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

[Cap Mandrake]

Heavies from Burma and B-25's from Sinabang have more luck.

Morning Air attack on Sasebo 3rd SNLF, at 46,74 (Langsa)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 1

Allied aircraft
Martlet IV x 3
B-24D Liberator x 12
B-24D1 Liberator x 24

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
59 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Morning Air attack on Sasebo 3rd SNLF, at 46,74 (Langsa)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 1

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 11

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:

[Cap Mandrake]

Jap bombing raids over Langsa were disrupted by our fighters so there is that.

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Oh, Jeez [:)]

Careful there, amigo.

I tried to do some research on the photo and Windows crashed. No broken glass, however. It has a tendency to do that when I research certain things.

Anyway, apparently the photo was altered to make the spot on her clothing.

So maybe I should look up some bomb (sp?) recipes and see about making some of them.[;)]

[Cap Mandrake]

New Guinea: I figured they IJN carriers would LRCAP or strike Western New Guinea so I moved the fighters back to Hollandia but the staff forgot to tell the B-25 squadrons at Hollandia

Afternoon Air attack on 62nd Infantry Brigade, at 85,109 (Manokwari)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 135
A6M5b Zero x 12
A6M5c Zero x 11

Allied aircraft
B-25C Mitchell x 31
B-25D1 Mitchell x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Luzon: Teh poor suffering lads on Luzon. Lots of this.

Morning Air attack on Manila Bay Defenses , at 78,77 (Bataan)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 106 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 53
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 27
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 30
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 3
Ki-51 Sonia x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 18 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 4 damaged

Allied ground losses:
44 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Does the "Heavy Rain" refer to the bombs are does it mean that is is raining heavy as well? [&:]

Steel rain.

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Well...as if COVID-19 were not enough the HOA is back. The HOA changed management firms (from Earthstone to Powerstone...I'm not kidding...it must be some California law that HOA management firms have to reference geology somehow)..anyway, I got rid of Christine of England who was always busting my balls and now I have Jeniffer Matador DeJuevos as the new Architectural Compliance Officer. I'm still not kidding. That really is her title.

You know what has NOT changed. Gruppenfueher Braun is still in charge. It's got to be a least 10 or 15 years she has been in charge. I don't think there is even pay. She's just in it for the power rush. Some guy ran against her but he was tragically killed in a freak street weeping accident while monitoring irrigation runoff on Gruppenfeuher Braun's street.

Anyway, either the Gruppenfeuhrer detailed Senorita Matador DeJuevos onto my case or they all just think the same because now I have to appear before the board in January and pay a $250 fine for "NON COMPLIANCE". The letter doesn't specify so I call her up.

FAM: What is the problem?

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Mr. Mandrake, we have sent you several action items.

FAM: Perhaps, but I did not read them because I am working 60 hrs a week trying to fight COVID for 9 months. Just tell me what the problem is.

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: But this is pattern. I have reviewed your files. [8|]

FAM: If this is a new issue then that information is pejorative an inadmissible. (I am getting pissed and purposely being an ass**** but she started it). Just tell me what to do, please.

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Well there is a dead tree (I think she is talking about the pepper tree they had me slaughter...and action that quite possibly may have been the cause of its demise...by ra way..this is probably the 5th biggest pepper tree and tree number 27 in size..it seems completely chicken shit to me)

FAM: Ah that would be the one you guys instructed me to kill. What else?

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Well, the front yard landscaping. There are weeds and plants turning yellow.

....so I am standing out front talking on the phone and it looks pretty damn good to me.

FAM: Yellow? Wait do you mean the dwarf fruit trees? Those are deciduous. That's what happens in the Fall.

After a few minutes of going back and forth I can tell she doesn't know shit about plants or landscape design but would be happy if I just scraped everything flat and rolled out artificial grass. I try to torture her as long as possible until she gives in and agrees to wave the fine and meeting if I send pictures and a back yard landscaping plan and a letter. I gave her a bunch of patriarchy crap too. Sending me a letter three days before Christmas. What a b****. [:D]

They worry about your backyard? I am glad my HOA doesn't have lawn care covenants.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Well...as if COVID-19 were not enough the HOA is back. The HOA changed management firms (from Earthstone to Powerstone...I'm not kidding...it must be some California law that HOA management firms have to reference geology somehow)..anyway, I got rid of Christine of England who was always busting my balls and now I have Jeniffer Matador DeJuevos as the new Architectural Compliance Officer. I'm still not kidding. That really is her title.

