The little ship that could.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Japan hears of the last, but not of this

CV Hiryu , struggling to Singapore, succumbs to her wounds north of Soerabaya, sliding gently to the bottom.

Sunk by a single Torpedo.
Inconceivable.
But true.



(left Soerabaya at 63 flood!!!!!)

[:o]... damned damned silent hunters

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Japan hears of the last, but not of this

CV Hiryu , struggling to Singapore, succumbs to her wounds north of Soerabaya, sliding gently to the bottom.

Sunk by a single Torpedo.
Inconceivable.
But true.



(left Soerabaya at 63 flood!!!!!)

\Why didn't you just leave her there, bring in an AR, and get things in better shape?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Japan hears of the last, but not of this

CV Hiryu , struggling to Singapore, succumbs to her wounds north of Soerabaya, sliding gently to the bottom.

Sunk by a single Torpedo.
Inconceivable.
But true.

(left Soerabaya at 63 flood!!!!!)

Post # 1635 said two fish and subsequent posts say she burned more than 24 hrs. Fuel or Ammo Storage Explosion maybe? That makes the System Damage much higher and the loss much more likely.

Soerabaja drydock is too small to take her but the Shipyard tradesmen and shops should have been able to do much repair alongside. Was Herbisan worried about air attack at Soerabaja already?

[John 3rd]

Man---I would have left in Port until every possible point was repaired and THEN moved her...

[1275psi]

Hi Guys
re hiryu

BBF fan was correct, 2 fish.
She crawled into port all but sunk
Flood was not going to go any lower than what it was when she sailed
Only 2 ARs in the fleet left

But remember this, using Kaga as an example, Hiryu was for all intents sunk, even if I saved her, she would not be back until nearly wars end

certainly not for when I really need her................right now!
Moving her might have been a mistake, but................

(quite possibly, if losing one CV is painful readers......you might want to look away soon, I am about to risk the lot!)

[1275psi]

29/1/44

CL Natori, and that little old rattling terrier CL Tenryu take their turn at rangoon
Its another smash and grab.
They slot a destroyers with a fish, sink her, sink another 3 AKs, have a good wash down from the hundred near misses, and get away undamaged.
Its another small pin prick, another small successful attack.

It does however, not escape High Commands notice.
Could this be the way to counter the enemy invasions coming?
Not one smashing blow, but a stream of arrows, streaming in.

[1275psi]

3 Liberators attack Boela, and Japan has 90 plus fighters circling the base
Typically, they escape.
The line of islands in the Arafu sea are all hit, a APD is sunk (the supply run has now become doubly deadly), and the next enemy convoy sighted passing through the gulf arrive to join the fleet gathering at Wessel island.

This information has been gathered at great cost, the betty unit on search is stood down, now only 7 planes strong.
Boela, Ambon remain open, but barely.

[1275psi]

Hirate and Okano remove the head off the Diesel,.

'"Truk!".
They say it together, the curse ringing loudly enough to be heard on the quarter deck.
Its not the head. The cyllinder liner itself is cracked.
"Do we have a bloody spare?"
"No"

The bad news, as all bad news is, is swiftly conveyed to Charge.
'Truk"
"Ok then, get over to Shoho, I am going to owe them more than a favour now"
The men grin. Ship visits are always a great escape from the days routine.
But the mens grins fade as Charges tone of voice hardens. "Do not linger, there is a good chance we might sail tonight, and I am not going to battle with you pair stuck on the wrong ship!"



The signals, the flashing lights work overtime in Kendari harbour. One after another the destrroyers take their turn at the small wharf, refuelling.
There is, of course, not a hope in hell of getting the carriers or Battleships alongside.. They must wait for the tankers,
regrettably, they are still a long, long way away.

At midday, the flags burst forth on Zuikaku. "All Captains to Flagship"
Takeji turns to Hidaka, his eyes twinkling "Our Masters call. The deliberations of wieghty men and matters I suspect"
"Which will?"
""I don't bloody care you know, as long as it brings a battle. This waiting, these near misses.........."
Takeji takes his sword, places his cap firmly on his head. "I for one, will be asking for one thing, and one thing only, attack"

[1275psi]

30/1/44

Old men
We are all but old men, fighting a young mans war.
Takeji sweeps his gaze around the hanger deck, at the greying faces, the thinning, whiting hair of his fellow captains.
We are old. But we stll can fight.

