Saipan Xmas Raid -Desperate War of Japan in the Pacific

Episodes Enoki Flying Board --- Desperate War of Japan in the Pacific ---

Xmas

7th sentai of IJA was under command of IJN temporally. IJN planned to attack B-29s airfields of Saipan on Xmas 1944. Some Ki-67 fixed up a tank of 1kl of fuel. The 7th sentai and 762nd koukutai advanced to Iwojima on 25 Dec. 3 Ki-67 loaded 20 bombs of 30kg and 5 Frances took off alone about 5pm. Okada's ki-67 reached over Saipan at 7,900m high at 9:05pm. Okada saw waves around Saipan under the sky of the brightening moon. An arrived company had already released. Flak was correct. Okada dived 500km/h speed at 25 deg. Nishiki seated behind him saw passing through 2 night fighters at the right wing below. Okada's plane released bombs and his tail gunner saw burning fire on a runway. Okada listend to the last telegram of other k-67 attacked by a night fighter. He ran away zigzag at full speed. So he was anxious about present position because of disorder of receiver. Okada's plane could not receive guiding wave from Iwojima. But Navigator Aoki from IJN guessed correct and Okada flew Iwojima lightening the sky back. Getting on land, Nishiki saw a big hole of 30cm diameter in the bomb bay.
Watanabe p.269-271