Japanese air crews would not allow themselves to be captured, most killed themselves

50 Cal. machinegun fire rakes past a Japanese H8K2 "Emily" as engines begin to catch fire and burn, approximately 50 feet above the water. The Japanese pilot, knowing he can't outrun the U.S. Navy seaplane that has him in its sights, is attempting to crash land the plane before it bursts into flames. However, Japanese air crews typically would not allow themselves to be captured, and most often killed themselves. Had the Japanese Navy fully developed these seaplanes, like the U.S. did with its strategic bomber fleets, the Pacific War

history might have been different- with Japanese planes conducting devastating air raids on Hawaii and U.S. West Coast cities and defense plants.

Kawanishi H8K2 Japanese Naval Patrol Bomber. 50 Cal. machinegun fire rakes past a Japanese H8K2 "Emily" as engines begin to catch fire and burn, approximately 50 feet above the water. The Japanese pilot, knowing he can't outrun the U.S. Navy seaplane that has him in its sights, is attempting to crash land the plane before it bursts into flames. However, Japanese air crews typically would not allow themselves to be captured, and most often killed themselves. Had the Japanese Navy fully developed these seaplanes, like the U.S. did with its strategic bomber fleets, the Pacific War

history might have been different- with Japanese planes conducting devastating air raids on Hawaii and U.S. West Coast cities and defense plants.

U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, U.S.S. Arizona Museum, U.S.S. Bowfin, Pearl Harbor Museum, U.S. Navy Museum, Pearl Harbor, Headquarters CINCPAC, Commander in Chief, Pacific, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Pearl Harbor Submarine Base, U.S. Navy, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Pearl Harbor Attack. December 7, 1941, "A Day Of Infamy", Pan American Airways. Pan Am Clippers, PAA Clipper Base, Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, aircraft carrier force, Hawaii-based U.S. planes, Japanese planes, Japanese Midget Submarines, Wake Island, Midway Island, Guam, Treasure Island Naval Base, San Francisco, Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor Attack, Ford Island, Japanese Zeros, Japanese Seaplanes, Japanese Aircraft Carriers, Imperial Japanese Navy. Battle of Midway, Philippines, Coral Sea, "Hawaii Clipper" "California Clipper". Declared War. Sleeping Giant, Japanese Spies, Admiral Yamamoto, Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, Navy commander Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, Army commander Walter Short, Mitsubishi Zero, West Loch Explosion, At Dawn We Slept, Commander Genda,