American B-17s in WW2
In the spring of 1945, intelligence officers from the US Army Air Forces received several unexpected reconnaissance images. At the time, Japan’s aviation industry had dramatically slowed down, barely able to produce any aircraft. However, the photos taken in Tachikawa showed a new, unidentified four-engine aircraft. During World War 2, the Japanese forces were able to capture several Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses during different attacks, forming a small fleet of their own which is believed to have served research purposes. The aircraft spotted at the home base for Japan’s Army Aviation Technical Research Institute was only one of many instances that prove that the Japanese used the legendary American bomber for their own advantages.
Credit Dark Skies