Скачать или смотреть How One Pilot's 'Forbidden' 200-Foot Bombing Run Sank 12 Japanese Ships In 3 Days

How One Pilot's 'Forbidden' 200-Foot Bombing Run Sank 12 Japanese Ships In 3 Days

Major Edward Larner revolutionized aerial warfare in March 1943 when he led a daring low-altitude bombing attack against a Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea during World War II. Flying modified B-25 Mitchell bombers at just 200 feet above the ocean surface, Larner and his squadron perfected the "skip bombing" technique—releasing bombs that bounced across the water like stones before striking enemy ships. This innovative tactic, initially considered extremely dangerous by military standards, proved devastatingly effective when Larner's forces sank 12 Japanese vessels in just three days of combat operations. The battle demonstrated how tactical innovation, intensive training, and courageous execution could overcome conventional military doctrine. Working with engineer Paul Gunn, who transformed standard bombers into heavily-armed gunships with up to 12 forward-firing machine guns, Larner trained his crews relentlessly on a practice wreck before leading them into one of the Pacific Theater's most decisive engagements. The victory at Bismarck Sea effectively closed Japanese supply routes to New Guinea, isolated enemy garrisons, and changed naval warfare forever. This incredible story showcases American ingenuity, pilot skill, and the determination that helped turn the tide of the Pacific War through revolutionary combat aviation techniques.