The enemy have sailed from Wessel island , 4 distinct task forces, the carriers following. Much has been discussed about the enemy fleet, Takeji thinks, personally, that the enemy fleet may not be in the formation desired.
But it doesn't matter. They are coming. And that does.

Four hours have been spent discussing the counter stroke, the formations to be deployed.
The banda sea swarms with ASW assetts, they wait for the word too.

Takeji shifts un easily. Too much talk!. Let us be away!
And then the message arrives
"Gentlemen" Admiral Abe calls them to silence. "A message "
Silence fills the hanger.
Dread fills takeji's heart.
"A sighting report. 10 ships, 320 miles north east Marcus, direction west, speed 20 knots"

The Greying man lowers his head, then raises again..and smiles.
If the Wessel island fleet is a diversion, then what can it consist of yes?............nothing as strong as us. This, this "sighting".Army planes. An island we can do with out. I see an opportunity , not a threat."
He stands, every inch the Japanese warrior.
"To your Ships. We sail, Banda sea, then the Arafu. We attack, and good luck to you all"

Takeji leaves amongst the first.
And his heart is filled with joy. .
1944, and Japan still attacks.

[1275psi]

31/1/44

Banda sea.

0900 hours

Zuiho lays on the southern corner of this fleet, 4 CVLs, two mighty battle wagons in the middle, destroyers fanned ahead.
Overhead, Hidaka and his CAP prowl. Somewhere to the south, 11 of her Jills search.
40 miles ahead, the main 6 carriers. Aead of them, Hiyo.

And seemingly everywhere, small japanese task forces.
The reports flow in, have flowed in, a steady stream of paper, flimsies that so driely tell of death, and blood, and glory.

Before dawn, 4 E class asw ships have engaged a DD and a tanker 120 miles south of the line islands
The tanker burns
The E class ships are crawling home, savaged.

The enemy have kept coming.

Another flimsy.
"From CL Yahagi.
Enemy warships in sight.
Am attacking"

He hands the signal back. His eyes wander the bridge, his men.
His steel helmet.
Silly bloody thing.
But its there. This time, maybe he will really need it.

[PaxMondo]

[1275psi]

OK, after disapointment after disapointment, you, fellow journeyman, will now be rewarded for your patience.

Get the popcorn

The battle of Arafura sea, the mightiest clash in nearly a year, is beginning...................

[1275psi]

"Am attacking"

Attacking.
What?
Destroyers?, cruisers, .............I admire your courage Captain, but courage is not what we need............we need information!
Takeji tries to appear calm on his bridge.
But damnation!
"'radio room! anything else?"
'No sir, nothing yet"

The banda sea slides past, deep blue, the sun brilliant upon its surface
His ship vibrates beneath him, and faintly, the sound of the stadby CAP warming up. Men on the focastle work, and if he looks aft from this bridge wing, he can take in the guns, pointing upwards, the men waiting stoically beside them.
A peaceful scene............

But heavens.............

"Another report sir............enemy is a Clevland class CL, 4 DDs, he is trying to draw them towards us"

Which would make Yamatos's captain happy no doubt.............

"Very good"

There is nothing else to say.............


The minutes tick on, and on...and on.
The watch changes, dolphins join them, but cannot keep up, an albatross wheels past.

The CAP fighters growl in the sky

Somewhere south, men are dying.

"Lunch sir?"
Already.............I do not feel hungry, but this may be a long, long day..........an even longer night
Takeji forces himself to eat.

"CL Yahagi reporting again sir............CL Noshiro burning admidships from single hit to torpedo launcher. Enemy have retired to south east, am returning to soerabaya, ammunition exhausted, out"

And that is all?. We plunge on, and that is all?.

Takeji stands here, in command of nearly 800 men. And feels utterly helpless.
Fate is sweeping him south.

Ahead, the horizon is darkening.
Almost, as if on cue, Hidaka joins him, face still sweaty from his latest tour overhead. " The enemy must be about"
'Ney?"
He nods his head in disgust at the bands of clouds growing, sweeping up across the sky.
"Rain". Its going to rain again. . .Do you know how many times its bloody rained when we have gone into battle!"

