Picture of the Day - Miscellaneous

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Japanese DefectorIn the waist of a Marine bomber, Second Lieutenant Minoru Wada, a Japanese Army transport officer, who was captured on the Island of Mindanao, helps to guide an American bombing raid on the headquarters of the 100th Imperial Japanese Army Infantry Division commanded by General Harada, at Upian, Mindanao Island, 10th August 1945. The raid was carried out by PBJ Mitchell bombers with F4U Corsair fighter escorts. Wada, who was born in the US and was a student in Japan when war was declared, described his actions as 'ultimately humane'. He was later given a new identity and disappeared from public view. (Photo by Lieut. David D. Duncan/FPG/Hulton Archive/
 
This aircraft was part of the response to a 1929/1930 Air Corps Circular design proposal calling for submissions of an advanced new heavy bomber. By 1931 six manufactures responded with designs: Ford (XB-906), Fokker (XB-8), Douglas (XB-7), Keystone (XB-908), Boeing (XB-901, then XB-9) and Martin (XB-907 then XB-10). All but Keystones were evaluated as they only had wooden mock-up. One of the problems with the Ford was the nose gunner could not fire when the center engine was running. It was lost when a wing sheared off after a step turn. the Kestone's XB-908 was the last design they ever submitted to the Air Corps and after they delivered their final B-6 they folded.
 

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