The Curtiss P-36 Hawk was the U.S.A.A.C. front-line pursuit in the late 1930's and came in various sub-types. Fortunately, as 1940 dawned, some of these had been assigned to the Arizona Army National Guard for testing under extreme desert conditions.
These P-36s were up-gunned with four .50 caliber wing machine guns and given suped-up engines to compensate for the extra weight of the larger guns. These aircraft still kept the maneuverability and light touch the P-36 was known for. The timing of their deployment to Tucson would be a stroke of luck as this placed one of the most advanced American pursuits on what would briefly become the front line of U.S. defense in W.W. II.
On the night of January 31, 1940, southern Arizona ranchers reported hearing aircraft overhead. These reports were ignored and as the sun rose the next morning, the U.S. found itself drawn into the war by a sneak attack.
At first, the enemy couldn't even be identified due to the hit-and run nature of the attack which fortunately caused little damage and no casualties.
However, this determined enemy wasn't going to be content with just one cheap shot against an undefended target.
A few days later, Tucson was bombed again. This time P-36s of the Arizona Army National Guard were there to meet the enemy.
One of the attackng aircraft was brought down and then it became plain who the enemy was.
Apparently the Japanese had launched their sneak attack on Tucson from a long-range carrier strike force.
They employed Itchikawa Type 13XL "Dragonfly" bombers equipped with extra fuel tanks for the mission which was at the extreme edge of their combat radius.
Their bomb load was reduced by the necessity of carrying extra fuel which is why no one on the ground was hurt in the attack.
The pilot who claimed the victory was a rough-hewn sort known as Tucson Sam.
Sadly for Sam, post-war scholarship would invalidate his claim as it turned out the Itchikawa Dragonfly was brought down by engine trouble and not the guns of his P-36.
American intelligence was baffled by the Japanese attack. Why bomb Tucson? It contained no targets of great value, either civilian or military.
They knew the Itchikawa Dragonflys were un-remarkable aircraft, scheduled soon to be phased out.
The only thing in its favor was range which was obtained through lightweight construction and carrying extra fuel at the expense of the bomb load.
It wasn't until after the war that the mystery of why Tucson was attacked would be solved. It turns out the commander of the long-range carrier strike force had been the Naval Attache` at the Tucson consulate and ate an ill-fated meal at one of the city's few Japanese restaurants.
The eatery was known for its signature dish, 'Milk of Magnesia Tempura' and whether the Naval Attache's American hosts intended it as a bad practical joke will never be conclusively proven but what is beyond doubt is that the Naval Attache` never forgot that meal or its terrible aftermath and vowed revenge. Even as the U.S. entered the war, they could feel proud that Tucson wasn't left entirely defenseless in its Day of Infamy.
Brian da Basher