Tokyo Bay Flyover 1945

dfrat · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:13 pm

Does anybody know how many aircraft flew over the assembled fleet in Tokyo bay on 2 Sept 1945? I'm reading a book called 15 Stars and it says that directly after the signing was complete " a cloud of 400 B-29s and 1,500 carrier aircraft swept over Tokyo Bay from the north and thundered toward the mists overhanging Mount Fuji."

I can only find refrences to 450 total on line in my hasty little google search.

kenlyco · **Joined:** Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:05 pm **Posts:** 656

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2008 11:49 pm

One reference I've seen lists 450 naval aircraft and 400 B-29s, but doesn't call out any other types.

A 9th Bomb Group airplane commander once told me that it was a bit of a hairy deal with so many aircraft milling about that day, and the weather didn't completely cooperate either. He would just as soon have been packing to head stateside rather than making yet another trip to the Empire.

TAdan · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 7:19 am

At a local fly-in a few months back a B-29 pilot who lead the entire parade gave a talk about his experiences. It was very cool. He even had a pic of the Missouri in the bay that his crew took as they went over.

He also has a book out, his name escapes me at the moment...

He was a very high-time B-29 pilot.

Ztex · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:25 am

I count at least 320 in that picture alone....

:shock:

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:39 am

Are those Helldivers that are close to the camera?

TAdan · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:49 am

Well to my (un)trained eye... I think I atleast see some Avengers, Helldivers, and Corsairs.

n5151ts · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:36 pm

..and won WWII?

sorry im just bitter...and drive AMERICAN cars...

old iron · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:43 pm

Hello,

I am pretty sure that picture is a fake. If you look carefully you will see that some of the pattern of aircraft are repeated (sometimes reversed).

Kevin,
.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:20 pm

AG-83 from the Essex put up all 4 squadrons ie VF-83, VT-83, VB-83 and VBF-83 and can be seen in most of the fly-over photos

BigGrey · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:05 pm

old iron wrote:

Hello,

I am pretty sure that picture is a fake. If you look carefully you will see that some of the pattern of aircraft are repeated (sometimes reversed).

Kevin,
.

Well Kevin, you better contact the National Archives and tell them it appears someone photoshopped the pics they've had for years. :wink:

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/even ... /js-8i.htm

Les

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:19 pm

Don't know how many were there , but a good friend was there on the Missisippi and says there was a shlt pot full. Said it was like that picture for over 30 straight minutes.

Django · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:23 pm

old iron wrote:

Hello,

I am pretty sure that picture is a fake. If you look carefully you will see that some of the pattern of aircraft are repeated (sometimes reversed).

Kevin,
.

Hahaha, that's called formation flying!

old iron · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:08 pm

Quote:

Well Kevin, you better contact the National Archives and tell them it appears someone photoshopped the pics they've had for years.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/even ... /js-8i.htm

Les

_________________

Am I to understand that there are no fakes in the National Archives?

Faked mass-flyovers were quite the fashion in those days. The magic of the darkroom was as good as photoshopping today.

I still see repeated patterns, sometimes reversed, in this photo. The reversed finger-four formations present a question -- did the Navy pilots do it "either way"? My guess is that someone took the original picture and then "multiplied" portions of it to increase the effect. That the resulting image wound up in the Archives does not make it true.

Kevin,
.

Bluedharma · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:40 pm

old iron wrote:

Am I to understand that there are no fakes in the National Archives?

Faked mass-flyovers were quite the fashion in those days. The magic of the darkroom was as good as photoshopping today.

I still see repeated patterns, sometimes reversed, in this photo. The reversed finger-four formations present a question -- did the Navy pilots do it "either way"? My guess is that someone took the original picture and then "multiplied" portions of it to increase the effect. That the resulting image wound up in the Archives does not make it true.

Kevin,
.

Interesting comment.
Well if these are fake pictures, then perhaps this will be a bigger story than the Britney Spears, Paris Hilton on TMZ.
or maybe not...

Seriously, you have brought up a valid question.
Faked mass-flyovers were quite the fashion in those days? Do you have a reference for this?
I would be interested to hear a Japanese perspective on what they saw come over that day. Any WIX members have information on that?

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Tokyo Bay Flyover 1945

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