herbiesan vs Cantona!!!

[1275psi]

2/2/42
Somewhere north west of pago, pago


Steady at 30 feet!
“steady at 30feet!

LCDR Juni, R –father to our twins, again risked a quick “sweep” through the eye piece.
Seas were calm, too calm –and I-26 was with out doubt –in dangerous waters.
“Down scope!”
“bearing of contact?”
“steady at 020 degrees –many screws –at speed – definitely one capital ship – many other ships –range, …………….range closing Sir!”
“Slow ahead both, load tubes 1 to 4, up scope!”
Another look
And there –was it? –yes! –looking, looking………….
“Down scope!”
Calmly –trying to contain his excitement “ One large ship, almost certainly a carrier – coming our way, we….”
“Many contacts turning –coming our way sir!’
Sighted.
DAMN to hell
“take us deep!”

LCDR Juni is lucky today –he acts in enough time to take his slow moving submarine deep into the depths – and the 6 –they count 6 , destroyers flay the ocean in vain –I-26 takes some damage, but nothing serious, the family Juni live another day to fight for their empire.

[1275psi]

I-26 makes her escape

[1275psi]

3/2/42

I-26 has another exciting day -sinking the Empire raliegh -large AK - but she will have a struggle to get home.........................

The Colonel gathers the Sentai's pilots around him.
It is very early in the morning, and the air is still cool -but already it is threatening to get to be a very hot day.

"Good news men" he grins -Its that sort of Grin that all men in command have had to adopt when passing on unpleasant news to those they command "we are moving again"

The pilots are too used to this now to comment -only the twins glance at each other -they have a lot of money wagered on the next destination.
"Hanoi" -then , good news -home to Canton. I've expressed my inability to support this sentai here -and surprisingly -some one listened"

Captain Iwaya smiles -and returns the Colonels deep stare (and what of it?, he thinks -he will appreciate the proper facilities as much as I will -anything better than this crap)
"So, we're off - keep close -its a nasty hop"

The sentai starts their fighters, and one by one turns onto the narrow strip -and roars into the sky.
the Colonel goes last -waiting to see all away.
Hyakutake watches from the field -he "has scored the duty" -of ensuring that the support eventually catches up.
The Colonels plane roars down the strip - and never lifts off.
The is an unreal feel to it.
Violent noise, a crump, and silence.

47th sentai is down to 7 planes, and is leaderless.

[1275psi]

Colonel Kanbayashi
Killed in OP loss
3/2/42

[FeurerKrieg]

[:(]

[1275psi]

4/2/42 and 5/2/42

Hyakutake 15 missions
Juni V 19
Juni b 16
Iwaya 18
Isumida 10
Takenaka 19
Kuroe 19
Inoue 14

47th sentai is now re deploying to Canton
7 a/c available -4 transports currently attached for support roles
Col Kanbayashi killed - Major Takenaka temporarily in command.
47th sentai re attached to china command
China command has recieved orders that Sentai is not to be released from China command again!


researchers have revealed that Capt. Iwaya's father( minister for production) may have had a big influence on this.


The loss of the commanding officer throws our sentai into confusion - and nobody really seems to know what to do with it once it reaches China, and its old haunt, canton
Major Takenaka takes the next 2 days attempting to sort out the mess -it seems apparent though that he lacks both the personality and the force to influence events.
The sentai comes under"the guidance" of 50th sentai -operating Ki-43 fighters.

It rapidly will become apparent that Major Roi of this Sentai has decided that this little lost band of fighters will be ideal "for any dirty work" that comes their way
A dark time is about to begin.

[1275psi]

5/2/42

At least the radio was still there
And Hyakute is delighted to find that his cow is still there - still producing milk -still keeping her minders safe from starvation.

It is raining again today - welcome back to canton!- so he has time to visit.
It appears that they will be here for a while now.
Time to implement the grand plan

At shanghia -there is a certain Bull...................
(its only 600 miles away -a mere piffle to a flyer)


The war again seems far away
AMC Hokoku Maru exchanges shots with minelayers east of pago, pago -and creates a stir in the south pacific.
batavia has fallen, manilla will not!
The japanese armies are pausing -recovering for the final push into singapore.

