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Betty Bombers Were the
First Step in the Surrender in World War 2

The Betty Bomber was a special Japanese Aircraft with a special history
Japanese Airplanes and Betty Bomber Models

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Aug 19th 1945 the end of World War 2

The war with the Japanese was hardly over. The Japanese surrender delegation flying in the Betty bombers had to play cat and mouse with Kamikazes wishing to shoot them down. Flying in formation with two B-25's and many P-38's the Betty's safely arrived on Ie Shima

Contributors to this Betty Bomber Exhibit
Seth Villa, Loyd Freeman, Larry Jennings

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Photo by Seth Villa
Scanned by C. Jeff Dyrek

Go To The
Betty Bomber Home

Japanese Airplane Models

Click Here to see More about the Betty Bombers and the Japanese Surrender.

YellowAirplane's Online Museum

4-9-2003
My grandfather was assigned to the security detail, and managed to
take one of very few photos allowed of the surrendered Betty bombers. I will try to get it scanned and mailed to you. The back image says "Japanese Surrender Plane 1945". As far as what happened to the aircraft, it was most likely scrapped and used for metals. After WWII, MILLIONS of planes were scrapped, ranging from P-51 Mustangs to B-17 Flying Fortresses. Kinda sad really, but a lot of the captured things were regarded as second class property. For example, the KMS Prinz Eugen (I think it became USS IX 300), and the HIJMS Nagato were both used as floating targets in Bikini Atoll. I don't think they would have kept the Betty bombers around simply for the historic value. As for the story, it was most likely confused and facts were mixed. There were several strikes against American bomber formations (over flying after the surrender was issued from Hirohito), one of which was launched from Oppama Airfield. After that, all aircraft were ordered grounded and the craft were placed under security. Read "Samurai!" or "Winged Samurai" depending on the volume of publishing...by Saburo Sakai. Sakai was a close friend to a veteran that I had the great honor and pleasure of meeting with. He was very active in the rebuilding of the union between the US and Japan. But that's getting off the topic. Raids from Oppama and other airbases against B-29 bombers immediately after the surrender DID happen, but by the time that the US arrived for the surrender signing, many forces were closely monitored.
Jonathan Butler

Here's the New Ernie Pyle Exhibit.

Ernie Pyle was probably the most famous War Correspondent of World War 2. He died on the island of Ie Shima located in the Western Pacific near Okinawa. This exhibit has exclusive photos and stories about Ernie Pyle including the story about
"I Thought I Killed Ernie Pyle."

Exhibit Added 14 June 2007