

What do you's guys think? Believable or not so much? Could the Japanese have found some of Doolittle's aircraft ditched in China and brought it back to Japan?

[Pathfinder]

Great big star and meatball insignia there in the middle of the pile....

[JohnB]

To state the obvious: the markings are correct for a 1942 aircraft. Aside from capturing them in the Philippines...or perhaps downing one near Australia, I'm not sure where the Japanese would have found one with those markings.

It would be easier and far more practical to bring one back from China than
Australian or New Guinea.

[Richard W.]

Bringing some wreckage back to show off in Japan after the Raid certainly seems like something they might have done.

I wonder if there are other pictures made by occupiers that have serials visible.

[Pathfinder]

IIRC Lawson wrote in the end pages of TSOT that a returning POW told him that he had seen wreckage of the Ruptured Duck on display in Tokyo (?). The wreckage here appears to show a fuselage broken from the lower turret position aft to the tail.

[Ken]

I would say that the meatball insignia, the cutouts for the windows on what would be the side of the fuselage just aft of the bomb bay, and the cutout for the early style tail skid all make a compelling argument for a Doolittle B-25B. Will enjoy hearing what the others may add.

Ken

[gemmer]

To state the obvious: the markings are correct for a 1942 aircraft. Aside from capturing them in the Philippines...or perhaps downing one near Australia, I'm not sure where the Japanese would have found one with those markings.

It would be easier and far more practical to bring one back from China than
Australian or New Guinea.

The only B-25s in the Philippines were those from the Royce Mission and they all returned to Australia.
If it is a Doolittle B-25, I'd be curious as to why the well for the Bendix turret is exposed, given that the turrets were removed and the wells faired over prior to the mission. It could be wreckage from a 3rd BG B-25C shot down in one of the early missions to Lae, New Guinea in May of 1942, but by that time most 5th AF aircraft had the red center of the insignia painted over.

[Pathfinder]

Is that a STAR AND BAR national insignia extreme left center? And what aare those two oversized lunch boxes below it?

[Mark Allen M]

An interesting observation from another poster.

"It is known that wreckage of the Doolittle B-25B's that crash landed along the coast were put on display in Tokyo. Ted Lawson mentions it in his book, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, and said that the wreck of the Ruptured Duck was indeed put on display. The red star center is correct, as is the double fuselage window ahead of the insignia, another B feature. Also, there is no rounded tail bumper skid, but there is an opening for a retractable type that would only be correct for a B model. As the Doolittle Raid was the only operational use of the B-25B in the war, and earlier models saw no combat, the retractable tail skid is a key indicator. No other way for that feature to appear on wreckage found in Japan except the Doolittle Raid. I'd put better than even money on this being a Doolittle bird." ----- Michael Vorrasi

[Mark Allen M]

Here's another 'find' post-war Japan. Did not know a P-51D became a guest of the Japanese during the war. Looks to say "Kansas City Kid"? Can't tell for sure.

Photo states: Occupation of Japan, 1945. Marine Private First Class Lisle E. Mell, Jr. inspects an Army P-51D Mustang in a hangar at the former Japanese Navy Air Base at Omura in Kyushu. The battered plane was discovered by occupation echelons of Marine Air Group 22. Photographed at Omura, Japan, by Lieutenant Battersby, September 29, 1945. Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

[Pathfinder]

I'd go with KANSAS CITY KITTY....a 1944 movie which generated a ton of like-named nose art. Didn't see this variation on G-search.

[rwdfresno]

If it is a Doolittle B-25, I'd be curious as to why the well for the Bendix turret is exposed, given that the turrets were removed and the wells faired over prior to the mission.

The bottom section of the fuselage that houses the ventral turret is actually fully destroyed and not in the picture. The floor of the fuselage is destroyed from the station just in front of the rear fuselage hatch. What we see is the square hole for the fuselage hatch with the camera port just aft of the rear hatch.



There is no question that this is the wreckage of a B-25B.

[RyanShort1]

That is a pretty cool find!

[lucky52]

Two questions if anyone can help; 1) did the tail skid retract 2) was the camera equipment installed on these aircraft?Thankyou.