@theflightfiles1: The mission depended on launching at exactly the right distance from Japan to have enough fuel for the whole trip. That plan fell apart when a Japanese picket boat spotted the task force 650 miles out, far sooner than expected. To avoid losing the fleet, commanders launched the bombers immediately, ten hours early and 170 miles farther out than their fuel margins were built for. All sixteen crews bombed their targets anyway. Almost none had enough fuel left to reach safety. Most crash-landed or bailed out over China in the dark. Three men died, eight were captured, and three of those were executed. The raid barely damaged Japan militarily, but it gave a devastated nation back home exactly what it needed. #DoolittleRaid #WWIIHistory #AviationHistory #FirstsAndLasts #FlightFiles

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Saturday 03 October 2026 20:16:24 GMT