[1275psi]

The piston has been pulled.
The liner, surprisingly, has come easily.
The new one has gone in, and the two men are beginning the chain blocking of the head back on.

It is then, of course, that the alarms ring
"Action stations!"
With a curse, the tie it with a quick lashing. Hirate gives the diesel one last look before he slams the door shut behind him.
There is something wrong, he thinks, going to battle with the job half done.

[1275psi]

Fuel taken from the far corners of the earth is drawn from its tank, strained, pumped, heated, and blasted into the furnace
Mixed with pressurised, swirling air, it blazes in a flame 5 feet long by 2 feet wide, heating the banks of tubes about it cherry red.

water, pure, pure water, enters the boiler under pressure, falls down great pipes in the structure, roils into header tanks, then convects up thgose cherry red pipes, sucking in the heat,, the energy, converting itself to a hot liquid gas.

The gas bursts, at great pressure, into the pipework, where its heated again, now superhot, superheated, it moves, hidden, leathal, flesh stripping raw energy through the great pipes.

The great valves direct the energy into the blades, the rows, and rows of them, where energy is turned to work, and power, and life itself.

The blades spin, spin at prodigous rates, turning the shaft, that turns the great gearbox, that slows the out put to a speed that is not insane.

The shaft, nearly 2 feet in diameter, turns, twisting over its great length, the tremedous torque converting all that energy into something useful, something needed, something vital

The propeller blade beats, 296 RPM, nearly full power.


Zuiho's men stand to their watch
It is almost dusk.

Twice today the enemy have come at the ships racing south.
15 Avengers, then 15 helldivers.
Unco ordinated. weak.
Zuihos men stand to their watch, below decks, away from the sun, the news, information. They do not know what is happening. They may never know.
But they know this.
Keep the fires burning.
Keep the shafts turning
Keep Zuiho moving. Keep her alive.

[1275psi]

The first day, of the second month, of 1944

Battle of Arafura sea.



0200 hrs
"You should be asleep Hidaka".............the words, almost whisperd, pierce the silence of Zuiho's bridge
"Shouldn't you be sir?"

Teeth gleam in the moonlight..........."Alright then..........I won't ask you are you ready, I know you are"
"And so is Zuiho sir"
"yes.............yes, I think you are right."

Faintly, from below and behind them, the ting, ting, of the forward elevator.
Zuihos last bomber going aloft, waiting for the dawn.


For a few minutes the men contemplate the sea. To the southeast, dark shadows, taberfane island, growing closer with every minute. To each side of them, faint, but visible, the destroyer escorts, wakes glittering in the moonlight
There has been rain, but only scattered, and the moon from time to time still emerges, a weak spotlight on this, mans great folly.

But it is a beautiful folly.
The glimmering sea, the great hullks of the battle wagons, dark shadows relentlessly carving a path south.

'You will fight today Hidaka. When they come, keep close to here, don't go seeking glory. We need a goalkeeper. Zuiho is it."

Goal keeper
Against what?
Does it matter? Here, or over there. They still have to be shot down...........

[1275psi]

1/2/44

0310 hrs
'start engines,, standby to commence flight deck operations."

They swing into gear, cough, explode into life, great blades blurring.
Smoke blossoms, is blasted away. The blade driven winf plucks at mens clothes.
In the shaded light of the deck lamps, Zuihos eagles burst into life.

Her pilots break from the bridge, water from the rain soaked deck splashing.
There has been no exhortation today. No speeches.
"Do you duty!"

It is enough.
Men begin to climb into waiting machines. Engines begin to bellow, to thunder.
The beat through her. Fill her. Strengthen her and her men. This is the little ship.
She can. She has. today, a chance to do it again.
Of her flank, Shokau's deck is crowded with planes, her wake creaming.
Behind, a thousand guns turn towards the sky.

The horizon glimmers faintly.
The sky is dark, low, and wet.

A new day
A great day
A day for battle

For many............

A last day.

The lights flash, the flag falls. The steam streams straight down her deck

"Commence launching"


The enemy have been sighted
Carriers
120 miles away.

[GreyJoy]

Can't wait!!!![&o]

[John 3rd]

BANZAI! (Even if they are CVEs) BANZAI!!

What ships are in Her TF?

BANZAI!!!

[Gridley380]

I'm curious too - what's your fleet composition like on the morning of battle?