herbiesan moves to the maps edge, his two body guards silent shadows behind him.
The naval and air staff shift uneasily before him.
None will meet his eye, well not for long.
herbiesan regrets now, that "incident'.
Not that he has lost staff, no, he does not give a rats arse for that, its the bloody reverbrations from it.
Now, now he needs these goons with him every moment of the day.
But worse.......
"salajar first, yes gentlemen?"
Papers shuffle....a throat clears
'We are doing well sir..........12 t bolts killed today, for about equal losses, and our MTBs sunk a destroyer"
And this, of course was the problem...........a true result?.........or a fantasy that they hoped he wanted to hear, or, damnation, fog of war?
"But we hold?"
"we hold sir"
Good then, the tar pit sucks still.
But.
But..........
'The enemy carriers?"
And to that, there is nothing but silence
And that, is the greatest worry of all.
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
There is an allied attack at waingapoe
It fails
They are going to need more troops, reinforcements must be forced in.
5 japanese battlewagons to the west refuel, ready to stop just that.
And to the east, battle ship, south dakato, prepares to ensure that it does.
It fails
They are going to need more troops, reinforcements must be forced in.
5 japanese battlewagons to the west refuel, ready to stop just that.
And to the east, battle ship, south dakato, prepares to ensure that it does.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
8/8/44
Japanese para troopers land at pare, a small island north east of Waingapoe, and engage the stranded allied tank regiment fragment there
Other troops have, for the last three days, been airlifted into Waingapoe.
Yet more are being transported from the Biak area west, a busy little sky net of transports that avoid the swarms of submarines that infect these seas.
Today, however, 100 plus liberators attack Ambon, coming in at 4000 feet.
They bomb, they destroy.
Apart from a few remnants, japan no longer has an airlift capability.................
( 80 transports destroyed on the ground!..................and we are not building any, pools are empty)[:(]
Japanese para troopers land at pare, a small island north east of Waingapoe, and engage the stranded allied tank regiment fragment there
Other troops have, for the last three days, been airlifted into Waingapoe.
Yet more are being transported from the Biak area west, a busy little sky net of transports that avoid the swarms of submarines that infect these seas.
Today, however, 100 plus liberators attack Ambon, coming in at 4000 feet.
They bomb, they destroy.
Apart from a few remnants, japan no longer has an airlift capability.................
( 80 transports destroyed on the ground!..................and we are not building any, pools are empty)[:(]
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Two very inebriated pilots are wandering around the darkened streets of Singapore, wondering, as you do, where to go next.
Diogowa, of course, is hungry.
Ogowa has other things on his mind
A compromise is reached..........."we will eat sushi of her belly ney?"
Agreement reached, they turn , and run straight into an equally under the weather naval officer.
"Sir!?"
Ogowa?, Diogowa!"
"Captain Takeji!, Sir!"
They try to straighten, salute
"I thought you were dead men..........."
"Apparently not sir.....'
That awkward silence occurs........
"Do you have a new ship sir?"
Takeji shrugs.........."Posted to Hiyo.........XO...........yourselves?"
Ogowa shrugs too......"genda's unit"
Oh, so the rumours are true.........they will be good men for that unit, no doubt
"A good unit , yes.......you will be well led"
Diogowa bows slightly, 'Not as well as we were sir......."
Again, the awkward silence
The men, simultanousley bow, and, with so many words unspoken, break apart.
Ogowa and Diogowa continue the stumble down the street.
They think, both of them, the same thought. They fly a fine plane, in a fine unit.
But its not the same as being on a carrier..................
Diogowa, of course, is hungry.
Ogowa has other things on his mind
A compromise is reached..........."we will eat sushi of her belly ney?"
Agreement reached, they turn , and run straight into an equally under the weather naval officer.
"Sir!?"
Ogowa?, Diogowa!"
"Captain Takeji!, Sir!"
They try to straighten, salute
"I thought you were dead men..........."
"Apparently not sir.....'
That awkward silence occurs........
"Do you have a new ship sir?"
Takeji shrugs.........."Posted to Hiyo.........XO...........yourselves?"
