The is a new show on military called "missions that changed the war" emceed by Gary Sinise. On an episode about the AVG, it stated that Rangoon was attacked on Dec. 25th by 20 Sallys and 15 Oscars and was defended by 12 P-40s and some buffaloes. Three Japanese fighters were shot down and 12 Bombers. These claims were countered by 50% by Japanese reports. Two P-40s and some buffaloes were shot down. The Oscars were later mistaken for Zeros.
According to Senshi Sosho Vol. 34, the strikes on Rangoon Dec 25th consisted of one formation of 27 Type 97 Heavy Bombers (*later* codenamed 'Sally') and 25 Type 1 Fighters of what was to become the AVG's frequent opponent, 64th Flying Regiment. However this formation became separated into two pieces. Then another formation consisted of 8 Type 97 HB's, 27 Type 97 Light Bombers (later 'Ann') and 32 Type 97 Fighters of the 77th Flying Regiment. The Japanese lost 3 Type 97 HB's (although many others were hit), 2 Type 1 Fighters and 2 Type 97 Fighters*, while the 64th claimed 10 enemy fighters, 77th claimed 7, and the Type 97 bombers claimed 19(!) attacking fighters downed. "Flying Tigers" by Dan Ford and "Bloody Shambles Vol 1" by Chris Shores, et al, have the same info, the former book footnotes SS V. 34, and the latter appears to use it too though it doesn't have footnotes.
Those two books largely agree that 13 AVG P40's claimed 15 bombers, 7 'Navy Zeroes', 1 'Type 96' fighter, and a Bf109(!). Two P-40's belly landed in fields, one shot up by a 'Zero', and one by bomber return fire, another dead sticked landed on its wheels, apparently from bomber return fire.
12 67th Sdn RAF Buffaloes claimed 1 bomber, 2 Zeroes and 1 'Type 96'. 4 Buffalo's were shot down outright pilots KIA, and 2 landed on their wheels badly damaged, all apparently by enemy fighters. The Buffalo's also spotted Bf109's so that wasn't just the AVG's imagination, though obviously none were actually present.
Not including 'probables' for any of the claimants.
Note that AVG claims later on were usually less exaggerated than in this case, and most of their later combats were alone, so this case is relatively unusual in having overlapping AVG and RAF claims. It appears from Japanese accounts that both Type 1's were lost to P-40's, one definitely (in a collision both sides mentioned, the P-40 survived, Type 1 didn't). Other than that it's unclear who shot down what.
*one of the pilots, Sgt Akira Aoki, was captured, the first Japanese POW in the theater. He was a Korean actually, and under his real name Lee Geun-seok was a founding member of the ROKAF after WWII. He was KIA attacking an NK tank formation in an F-51 in early July 1950.
Joe
Its saddens me that the P-40 was so.... neglected? towards the latter part of the war. Even if not "neglected" I think a lot more work went into the BF-109's as far as "upgrades." Its a lot more cost efficient to improve what you have than to create a new fighter. Which works both ways as well, the Germans were updating and making revisions to the BF-109, but what were the Americans REALLY doing to improve the P-40? Bigger engine? Probably more of a weight and aerodynamics problem rather than engine power. The Germans added cannons, which is fine, but the American planes have always kinda stuck to those .50's so not having cannons doesn't seem like a big deal, Considering even the P51 was still using .50 cal. MG's. Were the Americans working on something else while the P-40 was quickly getting outclassed by all these later model 109's? The P-40 served well not only in africa, but also over in china and the pacific. This is irrelevant though considering this is a topic about the BF-109's and the P-40's. The BF 109's were UNDOUBTEDLY way better later on but I'm curious how they fared against its various opponents at the time it was introduced. Those 1941 BF 109's. I understand there were no MAJOR improvements made on the vulnerable P-40 that would allow it to "keep pace" with those BF-109's later on, but how did it compare when they both FIRST saw action against each other? I would think it would be a much more even fight at that point in time.
