The B-17’s at Clark might have been able to bomb southern Japan at extended range if they hadn’t been blown up the 1st day.
No, a B-17 wouldn’t even come close. Thats so far off it’s ridiculous. A B-17 at slow speed distance cruise had a max target range of 1000 miles with a 6000lb bomb load, at very low speed. About 800 miles round trip with a full load.
The very southern tip of Japan is 1200 miles one way. Tokyo is 1900 miles one way. And no escort fighters. The 35 B-17s at Clark could have barely bombed Formosa and that’s it. Or.. they could have made a one way suicide mission with a small load.
To put it in perspective, a B-17s -ferry range- was 2624 miles with no bombs at all. A ferry flight to Tokyo would have been a very dangerous undertaking with minimal reserve. Factor in no weather information, navigation overwater in it’s infancy, no SAR force at all.
Not possible.