World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
8 Oct 2011 03:36:38 PM

Mitsubishi G4M1 Model 11, Betty bombers fly
formation over Mount Fuji.
Aircraft assigned to the 701st Kokutai, 51st Koku Sentai The G4M, was part of the land-based bomber force of the IJNAF.
Aircraft R2-385 looks like it has received a replacement engine cowling, and has not been painted.

2.  C. Peter Chen says:
8 Oct 2011 09:20:40 PM

Bill, I was indeed wondering whether the mountain in the photo was Mount Fuji. How were you able to identify it? Thanks.

3.  Bill says:
9 Oct 2011 11:39:34 AM

Dear Sir:

Thank you for your commment about Mt. Fuji
I have a photo of a Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighter flying over the mountain.
During WWII different types of Japanese aircraft were photographed flying over the mountain, and was a propaganda backdrop during WWII.

Studied the mountain from different angles,
from what I could see, looked the same as in the Betty photo, this is only an educated guess.
In the photograph note that the bomb bay doors have been removed, crews did this because the doors failed to open or close during a bombing misssion, later model Betty bombers had modified bomb bay doors.

4.  Bill says:
9 Feb 2012 06:40:11 PM

Forgot to mention in my comment dated on
9 October 2011, the G4M Betty R2-385 and
R2-386 flying over Mt. Fuji.
The photograph was made into a painting even down to the replacement engine cowling.
I don't know if the painting was done during WWII or after.