This seems to crop up, every once in a while.
Alan L mentioned it (P.61) on a recent DC.6 thread as ‘shot down’.
I’ve related what limited amount I know of (both instances), on an aviation model forum State-side – with no response, my post disappearing as the thread grew longer, with it’s original (different) subject matter.
P.61 ” Lady In The Dark ” is accredited with ‘the last kill of W.W.II’ – chasing it’s final victim into the Sea, without a shot being fired……… Lt Lee Kendall’s crew, gaining these (last-two) victories, on the 14/15th Aug…… & the following night (15/16th Aug)…….. a Ki-43 & Ki-44 on respective nights.
That’s basically what I’d read, as an 8 year-old, having built my 4th ever Airfix kit (series 4…. P.61 “Lady In The Dark”) in the late 1960’s
(circa ’68), when the Airfix kits instruction-sheet, ONLY came as written English text.
About 5-6 years ago, I’d read about the following incident, involving B.32 Dominator’s – only studying the detail within the last week as the subject crossed my mind again………
Two Consolidated B.32 Dominators, engaged in a Photo-Recon’ mission…..
on the 18th Aug ’45 were attacked by a force of 14 x Japanese fighters comprising A.6.M Zero’s & Ki-44 Shoki’s.
B.32 Dominator (serial No 42-108532) “Hobo Queen II”, was severely damaged in the succssive attacks & her return-fire (reputedly accredited) destroyed 2 x A.6.M’s….. & heavily damaged 1 x Ki-44.
Three of the gunners/(photographer’s) on board were seriously wounded….
& in one of the subsequent attacks (whilst one wounded gunner tried to administer first-aid) Staff/Sgt A.J. Marchione, was killed outright, by a fusilade of bullets/shells, during a subsequent firing pass.
This has been deemed, the “Last comfirmed aerial engagement of W.W.II “…
& S/Sgt Anthony J. Marchione, the “Last confirmed Allied Combat casualty of the War”.
As V.J. Day was on Aug 15th ’45 …………….
Which is reallyconsidered/viewed as “the last kill”……….??????????
P.61, “Lady In The Dark” or B.32, “Hobo Queen II” ???????????
N.B. on the U.S. model forum, I’d also related the incident over the River Danube, involving (I.I.R.C.) 5 x Fw.190’s bouncing 2 x F.6-D (P.51) Mustangs, 2nd/Lt. Robert Little, gaining 2 x kills over the ‘190’s (again I.I.R.C. without firing a shot).
By: alanl - 17th February 2007 at 21:22
Ahh ,caught me out there… I should have worded it a bit different to be fair, shouldn’t I?!
This is where I got my info from, the NASM Smithsonian web site,
P-61s arrived in the Pacific Theater at about the same time as the European Black Widows. For years, the Japanese had operated lone bombers over Allied targets at night and no U. S. fighters could locate and attack them. However, on June 30, 1944, a Mitsubishi BETTY (see NASM collection) became the first P-61 kill in the Pacific. Soon, Black Widows controlled the night skies. On the night of August 14-15, a P-61 named “Lady in the Dark” by her crew encountered an intruding Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) OSCAR (see NASM collection) and eventually forced it into the sea without firing a shot. Although the war was officially over, no one was sure that all of the Japanese had heard the message and stopped fighting. The American night fighters flew again the next night and “Lady in the Dark” again found a target. It was a Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Demon) TOJO and the fighters maneuvered wildly as they attempted to gain an advantage. The P-61 crew lost and reacquired the Ki-44 several times then finally lost it for good and returned to base. The next day ground troops found the wrecked TOJO. In the darkness, Lady in the Dark’s crew had forced the Japanese pilot to fly into the ground, again without firing a shot.
I guess I should have said ‘credited with the last air to air kill’, rather than shot down!
Interesting question though.
Cheers, Alan.
By: oz rb fan - 17th February 2007 at 11:36
in saburo sakai’s biographie’s they claim a b32 after the offical end of the war iirc (will have to wait till i finish moving to confirm).
so aybe the last kill is from the other side:eek:
paul
By: QldSpitty - 17th February 2007 at 07:22
Question is when did the fighting stop…
There are many stories on how the defeated Japanese still carried out raids after the war.One of the Raaf Beaufighters was attacked a couple of days after the official surrender and had to crash land at base.One of the Green Ghosts IIRC.There were a couple of Kamikazi attacks that happened after the cease fire as well.
😀 I have the Monogram 1 /48th scale of the P61.Sweet kit if you do some work to it…;)
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February 17, 2007 at 5:02 am