B-29 was a "very heavy bomber" with an over 3,000 mile range of operations. From bases in China, the first squadron attacked the southern, military island of Kayshu. However, every bomb, every gallon of fuel, every bit of supplies had to be shipped through the south Atlantic, round the tip of Africa and across the Indian Ocean to Indian, then by railroad to northern India where flown over the Himilaya Mountains, "The Hump", into SW China. It was a logistic nightmare. From the Marianas, the B-29 could reach Tokyo and industrial heartland of Japan. Once airbases could be readied there, the China squadrons would relocate to take advantage of shorter supply lines and greater area of open to attack. Training. The IJN started the war with a group of combat pilots trained in the ongoing war in China and with equally suitable aircraft with the Zero fighter unquestionably the best sea-level fighter in the world. The Japanese war goals were achieved in only five months and no thought was given to further development and training. But in war, pilots are lost. Fletcher's task forces and Army aircraft caused the Japanese to lose planes and most of the experienced pilots and aircrews at an increasing rate. Entire squadrons were decimated and the survivors assigned to train new pilots. The Zero was never replaced during the war, whereas the Americans introduced several new high-performance aircraft including the workhorse Hellcat fighter that outperformed the Zero at all altitudes. Japan had not the fuel to allow extensive flight training, the Americans were superbly trained. Preliminaries Aircraft from 15 US carriers overwhelmed the airfields of the Marianas beginning 11 June. The American fleet put itself between the marine landing and the Japanese fleet while support destruction of strong points during the landings. To protect their flank they sent two task forces to attack the airfields of Iwo Jima, 700 miles to the north. The weather was bad, so that many aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Craters put in airfields were quickly repaired but planes could not land as quickly on the damaged fields. Submarines interdicted Japanese supply convoys to the Marianas.  For example, five of seven ships carrying half of 34th Division were sunk. Many troops were rescued, but their equipment was lost. The Japanese had moved the fleet from the home islands to the south to be near a source of fuel. When the airstikes began at Saipan, Adm. Ozawa quickly assembled his forces from Borneo, Mindanao, and Halmanera to move into the Philippine Sea towards the Marianas. The plan was to coordinate attacks by 400 carrier and 500 land based aircraft on the US fleet. Long range scouts soon found the US fleet to their peril, most were detected by radar and destroyed. American scouts could not reach the location of the Japanese fleet, but Japanese units were spotted June 13 as they passed through submarine scouting lines. The subs would surface at night and radio the details of the sightings that day. The reports made Adm Spruance believe the Japanese had split their forces. Fearing an end run, he had returned towards Saipan overnight before the Japanese attack. The invasion of Guam, scheduled for 18 June, was postponed for over a month. However, Albacore followed and torpedoed Ozawa's flagship, Taiho, which continued launching. Fumes ignitied later that afternoon ; about the same time Cavalla put four torpedoes into Skokaku. Continued Battle of the Philippine Sea, Page 3 Click Here for Micronesia & WW2 Books Copyright 2006 nopukob.com