[1275psi]

6/2/42
The war in China has been going for quite some time now
But already certain new, deadly trends are apparent

the enemy are no longer the frail, unsupported Chinese air farce (and that is not a misspelling) that it was 6 months agao.
The AVG is split up -operating from several fields, and highly mobile.
Other British planes have been reported -and it is suspected that the chinese are recieving a supply of USA/British parts and support from an air bridge over the Himilaya's
lashio falling has not completely cut them off.

Today Maj Roi is brutally abrupt
47th sentai will sweep Luchow - and find the AVG

Today the pilots are not concerned -its a chance at action.
but there is a problem
8 pilots, only 6 planes available to fly.
Juni v and Takenaka lose the dice throw -although one wonders why did not the new leader fly -on this the first combat sortie of his command.

[1275psi]

Inoue has the aft port position of the formation.
He is not happy.

With a cold eye he surveys the other 5 fighters ahead , and dislikes what he sees

Ahead -leading, and why is he doing that? -Hyakutake.A good pilot, sure yes -but far,far too casual. Then Juni b -already once shot down. And with the lookout he keeps -certain to be shot down again.
Iwaya -another pilot to avoid.
Directly to his right - Izumida. the only good one of the bunch.
And Kuroe -was he drunk again? -how did he..................

Savagely the tracer thudded into his plane - shattering his revere -and cold, cold fear cramped his gut into a terrible vice.
Instinctively he kicked the left rudder hard,wretching the stick hard over, and as the wings became vertical, dived the nose vertically at the earth, inverting the craft into a stomach churning, blood rushing to head inverted dive.
was he damaged?
where WAS the enemy!
Oh, crap -again the hammer of guns -and a jagged hole appears in the canpoy to his left -matched by another to the right.
More of a shadow -an impression -of the enemy following him down -and Inoue knows enough about the enemy that they do not call them iron dogs for nothing -diving is not going to get him out of this!
a Fient to the left -and a brutal attempt to climb to the right.
If the fient has not worked -he is dead -this is certain -you just don't bleed energy like this!

the fient works

Some how the surprise attack has missed them all -but scattered them from heaven to hell.
Much chastised the planes return to Canton -and Inoue is able to land safely.
Just 6 holes in his plane - the one in the canopy -2 just behind it - one through the tail -and 2 in the right wing
Each as big as a fist
he has been incredibly lucky.
They all have.

[1275psi]

Our deadly foes.
Who seem to have got better since we left!

[1275psi]

7/2/42

records show that 47th sentai was stood down today, no doubt much work required to patch the many planes holed and damaged in yesterdays encounter.

Other bad news is recieved - Maj Roi abruptly informs Takenaka that 47th sentai will be attached to his unit -the 50th -until further notice

the orders for tomorrow - offensive sweeps.

[1275psi]

8/2/42
12 KI-43, and 7 KI-44 are cruising at 10000 feet above the plains of China.
They are looking for trouble
And today, trouble they find -in spades

Ahead, slanting in, some dozen or so P-40's - the AVG -also with deadly intent on their minds.
Today there are no surprises, no ambushes -this is going to be classic fighter on fighter dog fight -and not a man in the air at that moment would be any where else.

The two formations charge each other -guns flashing, and then immediately all semblence of formations is gone -as the sky erupts into a furball of weaving, turning fighters.

Juni V swings his plane around hard -concentrating on breathing, breathing -his head cocked up hard to the left and up, stick firmly into his left crotch, left leg pushing hard.
The P 40 is turning hard too -and this is an individual dance of death -one that the allied pilot is throwing all his advantages.
The Tojo doesn't turn as well as the Oscar -or a zero -but it turns better than the iron dog -and Juni V may wellbe a better pilot as well.

Its only 15-maybe 18 seconds -of terrific turning G's - and Juni has the position.
Its a defelection shot -difficult -but do able -he fires -and is coldly satisfied to see the strikes hammer home.

The enemy staggers -and seems to fall -and Juni lets it go -and curses as the enemy regains control from its dive -and makes for home -streaming Glycol.
As usual in these things -the sky is already empty -and Juni will have to wait until next time to get another kill.

