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To: tlozo
More than 10,000 aircraft were ready for use in July (with more by October)

10k's an impressive number to be sure, and I have the highest regard for wikipedia... But there were problems. Maintenance, repairs, material, pilots, technicians, airfields, aviation fuel...

Japan was running out of all these. 10k planes shiny new were not inspected, fueled, manned and good to go. "More by October" was imaginary.

I have a lot of links, we all do, but here's one for a basic idea of the challenges they were facing:

https://www.historynet.com/japans-fatally-flawed-air-forces-in-world-war-ii-2/

129 posted on 08/06/2022 8:51:13 AM PDT by Buttons12 ( )
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To: Buttons12

“...10k’s an impressive number...But there were problems. Maintenance, repairs, material, pilots, technicians, airfields, aviation fuel...Japan was running out of all these. 10k planes shiny new were not inspected, fueled, manned and good to go. “More by October” was imaginary...” [Buttons12, post 129]

I’ve seen numbers above 12,500. Somewhat above round fires of 10,000. What’s more, Allied intel estimates were far lower: 5,000 to 6,000. Being forced to face twice those numbers in actual battle might have stalled the Allied invasion.

Apart from that, your qualifiers have no meaning. They might have been important for an operable air defense, but these were being held back, and hidden from Allied surveillance, for use as suicide bombers. Volunteer pilots were given barely enough training to take off and fly to their targets. Long-term airworthiness and reliability simply weren’t required.

Similarly, production of aircraft for one-time use as suicide strike aircraft was rather simpler than production of more traditionally made warplanes. Formally planned and constructed airfields weren’t needed either.

Trained personnel for manufacturing and servicing aircraft were more of a problem, but the Japanese were moving such facilities to underground locations - about which Allied intel discovered nothing, so air strikes could not have been mounted.

In addition, suicide boats were being prepared. And the general populace was being trained and indoctrinated to perform as individual suicide attackers. Sharpened bamboo stakes were being issued.


196 posted on 08/06/2022 1:34:11 PM PDT by schurmann
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