Author Topic: Ruptured Duck  (Read 483 times)

Offline Greebo

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Ruptured Duck
« on: May 14, 2024, 03:16:15 AM »
Thanks to Lyric1 for finding me some of the info used for this skin, which is intended as an adoption of Fencer's existing one.

On 18th April 1942 "Ruptured Duck" was one of 16 B-25B bombers with volunteer crews that, led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle, launched from the USS Hornet to strike targets in the Japanese home islands. After bombing Tokyo and low on fuel its pilot Lt. Ted Lawson ditched the aircraft in the sea just off Shangchow in China.

All 16 aircraft used in the Doolittle Raid were lost but most of the crews were repatriated back to the USA. The material damage done to the Japanese by the raid was slight but it caused them to divert significant air assets to protection of the home islands thereafter, as well as giving a much needed morale boost to the American public. In retaliation though the Japanese launched a major offensive in China that captured the area used to receive the bomber crews and in the process killed 70,000 Chinese troops and 250,000 civilians.









« Last Edit: May 14, 2024, 03:25:39 AM by Greebo »

Offline lyric1

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2024, 03:57:43 AM »
 :aok

Offline LNG15

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2024, 05:11:35 AM »
Not "strictly" true. 15 B-25s were lost/crashed. 1 made it to the Soviet Union and was interned. The crew "escaped" near the Iranian border and were repatriated.
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Offline oboe

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2024, 07:37:11 AM »
Splendid work, Greebo.

Offline Devil 505

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2024, 07:47:13 AM »
Fantastic.
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Offline Banshee7

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2024, 08:34:58 AM »
Excellent  :aok :aok
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Offline Vraciu

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2024, 09:56:53 AM »
Great job.  Lawson's "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" was one of my absolute favorite books as a kid.  I must have read it five times.

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Offline JimmyD3

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Re: Ruptured Duck
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2024, 11:07:36 AM »
Very nice Greebo!
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