Kyushu: As is usually the case, sweep missions from different plane types don't coordinate well. The F6F's from Fuk-u-jima are the first to go in. JJ have been hoarding their good stuff in Japan. This is going to cost us some aricraft.
Morning Air attack on Kagoshima , at 102,60
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 42 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 8
N1K1-J George x 31
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 22
Bloody hell Chief how many of these things are there?
Rodney?
How the hell do you know the Chief's name??
The ship could be Nelson though ...
Or the lazy baaahstard standing around not doing any work could be Nelson and the ship Rodney
I know a Peruvian woman who named her two sons Nelson and Rodney. [:D] I think it was just a spectacular coincidence.[:)]
I know a Mexican mom who named her four sons Jorge, Paul (pronounced "Pah-OOL"), Juan and...wait for it...Ringo...except she couldn't say "Ringo" so she called him "Dringo" [:D]
Dringo had some problems with develomental delay. Nothing bad, but it always struck me as cosmically harmonious.
By ra way, the tall guy in the picture seems like an officer of some sort..just from the way he is standing there wondering why he was transferred away from the cushy gig at Whitehall.
"Bloody Hell! 3 months ago I could walk 2 blocks and see some theatre with that young WREN with the firm buttocks who pushes the ship models around on the big map... and now, here I am, a stone's throw from Greenland with these cretins."
If everything goes right..2 Bn of paratroops from 3 different airfields, the main one overcrowded...big enemy fighter strength 1 hex away...not enough LRCAP over the target hex
What could go wrong? [:)]
The good news is a cruiser/DD group will bombard at night and quite a few heavies are lined up to go after the ground troops at Kanoya and the airfield at Kagoshima
Hokkaido Invasion: The invasion force moves SW into the Sea of Japan from Shikuku with the carriers coming down from the Sea of Okhotsk where they have been resting their fighter crews.
Angry LYB's attack.
USS Cape Johnson get torpedoed while tied up to the DOCK at Shimishuri?? Evidentry Japan-mens invent new sharrow running torpedo.
Submarine attack near Shimushiri-jima at 133,51
Japanese Ships
SS RO-65
Allied Ships
xAP Cape Johnson, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Then the Vals come out. These are very persistent fellows.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Toyohara at 125,48
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 20
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 57
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 11 destroyed
No Allied losses
BANZAI!
Morning Air attack on TF, near Toyohara at 125,48
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 2
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 52
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed
No Allied losses
BANZAI! (again). This lot brings the dreaded Rufe along. Even so, we running out of burrets and the LYB's get through.
Poor Walter Reed gets treated very shabilly.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Toyohara at 125,48
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
*********Bihoro IJA Airfield, Bihoro, Hokkaido, 07:20, July 24, 1943(c)*******
Lt. Ashigawa: <holds armful of white head scarves with bright red rising suns> Here-ah, Japaan-mens pirots wear
head scarves with perfume of wife of emperor. This awaken bushido spirit and take away fear-ah!
<the men eagerly take the scarves and begin to put them on>
Any questions?
Airman 1: Reutenant, what-ah about fighter escort?
Lt. Ashigawa: 123rd Training Daiti. <There is a murmuring among the flight crews and a few jovial shoulder punches. Smiles suddenly appear>
Airman 2: What-ah prane type, sir?
Lt. Ashigawa: The awesome Rufe!
Airman in back: Hory crap!
Lt. Ashigawa: OK, who say-ah that? <all now look down, smiles gone, there is no answer>
OK, what-ah about head scarves with emperor womans perfume?
Airman 3: Reutenant! My scarf broken. Stirr rittah bit afraid.