Ogowa shrugs too......"genda's unit"
Oh, so the rumours are true.........they will be good men for that unit, no doubt
"A good unit , yes.......you will be well led"
Diogowa bows slightly, 'Not as well as we were sir......."
Again, the awkward silence
The men, simultanousley bow, and, with so many words unspoken, break apart.
Ogowa and Diogowa continue the stumble down the street.
They think, both of them, the same thought. They fly a fine plane, in a fine unit.
But its not the same as being on a carrier..................
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
japanese air strikes on shipping waingapoe
Air battles again over salarjar
A deliberate allied attack, that fails again
A japanese convoy bombed at Bima, another hot spot to the north of waingapoe, where 65th brigade is coming ashore
And Japanese search aircraft spot what is undoubtably a surface task force departing koepang, positioning for an attack tonight.
Hirate and Okano are in their turret, trying to snooze, when the tannoy breaks the routine of the day.
'This is the Captain speaking. An enemy task force is approaching the area. We will attack it. All men will attend to their duties as Japanese honour demands. Prepare for surface action"
You do not hear the fans on Yamato like you did on Zuiho, they are simply too deep, behind literally too many feet of steel to be heard.
But there is no doubt, even here in this small steel shell, that Yamato is working towards full speed.
Musashi follows.
And 20 miles to the south, Kongo, Kirishima, Hiei, too begin to carve the sea in great white streaks
The day of the battle ship is done
Don't bet on it.
Air battles again over salarjar
A deliberate allied attack, that fails again
A japanese convoy bombed at Bima, another hot spot to the north of waingapoe, where 65th brigade is coming ashore
And Japanese search aircraft spot what is undoubtably a surface task force departing koepang, positioning for an attack tonight.
Hirate and Okano are in their turret, trying to snooze, when the tannoy breaks the routine of the day.
'This is the Captain speaking. An enemy task force is approaching the area. We will attack it. All men will attend to their duties as Japanese honour demands. Prepare for surface action"
You do not hear the fans on Yamato like you did on Zuiho, they are simply too deep, behind literally too many feet of steel to be heard.
But there is no doubt, even here in this small steel shell, that Yamato is working towards full speed.
Musashi follows.
And 20 miles to the south, Kongo, Kirishima, Hiei, too begin to carve the sea in great white streaks
The day of the battle ship is done
Don't bet on it.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
It is hot and humid in the bowels of the turret, and the sweat runs freely from hirate and Okano.
They are used to this, but this is no boileroom, at least there, there was something to bloody do. Here, here all one can do is wait, and wait, and wonder.
Yet despite themselves, even stokers are not immune to the excitement sweeping through the ship........
Suzuki peers down at them, a smile splitting his face. "Ever heard an 18 inch salvo my stoker friends?..........the term s%$$ your pants is hardly adequate......."
Suzuki is right.
S$%^t your pants is a totally inadequate description for 18 inch salvo fire
They are used to this, but this is no boileroom, at least there, there was something to bloody do. Here, here all one can do is wait, and wait, and wonder.
Yet despite themselves, even stokers are not immune to the excitement sweeping through the ship........
Suzuki peers down at them, a smile splitting his face. "Ever heard an 18 inch salvo my stoker friends?..........the term s%$$ your pants is hardly adequate......."
Suzuki is right.
S$%^t your pants is a totally inadequate description for 18 inch salvo fire
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Battleship South Dakato heads north of waigapoe, surprises 3 small AKs at Bima, sinks them.
Yamato and Musashi Hunt for her, and utterly fail to find her.
Battle cruisers Kongo Kirishima and Hiei also hunt for targets, and find one, a fat convoy of LSTs fleeing for Koepang.
They give chase.
South dakato , racing now to save the convoy stumbles upon the Japanese tankers supporting Yamato, and is torn between slaying them, or rescuing the LSTs
She chooses resue.
The waters north of waingapoe, west from Koepang are narrow. Crowded with ships, a clash is inevitable.
At dawn, it comes.
Yamato and Musashi Hunt for her, and utterly fail to find her.
Battle cruisers Kongo Kirishima and Hiei also hunt for targets, and find one, a fat convoy of LSTs fleeing for Koepang.
