Washing Machine Charlie
Washing Machine 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 Solomon Islands campaign, during the Pacific Theatre of World War II. The name came from the distinctive sound of the aircraft's engines. 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, or simply harassing troops and disrupting their sleep.