中央研究院美國空軍歷史研究部(AFHRA)徵集成果
Via Academia Sinica
上面這張1945年5月27日照片的原始註解說明照片中的工場位於南投,後來又用黃色鉛筆改成新營。不過這兩項資訊都不正確,蒜頭製糖所才是照片的主角。照片涵蓋的是蒜頭製糖所的西側,除了標出了防空砲火陣地的位置(M 3/3 and L 3/3),還用紅筆圈出了5月18日那次攻擊所造成的損害。值得注意的是拍攝這張照片的是第17偵察中隊,那你可能會問為什麼照片裡看得到白色的傘降殺傷彈(Para Frag)呢?原來第17偵察中隊配備了B-25轟炸機,所以能在偵察任務中順便執行轟炸。
The original footnote on the above photo (click to enlarge) indicated that the plant under attack on May 27, 1945, was one in Nanto (Nantou) but was subsequently corrected as Shinei (Xinying). In fact, both are wrong and the sugar refinery in the photo is that in Suantau (Suantou), west of Kagi (Chiayi). The photo shows the west side of the plant as well as the anti-aircraft gun pits (M 3/3 and L 3/3) and the damage inflicted by the previous attack on May 18 (in red circles). Also noteworthy is that this photo was taken by a reconnaissance unit, namely the 17 Reconnaissance Squadron. You may wonder why there are Para Frag bombs in the picture. This is because the 17 RS was equipped B-25 and thus capable of bombing while carrying out reconnaissance missions.
就在照片拍攝後幾天的6月2日上午,美國陸軍航空隊又派出第38轟炸大隊第822轟炸中隊的兩架B-25J轟炸機(編號各為107與549),來轟炸蒜頭製糖所。兩架飛機以240度的航線發動攻擊,對糖廠投下了32枚100磅炸彈,其中4枚針對糖廠北側的防空陣地,22枚針對糖廠內的主要建物,另外6枚的目標則是西側的防空陣地(即上圖顯示的陣地)。
A few days later, on June 2, two B-25J (107 and 549) of the 822nd Bomb Squadron, 38th Bombardment Group, bombed this sugar refinery again. The two bombers flew a 240-degree course across the target, dropping 32 100-lb bombs. Four bombs were dropped at the one gun pit on the north side of the refinery, 22 were dropped in the factory buildings, and six were dropped at the gun pits on the west side.
這兩架轟炸機都攜帶了K-21相機,下面這張照片是549號機所攝:
Both bombers carried K-21 cameras. The following photo, showing the west side of the plant, was taken by Airplane 549.
以下兩張照片是107號機所攝:
Airplane 107 took the next two photos.
中央研究院美國空軍歷史研究部(AFHRA)徵集成果
Via Academia Sinica
549號機的組員:
The crew of Airplane 549:
不過美軍事後根據兩架飛機拍攝的照片分析戰果時卻發現投彈的時間略早,以致有些炸彈沒有落到目標。以下是我繪製的兩架飛機大略的攻擊航線。
Post-strike analysis of the photos taken by the two bombers concludes that the bombs were dropped too soon although the mission was executed well. The following image shows the approximate flight paths of Airplanes 549 and 107, respectively.