They give chase.
South dakato , racing now to save the convoy stumbles upon the Japanese tankers supporting Yamato, and is torn between slaying them, or rescuing the LSTs
She chooses resue.
The waters north of waingapoe, west from Koepang are narrow. Crowded with ships, a clash is inevitable.
At dawn, it comes.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Yamato leads Musashi, column ahead. 8 destroyers on the flanks, bow waves creaming.
High in her bridge, Tanaka raises his glasses. There is no sense of movement on this bridge, just the sea sliding past, the bow wave peeling in that impecable vee from the ship..
A roar fills the bridge, fades, as the pete floatplane seemingly crawls past, headed for the horizon, headed for the enemy.
'Target identified sir...battleship. South dakato class, a light cruiser, 6 destroyers."
range 30000 yards ................
"Engage!"
The great guns swing, hunt..........the world holds it breath, 2500 men hold their breath.
The mighty roar, the shuddering, slamming jolt.
The wait............
The enemy fire too........the flash on the horizon.
This is battleship warefare, you fire, a minute passes, you fire again, and yet, that first salvo is just arriving.
It seems so slow, this battleship warfare, yet things can happen so fast.
South dakato's first salvo misses, but it lands close, every shell within 50 metres.
her second is even closer.
Musushi hits.............a 6 inch hit, useless.
28000 yards
yamato's third salvo misses.
South Dakato's third does not, a 16 inch hit.
Something Yamato's designers have built for............it strikes aft of the fwd turret, is defeated utterly by the armour.
26000 yards, and in side each great battleship, a million fragile items are being shaken, shocked loose.
Yamato hits with salvo number three.
A great bright flash on Dakato's bridge, brilliant, tinged with blue, a dull red glow remaining.
Smoke pours from South dakato
Salvo four from the american is wide, very wide, as is the fifth.
Tanaka smiles...........the American is having trouble.
'Message from Hiei sir..............have destroyed 8 LST, one escort, am retiring"
Hah!, mission complete then...........
South dakato turns away. Should he pursue?..........Oh, too finish her off.....
But Koepang rests heavily on his shoulders, Koepang with its bombers, it torpedoes..............
'Break action, inform southern command the waters to waigapoe are clear"
He doubts that South dakato will be around for a while.
They will retire.
Hiei, retiring too will be caught by the bombers, she suffers moderate damage, and will have to go home
350 plus vechiles have been destroyed. Dominate the oceans they sail upon, to stand at great range, and throw heavy metal at their foes. This is their job.
Today, maybe for the last time, they have done this.
The allied attack for today at Waigapoe will fail.
And In the vacuum of this battle, japanese reinforcements are rushing in.
High in her bridge, Tanaka raises his glasses. There is no sense of movement on this bridge, just the sea sliding past, the bow wave peeling in that impecable vee from the ship..
A roar fills the bridge, fades, as the pete floatplane seemingly crawls past, headed for the horizon, headed for the enemy.
'Target identified sir...battleship. South dakato class, a light cruiser, 6 destroyers."
range 30000 yards ................
"Engage!"
The great guns swing, hunt..........the world holds it breath, 2500 men hold their breath.
The mighty roar, the shuddering, slamming jolt.
The wait............
The enemy fire too........the flash on the horizon.
This is battleship warefare, you fire, a minute passes, you fire again, and yet, that first salvo is just arriving.
It seems so slow, this battleship warfare, yet things can happen so fast.
South dakato's first salvo misses, but it lands close, every shell within 50 metres.
her second is even closer.
Musushi hits.............a 6 inch hit, useless.
28000 yards
yamato's third salvo misses.
South Dakato's third does not, a 16 inch hit.
Something Yamato's designers have built for............it strikes aft of the fwd turret, is defeated utterly by the armour.
26000 yards, and in side each great battleship, a million fragile items are being shaken, shocked loose.
Yamato hits with salvo number three.
A great bright flash on Dakato's bridge, brilliant, tinged with blue, a dull red glow remaining.
Smoke pours from South dakato
Salvo four from the american is wide, very wide, as is the fifth.
