Washing Machine Charlie

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Washing Machine Charlie or Bedcheck Charlie was a name given by the Allies (primarily the United States) to Imperial Japanese aircraft that performed usually solitary, nocturnal operations over Henderson Field on Guadalcanal during the Guadalcanal campaign, as well as over other allied bases during the rest of the Solomon Islands campaign. The name came from the distinctive sound of the aircraft's engines.[1]

The Japanese sent solitary aircraft on night-time missions over Guadalcanal and later other islands held by the Allies for various reasons, including scouting, dropping flares over Allied positions to assist Japanese naval or ground forces operating on or near the island, bombing airfields and installations, and/or harassing troops and disrupting their sleep.[2]

Various aircraft were used, including ship or shore-based single-engine seaplanes from the R-Area Air Force, and on occasion twin-engine Betty bombers whose pilots had made sure the engines were out of synchronization. The vibration was bad enough to wake most people, and then the waiting for the bombs (most of which missed) kept the men awake for the rest of the night. Later in the war, night fighters were developed to help stop these raiders.

Independent of these Japanese raiders, Bedcheck Charlie was well known to American troops in the European theater, when lone German planes appeared over their lines in late afternoon/evenings.

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 260–62.
  2. ^ Frank 1990, pp. 197.

References[]

Bibliography
  • Bayler, LtCol Walter L.J.; Carnes, Cecil (1943). Last Man Off Wake Island. Cornwall, NY: The Cornwall Press.
  • Frank, Richard B. (1990). Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-14-016561-4.
  • Lord, Walter (2017). Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591144663.
  • Lundstrom, John B. (2005b). First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-472-8.

External links[]

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