B-32 Dominator aircraft made the last aerial engagement of World War II near Tokyo in August 1945.
After Japan announced its surrender, American B-32 Dominators based on Okinawa flew reconnaissance missions over Japan. The flights monitored Japanese compliance with the cease-fire and gathered information for the Allied occupation.
On August 18 and 19, Japanese naval fighter aircraft attacked B-32 reconnaissance bombers near Tokyo without authorization from the Japanese government. The August 19 encounter damaged one bomber and killed one crew member while wounding two others. It is generally identified as the final aerial engagement of World War II.
The B-32 was a heavy bomber developed as a potential alternative to the B-29 Superfortress. It saw limited combat service in the Pacific, and only a small number of its missions occurred after Japan’s surrender announcement. The attacks demonstrated that fighting could continue even after a government had agreed to cease hostilities.