Tanaka smiles...........the American is having trouble.
'Message from Hiei sir..............have destroyed 8 LST, one escort, am retiring"
Hah!, mission complete then...........
South dakato turns away. Should he pursue?..........Oh, too finish her off.....
But Koepang rests heavily on his shoulders, Koepang with its bombers, it torpedoes..............
'Break action, inform southern command the waters to waigapoe are clear"
He doubts that South dakato will be around for a while.
They will retire.
Hiei, retiring too will be caught by the bombers, she suffers moderate damage, and will have to go home
350 plus vechiles have been destroyed. Dominate the oceans they sail upon, to stand at great range, and throw heavy metal at their foes. This is their job.
Today, maybe for the last time, they have done this.
The allied attack for today at Waigapoe will fail.
And In the vacuum of this battle, japanese reinforcements are rushing in.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Great yarn, as usual.
Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu
RE: The little ship that could.
10/8/44
22nd sentai protects macassar.
22nd, the best that the army airforce has, flying the best planes it can provide.
Today Fuchida awakens.
He stares at the faded green of the tattered tent for a few minutes, and thanks heavens that it did not rain last night, that , for once, he slept dry.
For amusement, he counts the little tormenting flying hells (mosquito's to you and me) nestled on the canvas, and wonders how many of the little buggar feasted upon him last night.
Too many, it must besurely, only a matter of time before he joins the ranks of the malaria ridden.
He climbs out , or up, out of the sorry excuse of a bed, and reaches for his faded flight jacket. It stinks just a little less today.
Carefully he gathers his boots, tip them upside down, taps them.
No creepy, deadly crawlies today...........
The path to the mess area is a muddy, sloppy mess, the kitchen area, a tarpuline spread between several trees.
Wistfully he gives the remains of the original buildings a glance, shattered hulks, burnt out shells, the field has been patched by the engineers, the buildings will have to wait for happier times.
The food, is, adequate..............
Rice. Rice yesterday, the day before, the one before that, rice tomorrow, always rice.
But before breakfast, tiolet..........
A filthy, stinking pit, a plank, flies, and did we mention stink.?
Finished, he gathers with his companions, grey men, fatigued men. Little is spoken.
yesterday, one man died, today, odds are, more must.
There is no chance of relief in the immediate future...............
Two men are injured, shrapnel wounds.
Medical facilities.............there are none, not now, a 1000 lb bomb two weeks ago blasted them into oblivion.
And no replacements are coming............
They eat, they walk to the planes, where equally tired, tattered men are gathered around the planes.
Fully 15 are unavailable today, nothing new...............
They will fly today, these men of 22nd sentai, unsupported, uncared for, the best of the best, giving their best, giving their lives.
And high command...........
High command gives them maccassar, to fight for and rot in............
22nd sentai protects macassar.
22nd, the best that the army airforce has, flying the best planes it can provide.
Today Fuchida awakens.
He stares at the faded green of the tattered tent for a few minutes, and thanks heavens that it did not rain last night, that , for once, he slept dry.
For amusement, he counts the little tormenting flying hells (mosquito's to you and me) nestled on the canvas, and wonders how many of the little buggar feasted upon him last night.
Too many, it must besurely, only a matter of time before he joins the ranks of the malaria ridden.
He climbs out , or up, out of the sorry excuse of a bed, and reaches for his faded flight jacket. It stinks just a little less today.
Carefully he gathers his boots, tip them upside down, taps them.
No creepy, deadly crawlies today...........
The path to the mess area is a muddy, sloppy mess, the kitchen area, a tarpuline spread between several trees.
Wistfully he gives the remains of the original buildings a glance, shattered hulks, burnt out shells, the field has been patched by the engineers, the buildings will have to wait for happier times.
The food, is, adequate..............
Rice. Rice yesterday, the day before, the one before that, rice tomorrow, always rice.
But before breakfast, tiolet..........
A filthy, stinking pit, a plank, flies, and did we mention stink.?
Finished, he gathers with his companions, grey men, fatigued men. Little is spoken.
yesterday, one man died, today, odds are, more must.
