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By initial I mean the JNAF attacks in central Luzon through Dec 10. There were no encounters between FEAF fighters and JAAF fighters until Dec 12 (Buzz Wagner's lone attack probably against 50th Flying Regiment at Aparri in N Luzon where he claimed several on the ground, none in the air in his initial reports though later he was also credited with aerial victories; the Japanese records for those operations didn't survive, the 50th's CO was quoted in the Japanese official history* as recalling that a single Type 97 was burned on the ground in that attack; the a/c had flown in on the 11th). And the first contact of any kind between FEAF and JAAF was Dec 10 (Type 97's, from Batan Isl between Formosa and Luzon, intercepted B-17, one Type 97 forcelanded; lone P-40 attacked formation of Type 99 Twin Lights, one Type 99 downed and the P-40).Shores counts 72 Type 97 (Ki-27) fighters on Formosa and seems to believe these were the planes that occupied the airfield near Vigan, in Northern Luzon early in the battle. Do you have a source to resolve the discrepency? Not that I think that particular component significantly changes the scale. Just wondering...
When you say "initial" do you mean the first day? One of the enduring myths of the battle seems to be that most of the P-40s were knocked out the first day which according to Edmunds and Shores didn't happen. The losses amounted to about 20-25% (which is still high and not to diminish the nature of the tragedy) mainly the P-40Bs of the 20th and probably spares. But clearly a fair number of P-40s survived the first attacks on the 8th.
Varsity,The men from the 28th and 7th were at Clark on Dec 8th and gave me some insight into the actual condidtions there. Among other things, it turns out that there were a number of decoys there including P-40, P-35, B-18 and B-17, all built by Filipino contractors. There were a number of revetments built which actually minimized damage to the B-17s from bombing,
the majority being destroyed by strafers.
In 2002 I had the opportunity to spend around two weeks with a number of Bataan vets while on a trip to the PI for the 60th anniversary of the fall of Bataan. Among them were former enlisted men from the 17th Pursuit, 28th Bomb Squadron, and 7th Material Squadron and the 34th Pursuit Squadron. The men from the 28th and 7th were at Clark on Dec 8th and gave me some insight into the actual condidtions there. Among other things, it turns out that there were a number of decoys there including P-40, P-35, B-18 and B-17, all built by Filipino contractors. There were a number of revetments built which actually minimized damage to the B-17s from bombing,
the majority being destroyed by strafers. There's an excellent site that has some great shots of Clark prewar including pics of the decoys. The site is run by the son of a POW who was at Clark and was in the same squadron as one of the vets I met on my trip. Check it out. www.alyoung.com/MyFathers_Captivity/Images/
I'm facinated by all this talk about A-20s taking out ships in a late 1941 context. Pilots weren't trained in anti ship tactics
and skip bombing methods later used in the Bismark sea hadn't been invented yet.
Duane
Varsity,
that's very interesting, but the link didn't work when I tried it.
Joe
Long range search aircraft such as the PBYs of Patrol Wing 10 typically provided one to two days warning of approaching IJA troop transports. That gives you time to ferry A-24s and their P-40 escorts to the correct forward area airfield. Until then A-24s remain hidden away in a secure location. You don't piddle them away trying to sink Japanese warships.