AERIAL COVERAGE, NAGASAKI Part 1

Description

AS Flying S to W looking W showing SW Nagasaki from the Tatagani Shipbuilding Yards and Mitsubishi Small Arms Plant. AS Gas Works, Urakami Ordnance Plant and Torpedo Test Basin. AS 300 feet altitude - Mitsubishi Small Arms Plant. AS Flying N, area W of zero at approx. 5000 feet from ground zero, altitude approx. 400 feet. Flight continues on past Small Arms Plant, built up area beyond plant and valley area untouched. AS Flying N to S over Urakami Valley, Deaf and Dumb School, Kindergarten School, Cathedral, Medical Center. Altitude approx. 400 feet. AS Gas Works and Acetylene Plant. Altitude approx. 800 feet. AS New built houses being erected in Valley opposite Small Arms Plant. AS Flying N over the hills and valleys looking W. Altitude approx. 1000 feet. AS Vicinity of Nagasaki Radio Towers flying N over the ridge of mountains that separates the valley. Looking W past the Small Arms Plant, Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki Medical School. Heading N past the Urakami area to water works and reservoir. AS Ordnance Plant, Urakami Valley area, Cathedral, Medical Center, Harbor area, over built area in valleys protected by mountains, mountain tops looking down into various home sites and villages intact. AS low oblique, Small Arms Plant, following the river looking W. Continuing N past prison and Gas Works. AS Harbor area and inlets, ship building ways. AS Altitude approx. 3000 feet, oblique looking W showing the Urakami Ordnance Plant and immediate area. "Nagasaki from the Air - Four Months Later". AS Series of passes which were flown on a heading of either 355 degrees or 175 degrees magnetic, with the exception of a few passes which were altered to conform to the contours on the E side of the city. The flight lines were flown starting on the W side of the city and going E. All altitudes at 150 feet , except in a few cases where the altitude was increased to 4000 feet coming in over the harbor area and following along the river parallel to the Mitsubishi Small Arms Plant and continues N past the new air strip. AS Reverse of above scene, pass heads S. AS Same as above slightly more to the E. AS Same as above, return flying S. AS General vicinity of above runs. AS Passing over mountain top. Shows valley below showing tightly packed homes. Note highway at crest of mountain and in passing over the S end of the city, fire breaks can be seen. The flight continues N to the Urakami Ordnance and Torpedo Works. Note the Torpedo Test Basin Plant at N end of plant. AS Heading NNE towards Medical Center, Zero Point, Medical College, Urakami Cathedral, kindergarten School and Engineering School, Urakami Ordnance Plant to Reservoir. Altitude approx. 3000 feet. AS Flying SE over Zero, Medical Center, banking over center of city and heading directly E over valley to untouched portion of residential area. AS Flying NE over airstrip, then E. AS Altitude 4000 feet. Former industrial section and now and air strip. AS Same as above.

Collection

Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations

Series

Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities