How Did The U.S. Drop The Atom Bombs On Japan Without Being Shot Down From The Sky?

[Gizmo j]

It seems to me that japan would have been able to track down the plane that dropped the bomb before the plane go there.

I'm especially confused about how the U.S. managed to bomb japan a SECOND time, why didn't japan have their guard up?

 

[nakedfrog]

So, like, how much research have you put into this?

 

[Greenman]

The US painted a big smiling face on the plane with "Not a bomber" written under it. Considered one of the greatest pieces of subterfuge of the century.

 

[Pohemi]

The altitude that the B-29 bomber was flying at when they dropped their atomic payload was approx. 26,000 feet.

AA guns at the time could reach that height, but it was basically ineffectual when trying to aim and target a single bomber at that altitude, even after detecting it.

So, like, how much research have you put into this?

Obviously none, as usual. He just likes posting his random, idiotic, stream-of-thought ponderings without bothering to Google it first.

 

[IronWing]

The US painted a big smiling face on the plane with "Not a bomber" written under it. Considered one of the greatest pieces of subterfuge of the century.

In truth, the Japanese thought it was the daily weather plane and didn’t waste ammo on it. The US had wiped out most of Japan’s air defenses by that point in the war.

 

[Meghan54]

In truth, the Japanese thought it was the daily weather plane and didn’t waste ammo on it. The US had wiped out most of Japan’s air defenses by that point in the war.

Fact....but you gotta admit Greenman's post was funny!

 

[nOOky]

The US painted a big smiling face on the plane with "Not a bomber" written under it. Considered one of the greatest pieces of subterfuge of the century.

The issue with this is that is was written in English, by the time they translated it was too late anyway.

 

[abj13]

There's quite a few reasons
1) The US was no longer using B-17 and other strategic bombers. The B-29 was a significant leap forward in bomber technology with a vastly superior range and speed.
2) Japanese fighter defenses were soft, with many of the aircraft like Ki-44 and -84 rather weak against B-29's with insufficient firepower. Some resorted to ramming as one method to take them down, which obviously was a poor use of the remaining Japanese resources
3) Japanese air defenses were poor. Many antiaircraft guns didn't have the range to hit the altitudes the B-29's were flying at.
4) Given the bombing campaigns and the strategic/symbolic importance of Tokyo, much of the remaining air defenses and fighters were localized near that region and away from western Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki).
5) Japanese early detection systems were poor, and often they weren't able to successfully predict what city the bombers were actually targeting
6) The Japanese were reserving pilots and planes for the actual invasion. Some bomber missions went without an interception.

 

[Greenman]

There's quite a few reasons
1) The US was no longer using B-17 and other strategic bombers. The B-29 was a significant leap forward in bomber technology with a vastly superior range and speed.
2) Japanese fighter defenses were soft, with many of the aircraft like Ki-44 and -84 rather weak against B-29's with insufficient firepower. Some resorted to ramming as one method to take them down, which obviously was a poor use of the remaining Japanese resources
3) Japanese air defenses were poor. Many antiaircraft guns didn't have the range to hit the altitudes the B-29's were flying at.
4) Given the bombing campaigns and the strategic/symbolic importance of Tokyo, much of the remaining air defenses and fighters were localized near that region and away from western Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki).
5) Japanese early detection systems were poor, and often they weren't able to successfully predict what city the bombers were actually targeting
6) The Japanese were reserving pilots and planes for the actual invasion. Some bomber missions went without an interception.

I like my explanation better.

 

[balloonshark]

They flew in a serpentine pattern.

 

[sdifox]

They called Harry Potter and borrowed the invisibility cloak.

 

[nickqt]

Besides everything else already stated, it "helped" that they bombed mostly civilian cities that hadn't really been targeted much previously, instead of industrial cities. Air defense wasn't nearly as strong around Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

OP, are you an AI program?

 

[brycejones]

OP, are you an AI program?

From a high school class

 

[soulcougher73]

Motion for ban. Always dumb questions and never comes back to his posts.

 

[IronWing]

Enola Gay sounds like pig Latin and they thought it was a joke.

 

[interchange]

With that level of unpreparedness you'd think this happened 76+ years ago or something.

 

[nakedfrog]

Motion for ban. Always dumb questions and never comes back to his posts.

He did recently comment on one to say that even if he doesn't comment, he still reads all the posts

 

[Jaskalas]

It seems to me that japan would have been able to track down the plane that dropped the bomb before the plane go there.

I'm especially confused about how the U.S. managed to bomb japan a SECOND time, why didn't japan have their guard up?

I suggest a course on world history.
Technology was not always was it is today. Shocker, eh?
You need to start with the basics, I understand the rapid development of the 20th century may catch some kids off guard, not knowing how and at what pace things progressed. But you sorely missed a lesson on what technology existed in the 1940s. Japan did not shoot it down because it was practically impossible.

 

[snoopy7548]

Aliens.

 

[Greenman]

Motion for ban. Always dumb questions and never comes back to his posts.

If he hadn't asked the question you would have never known about the daring flight of the "smiling bomber".

 

[shortylickens]

VERY high altitude.
Normal bombs would have been useless at that height. They'd have spread too much and gone way off target.
A nuke doesnt matter.

 

[LikeLinus]

It seems to me that japan would have been able to track down the plane that dropped the bomb before the plane go there.

I'm especially confused about how the U.S. managed to bomb japan a SECOND time, why didn't japan have their guard up?

They did it while you were unconscious and drinking human milk from the grocery store.

Your post for attention are a real pathetic grab that is pointless. Why? You can Google all this BS you are "asking". Quit begging for attention and faking like it's a question.

 

[Bitek]

Escorted by bulletproof angels and a daring corp of "Rocketeers"

Everyone knows this

 

[Pipeline 1010]

They flew in a serpentine pattern.

If only Rickon Stark had run in such a pattern. It's like he didn't study history just like OP.

 

[Fenixgoon]

He did recently comment on one to say that even if he doesn't comment, he still reads all the posts

Pretty sure that makes him unique among the members who post and bail