Lt Cdr George Duncan bomber kills 13 Sept.1944

[keith A]

On this date George Duncan and his wingman engaged and shot down two bombers variously described as Betty or (more likely) Sally types. The aerial fight was around Bacolod in the Philippines, the location of a JAAF airfield. Duncan encountered Ki-43 Oscar fighters and Ki-79 Willow trainers in this fight, adding one of each to his score. The Sally had by this time been largely superseded as a bomber although it's transport equivalent the "Topsy" was in use. Given the location and the date might not these bombers actually be the Ki-49 "Helen" which was in widespread action in this area in 1944?

Were there bombers units flying from this training airfield?

regards

Keith

[keith A]

A thought and an apology. The Ki-79 was not given the codename "Willow". It does not appear to have a codename. The "Willow" was a biplane trainer. I was misled by the "Pacific Wrecks" website normally an excellent source. Looking again at this air battle where trainer aircraft were involved it occurred that if, as I am informed there were no "Sally" bombers in the area, and that IJN G4M "Bettys" were also unlikely to be there it occurred to me that they might be Tachikawa Ki-54b "Hickory" twin-engine gunnery trainers?

K