TOKIO AND NAGOYA HIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 April 1945, Page 5

TOKIO AND NAGOYA HIT

SUPER-FORTRESSES AND MUSTANGS Washington, April 7. A very large force of SuperFortresses from the Marianas made a two-way daylight attack on Honshu on April 6 reports the 20th Air Force communique. They struck industrial targets at Tokio and Nagoya. Seventh air-force fighters participated in the mission. It is officially disclosed that the Super-Fortress attack on Honshu was the greatest assault so far against Japan. More than 300 bombers, escorted by fighters, rained incendiaries on* Nakajima and Masashino aircraft engine works in Tokio and the Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Nagoya. Mustangs shot down 21 interceptors, probably destroyed six and damaged ten. Two Mustangs were lost. The 20th Air Force announced that Super Fortresses shot down 64 and probably destroyed 31 enemy planes. It was added that air opposition and flak were intense over the targets. Five Super-Fortresses were lost due to enemy action. According to Tokio radio about 100 Super-Fortresses and nearly 40 Mustangs raided Tokio and Yokohama for four and a-half hours, beginning at 9.30 a.m. Mustangs bombed and strafed west Tokio. while the Super-Fortresses attacked military objectives. It was the first time landbased fighters had attacked Japan. The Mustangs, it is believed, were based on Iwo Jima.