BACK TO TOKIO

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21579, 5 December 1944, Page 3

BACK TO TOKIO

SUPER-FORT RAID BEST RESULTS YET AIR FACTORY BOMBED WASHINGTON, Dec. .3 Brigadier-General Hansell’s 21st Bomber Command returned to Tokio to-day for the lourth attack against industrial objectives, says a 2l)tn Air Force communique. ’f lie target was the Musashmio plant of the Nakajima Aircraft Company, which was previously bombed on November 2-i by the 2ist Command. Good results were reported. The weather was clear, permitting visual precision bombing. One squadron reported that 75 per cent of the bombs fell within the plant area. The last squadrons reaching the target observed in the bombing area several large fires being whipped up oy an unusually high wind. The late formations encountered moderately strong lighter opposition. They destroyed lour Japanese planes and proDUijiy destroyed another eight. One Super-Fortress was lost to lighter action over the target. Flak was moderate.

The Associated Press’ correspondent on Saipan says reports received at headquarters indicated that the raid was the most successful against Tokio so far. The raiders were over the target for more than 90 minutes. The Nakajima Company is one of Japan’s oldest and largest privately-owned aircraft firms. The plant consists of compact buildings, mostly one-storey and built of concrete with sheet-metal roofing.