Comes with hand-signed C.O.A.

These XXI Bomber Command target photo maps rarely come up for sale in the public sector. This is a once in a timeline chance to own a piece of B-29 WWII history.

July 3rd, 1945 - Mission #249 - B-29 Air Raid on HIMEJI

This incredibly scare and museum-grade ‘RESTRICTED’ WWII XXI Bomber Command (20th Air Force) TARGET AERIAL PHOTO MAP CHART was used during the USAAF long-range bombardment operations, against Japan until mid-July 1945. The XXI Bomber Command was headquartered at Harmon Field, Guam, in the Mariana Islands.

Dated June 1945 and titled “HIMEJI AREA - TARGET NO. 90.27 URBAN”, this A-2 SECTION was produced in limited quantities with previous aerial reconnaissance mission photos by the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron taken on December 18th, 1945.

This navigators and bombardier aerial photo chart map was specifically creating using the most updated military intelligence in order to give B-29 Superfortress aircraft the most accurate target information. This was done for fast and effective target identification as well as accurate navigation and bomb/incendiary accuracy. These target photo charts were handed to B-29 crews during the target mission briefing and were then carried on the B-29 aircraft to used during the raid itself.

These aerial photo charts were referenced during pre-mission briefings as well as when the bombardier was approaching the target. This was meant to provide the B-29 bombardier with the most real view of his target for the best target identification. The most important primary target buildings were always outlined and marked with a number to be referenced on the target key.

History of XXI Bomber Command B-29 Air Raids on HIMEJI:

• Again on 22 June there were six targets, this time in southern Honshu. Kure Naval Arsenal was assigned six groups and the other targets, all aircraft factories, forces ranging from one to four groups. In all, 446 B-29'swere airborne and 382 bombed, dropping 2,103 tons of bombs. Post-strike photos showed 72 per cent of the roof area at the Kure arsenal damaged. No analysis of the results at Mitsubishi's Kagamigahara plant is available, but postwar investigations showed varying degrees of destruction elsewhere: only slight damage at Kawasaki's works at the same town; at Kawanishi's Himeji plant, great destruction among the buildings and total destruction of machine tools at Mitsubishi-Mizushima, 135 of 235 machine tools and almost half the roof area destroyed, drastically curtailing production of Betty bombers and George fighters; at Kawasaki-Akashi, wheret he extent of damage done on 19 January was not fully appreciated, the empty buildings were completely destroyed.

• Himeji, Japan / 49.4% destroyed by bombing raids