"Japanese Ta-dan air-to-air cluster bomb" Topic

"Bomber raids resumed on the 3rd of July when 23 B-24s were over Yap. Despite an interception lasting 45 minutes involving an estimated 15 Japanese fighters (identified as ZEKES, HAMPS and one unidentified) in which eight phosphorus bombs were ineffectively lobbed at the bombers, only four B-24s were damaged. Gunners claimed four Japanese fighters destroyed. A Japanese report claimed two bombers destroyed and ten damaged; one Japanese fighter was reportedly lost. On America's Independence Day fifteen B-24s were subjected to a thirty minute interception by 15-20 ZEKES using high frontal passes. Some 25-30 aerial bombs were used. Only four bombers were slightly damaged. One ZEKE was claimed. A Japanese report mentioned no fighter victories but claimed six bombers shot down by anti-aircraft fire. "

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This must have been very scary. Robert

"Air-to-air bombing, a frequent Japanese tactic, scored a limited success when a phosphorus bomb hit on a B-29 wing and rode piggyback all the way home, burning but without doing serious harm"

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Built Boeing Tough, Kaos!

When a *civilian* bird can lose the entire top skin and still fly and land safely, how tough does that make the milspec birds?

From what I have seen of the damage done to some B-17s. I have a very high regard for them. Robert

I wonder if the crew knew what kinda bomb they were carrying? LOL. Robert

Looks like quite a few were used against B-24s first. Robert

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'342-FH-3A-42786-56056AC iwo
Defending their outposts "between the 7th AAF Marianas bases and Tokyo the Japanese et Iwo Jima use a heavy barrage of phosphorus bombs dropped from intercepting Zekes in a vain attempt to break up this formation of 7th AAF Consolidated B-24 Liberators which are smashing at the Bonins and Volcano Islands.'

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B29 crash in China, Japanese Phosphorous bombs – World War II
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""b. Air-to-air bombs dropped by the Japanese are reported to be accurately-timed high explosives combined with some incendiaries. They have been released both singly and in pattern arrangement. The majority of these bombs appear to weigh about 50 pounds each, and the explosion, based upon its blast effect on Allied planes, is estimated to be about the same as that of a heavy antiaircraft shell.

c. The presence of a Japanese "spotter" plane flying at the level of the formation to be attacked is a frequently observed characteristic of Japanese air-to-air bombing. "