[1275psi]

8/2/42

Hyakutake 17 missions
Juni V 20
Juni b 18
Iwaya 20
Isumida 12
Takenaka 21
Kuroe 20
Inoue 16

47th sentai operating from Canton, attached to elements of 50th fighter unit
Conducted offensive fighter sweep -engaged some dozen P-40 fighters - claiming 2 severly damaged -for one plane slightly damaged in return
Moral "good"

Another pilot meeting held - Captain Izumida again pointed out the import of flying as a team -todays action saw unit badly scattered.

Enemy pilots described as good.

[1275psi]

The weather is getting better.
Canton field -febuary 1942 -some elements of 47 Sentai

[1275psi]

9/2/42

The orders were exactly the same
Sweep -seek the enemy

Again 7 fighters sweep down the field, roar into the air.
The weather is 4/10ths clouds -and the unit spends some of the flight dodging the gathering Thunderheads.

No contact is made over Wuchow -the target for today -and the unit circles uselessly for nearly 30 minutes before turning for home.

Only upon return do they realise -only 6 fighters have safely taxied to the dispersal areas.
They have seen no one this flight -but some where the enemy did.

It takes 12 hours to confirm the news -but Izumida is dead - his fighter spotted spinning crazily down near the front lines.
2 in a week -the war is getting bloody for 47th sentai


Capt Izumida - KIA by unseen enemy action
9/2/42

[FeurerKrieg]

Hi herbiesan -

If not too much trouble, could you post experience numbers when you post the sorties?

I like to see how experience goes up with missions flown. Also, when someone like Izumida goes down would be nice to know what his experience was.

I realize it is not quite as 'immersive' from a story teller point of view, so if you don't want to post such info, I fully understand.

Keep up the good AAR!!

[1275psi]

Thanks for the reply
Im actually quite a way behind the game obviously -and have'n't been watching experience levels at all -will though now, but Im missing next few months worth.

Izumida was mid 80's I think.

[1275psi]

10/2/42

Two men slowly walked around the fighter -intently looking at every rivit, every detail of it. Except their concentration was totally some where else.
2lt Inoute was trying to put forcefully his argument -his point to WO Inoue.
"look what happened yesterday.........."
The Warrant Officer ,by his body language, was annoyed " and who knows what happened -"...
Inoute interrupted" we all know what happened -he got ambushed -we got ambushed like last week -except nobody saw it"
"And your point is?"
The 2nd Lt paused -trying to show respect, yet also trying to get his point home "the point is - Izumida was all about flying as a team, flying as a unit, working together..."
The Warrant Officer straightened up - his arm holding his fighters wing firmly, his fingers whitening under the pressure " and what has happened since we started this team nonsence yes? -not a single kill!'
'Yes but"
"But nothing ! - we are Bushido! we fly to hunt! Man on Man! Izumida was not good enough obviously!.
Inoute whitened -was his bravery being questioned? His skill?
he attacked verbally - "Good enough? -its not about being good enough! -its about utilising our planes to there fullest -its about leadership! -its....."

"leadership!' Warrant officer Inoue moved closer to the much, much younger and smaller 2nd lieutenant.. ""If major Takenaka orders a free sweep - then for heaven sakes that means exactly that! -it means hunt, it means chase the imperiallists down -at whatever cost!
"Thats what a fighter pilot dreams of!. I've flown for 15 years my friend -from Japans very beginning -and always dreamed of a mission like this -free to hunt!

The Second lt opened his mouth to reply -and thought twice of it.
Maybe he was right.
Fly as a team, fly alone
death would still probably claim them all.

[1275psi]

10/2/42
47th sentai entered a basically leaderless period - if it had been an official unit a new commander would have been posted immediately - but it was'nt -it was an experimental one -and probably should have been withdrawn right then and there - more than enough was known of the planes performance.
But it was'nt. Fighters were scarce -good ones that is.
Maj Roi had seized the opportunity to increase his little detachment of fighters -and intended to use it.
47th sentai -now just 6 planes and 7 pilots -would keep flying!


Today cagayan falls
fighting continues in manilla

[1275psi]

major Roi: