Bombers of WW2

"Battleship Row" by Stan Stokes

"The Imperial Navy's First Air Fleet consisted of six carriers. The Akagi, flagship of the strike force, was a converted cruiser which carried 63 aircraft. The Kaga also carried 63 aircraft, and was a converted battleship. The Soryu was the first carrier built from the ground up (actually, the first purpose-built carrier was the Hosho completed in December 1922) and was similar to the Hiryu. Each carrier had a compliment of 54 aircraft. With two additional carriers, the Zuikaku and the Shokaku, the fleet had a total of 378 aircraft. Three different types of aircraft were used for the attack. Mitsubishi A6M2 "Zeros," a highly maneuverable single seat fighter, were responsible for obtaining air control and for strafing aircraft and ground installations. Aichi D3A1 "Vals", with two-man crews, were used for dive bombing and Nakajima B5N2 "Kates" were responsible for horizontal bombing and torpedo bombing. The Kate carried a crew of three and had a cruising speed of only 160 MPH. During the first wave of attack 183 aircraft were deployed. Torpedo aircraft from the Akagi, the Hiryu, and the Kaga targeted battleship row during this first wave. As portrayed in Stan Stokes' life-like painting, a Japanese Kate from the Akagi launches its torpedo from very low altitude. Not far in the distance looms the USS West Virginia and Tennessee, virtual sitting ducks. The Japanese had trained carefully, and had modified their Kai Model 2 torpedoes to accommodate the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor." Taking advantage of the fact that american commanders "knew" the water was too shallow for the Japanese to launch a successful attack.

"Remember Pearl Harbor" by Robert Taylor

Just after 0900 during the second attack on the American Fleet. "Val" dive-bombers from the IJN Aircraft Carrier Kaga try one more time to destroy the Nevada as she lay beached at Hospital Point. With Nevada's gunners defiantly defending their stricken ship, in the naval dock behind the destroyer USS Shaw is on fire. Moments later she will explode. Behind her, in dry dock, the battleship Pennsylvania, and beyond her the cruiser Helena, and the Base Force Flagship Argonne, can all be seen through the swirling smoke that engulfs the navy yard.

"The Legend of Colin Kelly" by Robert Taylor

December 10th, 3 days after Pearl Harbor, Colin P. Kelly is about to become America's first hero of WW2. After setting the heavy cruiser Ashigara on fire from 22,000 ft. Kelly and his B-17 (one of the few to survive the initial Japanese attacks) dropped out of the clouds only to be attacked by a group of 10 Zero fighters, one being piloted by non other than Saburo Sakai. Kelly managed to control his burning plane long enough for his men to get out but just as co-pilot Donald Robins was trying to open the escape hatch the aircraft exploded, the blast miraculously throwing him clear but killing Kelly instantly.

"Dangerous Duty" by Stan Stokes

December 13th 1941. One of the most successful of the RAF's Blenheim pilots was Sir Ivor Broom. Broom's 43th combat mission involved the attack on German ships at anchor in the harbor at Argostoli which was on the island of Cephalonia off the west coast of Greece. The ships there were forming a convoy which would make the dash to Benghazi. Six Blenheims from 107 and 18 Squadrons took part in the raid. With Broom in the lead the six attackers avoided the heavily armed coastal defenses by approaching the harbor from an inland direction. This required some highly skilled low level flying as they followed a road through a saddle in the hills. With the advantage of surprise on their side the six attackers swept down on the ships at anchor in the harbor at mast height. After releasing their bomb load the group executed a sharp turn to starboard and a fast climb up and over the hills to the west of the harbor. A-A fire greeted the Blenheims as they made their escape and two of the six aircraft never made it home.

"Chance Encounter" by Robert Taylor

A Dornier 24 flying boat of the Royal Netherlands Navy sights the Japanese invasion fleet off Kuching, British Borneo, December 23rd 1941. By chance, it also sighted Dutch submarine K-X1V patrolling on the surface, unaware of the enemy position. Receiving the pilot’s signal “enemy to the north east” (by flashing Morse code), the submarine turned and engaged, sinking two ships and damaging two more in one of the first Allied successes against the Japanese in World War 2