There is no chance of relief in the immediate future...............
Two men are injured, shrapnel wounds.
Medical facilities.............there are none, not now, a 1000 lb bomb two weeks ago blasted them into oblivion.
And no replacements are coming............
They eat, they walk to the planes, where equally tired, tattered men are gathered around the planes.
Fully 15 are unavailable today, nothing new...............
They will fly today, these men of 22nd sentai, unsupported, uncared for, the best of the best, giving their best, giving their lives.
And high command...........
High command gives them maccassar, to fight for and rot in............
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
10/8/44
Three DDs attempt to hit Salajar shipping
CA.s Kinsugasa, Furataka, 5 dd counter, cripple one of the Fletchers.
salajar planes sink it at dawn, damage the other
But most importantly, at waigapoe, there is no attack by the allies.
And the japanese bombers encounter no Flak...................
Allied forces on waigapoe are out, it seems, of supplies
Three DDs attempt to hit Salajar shipping
CA.s Kinsugasa, Furataka, 5 dd counter, cripple one of the Fletchers.
salajar planes sink it at dawn, damage the other
But most importantly, at waigapoe, there is no attack by the allies.
And the japanese bombers encounter no Flak...................
Allied forces on waigapoe are out, it seems, of supplies
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
11/8/44
Pilot officer graham flies once again
Below, the jungles again, but not of Burma now, of Thailand, the Japanese are in full retreat
The mozzie flies low today, skimming the hills and crests, seeking to come upon the enemy by surprise, the green hell flashing below at almost dizzying speeds.
Long pig is co pilot today, 'orientation flight', its called, sure, call it what you like, they will straff and bomb the enemy.
The mozzie zooms over the next rise, and the wings wheel vertical as the wooden wonder peels into attack.
Things, thinks Long Pig, have changed.......the planes, so fast, such a bomb load............
The utter disdain for the sky the men seem to have now.there are no Japanese fighters, have been none for many, many a month.
But the jungle seems the same, dark, green, malevolant..........
The guns hammer, there are men on a trail.........little yellow balls floating up, flashing past.......the men diving, the earth sprouting, past, up, wheel the other way, the crump behind, ..........
"Time for tea, well done everyone"
yes, things have changed, he thinks, but not that much.
People are still trying to kill him.
Pilot officer graham flies once again
Below, the jungles again, but not of Burma now, of Thailand, the Japanese are in full retreat
The mozzie flies low today, skimming the hills and crests, seeking to come upon the enemy by surprise, the green hell flashing below at almost dizzying speeds.
Long pig is co pilot today, 'orientation flight', its called, sure, call it what you like, they will straff and bomb the enemy.
The mozzie zooms over the next rise, and the wings wheel vertical as the wooden wonder peels into attack.
Things, thinks Long Pig, have changed.......the planes, so fast, such a bomb load............
The utter disdain for the sky the men seem to have now.there are no Japanese fighters, have been none for many, many a month.
But the jungle seems the same, dark, green, malevolant..........
The guns hammer, there are men on a trail.........little yellow balls floating up, flashing past.......the men diving, the earth sprouting, past, up, wheel the other way, the crump behind, ..........
"Time for tea, well done everyone"
yes, things have changed, he thinks, but not that much.
People are still trying to kill him.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Yamato refuels at Soerabaya.
Hirate and Okano find themselves in a strange situation, standing high in the superstructure, , watching as the black gang struggle with the fuel hoses.
"you know my friend"
"What"
"There's a lot I don't miss about being a stoker"
'You think?.......are you really sure about that?" the sarcasm drips from Okano's tongue.
Both men sigh.......bend, and resume painting before the chief catches them goofing off.
Gunnery was exciting, for a while.............
Hirate and Okano find themselves in a strange situation, standing high in the superstructure, , watching as the black gang struggle with the fuel hoses.
"you know my friend"
"What"
"There's a lot I don't miss about being a stoker"
'You think?.......are you really sure about that?" the sarcasm drips from Okano's tongue.
Both men sigh.......bend, and resume painting before the chief catches them goofing off.
Gunnery was exciting, for a while.............
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The skies above waingaoe snarl, the bombs whistle down, and 200 japanese reinforcements wade ashore.
Good news, but not nearly enough to replace the dead that hold the front line.
Good news, but not nearly enough to replace the dead that hold the front line.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Ogowa and Diogowa fly with S-701 to Ayuthia, north of bangkok. Its a disaster.
They should be 49 strong.............they will be 22 planes ready for tomorrow. They are going to try to fly a CAP trap over 55 th division tomorrow.
Ogowa does the sums, so far, so few planes............
This is a disaster.
They should be 49 strong.............they will be 22 planes ready for tomorrow. They are going to try to fly a CAP trap over 55 th division tomorrow.
Ogowa does the sums, so far, so few planes............
This is a disaster.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
for the 3rd time this week, lets write a massive post, and then lose it to that bloody error message..............
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
12/8/44
Ogowa rises with his compatriots before dawn.
He shares breakfast with Diogowa, listens listlessly to Genda give the mission brief.
Genda is a man long past the point, as many of them are, of caring. Too many missions, to many dawns, to many deaths.
This sentai was not formed for this, was not meant to fight like this.
"we will make an appearance over rahaeng, let our army know we still fly, and fight what ever we find"
Genda smiles wanely. No one here knows rahaeng at all. No one knows of the alternatives, the topography, the position, even, of the front. How could they?, they only arrived last night.
Of the enemy, well, this they know..........
Bangkok is devastated
Here, at Ayuthia, the damage is immense. The field a patch work of filled pot holes.
And the front, well, reportedly, it swarms with the enemy.
They are 21 strong.
19 planes depart, depart north, following the only thing they really can depend on, the railroad.
They climb to 15000, for ahead, the clouds are rising into the great mountains, dark, evil underneath, boiling, roiling at the tops.
But 15000 will not be eneough, nor 20000, nor, its seems 25000.
They seek the thunderstorms valeys, seek the gaps, soon, the world beneath their wings but a carpet of white, glistening, blinding, enourmous.
It hides the world, hides the enemy.
genda waggles wings, they turn for home.
And find it blocked.
He swings west, trying to get around the giant, its top touching heaven, they sentai stringing out, nervous now, for they are skimming the grey, the white
A gap, and they dive for it........and abruptly, it closes
Ogawa is flying in the clear, and then, then, the cloud is pressing in from above, and he plunges into the darkness
The giant takes him.
hail hammers, a crashing thundering madness, a giant foot slams him down, the George is tossed as if a toy............
And for the first time, in a long time, he feels fear.
The storm forces him relentlessly down, a nightmare of controls not, or barely responding. Throttle to the wall........and he stalls, as nature tries to kill him.
15000 feet, 10000 feet, he fights her, his plane banging, bucking, the darkness split by the lightning, instruments swinging wildly.
he gets her level, 5000, gods, there are hard decks at 6000 here!
(but then, where the Truk is here!)
The rain eases, and just like that, the sun bursts forth, and there, gods must be smiling, is the railway......
19 went in
15 come out...........
Fuel but exhausted, home looms
B-29's, it seems, can fly over, or maybe even all the way round the storms to the north.
Ayuthia is a smoking moonscape, bangkok a wildfire.
There is nowhere to land
Grimly, he picks a rice paddy, the waters gleaming.
Gear up, he slides her in, bounces, the mud flying, great blade bending, shuddering to a halt, the straps crushing his shoulders.
'Truk!"
Gingerly, he climbs outstands on a mud covered wingtip, and watches another George, diogowa!, repeat his trick.
he too, gingerly climbs out of his destroyed plane, but makes the mistake of climbing off it.
Truk!
he sinks to his waste in the muck
It is the only smile to be had this day.
The Sentai is destroyed, in the air, on the ground
That night its pilots will entrain again for Singapore
Two of them, at least, vaow that on arrival, they will be visiting a certain carrier, a certain XO.
Ogowa rises with his compatriots before dawn.
He shares breakfast with Diogowa, listens listlessly to Genda give the mission brief.
Genda is a man long past the point, as many of them are, of caring. Too many missions, to many dawns, to many deaths.
