Their primary targets are again the airfields defending the city, and for the second day in a row these facilities take significant damage.
Radio Tokyo, which returns to the air,
I guess Wolffpack isn't trying firebombing yet. A relief -- for now.
Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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Capt. Harlock
- Posts: 5379
- Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
RE: Small Ship, Big War
I guess Wolffpack isn't trying firebombing yet. A relief -- for now.
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
--Victor Hugo
--Victor Hugo
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Hornblower
- Posts: 1361
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:02 am
- Location: New York'er relocated to Chicago
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
Their primary targets are again the airfields defending the city, and for the second day in a row these facilities take significant damage.
Radio Tokyo, which returns to the air,
I guess Wolffpack isn't trying firebombing yet. A relief -- for now.
Only a matter of time..
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
January 20, 1945
Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: None
---
The piercing blast of a steam whistle carries clearly across the water to where Hibiki is anchored. Lieutenant Sakati, strolling along the deck with Captain Ishii, pauses in mid-stride and turns to locate the source of the sound. It is not hard to spot: a long freight train is thundering along the main line where it parallels the shore perhaps half a mile away. Even when the engine is obscured by buildings or low rises of land its location is revealed by the clouds of smoke shooting skyward from its stack.
Captain Ishii stops and comes back a couple of steps to stand next to his chief engineer, who is shading his eyes from the winter sun and following the locomotive’s progress.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she sir?” Sakati asks without looking away. “I’m pretty sure that’s a C55, but it’s hard to tell at this distance.”
“I will take your word for it,” says Ishii dryly. Sakati glances at him.
“Come now, Captain,” says Sakati, “didn’t you ever watch the trains when you were a lad? Didn’t you ever want to be the one controlling the mighty machine that roared like a dragon, guiding it along shining rails to distant cities?”
“I can’t say I did,” says Ishii. “I was always obsessed with the sea. But I can tell they made an impression on you, Sakati. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so poetically before, unless you were talking about a particularly fine bottle of scotch.”
The roar of the distant train fades as it follows the tracks inland, though smoke still hangs in the still, cool air to mark its passage.
“It’s what got me thinking about engines,” Sakati says. “Even as a boy I wondered how something as simple as hot water could generate that kind of power.”
“I have heard,” says Ishii, “that in the future most locomotives will be electrically powered, or maybe diesel.”
Sakati sighs. “Aye,” he says. “That’s already started in some countries. And a pity it will be, too. I’m all in favor of efficiency, of course, but there is a romance to steam that electricity just doesn’t have. Would I have been as captivated as a boy by some quiet, humming marvel? I doubt it, sir.”
“Time marches on, Lieutenant,” says Ishii, not without sympathy. “You can’t stop progress.”
“Of course not, sir,” says Sakati. “But I don’t have to like it.”
---
A Japanese C55 locomotive, built in the 1930s:
Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: None
---
The piercing blast of a steam whistle carries clearly across the water to where Hibiki is anchored. Lieutenant Sakati, strolling along the deck with Captain Ishii, pauses in mid-stride and turns to locate the source of the sound. It is not hard to spot: a long freight train is thundering along the main line where it parallels the shore perhaps half a mile away. Even when the engine is obscured by buildings or low rises of land its location is revealed by the clouds of smoke shooting skyward from its stack.
Captain Ishii stops and comes back a couple of steps to stand next to his chief engineer, who is shading his eyes from the winter sun and following the locomotive’s progress.
“She’s a beauty, isn’t she sir?” Sakati asks without looking away. “I’m pretty sure that’s a C55, but it’s hard to tell at this distance.”
“I will take your word for it,” says Ishii dryly. Sakati glances at him.
“Come now, Captain,” says Sakati, “didn’t you ever watch the trains when you were a lad? Didn’t you ever want to be the one controlling the mighty machine that roared like a dragon, guiding it along shining rails to distant cities?”
“I can’t say I did,” says Ishii. “I was always obsessed with the sea. But I can tell they made an impression on you, Sakati. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you speak so poetically before, unless you were talking about a particularly fine bottle of scotch.”
The roar of the distant train fades as it follows the tracks inland, though smoke still hangs in the still, cool air to mark its passage.
“It’s what got me thinking about engines,” Sakati says. “Even as a boy I wondered how something as simple as hot water could generate that kind of power.”
“I have heard,” says Ishii, “that in the future most locomotives will be electrically powered, or maybe diesel.”
Sakati sighs. “Aye,” he says. “That’s already started in some countries. And a pity it will be, too. I’m all in favor of efficiency, of course, but there is a romance to steam that electricity just doesn’t have. Would I have been as captivated as a boy by some quiet, humming marvel? I doubt it, sir.”
“Time marches on, Lieutenant,” says Ishii, not without sympathy. “You can’t stop progress.”
“Of course not, sir,” says Sakati. “But I don’t have to like it.”
---
A Japanese C55 locomotive, built in the 1930s:
- Attachments
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- C55.jpg (89.29 KiB) Viewed 249 times
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bradfordkay
- Posts: 8686
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 8:39 am
- Location: Olympia, WA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Hmmm... are you a railfan there CF? Or maybe you've been playing a little RR Tycoon while waiting for turns?
Like Sakati, I am a fan of the old steam engines. For the most part they portrayed a power and majesty that the diesels and electrics cannot match...
Like Sakati, I am a fan of the old steam engines. For the most part they portrayed a power and majesty that the diesels and electrics cannot match...
fair winds,
Brad
Brad
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Ambassador
- Posts: 1756
- Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:15 pm
- Location: Brussels, Belgium
RE: Small Ship, Big War
What ? WHAT ?!?! NEXT PAGE !!! WHERE IS THE NEXT PAGE ?!?!?[X(]
By the twelve muses, I've just finished reading the 4144 first posts of this AAR, and it took some time. It's a marvel, Cuttlefish. I don't know how you manage to write this, with such a regularly-displayed outstanding quality.[&o][&o][&o]
But now, I find myself in the dire straits of addiction. What happens next ? I want to know !!![:o][:(]
By the twelve muses, I've just finished reading the 4144 first posts of this AAR, and it took some time. It's a marvel, Cuttlefish. I don't know how you manage to write this, with such a regularly-displayed outstanding quality.[&o][&o][&o]
But now, I find myself in the dire straits of addiction. What happens next ? I want to know !!![:o][:(]
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BrucePowers
- Posts: 12090
- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 6:13 pm
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Railfanning is cool[8D]
For what we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful.
Lieutenant Bush - Captain Horatio Hornblower by C S Forester
Lieutenant Bush - Captain Horatio Hornblower by C S Forester
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thegreatwent
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:42 am
- Location: Denver, CO
RE: Small Ship, Big War
Here in Colorado I'm lucky enough to have many steam trains to ride and a neat museum to visit. My father worked for Burlington Northern so I was conditioned to love trains[:)]. BTW some of the diesels and electrics are pretty cool as well.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: Ambassador
By the twelve muses, I've just finished reading the 4144 first posts of this AAR, and it took some time.
I'll bet it did! Welcome aboard. I do try to update every weekday and occasionally on weekends as well, so with luck you will not have to wait too long for more of the story.
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
January 21, 1945
Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Shun barks. “Move it, you slugs! If this isn’t the first destroyer out of the bay some of you will be trying to swim to Kure!” Footsteps pound along the deck as the Chief drives men to and fro. Near the bow Yoshitake starts the motor on the anchor capstan. Chain rattles as the capstan slowly begins to turn.
Shoji keeps one eye on the anchor chain and another on Shun. “What’s going on?” he asks Oizuma, who has just come hurrying up to help. “What’s the big rush?”
“Enemy carriers!” says Oizuma. “I heard it from Konno, who heard it from a guy who was on the bridge. Enemy carriers are to the south and almost within striking distance. We’re going to dash across the Inland Sea tonight to try and get out of range!”
“Damn!” says Shoji. The thought of being caught in these confined waters by carrier planes is not a comfortable one. He and Oizuma start feeding chain into the chain locker.
“Yeah, and I heard most of the fighters based here have been sent to Tokyo,” says Oizuma, speaking loudly to be heard above the rattling of the chain. “We’d be sitting ducks.”
Shoji glances to the west. “It will be dark in an hour,” he says. “We should be okay.” Oizuma nods. Nonetheless both men keep an eye on the southern horizon as Hibiki gets underway and leads the task force towards the Akashi Strait and the waters of the Inland Sea.
Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Shun barks. “Move it, you slugs! If this isn’t the first destroyer out of the bay some of you will be trying to swim to Kure!” Footsteps pound along the deck as the Chief drives men to and fro. Near the bow Yoshitake starts the motor on the anchor capstan. Chain rattles as the capstan slowly begins to turn.
Shoji keeps one eye on the anchor chain and another on Shun. “What’s going on?” he asks Oizuma, who has just come hurrying up to help. “What’s the big rush?”
“Enemy carriers!” says Oizuma. “I heard it from Konno, who heard it from a guy who was on the bridge. Enemy carriers are to the south and almost within striking distance. We’re going to dash across the Inland Sea tonight to try and get out of range!”
“Damn!” says Shoji. The thought of being caught in these confined waters by carrier planes is not a comfortable one. He and Oizuma start feeding chain into the chain locker.
“Yeah, and I heard most of the fighters based here have been sent to Tokyo,” says Oizuma, speaking loudly to be heard above the rattling of the chain. “We’d be sitting ducks.”
Shoji glances to the west. “It will be dark in an hour,” he says. “We should be okay.” Oizuma nods. Nonetheless both men keep an eye on the southern horizon as Hibiki gets underway and leads the task force towards the Akashi Strait and the waters of the Inland Sea.
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Mike Scholl
- Posts: 6187
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 1:17 am
- Location: Kansas City, MO
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: thegreatwent
Here in Colorado I'm lucky enough to have many steam trains to ride and a neat museum to visit. My father worked for Burlington Northern so I was conditioned to love trains[:)]. BTW some of the diesels and electrics are pretty cool as well.
Not like steam locomotives were. I think part of the facination was that virtually all the moving parts were on the outside and in full view of the observer. You could hear the power building up..., then watch it in action. And when the engine was a UP 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy", it was AWESOME!
RE: Small Ship, Big War
big boys would be fascinating all that power.i grew up seeing some of the most beautiful loco's ever built...the j class of n/w
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
January 22, 1945
Location: Hiroshima/Kure
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 458
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
Considering that Kure is one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s most important facilities it is a little unusual that this is Hibiki’s first visit to the area since the start of the war. And even now they are not exactly at Kure; to save space at the piers the task force is at the Hashirajima Anchoring Area some thirty miles to the southwest, at the south end of Hiroshima Bay.
There are many other ships in the area, all placidly at anchor. This forms a sharp contrast to the reports coming out of Tokyo. Enemy land-based and carrier-based aircraft are pounding Japanese airfields there and trying to sink every ship they can catch on the open water. Despite the fact that there was twenty-four hours warning before the carrier attack it does not seem as though the enemy planes lack for targets, though from the sound of it most of the ships in trouble are cargo vessels, patrol craft, and auxiliaries.
Japanese fighter pilots report downing many enemy aircraft and the bombers gleefully return with tales of enemy ships left in flames. These reports bring cheer to Hibiki’s crew, though the cynical among them - a larger number than in the past – recall other tales of enemy ships that were reported sunk but that later turned out to be surprisingly spry and active for vessels that were at the bottom of the sea.*
Whatever is happening at Tokyo and in the waters nearby, it seems that Hibiki and her crew are safe for the moment. Most of the men aboard, however, would gladly trade that safety for a chance at intercepting the enemy aircraft carriers now brazenly attacking the Home Islands. As of yet, however, there is no indication that such orders are forthcoming.
---
*Allied records after the war will in fact show that the only Allied ship damaged in the attack was heavy cruiser Australia, hit by a torpedo from submarine I-7.
Location: Hiroshima/Kure
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 458
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
Considering that Kure is one of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s most important facilities it is a little unusual that this is Hibiki’s first visit to the area since the start of the war. And even now they are not exactly at Kure; to save space at the piers the task force is at the Hashirajima Anchoring Area some thirty miles to the southwest, at the south end of Hiroshima Bay.
There are many other ships in the area, all placidly at anchor. This forms a sharp contrast to the reports coming out of Tokyo. Enemy land-based and carrier-based aircraft are pounding Japanese airfields there and trying to sink every ship they can catch on the open water. Despite the fact that there was twenty-four hours warning before the carrier attack it does not seem as though the enemy planes lack for targets, though from the sound of it most of the ships in trouble are cargo vessels, patrol craft, and auxiliaries.
Japanese fighter pilots report downing many enemy aircraft and the bombers gleefully return with tales of enemy ships left in flames. These reports bring cheer to Hibiki’s crew, though the cynical among them - a larger number than in the past – recall other tales of enemy ships that were reported sunk but that later turned out to be surprisingly spry and active for vessels that were at the bottom of the sea.*
Whatever is happening at Tokyo and in the waters nearby, it seems that Hibiki and her crew are safe for the moment. Most of the men aboard, however, would gladly trade that safety for a chance at intercepting the enemy aircraft carriers now brazenly attacking the Home Islands. As of yet, however, there is no indication that such orders are forthcoming.
---
*Allied records after the war will in fact show that the only Allied ship damaged in the attack was heavy cruiser Australia, hit by a torpedo from submarine I-7.
