herbiesan vs Cantona!!!

[1275psi]

The meal was simple this evening, boiled rice - a little greenery.
"Hear the news?"
"What news -there is news -supposed news, and down right lies"
"The Army just shattered a Chinese Army just east of here yesterday -they are in full retreat"
"bah -the army is always chasing the chinese army in full retreat -what news is that?"

[1275psi]

12/4/42

Operations diary, 47th sentai -operating from hankow

Planned offensive flight ops prevented by the weather -again!

Combat missions recorded to date

hyakute -------25
Juni V----------27
Juni B----------25
Inoute---------15
Iwaya----------26
Takenaka------25
Inoue----------23

nevertheless late in the day enemy bombers were reported over Hankow -above the 9/10s cloud cover
3 planes -Juni B, Inoute,Takenaka took off in an aborted attempt to intercept.

Field is very poorly developed -but is being built rapidly.

[1275psi]

13/3/42

47th sentai was -again, grounded by impenetrable bad weather.
The pilots, quite simply -were Pissed off.
The field was wet
The tents were wet(no nice huts here)
bedding -what could be scrounged -was wet.
And even the cockpits -were wet.
The last was the worst - 3 times during the day the unit was brought to immediate notice -meaning -man your planes -await orders.
you simply had to open your cockpit in such circumstances -or fog up.
Stay dry - and risk running into something if scrambled - or get wet.

It was a miserable day.




Elsewhere the war also seemed to be settling into a miserable stage -a siege at Manilla that never seemed to stop killing men, brutal combat in the jungles of burma (where the british still seemed to think that the hurricane was the best plane to use -an unfair thought -as it was probably the only plane available to use)

Port Moresby now appeared to be the next great battle ground -any ametuar could tell simply by glancing at a school map, how important that this small insignificant port could be.

[1275psi]

Although the war has paused -how it really is in mid 3/42

[1275psi]

14/3/42

Somebody in high command must have been as all most as frustrated as the pilots of 47th sentai - today the unit moves back to its original home at Canton

back to the comfortable mess -the god facilities -the great big radio - and Hyakute's now definately confirmed pregnant cow -meaning that the Bull did not die in vain

Canton field is very busy. Most of the oscars are gone to the burma battles(although a dozen remain), replaced with a Navy unit -F1 saesaba A6M2's -a pretty proffessional bunch.

The radio is put to use - japanese fighters report shooting down transport planes over port moresby -its obvious that here the next great battles will be fought.

The day is spent planning tactics -weather permitting (the spring rains simply seemed to refuse to give way to better days), the offensive would be continued -sweeps planned for Luchnow

[1275psi]

15/3/42

You guessed it -it rains -and there is litle activity today
Forcast clear weather tomorrow

[1275psi]

16/3/42
Flying weather

Juni B gathers his kit, carefully checking all the items one esentially needs in this war - parachute, map case, chinese money, his pistol (a new addition sinceIwaya's adventures behind enemy lines).

The sun is shining already on the field -and the last few days of rain will soon be a memory as the puddles begin to dry up. It is however -very humid thius day -and the sky -although now clear, already shows signs of cloud build up -thunderstorms today for sure.

Juni B is excited. Not that jumping about -loud exuberance that Hyakute would show -but a quiet buzz in the pit of his stomach -that tension across the back. The field is very busy, crowds of men araound each plane -the little fuel trucks dashing about, the armourers busy with the great heavy belts of ammunition.

The brief was perfect - the navy running the show today.
All available fighters would take off -and follow the zeros to luchow -and engage whatever they found.

The cockpit felt good today, dry at last, and today there are no hiccups - all planes assigned get away -12 oscars, 26 zeros, and 4 tojos

They form up - and beat a path over the field to show their strength before climbing towards the north west.

His excitement is justified -it takes only 20 minutes for the action to start.
One of the oscars wiggles its wings -they are ahead, the zeros follow -the tojos at the rear -the planes staggered in 3 steps of a 1000 feet each. Juni is actually looking down at the oscar when the signal comes -too far away to tell where he is pointing -but now he is very, very alert.

Ah! he sees them -4 tiny spots parrallel to them, moving across the front, right to left.
safeties off!
hand on throttle -look, look around -do NOT become fixated on what you can see -its what you cannot that will kill you!

