At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

It does look like a Stuka with a better canopy..except for the tail.

My guess is the tail was designed to slow the thing in a dive..the problem is it would follow you around the whole time you were in the air.

[Chijohnaok2]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

French had no aircraft carrier at the time or they might have given them a run.

Well, they had one (the Bearn, with accent acute over the e)... they did have at least one carrier-based aircraft design (divebomber) which wasn't bad looking (except for the tail).

This sort of looks as if someone took a Corsair


and slapped the tail of a P-38


onto it.

[uncivil_servant]

I humbly submit...

[uncivil_servant]

and the French fighters to hold of the BF-109s...

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: uncivil_servant

I humbly submit...

This thing flew from a carrier?

I think the engine technology dictated things to some degree. It looks like an in-line engine with a big-ass radiator, which partly accounts for the sunfish design. Of course, with a little more creativity one needn't put the radiator UNDERNEATH the engine. Still, the designer seems to have had some notion of aerodynamic effects.

[Cap Mandrake]

***********Christmas Day, Wake Is**********

Maj. Devereux:..OK men, the transports are here. Let's postpone the gift exchange until we are
on board. Now, as we work, how about some carols? Oh Little Town of Bethlehem?

[Cap Mandrake]

Pvt Kowalksi: The Major is so inspirational. I've never heard a more beautiful version of Silent Night.
I'd give him a 90 for inspiration.

Pvt. Sanchez: 90, you crazy? Nobody gets a ninety. Name one.

Pvt Kowalksi: Ummm...Admiral Theobald?

Pvt. Sanchez: That's his IQ

Pvt Kowalksi: Ummm...well, how about that Count guy? von Czernin or something. Polish I think.

Pvt. Sanchez: Never heard of him but that is NOT a Polish name.

Pvt. Kowalski: It could be.

Pvt. Sanchez: Look, Kowalski, he's not Polish and he doesn't have an inspirational rating of 90 because nobody does. I don't care if he can tap dance andsing like Enrico Caruso....

[Cap Mandrake]

***********Christmas Day mass, 21:30, airfield, Rabaul***********

Father Emmanoulides: <trying to lead group in song> Siii-eeeeh-lent night....siii-eeeeh-lent night...come on everyone...zzzzuuuuuUUUUUUUUHHHHHH
<screeching sound of an inbound round> SWEET BABY JESUS AND THE VIRGIN MARY! EVERYONE TAKE COVER!

[Cap Mandrake]

Rabaul: I blame the staff...and the air recon guys...and the skipper of HMAS Australia who decided to go study the migration of the New and Improved Britain Leatherback Turtle, a large number of which where reported in the channel south of New and Improved Britain.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CL Tama
CL Kiso
CL Oi
DD Oboro
DD Fuyo
DD Karukaya

Allied Ships
PC Swan, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
PG Moresby, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAP Sarpedonia, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Macdhui, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
1166 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 35 (27 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Crap...that was most off the RAMF and heavy weapons of the 39th and 53rd Aus Bn.

[Cap Mandrake]

What's that noise? Oh, sure, NOW you show up.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CL Tama
CL Kiso
CL Oi
DD Oboro
DD Fuyo
DD Karukaya

Allied Ships
DD Patterson, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

The airfield gets plasterized and literally ALL of the aviation support guys. Father Emmanoulides is, thankfully well, but he owes a Novena for taking the Lord's name in vain.

Night Naval bombardment of Rabaul at 106,125

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 15 damaged
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 destroyed on ground
Catalina I: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
CA Kinugasa
CA Aoba
CL Oi
CL Kiso
CL Tama
DD Karukaya
DD Fuyo
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
xAP Camphuys, Shell hits 1

Allied ground losses:
327 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 22
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 52
Port hits 2

CA Furutaka firing at Rabaul
CA Kinugasa firing at Rabaul
CA Aoba firing at Rabaul
CL Oi firing at Rabaul
CL Kiso firing at Rabaul
CL Tama firing at Rabaul
DD Karukaya firing at Rabaul
DD Fuyo firing at Rabaul
DD Oboro firing at Rabaul

[Cap Mandrake]

Surprise..sort of. WJD CVL's/CVE exactly 320 nm NNE of Rabaul. The other surprise..to the IJN..USN carriers South of Rabaul. Too far apart for hot carrier on carrier action.
So the Kates go after shipping at Rabaul which has arrived AFTER the IJN crusiers left.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Rabaul at 106,125

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
B5N1 Kate x 16

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 3
F4F-3A Wildcat x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
B5N1 Kate: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Chester
CM Bungaree, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CA Chicago
AM Wollongong

[Cap Mandrake]

USN air to ground attack at Rabaul. JJ is trying to cover with LRCAP.

Afternoon Air attack on Maizuru 1st SNLF, at 106,125 (Rabaul)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 8
SBD-2 Dauntless x 15
SBD-3 Dauntless x 15
TBD-1 Devastator x 30

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Bad time to send an AV to Kavieng.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kavieng at 106,122

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 12
SBD-2 Dauntless x 29

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AV Kiyokawa Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Shuko Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PB Sonan Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
PB Sonan Maru #6, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

All those alleged BB's at Sorong yesterday are gone..probably headed to Rabaul. A major shitstorm is headed
for Rabaul in 2-3 d. We attack at Rabaul today. If it doesn't work we try to get out what we can.

[witpqs]

Based on analysis of mouse-over Intel from my games I figure that the IJN gets 32x BB, 76x CV (various sizes), and about 487x CL. Just sayin'.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Based on analysis of mouse-over Intel from my games I figure that the IJN gets 32x BB, 76x CV (various sizes), and about 487x CL. Just sayin'.

Yes. [:)] The IJN force north of Rabaul has no less than 4 CVE's a CVL and a BB.

[Cap Mandrake]

**********FOB "RH", Waikiki, Dec. 25, 1942***********

FAM: Doctor, the way I see it, the intercepted phrase, broadcast in English in the clear, "Bring it on" means they are spoiling for a fight where they have the advantage.

Psychological consultant: Definitely bravado. I believe the last time we heard something like that from IJN high command, hey sent their carriers around Java sinking helpless merchants.

FAM: Aren't you going to say something about childhood trauma or something?

Psychological consultant: Oh, we don't believe in that Freudian shit anymore, sir.

FAM: Freudian shit? What are we paying you for then? Look, here is the thing. Is it a bluff or not?

Psychological consultant: We estimate 53% probability it is NOT a bluff.

FAM: 53%, what am I supposed to do with that?

Psychological consultant: That wasn't within the scope of our analysis, sir, but, personally, I would have another drink.

[Cap Mandrake]

Well?.................Bluff..or...not?

[Cap Mandrake]

Situation: