herbiesan vs Cantona!!!

[1275psi]

Operations diary
47th sentai -canton
1/1/42
Weather: rain, afternoon clear
47 sentai now under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 8 3 kills
Juni V 10
Juni B 9 2 kills
Inoute 8
Iwaya 8
izumuda 8?
takenaka 10
Kuroe 10
inoue 6

LTCOL kanabayashi 13
records are incomplete for this day -9 planes engaging a enemy formation over canton -
no allied planes reported lost this day.
6 planes of 47 sentai damaged today by enemy action.

[1275psi]

from the diary of Col Kanbayashi

...................I have again written to the relevant people about the lack of punch for this plane -we need a cannon!
Too lightly armed to take down bombers -not nimble enough to dog fight.
My opinion of the plane has lessened somewhat after today..................

[1275psi]

Discussions on the days battles went deep into the night.
two things were apparent -the unit was forming into two schools of thought -those that favoured todays tactics -hunters of the air -pitting superior skill against the opposition -and the more clinical - the teamwork men.
The twins were hunters, as was Hyakute, and to a degree, Inoue.
Izumida led the team push -along with Inoute. The rest were undecided.
All agreed that the bombers had been tough today -and all agreed that a cannon was needed.
And all agreed the war would be over before they got one!

As for the war -the radio was ignored tonight -fighting at Naga, clarke , Kuala Lumpar, and dutch bombers claiming invasion transports burning of Batavia.
It did not matter, the war in the south meant little today.

[1275psi]

SBc2 - tough russian built bomber.

[1275psi]

Operations diary
47th sentai -Canton

2/1/42
Weather: rain, afternoon clear
47 sentai now under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 9 3 kills
Juni V 10
Juni B 10 2 kills
Inoute 8
Iwaya 8
izumuda 8
takenaka 10
Kuroe 10
inoue 7

LTCOL kanabayashi 13

Conducted LRCAP patrol to the North -poor weather again
No contacts today

[1275psi]

Juni b landed late in the afternoon.
It had been a long, boring day

Fighter aircraft are not built for comfort - and the KI 44 -as big as it is compared to some of the earlier army fighters -is still a cramped place to work in.
Endless circling over army positions, looking for contacts that never appeared - fighter pilots were born to hunt.

frustrating.

maybe tomorrow.

[1275psi]

from the diary of Col Kanbayashi


..........and I wish we could really get to grips with the enemy
Too few planes to really have any effect - not enough to challenge the AVG head on, not enough to stop bombers getting through.
I wish they would just rush this plane into production -and we had a decent group to fight with...........

[1275psi]

The news for today
Fighting now in batavia, clarke field, naga, centarl malaya.
All seems to be going well -but this all miles away from 47sentai -and is now of little concern.
The pilots meet tonight - how to bring the enemy to battle?

[FeurerKrieg]

Hi herbiesan -

Nice AAR - I wouldn't change the format if I were you. I'm interested to see the story develop as new pilots, some experienced, some not, join the sentai - planes are changed out, upgraded, downgraded, etc. I'm sure the 9 planes you have won't last until July, so I'm guessing your boys will end up in Oscars at some point. SOme of them will be happy, some won't.

I'm not concerned that it is not parallel to cantona's aar. I like this story of our Sentai.

[1275psi]

Thankyou for comment
AAR will continue same format - turns been so rapid no time to update!
I can say this -it will get easier to do -numbers of pilots are shrinking where game is up to now[:(]

[1275psi]

Japanese flying suit
(we are still cold)

[1275psi]

Operations diary
47th sentai -Canton
3/1/42
Weather: morning clear, afternoon clear
47 sentai now under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 9 3 kills
Juni V 10
Juni B 10 2 kills
Inoute 9
Iwaya 8
izumuda 8 2 kills
takenaka 11
Kuroe 10
inoue 7

LTCOL kanabayashi 13

Conducted LRCAP patrol to the North - 12 SBc2 bombers intercepted -2 kils claimed this day by Capt Izumida

[1275psi]

Again our Sentai's records on who flew are not tallying up with log books, but there is little doubt about one thing for this day -the sentai was heavily engaged (for this period of the war standards) -and achieved 2 definate kills -and possibly a third

Ironically considering the conversations of the night before, it was a clear cut day for "team" verses "Hunters"

All 9 tojos were in a loose gaggle -spread in a fat lazy circle to the north of canton -relaesed only moments before by the Colonel "to go shoot something up" - when the bombers came sliding into view.

Only Izumida and inoute were in position -high -and together.
It would have been good from a proffesionals point of view to watch - the fighters, close in together, pouring fire into the bombers - one, then the other, and then back to the other.
I zumida showed his skill - shooting quickly, lacerating both bombers cockpits in one viscous attack..
No doubt with these bombers -both falling, brocken, down out of the sky, useless metal now.

The Chinese were brave -but not skilled - they shot back valiantly -but uselessly, and quickly fled -3 definately smoking.

It took all of 2 minutes from sighting to finish.
Interestingly the hunters failed to even engage..............

[1275psi]

from the diary of Col Kanbayashi

Well - Im about convinced. Inoute and Izumida may well be right. There is only one way to fight the KI 44 -get height -get real height, and dive and strike -and if you miss - you miss -get out.
And lets get this rabble flying as a team...............

[1275psi]

letter from Capt Izumida
to
Lt Argro, 33rd sentai


...........and the bloody thing has no finess like the falcon, how I miss the Ki 43! -but it has this.
great rate of climb -and a brilliant dive.
Finally bought down another 2 planes today - thats a start for this particular war..........


............miss you guys - best hunting.........

[1275psi]

Prefered fighter for some of our pilots, the KI 43

[1275psi]

4/1/42
the bombers came for another try today
Again 47th sentai was on patrol to the north of canton, this time in tight formation.
6 planes up -3 down, a hard rotatation to maintain - but do able

6 verses 7 -2 flights of bombers in very tight formation.
The sentai attacks!, sliding in from the rear port quarter -but this time the chinese are ready -and more than willing to fight.
They turn hardinto the inside of the attacking fighters -who have to extend flaps to keep them in the curve -exchanging valuable energy for height -and tracer from both sides streaks across the sky
Inoute engages - and scores -but the bomber simply turns inside of him -and he dives underneath -clearing the way for takenaka to strike -which he does.

but the bomber flies on.
the twins attack - and are forced to break away as tracer lashes them!
Juni b escapes death my inches as one shell strikes the very edge of canopy -and another strikes his propeller.
The reaction is immediate -a horendous vibration -and even as he cuts the throttle the unmistakeable sound of an engine terminating in a very big way.


The rest of the squadron fail to intercept properly -and the bombers again escape.

For Juni B -the next few minutes"are interesting"
he decides to remain with the plane -spying a long clear road below - and today he gets lucky -gliding down to a fast, dangerous, yet successful landing, finishing right at the feet of an astounded company (fortunately for him) japanese infantry.

he will have a long day - once the maintenace crew get to him, there are wings to be removed, a truck to be loaded, and a long slow drive home.

It will take him 24hrs..............

[1275psi]

Operations diary
47th sentai -canton

4/1/42
Weather: morning clear, afternoon clear
47 sentai now under the command of China command
reported combat mission totals

LT Hyakute 9 3 kills
Juni V 10
Juni B 10 2 kills
Inoute 9
Iwaya 8
izumuda 8 2 kills
takenaka 11
Kuroe 10
inoue 7

LTCOL kanabayashi 13

again records do not match planes flying!
However today 6 Tojo engaged 7 enemy 2 engine bombers -damaging 3, for severe damageto one fighter -medium damage to 2 more

No kills confirmed today

[1275psi]

Again the conversation in the mess was about guns - in particular the lack of penetration of the HO 103 12.7 mm machine guns of the KI 44

Inoute in particular was disgusted.

There was only one solution
"team -we must hit as a team"
Although some still did not agree on this -there was no doubt in any ones mind - it was no god outflying your opponent -if you could'nt bring him down"

[1275psi]

very lucky to make it home today.........