Air Force the Official Service Journal - Air Force Historical Studies ...

Jap Air-to-Air Bombing. It has become apparent that J;lP
strategists arc couutiug heavily on air-to-air bombing to combat
our bomber formations. Reports from all areas of the
Pacific indicate increasing usc of this tvpc of attack, \\hieh
is less hazardous to the attacking airplane than couvcut ion.il
fighter interception.
~Iany Jap airplanes arc being equipped primarily for usc
in air-to-air bombing. This 7th Air Force report is typical:
"On one 'L'ruk mission, a healy bombardment group \I'as
intercepted by sing!c-engine fighters at about 19,:;00 feet
shortly after the bom h run. The enem:' figh tcrs did not make
:I1lY firing passes hut did maneuver into range several times
only to pull out after our gunners opened up. About eight
.rir-to-uir hombing p:lsses \I'LTe made from one o'clock and
three o'clock high, the attacker LIking cure to remain well
away from the 1\.\F planes. About four bomhs were dropped,
two of which \I'LTe close to altitude and on the course of
the hom bers. I LId it not heen for evasive action, scvcr.rl
i\AF planes would hale sustained hits, A, it 11':1" three
planes flew through the streamers without d:unage."
The Japs hale unclcrt.rkcu to -t.mdardizc an :>ir.t(hlir
born h attack pl:111 for the Zeke fi~h ter. If s like th ix:
The a ttuckcr comes in high from hc.ul-on, levels orF for
the hom bing run at an all ituclc of about 300 feet higher
th.m om homlx:r. At a Llnge of ,.,00 feet from the
bomber, the fighter pilot fil1C]