You know what has NOT changed. Gruppenfueher Braun is still in charge. It's got to be a least 10 or 15 years she has been in charge. I don't think there is even pay. She's just in it for the power rush. Some guy ran against her but he was tragically killed in a freak street weeping accident while monitoring irrigation runoff on Gruppenfeuher Braun's street.

Anyway, either the Gruppenfeuhrer detailed Senorita Matador DeJuevos onto my case or they all just think the same because now I have to appear before the board in January and pay a $250 fine for "NON COMPLIANCE". The letter doesn't specify so I call her up.

FAM: What is the problem?

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Mr. Mandrake, we have sent you several action items.

FAM: Perhaps, but I did not read them because I am working 60 hrs a week trying to fight COVID for 9 months. Just tell me what the problem is.

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: But this is pattern. I have reviewed your files. [8|]

FAM: If this is a new issue then that information is pejorative an inadmissible. (I am getting pissed and purposely being an ass**** but she started it). Just tell me what to do, please.

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Well there is a dead tree (I think she is talking about the pepper tree they had me slaughter...and action that quite possibly may have been the cause of its demise...by ra way..this is probably the 5th biggest pepper tree and tree number 27 in size..it seems completely chicken shit to me)

FAM: Ah that would be the one you guys instructed me to kill. What else?

Sra. Matador DeJuevos: Well, the front yard landscaping. There are weeds and plants turning yellow.

....so I am standing out front talking on the phone and it looks pretty damn good to me.

FAM: Yellow? Wait do you mean the dwarf fruit trees? Those are deciduous. That's what happens in the Fall.

After a few minutes of going back and forth I can tell she doesn't know shit about plants or landscape design but would be happy if I just scraped everything flat and rolled out artificial grass. I try to torture her as long as possible until she gives in and agrees to wave the fine and meeting if I send pictures and a back yard landscaping plan and a letter. I gave her a bunch of patriarchy crap too. Sending me a letter three days before Christmas. What a b****. [:D]

They worry about your backyard? I am glad my HOA doesn't have lawn care covenants.

Probably a complaint from the neighbour who put up a surveillance camera above fence level pointing at Cap's back yard ... gotta keep tabs on the progress of the deciduous leaf colour, and catch the dead leaves in the act of blowing into the neighbour's yard. Big Brother deems this essential to prevent seditious trends.

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Send her a landscaping plan with large genital statues that are painted with vivid, glow in-the-dark colors . . .

You might also want to check to make sure that you actually are in the HOA area. I remember reading about one man who checked and he was on the other side of the line. Apparently he and others were charged HOA fees even though they were not in the HOA. It did cost him $300k to win that court battle BUT he had not yet asked for payment of his legal fees.

Plus, a fine sounds like a criminal punishment which the HOA can NOT impose so that would be illegal. Just don't tell them that until it gets to court and then point that out to the judge.

The problem is his chance of getting legal fees is slim. You have to prove abuse of the system. This lawsuit is funny because it seems like people on both sides of the political fence enjoy the fact that Akila had to pay legal fees because of her comments on social media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J59fnh62oxQ

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Send her a landscaping plan with large genital statues that are painted with vivid, glow in-the-dark colors . . .

You might also want to check to make sure that you actually are in the HOA area. I remember reading about one man who checked and he was on the other side of the line. Apparently he and others were charged HOA fees even though they were not in the HOA. It did cost him $300k to win that court battle BUT he had not yet asked for payment of his legal fees.

Plus, a fine sounds like a criminal punishment which the HOA can NOT impose so that would be illegal. Just don't tell them that until it gets to court and then point that out to the judge.

The problem is his chance of getting legal fees is slim. You have to prove abuse of the system. This lawsuit is funny because it seems like people on both sides of the political fence enjoy the fact that Akila had to pay legal fees because of her comments on social media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J59fnh62oxQ

The thing of it is, the HOA was committing the criminal act of Fraud and if they ere using the US Postal Service that would also be Postal Fraud. Part of the penalty for fraud would be damages. So the fifteen years of payments from him as well as the rest of the people who were charged the fraudulent HOA fees could receive the attorney fees as well as part of the restitution of the criminal fraud cases. Yes, cases in plural for the state fraud plus any Federal postal fraud.

Note: I am not an attorney.

[Cap Mandrake]

I have a secret fantasy that Frau Braun will be making rounds and stop and get out of her car to photograph a "dead branch" ..then..as she turns to go back to her 9 year old Mercedes, St Saul, the patron saint of gardeners will invoke the wrath of the big guy and silently bring the 400 lb branch down on her squarish but small head.

Is it wrong to harbor such thoughts?

[Cap Mandrake]

What is up with the USAAF and the numbering of aircraft designs?

I realize this is a recurrent theme but why did they keep ordering aircraft designs that are notably WORSE than the previously ordered design?

The best examples are the B-17 and B-18? What the Hell? When they got the B-17 plans back from Boeing somebody should have said.."STOP! No more design contracts! This thing is freaking bitchen!"

Or the P-43??? WTF? How could anyone look at the drawings and not say "This thing looks like a flying sausage"

And what happened to the P-41 and P-42? Were they so bad the designers were ashamed to submit them?

Then the is the C-46 which is more capable than the C-47..and the B-29, which is 7 planes better than the B-36 [:)]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I have a secret fantasy that Frau Braun will be making rounds and stop and get out of her car to photograph a "dead branch" ..then..as she turns to go back to her 9 year old Mercedes, St Saul, the patron saint of gardeners will invoke the wrath of the big guy and silently bring the 400 lb branch down on her squarish but small head.

Is it wrong to harbor such thoughts?

Oh no, it is not. Unless, of course, you get a certain reaction to them . . . [8|]

But get a sculpture of a dead tree, painted realistically, then see what happens.

Also, those supposed weeds may actually be supporting wild bees that need help. It has been found that not using herbicides to kill those weeds have really helped various species of bees. Somewhere there is an app for a phone that will tell you what the plant is based upon a picture, then you can do research into the plant and see if any rare and/or threatened insects depend upon it. Then call in the environmentalists to help you. [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

You may be called as a witness if a certain HOA officer is stung by 10,000 Africanized bees.

[Cap Mandrake]

I give you the Seversky P-41 a stumpy F4F with unretractable landing gear.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I give you the Seversky P-41 a stumpy F4F with unretractable landing gear.

Looks like two tractors hooked up chains to each end of a Buffalo and stretched it. An aviation knock-off modified in appearance to hide the origin!

[Cap Mandrake]

P-42..a rewarmed P-36 with a drive shaft so long they could not manufacture the thing without a wobble.

[RangerJoe]

I tried a couple of times to answer about the bees. Timed out and/or booted off the log in. [:(]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I give you the Seversky P-41 a stumpy F4F with unretractable landing gear.

Looks like two tractors hooked up chains to each end of a Buffalo and stretched it. An aviation knock-off modified in appearance to hide the origin!

That looks a little like a P-43 which they developed into the horrible P-47 concept . . . [8|]

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What is up with the USAAF and the numbering of aircraft designs?

I realize this is a recurrent theme but why did they keep ordering aircraft designs that are notably WORSE than the previously ordered design?

The best examples are the B-17 and B-18? What the Hell? When they got the B-17 plans back from Boeing somebody should have said.."STOP! No more design contracts! This thing is freaking bitchen!"

Or the P-43??? WTF? How could anyone look at the drawings and not say "This thing looks like a flying sausage"

And what happened to the P-41 and P-42? Were they so bad the designers were ashamed to submit them?

Then the is the C-46 which is more capable than the C-47..and the B-29, which is 7 planes better than the B-36 [:)]

It is very simple for the B-17 - it failed the testing. You see, someone forgot to unlock the flight controls but was able to take off but the plane crashed. So the B-18 won the competition but Boeing was given a contract for the B-17.

The P-43 developed into the P-47.

Many aircraft at that time as built to test certain concepts, then those concepts that proved themselves made it into another air craft. This as before modern, digital computers.

Also, as for the reason for so many dual designs the US military (more specifically the US Army) anted two different designs for the same job just in case one did not work out. Hence, the P-39 and the P-40.

North American was asked to produce the P-40 for the UK but they claimed that they could design and build their on aircraft within 100 days. Then, later on, someone put a British engine into the resulting Mustang . . . [:'(]

[Disco Duck]

There were far worse planes. Like the wooden one we tried. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH61hxGMSr0