Bunches of things you didn't know about the Corsair

[2LaneCruzer]

On a more serious note for the history buffs. Can anyone say why the Japanese didn't target the tank farm at pearl harbor??

It's been a long time since reading about that, but I believe they thought that the smoke would obscure their main targets, the carriers and battleships. They also failed to target the dry docks, which was also a costly mistake in terms of recovery time for the U.S.

 

[k0ua]

On a more serious note for the history buffs. Can anyone say why the Japanese didn't target the tank farm at pearl harbor??

Stupidity? Blind focus on trying to find the carriers that weren't even there? Then when they weren't found there focusing on on obsolete battleships instead of the tank farm? I don't know.

 

[ArlyA]

No one really knows for sure, but it appears they hoped to knock such a blow to the Pacific fleet, that the US would be forced to sue for peace. LandCruzers guess is as good as anyone's. They knew they could not win a long and logistical battle with the Allies*, so they did there best to destroy the capital ships and get us to the table and not worry about the Tank F and D docks. Also note that aircraft carries, were not yet seen to be as important, as we do today and it was by chance, they happen to not be there on the 7th. The Japanese did not lay down the keel for another aircraft carrier after this date.

*our bothers to the north in Canada, must be included.

 

[Diggin It]

Can't say as I know for sure, but my guess would be they hoped to capture them intact for use in a mainland invasion.

 

[Diggin It]

Also note that aircraft carries, were not yet seen to be as important,

And that didn't really change until Midway. The Japanese hoped to knock ours out to prevent exactly what they did ... use them to transport planes to the enemy mainland. Sea/Sea battle from carrier platforms wasn't anticipated by either side.

 

[ArlyA]

Gee, you guys are pretty good about this military, history baloney. Its always fun for me to talk about this industrial/military history. My name sake crew was bombing Ball bearing plant in Poland when they were lost.

MACR 394

 

[bunyip]

I've been watching a few u-tube videos this last week due to this thread, regarding WWII and aviation. One guy was saying in his flight unit(can't remember if it was bomber or fighter), for a while, the average life expectancy of an airman in his unit was about 4 hours in the air. 4 hours.

I think the Lancaster rear gunner was around that figure.