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Re: St Valentine's day massacre 14/02/43
For anyone who encounters this thread, the engagement occurred over the Shortland Islands during a U.S. raid on Kahili airfield on Bougainville. The official U.S. account claims over 50 IJN fighters took part. Official claims were 6 x A6Ms for the loss of 2 x PB4Ys, 2 x F4Us and 4 x P-38s. ¹
¹ Hammel, Eric, Air War Pacific: America’s Air War Against Japan in East Asia and the Pacific 1941-1945. Chronology. Pacifica (CA): Pacifica Press, 1998. ISBN: 0-935553-26-6. Hb. Dj. 848p. Maps. Glossary. Bibliography. Indexes. pp.136-37.
Other sources, such as, have different figures:
Hata, Ikuhiko and Yasuho Izawa. Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in World War II. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1989. ISBN: 0-87021-315-6. Hb. Dj. 442p. Heavily illus. B/w side view dwgs. Appendices. Indexes.
This claims a total of 27 A6Ms took part with 19 U.S. planes downed for the loss of 1 A6M!!
There are a number of additional accounts, so which account is correct is up to the reader.
L. deZ.
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