The shape of the dots change -sharpen -they are coming in! -brave men!
The oscars turn towards ............. tracer splits the air as the two groups converge......
NOW! -hard left rudder, stick forward and down to the left -hard, the horizon spinning up over his head, stick hard opposite -level wings, and there is one fighter-P40B -diving under his nose!
Stick Fully down! Throttle fully Forward!
The P40 floats towards the sights!
wait, wait - DAMN! as a zero swarms into the way -and the P40 rolls hard, and plunges away -escaping

DAMN!

[1275psi]

P40 b turns away -having shot down an Oscar

[1275psi]

In other war news - the allied CVs announce their prescence for the first time in the war- ambushing and sinking the PG Akagi maru -and the CL yura


It appears that the allies are going to be aggressive

[1275psi]

17/3/42

Today is a red letter day for 47th sentai - today the Chinese remind them that they too can attack.

The field is filling up with fighters at one end -preparing to depart on a patrol over Wuchow today - 6 oscars are already in the air -and the zeros are now rapidly departing.
Once again the field is lined with men waving them away -all attention on the drama .

4 KI-44 are warming up at the end of the cue - the Twins, Inoute and Takenaka, when suddenly the sky bursts into a different snarl as 9 biplanes scream across the field.
Pandamoniem breaks out - as every japanes pilot see's a heaven sent chance to become an instant ace.
Zeros dart in from everywhere, and our four pilots too try to join in.
But hte Chinese piolts are both brave - and clever -only one fails to get away -they simply have too great a lead.

The clever bit is revealed only moments later - with literally every fighter in the air in pursuit -or trying to get to the pursuit -7 sb2 wander across the field at about 10000 feet -and drop a pretty heavy load -destroying a zero in its reverent -and sending the crowd of spectators all over the place -each man seeking a hole -any hole to hide in.

The zeros claim -but few believe them -one of these bombers
47th Sentai is caught betwix and between -too late to hit the fighters -and too late again to get the bombers

Everyone honour has been hurt -a loss yesterday, a slap in the face today.

Somebody in high command has been stung too -that evening a sentai of Bombers join the field -the enemy are operating from Luchow -it will be smashed

[1275psi]

18/3/42
4 47th Setai pilots are in the air today, Hyakute, Juni B, Iwaya and Inoue.
They are flying as planned weeks ago -as bait -a small shotai of planes - the main strike 25 zeros and 16 Sallys is some 2000 yrds behind, and 2000 feet higher.

Hyakutake sees them first -the rapidly growing dots -enemy fighters!
they all see them -and this time, even as wings are put hard over -there is no mistake -combat is going to happen as the enemy charge towards them

Hyakute " I spotted the enemy -approximately ten low wing fighters of the curtiss type -and immediately turned my plane towards them -and made a head on attack. We passed almost level -i distinctly saw strikes from my guns upon the enemy. Turning in pursuit I saw one plane(un identified ) falling in flames The enemy pilots were aggressively still seeking combat -and I found myself in a quick turning fight with 2 enemy fighters - one of which I claim shot down as it rolled very drunkedly out of the fight.
Ammunition expended, I broke combat, and climbed to escort the bombers -who un graciously fired at me.
The target was bombed successfully

Juni B" We engaged some dozen enemy fighters -a mix of Hurricanes, spitfires and P40's in a head to head engagement. I claim one enemy fighter shot down, and 2 damaged in the subsequent turning dogfight.
I too ran out of Ammunition, and unable to locate bomber unit, independently made my way home

Iwaya " we turned to the enemy -about 6 fighters -P40's -probably the AVG -and engaged head on. I saw one plane go down -but could not tell its nationality. I was attacked from behind by 2 fighters -but one of these was attacked by a zero -and I lost sight of them.
seperated, I returned to base .


we can now from squadron records detirmine the actual course of this engagement by 47th sentai
10 P-40b from the AVG attacked -losing one -to a zero
2/Lt Inoute was killed in the first head on attack - crashing in flames
He had completed 24 combat missions .

[1275psi]

2 lt inoute - killed 18/3/42 by the AVG
regretfully he is the last of the "team players" in 47th sentai - all the remaining pilots are dogfighters -less interested in killing large numbers of the enemy to help win the war -than upholding honour in glorious combat

[1275psi]

19/3/42
the mood of 47th sentai today is grim - they want revenge
The late afternoon sees 3 Ki-44 fighters -the Twins and Takenaka again leading the strike towards Luchow. behind -a lot closer though today again follow the zeros -and today -17 betty bombers, a new unit "shaking down"

The AVG is back -looking again for blood
Today the Tojos get an advantage -they spot the enemy below them - and dive -gaining the all important bounce. Both twins manage to line up enemy fighters before they scatter -and both strike the fleeing craft -and fail in both cases to bring them down.

