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

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Also, as the KB has been spotted, the two battle-ready USN carries are loading up for a secret mission [:)]

Are they going to deliver a lifetime supply of tobacco + pipes to Dougie boy?

The one in Darwin can order them from Alice but the one in Bataan will have to wait for late '43 for carrier help.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Also, as the KB has been spotted, the two battle-ready USN carries are loading up for a secret mission [:)]

Are they going to deliver a lifetime supply of tobacco + pipes to Dougie boy?

The one in Darwin can order them from Alice but the one in Bataan will have to wait for late '43 for carrier help.

I assumed he was still holed up on the Rock, in the Malinta tunnel.

[Cap Mandrake]

No need to be couped up on Corregidor. As long as you are not right at the airfield there are some nice villas near Marivellas. Maids. Cold San Miguels. Nice.

[Cap Mandrake]

**********Beachside Villa, Maravillas, Luzon*********

Tall Patrician-looking man: <grabs a San Miguel from the fridge> Oh darn! It's warm. Ah Cheu, please call General Wainwright and have him send some mechanics over. The icebox is broken again.

Ah Cheu: Right away, Mistah General Sir. <bows and retires>

Tall Patrician-looking man: War is Hell.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

**********Beachside Villa, Maravillas, Luzon*********

Tall Patrician-looking man: <grabs a San Miguel from the fridge> Oh darn! It's warm. Ah Cheu, please call General Wainwright and have him send some mechanics over. The icebox is broken again.

Ah Cheu: Right away, Mistah General Sir. <bows and retires>

Tall Patrician-looking man: War is Hell.

Added to the indignity of having his golf interrupted by Jap fighter planes.

[JohnnieX]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I am having very vivid dreams lately. I think it is the trauma of the KB showing up suddenly. I had a dream I was in Central America but lost my flight information and couldn't remember which country I was flying to. I am pretty sure this is a strategic planning nightmare dream. Then I had a dream I was in a giant home where everyone drove green Jaguar sedans INSIDE the house and I had a fender bender trying to get between the coffee table and the couch. This, clearly is meant to signify the dangerous waters between Ceram and New Guinea.

I am getting pretty good at dream analysis.

Sometimes a couch is just a couch.

Are you sure the Jaguars weren't PT boats chasing Jap BBs?

Spitfires were built at the Castle Bromwich factory during WW2. Bombers were built there too. That's where they build Jaguar saloons (sedans) now.

Maybe you knew somewhere in your subconscious and you need to make sure your Spitfires don't get stuck between Moulmein (coffee table) and Rangoon (couch) or something like that.

F Paces are built in Solihull. I Paces and E Paces are built at Graz in Austria. I don't think that can be relevant though.

[Cap Mandrake]

Wow. That was mind expanding. Timothy Leary time. <puts on Grateful Dead music on headphones>

The only Spits we have in theatre are RAAF at Malaybalay on Mindanao. Perhaps the Japs are going to land at Mindanao....or a big raid on Malaybalay.

I just brought in some replacement A/C and they are still gluing on the wings.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Wow. That was mind expanding. Timothy Leary time. <puts on Grateful Dead music on headphones>

Captain Mandrake...high on saki cake...sailing that lake...watch out for that Nate...

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh, oh, that's the George of the Jungle song. I love that.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Oh, oh, that's the George of the Jungle song. I love that.

Trouble ahead...trouble behind...and you know that notion just crossed my mind...

[Cap Mandrake]

I knew it was a Dead song. Was just kidding.[:)]

One time I parked my motor home next to a Deadhead bus at a campground near Monterrey with my kids. Jeez, what a mistake.

Mandrake Jr: Daddy, what is that man doing?

FAM: <looks over> HORY CRAP!

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I knew it was a Dead song. Was just kidding.[:)]

One time I parked my motor home next to a Deadhead bus at a campground near Monterrey with my kids. Jeez, what a mistake.

Mandrake Jr: Daddy, what is that man doing?

FAM: <looks over> HORY CRAP!

Did you ever see the documentary about Ken Kesey's bus, Magic Trip? A long strange trip...

[Cap Mandrake]

******************January 23, 1943(e)***************

New & Improved Guinea and Refurbished New Britain: JJ has let their fighter strength dwindle a bit at Rabaul and they skip bombing Buka long enough for use to get some supply in and patch up the AF. Time for a complicated plan to attack Rabaul with 82 moving parts.

--fighters from Buka with fresh aviation support
--P-38's and B-25's from Terapo in New Guinea (built up to level 5)
--B-25's from Tulagi
--Heavy bombers from the only place close enough with a big enough field...Rennel Is
--Bombardment cruiser force moving up from Luganville.
--Amphibious landing force moving up from Kirakira

The idea is for the P-40's to LRCAP Rabaul and for the P-38's to sweep...then the B-25's come in to wear out anything left of the CAP...then the heavies from Rennel. Nothing can go wrong.

Step one...not bad but quite a few Tojos up in the air..maybe 80% of the fighters there.

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 28,550 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 40
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 8
Ki-46 KAI Dinah x 2

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 9
P-40K Warhawk x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 5 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIb Nick: 1 destroyed
Ki-46 KAI Dinah: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 3 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 24550 feet

[Cap Mandrake]

They pick today to attack Buka and bring in some Zekes..oops.

Morning Air attack on Buka , at 109,128

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 27
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 26

Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 14

Later raid with no escort

Morning Air attack on Buka , at 109,128

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 16

Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

******************January 23, 1943(e)***************

New & Improved Guinea and Refurbished New Britain: JJ has let their fighter strength dwindle a bit at Rabaul and they skip bombing Buka long enough for use to get some supply in and patch up the AF. Time for a complicated plan to attack Rabaul with 82 moving parts.

--fighters from Buka with fresh aviation support
--P-38's and B-25's from Terapo in New Guinea (built up to level 5)
--B-25's from Tulagi
--Heavy bombers from the only place close enough with a big enough field...Rennel Is
--Bombardment cruiser force moving up from Luganville.
--Amphibious landing force moving up from Kirakira

The idea is for the P-40's to LRCAP Rabaul and for the P-38's to sweep...then the B-25's come in to wear out anything left of the CAP...then the heavies from Rennel. Nothing can go wrong.

Step one...not bad but quite a few Tojos up in the air..maybe 80% of the fighters there.

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Officer Murphy begs to differ...

[Cap Mandrake]

Step 2...the B-25 and RAAF Mitchells from Terapo. Too many Togos left. Strong AAA at 15K feet too.

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 17
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 3

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 11
B-25C Mitchell x 14
P-40K Warhawk x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Mitchell II: 1 destroyed by flak
B-25C Mitchell: 3 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7

[Cap Mandrake]

Only about half the B-25's from Tulagi take off.

Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 4
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 2

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 22
P-40K Warhawk x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
L3Y2 Tina: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

[Cap Mandrake]

Not a single sortie from Rennel. [:-] The right hook does not land. Bummer.

[Cap Mandrake]

PI: Based on the advice from the Oracle of Cheshire, and with the KB laying 200 miles off the coast of Mindanao, I moved the Spitfires to safety in Bataan. [:)]

Little did I know "Bataan" is Tagalog for "coffee table". JJ picks today to sweep over Clark and the Spits are on CAP.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 49 NM, estimated altitude 25,190 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 38

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vc Trop: 2 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

So much for the CAP.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 17
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 8 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 10 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 13