21.12.2008, 17:42
I have your book. It's an old Bill Gunston book....
Not biased opinions, just official loses from both sides......Both sides overclaiming. Only six bombers and 4 japanese fighter lost.
The point it's: Saburo said Shoki was a good high altitude B-29 killer and the mission in Gunston's book seems to agree with Saburo. The facts were that mission wasn't at high altitude and only six bomber of 130 were shot down, and some of them were shot down for Hiens and Toryus. In fact two B-29s were rammed by Toryus anone was shot down by a Hien. This lef us 3 B-29s shot down by Shokis in the "most successful mission deffending Japan". Compare it with any bombing mission over Germany. Japanese are just as courageux as Germans, but their planes were worst suited as bomber interceptors. Even the Shoki, one of the better Japanese planes.
Shoki was a good plane, not an
Not biased opinions, just official loses from both sides......Both sides overclaiming. Only six bombers and 4 japanese fighter lost.
The point it's: Saburo said Shoki was a good high altitude B-29 killer and the mission in Gunston's book seems to agree with Saburo. The facts were that mission wasn't at high altitude and only six bomber of 130 were shot down, and some of them were shot down for Hiens and Toryus. In fact two B-29s were rammed by Toryus anone was shot down by a Hien. This lef us 3 B-29s shot down by Shokis in the "most successful mission deffending Japan". Compare it with any bombing mission over Germany. Japanese are just as courageux as Germans, but their planes were worst suited as bomber interceptors. Even the Shoki, one of the better Japanese planes.
Shoki was a good plane, not an