Over 800 U.S. military aircraft flew over Tokyo Bay during Japan's formal surrender ceremony.
The flypast took place on September 2, 1945, while representatives signed the Instrument of Surrender aboard USS Missouri. It demonstrated the scale of Allied air power at the moment Japan formally capitulated. The formation included aircraft from carriers as well as land-based bombers.
The total was reported as more than 800 aircraft, including 462 land-based B-29 Superfortresses. The B-29 had played a major role in the air campaign against Japan, so its presence connected the ceremony with the strategic bombing campaign that had shaped the final months of the war.
The display was also part of a carefully managed ceremony held under security concerns. Allied planners feared that Japanese aircraft might attempt a last-minute attack, but no such attack occurred. The ceremony itself lasted only 23 minutes and ended at approximately 9:25 a.m. Japan Standard Time.