Its the zeros that are credited with the kills -4 P40 b go down for no loss to our men.
47th sentai may not have been credited with the kills -but all are satisfied -revenge has been achieved.

[1275psi]

20/3/42

47 th sentai is now reduced to just 3 planes, and 6 pilots

Hyakute(sometimes spelt Im afraid as Hyakutake) -27 combat missions
Juni V - 30
Juni B - 29
Iwaya - 28
Takenaka -26
Inoue -26

Today they fly again -again sweeping ahead of the main body as the bombers again bomb Luchow.
Today the sky is clear of the enemy.
All 6 men are still eager to fight - they agree that turn, turn about will have to decide who flies each day.
All wonder now though -secretly -at the odds. 9 began. Only 3 months have gone, and 3 are gone -one a month.
Mathematically all have only 6 months at the most to live.

[1275psi]

Dear Father

Thankyou very much for your last letter, and again many thanks for the gifts -it may surprise you, but I have used them as best I can to improve the lot of my companions here, the food has been terrible lately -and the funds have considerably eased that stress upon us.
I regret to say we lost Inoute this week - the Americans definately have teeth.
Father - I must speak Frankly. You are in a position there where you actually have great influence, you must impress upon our leaders the real picture. All these easy victories at Singapore -in the phillipines and to the south are but a smoke screen -we face an enemy of immense strength.
You boast of new production figures Father -and they are impressive, but I fear you will have to provide us with many, many more planes than that if this war continues.

Please don't get me wrong - I eagerly seek the enemy every day -but I am spending far too many on the ground awaiting our replacement fighters -something I think our AVG friends do not.

I have recovered well from my little"adventure" -and have flown quite a bit.
Thankyou that our Sentai has not been disbanded - I actually like the KI-44 now - over the 43 its far better.

Your Son

Iwaya

[1275psi]

27 of the deadly zeros are with us on the field -already getting quite a few kills.

[1275psi]

21/3/42

Hyakute, Juni V and Takenaka again lead the bombing raid -they are flying in a very loose finger 3 formation -and its all about being bait .

The zeros are close escort to the bombers -the betties again today, and the target -Luchow

6 p40b are sighted - they sniff around the formation, but turn away after a few minutes.
What the troops in Luchow think about that as the bombs fall unhindered is best left un asked.

[1275psi]

22/3/42
Canton field

The place has changed greatly since the beginning of the year.
The ground war has moved north , and is stuck in one of those interminable sieges that China seems to be full of, and this has seen a great reduction of troops in the local area.
These have been replaced though by quite a few engineering troops -and they have been very busy

The field is larger now by nearly 30%, and has sprouted new hangers and support facilities, along with a whole new Aviation regiment.

Alongside the 3 remaining Tojo, high Command has operating from the field
44th Sentai - KI-51 Sonias -on dedicated ASW duties. These guys are bored , other than that SS at Shanghia no allied SS have been seen for a month in this area
9 Babs are reconning every day -they are abusy -yet happy bunch

The main wieght is in the F1/Saesabo A6m2 zero units, and the 92nd heavy sentai -27 Sally bombers, and the G2/4th Daitai -27 betty bombers

Also at Hong Kong 9 zeros are on call

Today is spent servicing the planes -tomorrow a major effort is planned -target Changsa -the AVG have definately been pinned as operating from there.
They must be destroyed.

[1275psi]

23/3/42
Action on the field begins very early this morning.
The weather is going to be good - there is no wind, and although it is still cool, the promise of a good spring day can already be felt in the air.


On Allied airfields there would be large concrete areas, and special little bomb wagons shuttling here and there, each one designed especially to carry its own deadly cargo.
The Japanese here are not nearly so well equiped - here a hodge podge of captured trucks and other vehciles are doing the shuttling -and most of the work is being done the japanese way -through sheer manpower.

What concrete areas available near the hangers are packed with bombers awaiting to be bombed up - each one then in turn is being manually pushed to the flight line - no easy task, as they wiegh many tons.

The work started at 0330, it is now 0530 -and the last of the bombers are now bombed up -27 Betty Bombers, 26 Sallies.
Each plane has an assigned crew, and they still remain very busy.
Guns are being loaded, perspex is being polished, wings too. The long process of warming up the engines is beginning -it will take at least 30 minutes for this process as well.