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thegreatwent
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:42 am
- Location: Denver, CO
RE: Small Ship, Big War
big boys would be fascinating all that power.i grew up seeing some of the most beautiful loco's ever built...the j class of n/w
They have a big boy at the Forney Museum of Transportation here in Denver. It is an awe inspiring machine.
http://www.forneymuseum.org/attractions.htm
Sorry for the distraction CF [&o]
Now back to the Hibiki
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bradfordkay
- Posts: 8686
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 8:39 am
- Location: Olympia, WA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: Marc gto
big boys would be fascinating all that power.i grew up seeing some of the most beautiful loco's ever built...the j class of n/w
I'll agree about the N&W J-class locomotives... not only were they beautiful, but apparently they were also some of the most reliable ever built. I don't remember the numbers, but one book I read fairly gushed about the miles N&W racked up with those boys...
Sorry, CF, I wasn't going to continue this hijacking until marc mentioned my all-time favorite passenger locomotive.
fair winds,
Brad
Brad
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: bradfordkay
ORIGINAL: Marc gto
big boys would be fascinating all that power.i grew up seeing some of the most beautiful loco's ever built...the j class of n/w
I'll agree about the N&W J-class locomotives... not only were they beautiful, but apparently they were also some of the most reliable ever built. I don't remember the numbers, but one book I read fairly gushed about the miles N&W racked up with those boys...
Sorry, CF, I wasn't going to continue this hijacking until marc mentioned my all-time favorite passenger locomotive.
The N&W freight locomotives were awesome. Still, some of those articulated monsters running out west would have been a sight to see. My grandpa started his career with the NYC stoking Hudsons - another beautiful locomotive. BTW, its not hijacking cause CF started it
"We have met the enemy and they are ours" - Commodore O.H. Perry
RE: Small Ship, Big War
yawn.......wrong place, wrong time.
RE: Small Ship, Big War
brad another thing about the j class is alot of those miles were going through the mountains of west virginia pulling massive amounts of cool...that had to be taxing on it as well
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goodboyladdie
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:35 pm
- Location: Rendlesham, Suffolk
RE: Small Ship, Big War
ORIGINAL: Marc gto
brad another thing about the j class is alot of those miles were going through the mountains of west virginia pulling massive amounts of cool...that had to be taxing on it as well
You don't normally see trains and "cool" mentioned in the same sentence. I agree with some posters above - can we get back to Hibiki's war, please?
Art by the amazing Dixie
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bradfordkay
- Posts: 8686
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2002 8:39 am
- Location: Olympia, WA
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Cuttlefish
- Posts: 2454
- Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:03 am
- Location: Oregon, USA
RE: Small Ship, Big War
January 23, 1945
Location: Hiroshima/Kure
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
“Refueling is complete, Lieutenant,” Lieutenant Sakati informs Lieutenant Kuwaki, who is currently the officer of the deck.
“Thank you, Sakati,” says Kuwaki. “Has the fuel line been disconnected?”
“They’re taking it in now.”
“Very good.” Kuwaki sends word to the deck force to prepare to take in lines, then turns back to Sakati. “Has the Captain mentioned how long we are going to be here?”
Sakati shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he says. “I’ve heard that the enemy carriers have withdrawn to the south, but I doubt the Navy will be in a hurry to move us.”
“I see,” says Kuwaki. “I know it’s practical, but somehow it doesn’t feel right to be hiding somewhere safe while Japan is under attack.”
“Then set your mind at ease, Lieutenant,” says Sakati. “If the last couple of days tell us anything it is that no place is really safe any more.”
Location: Hiroshima/Kure
Course: None
Attached to: TF 43
Mission: Bombardment
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475
Orders: Proceed to Kure
---
“Refueling is complete, Lieutenant,” Lieutenant Sakati informs Lieutenant Kuwaki, who is currently the officer of the deck.
“Thank you, Sakati,” says Kuwaki. “Has the fuel line been disconnected?”
“They’re taking it in now.”
“Very good.” Kuwaki sends word to the deck force to prepare to take in lines, then turns back to Sakati. “Has the Captain mentioned how long we are going to be here?”
Sakati shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he says. “I’ve heard that the enemy carriers have withdrawn to the south, but I doubt the Navy will be in a hurry to move us.”
“I see,” says Kuwaki. “I know it’s practical, but somehow it doesn’t feel right to be hiding somewhere safe while Japan is under attack.”
“Then set your mind at ease, Lieutenant,” says Sakati. “If the last couple of days tell us anything it is that no place is really safe any more.”