 The Japanese followed them down and commenced a forty-minute series of passes at the nose of the B-17.Despite his wounds, Zeamer avoided any further extensive damage to the B-17 by repeatedly turning into the oncoming fighters just inside the trajectory of their fixed fire, a technique he learned while in the 22nd BG.By doing so, the Zeros would continue rolling into the Fortress without hitting it, but exposing themselves to the rear guns of the B-17.