In fact the entire field is now beginning to growl to the beat of Radials -as well as the bombers the full quota of zeros are warming up -27 in number
47th Sentai too will go today -just the 3 fighters -but every plane counts.

0545 -the briefing. It is a long one - take off will commence at 0600 -and form up completed by 0620 -expecting a further 9 navy fighters to join then.
Target Changsa airfield -0900 -and expect to see other army fighters there -oscars and nates from other fields -so look out and identify your enemy!

JuniB. Iwaya andInoue are todays pilots -they will fly today again ahead of the formation, free to hunt -there are enough zeros escorting the bombers.

Today the launch goes as planned -and the entire formation is on schedule at 15000 feet, headed north to the target

Inoue see's them first today -early -nearly 30 minutes from the target -a full flight of P40's climbing up from 10000 feet well below and behind them.
He grins -the Americans are in a very bad position - -he rocks his wings, and sees that Juni too smiles. Iwaya simply adjusts his goggles, and nods

They all turn and dive together -the classic movietone manouvere, wing down, turning in, and diving down.
There is plenty of time to select a target, Juni B and Iway move left, Inoue goes straight down the middle.
The enemy turn, or scatter -each to their own.
The sky fils with the chatter of guns, and the growl of fighter engines under full power.
Inoue turns into the direction of his target -they intercept -he fires -and sees with satisfaction pieces fly off his opponent, but curses as he guesses its next manouvere wrongly -it gets away
Juni B eager to make his score 3 attacks his target -but this is no chinese he engages -and although he too scores what appears to be good hits on his enemy - he fails to avoid the wingman, or even wingmen -3 heavy cannon shells tear into his plane.
The first strikes near the tail -and simply passes straight through.
The second slams into his engine block - the explosion of which precipitates several
catastrophic events.
The block is shoved a good foot left of its mount.
The propeller -now no longer lined up with its drive train, simply _if simply can be used to describe the act of hard metal tearing like cheese- seperates from the engine

The third shell is even worse -it strikes fair and square on the right wing root -shattering it.

The results are dramatic. Juni's fighter folds up -briefly crabbing across the sky sideways -the right wing folded up and over the plane -and then it disintergrates into a cartwheeling disintergrating component cloud.
Juni feels the impact -a terrifying explosion stunning him, then he is flung brutally hard into the left of the cockpit.
His reactions save him - even as the cockpit pitches violently forward, he has hit his strap release -and suddenly he finds himself being flung into the open sky - a searing pain in his left leg as it fails to clear the cockpit clearly.

He falls clear -and the second miricle occurs as his chute opens
He will need 38 stitches tonight - and can count himself vey, very lucky.............

Iwaya goes right as they went left, he fails to engage.

The P40's initially disrupted by 47th Sentais attack continue to try to attack the bombers, but still find themselves in trouble -the zeros -some 36 strong dive in, and take down 4 of them in short order.

The raid is good -many hits claimed.


47th Sentai is now down to 2 fighters, and 5 fit pilots
Juni B will be returned to the unit in 7 days time -his stitches will need some time to heal
With only 2 planes left a decision has to be made -what to do with the unit.
47th sentai is sent to Hong Kong field -and stood down, pending a decision.

[1275psi]

24/3/42

Juni's leg hurt
A lot
The field hospital had done a good job, and here in the ex british hospital on the island, things were as good as one could hope for.
Tomorrow he would probably re join the unit -what remained of it.
But today, well, there was mail, and a good bed, and even reasonable food.

His Brother had already been in -and dropped of the letter from their father -I-26 was home -good news indeed.


Sons,

greetings my Sons, just sa short letter.
My fine ship and crew are about to again depart for the south pacific, to assist in operations who knows where.
The boat is back into good shape -I must confess I am pleased to have found out just how sturdy she is after our last little "party" with the americans -my kill was not as easy as one would imagine.
Our target this time I hope will be an American Carrier -seems that Battleships are no longer the piority. If I bag one, i will be very, very content.

I have been following the news from China as well as I can - they fight on don't they!
I appreciated your mail -although boys a little more would be agree able! -especially to your mother - she frets very badly
Continue to fight as Japanese warriors must -and be not afraid of death -but enjoy life while we have it.

I sail today -be well -and bring honour

Your father