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The date is 28 September 1943 and it is a black month for Japan. After several CV defeats in 1942, the Kido Butai has been broken while none US CV has been lost. The Japanese have build defensives positions in the Solomons and New Guinea and the Allied assault that began in January 1943 has proven costly to both sides. But now, Allied troops hold Lunga, Tulagi, Irau, Gili Gili, Port Moresby, Dobadura, Buna, Lae, Wau, Salamaua, Nadzab and Kiriwima and this month they managed to have a better score than Japan for the first time.

Worst of it, the huge USN CV TF (probably a dozen of CV-CVL and tens of escorts) has decided to raid Japanese convoy lanes between Truk, Rabaul and Wewak and sunk a dozen ships while convoys scatter the last two days. The Japanese fleet is too weak to engage it at sea and so remained in port.

Now, another bad day is excepted. Four small escorts fleeing to Truk don't except to survive as the day, as all the base can provide them is LRCAP by an Oscar unit, the 11th Sentai. The Navy commanders don't believe much in the little fighter capacities or even in their pilots (mean exp 57). The first good news of the day is that clouds cover US CV in the morning and so no raid fly.

Two raids target the small TF in the afternoon, as there are no more targets in range. 23 Oscars face both raids, each protected by 30-50 Hellcats and Wildcats. And then the unbelievable happens.

The Oscars score 11 victories (3 Hellcats, 7 Wildcats and 1 SBD) for only one loss !!! And the TF lost only one APD sunk and a PG badly damaged.

The American pilots were probably very tired.... while Japanese pilots had enjoyed rest in Truk for more than a month and were at morale 99 and fatigue 0.

A little victory but the Japanese Command is happy to be able to report one after some really bad weeks...

I wouldn't say the Oscar isn't "useless", just a little "light" in the hitting power of its weapons system. Still, when the pilots are experienced and rested, they will do well as the 2nd line in any Japanese fighter wing.

Oscars can be deadly against Allied fighters, if their experience is high and they are used en masse. Be careful with the altitudes however. Like Zeroes they are great climbers but not good in dives due to their weight. Bergerud quotes several Allied pilots' frustration with their inability to shoot down Oscars even with the best American aircraft.

Against bombers though the Oscars are usually dead meat.

Well, that is a nice turn of event for the Japanese Army Airforce.

Sending Oscars to fight modern aircraft was a totally hopeless adventure.

It is like sending men to battle with wooden rifles.....[:-]

Right, the Oscars are no magic bullet to be sure. As I said they can be useful if their experience is high. The problem for the IJA is that Oscar airgroups arrive with very low experience and will be massacred by even mediocre Allied fighters. This leaves two options for the Japanese:

1.) Judiciously put them into combat with early-model Allied aircraft only, until their experience rises, or

2.) Play with the editor to enhance their capabilities.

Since most players - including me - will not consider 2.) then deploying them as per 1.) is the way to go. Assuming your opponent has somehow allowed the first option (and I've seen it in more than one pbem game), the key is to fly them in a huge group ideally mixed with Zeroes and/or Tonies. This is easier said than done, especially since Tonies also have experience problems right from the start.

I must say however that against a competent and alert Allied player the Oscars have little chance of survival.