This sentai was not formed for this, was not meant to fight like this.
"we will make an appearance over rahaeng, let our army know we still fly, and fight what ever we find"
Genda smiles wanely. No one here knows rahaeng at all. No one knows of the alternatives, the topography, the position, even, of the front. How could they?, they only arrived last night.
Of the enemy, well, this they know..........
Bangkok is devastated
Here, at Ayuthia, the damage is immense. The field a patch work of filled pot holes.
And the front, well, reportedly, it swarms with the enemy.
They are 21 strong.
19 planes depart, depart north, following the only thing they really can depend on, the railroad.
They climb to 15000, for ahead, the clouds are rising into the great mountains, dark, evil underneath, boiling, roiling at the tops.
But 15000 will not be eneough, nor 20000, nor, its seems 25000.
They seek the thunderstorms valeys, seek the gaps, soon, the world beneath their wings but a carpet of white, glistening, blinding, enourmous.
It hides the world, hides the enemy.
genda waggles wings, they turn for home.
And find it blocked.
He swings west, trying to get around the giant, its top touching heaven, they sentai stringing out, nervous now, for they are skimming the grey, the white
A gap, and they dive for it........and abruptly, it closes
Ogawa is flying in the clear, and then, then, the cloud is pressing in from above, and he plunges into the darkness
The giant takes him.
hail hammers, a crashing thundering madness, a giant foot slams him down, the George is tossed as if a toy............
And for the first time, in a long time, he feels fear.
The storm forces him relentlessly down, a nightmare of controls not, or barely responding. Throttle to the wall........and he stalls, as nature tries to kill him.
15000 feet, 10000 feet, he fights her, his plane banging, bucking, the darkness split by the lightning, instruments swinging wildly.
he gets her level, 5000, gods, there are hard decks at 6000 here!
(but then, where the Truk is here!)
The rain eases, and just like that, the sun bursts forth, and there, gods must be smiling, is the railway......
19 went in
15 come out...........
Fuel but exhausted, home looms
B-29's, it seems, can fly over, or maybe even all the way round the storms to the north.
Ayuthia is a smoking moonscape, bangkok a wildfire.
There is nowhere to land
Grimly, he picks a rice paddy, the waters gleaming.
Gear up, he slides her in, bounces, the mud flying, great blade bending, shuddering to a halt, the straps crushing his shoulders.
'Truk!"
Gingerly, he climbs outstands on a mud covered wingtip, and watches another George, diogowa!, repeat his trick.
he too, gingerly climbs out of his destroyed plane, but makes the mistake of climbing off it.
Truk!
he sinks to his waste in the muck
It is the only smile to be had this day.
The Sentai is destroyed, in the air, on the ground
That night its pilots will entrain again for Singapore
Two of them, at least, vaow that on arrival, they will be visiting a certain carrier, a certain XO.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
An Emily flying boat departs Hiroshima, 20 souls aboard.
It will never be heard of again
"From Combined fleet, to CV Hiyo"
Due to Command being reported MIA, Executive Officer Takeji is to assume command CV Hiyo fortwith.
It will never be heard of again
"From Combined fleet, to CV Hiyo"
Due to Command being reported MIA, Executive Officer Takeji is to assume command CV Hiyo fortwith.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Fuchida races towards his plane.
Scramble!
Nothing new here, to get the heart racing, they scramble every day.........
But this time is different
The B-29's are coming for them.
Scramble!
Nothing new here, to get the heart racing, they scramble every day.........
But this time is different
The B-29's are coming for them.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
-
ny59giants
- Posts: 9902
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:02 pm
RE: The little ship that could.
for the 3rd time this week, lets write a massive post, and then lose it to that bloody error message..............
I've had this happen too many times myself included a recent posting in my AAR. I now use the "Post Reply" for all my replies that can be lengthy or a new one for my AAR. BEFORE selecting "OK" I do a "Ctrl+A" to be followed by double hitting a "Ctrl+C" to copy the message so "IF and when" I get the error message, I can go back and quickly paste (Ctrl+V) in a new "Post Reply" along with any screenshot.
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