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| IJN 705 Kōkūtai |
Aircraft History Built by Mitsubishi at Nagoya No. 3 Works. Delivered to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) as G4M1 Model 11 Betty manufacture number unknown (four digits). Wartime History Assigned to 705 Kōkūtai (705 Air Group). Tail code likely 3?? (last two digits unknown numbers) painted in white. Wartime History On April 14, 1943 took off from Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul on a bombing mission against Milne Bay led by Lt. Commander Miyauchi Shichiso (Hikocho, 705 Kōkūtai) including twenty-six from 705 Kōkūtai and seventeen from 751 Kōkūtai armed with 250kg and 60kg bombs on a bombing mission against Allied shipping in Milne Bay with the secondary target of airfields. Over the target, the bombers encountered anti-aircraft fire and were intercepted by P-40 Kittyhawks from No. 75 Squadron and No. 77 Squadron before escorting A6M Zeros intercepted them. The aerial attacks caused the bombers to switch to their secondary target and bombed Gurney Airfield (No. 1 Strip). This bomber might have sustained damage from the Kittyhawks as the reported a bomber was "giving slight trouble". Meanwhile, six P-38 Lightnings from 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) joined the combat and spotted three waves of bombers over Cape Frere. This Betty was attacked from the rear by a P-38G Lightning pilot 1st Lt. Richard I. Bong who reported opening fire with all his guns on the left flank wingman and saw smoke from the left engine and hit the cockpit before observing the bomber was going down. Bong broke off his attack to dive away from Zeros and sustained a 20mm cannon shell hit on one of his elevators. For his actions on this mission, Bong earned the Air Medal. Aboard, the Betty crew reported the left engine was smoking and the pilot was killed in the initial attack. Afterwards, the damaged Betty was attacked by 3 or 4 other P-38s including Lt. Barnes that killed or wounded other crew members and caused the bomber to go out of control the crashed into the sea off Cape Frere. Fates of the Crew Two of the crew survived the crash and floated at sea for fifteen hours before being found and rescued by Allied forces. Both crew became Prisoners Of War (POW) and were interrogated by Allied intelligence. References Kodochosho, 705 Kōkūtai, April 14, 1943 Major Richard I. Bong Aerial Victory Claims USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: Bong, Richard I. pages 25 (PDF page 30) Stars & Bars (1995) page 155 (Bong victories 10: April 14, 1943) Operation A by Richard Dunn Contribute
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