Wobbly vs herb, ens hanamato

[1275psi]

I have just started a new game against wobbly, after ghosting killed our last one[:(]
So, being totally sick of turn 1, we are starting the May1 42 scenerio.
I want to do an AAR, but not a huge one

So, Im doing a quick pilot log of a single pilot, ENS Hanamato -assigned to the kaga

He's been a pilot since 37
Flew in China, the pearl attack, and been on KB for the duration
He has an exp of 92[:'(]

Wonder how long he will last?

So day 1

2 may 42
Tokyo harbour
Recieved squadron replacements today, some 20 fellows, last of the latest graduation, some pretty green guys amongst them.
Fleet looked magnificent in the bay
7 carriers, 10 battle ships, 15 cruisers.

several pep talks today
many admirals onboard -saw Yammato himself
Yamaguchi -the devil, has assumed command
We sailed at dusk, headed south, many , many ships also cleared the harbour
squadron moral high
It is painful to leave home again, but such is a sailors lot, I am sure we will soon tangle with the Americans again
Our target is a secret, rumours abound.

test flight today - 15 mins, weather clear
2515 hrs 15min, 93 deck landings

[tabpub]

*peeks in, looks around for useful information to transmit to the alternate Tabpub universe....finds nothing of note and closes time/space portal, disappointed but optimistic*[:'(]

[1275psi]

2/5/42
combat air patrol over the fleet.
4 hrs , 15 mins, weather clear.
no action, or sightings
total to date 2520 hrs
Shocking approach today, far too low.

what a sight, KB steadily steaming south, 4CVs, 2cs, cruisers, and some dozen destroyers.
destination has now been revealed - Truk
here we are to join CV div 3, and with the combined fleet in support seek the enemy.
rumour has it, an invasion of some place called port moresby is in the offing.
We certaintly are bringing enough power, at the extreme edge of my patrol i could see the battle line, 10 batleships, and many, many other ships.

rest of the day spent discussing tactics we might expect from the americans, and their planes.
I saw a wildcat over pearl, tubby little thing.
I hope to down one soon.

[1275psi]

3/5/42
Rest day today.
I watch with anxiety the performance of some of our new pilots, we need better trained men than this
weather clear today, and improving as we continue due south.

An announcment today, our forces have occupied some place called Milne bay, and another called Lunga.
Niether place means anything to us.

Day spent in drills, and damage Control exercises

[1275psi]

4/5/42
Combat patrol over the fleet again today
4 hrs
Boring, weather good.
Captain Okada announced that our naval airforces operating from rabual had attacked and "sunk a battleship, and damaged many other ships" at port moresby.
LT Sato -the aggressive barsted of a squadron leader we have, suggested that we should be practicing more formation tactics
This is, of course, bullshit.
Fighter pilots live and die on our individual skill, once in combat, the best men live, the lesser die.

I believe the zero is invincible.
I hope the betty boys leave something for us.

[1275psi]

5/5/42
ship sailing through heavy weather fronts, spent the day in my bunk.
Ship in total radio silence -course still due south

[1275psi]

6/5/42
More bad weather
Visited the bridge today
Captain Okada was in his usual position, does he ever leave the bridge?
Looked at the plot, somewhere to our west are the marianas.
We seperated from CV Div 2 yesterday, but there they were this morning.

No sign of the battle wagons.
3 days without flying - Ill get rusty.

[1275psi]

Tiring day -7/5/42

many reports of submarines ahead of us at truk
Two missions today, 3 hrs CAP on each
Total 2530 hrs, 97 carrier landings.
Weather clear, and very hot.
Still no news, radio silence continuing

We had a briefing today from Yamaguchi.
We are going to take KB and sit off the tip of Papua New Guinea, and seek decisive battle.
We have a very heavy naval bomber prescence in the area, and we will act as cover as the battle line escorts the invasion troops to PM.

Simultanously a new CV -The Hiyo, is going to cover an invasion of Baker island in the gilberts.
Intelligence placed 2 enemy CVs in the south pacific a week ago, although where the enemy is, is unknown.

A new Commander has been given command of the Allied forces.
Incredibaly, its a new Zealander.
ADM Yamaguchi believes his appointment reflects a new aggressive -almost over aggressive attitude. he rates chances of combat with the enemy CVs as low however -Port Moresby is of only low piority.

Interestingly I heard we have several French interpreters onboard - why, I have no idea.
I hope I do not fly tomorrow. Wonder when LT Sato will give some of the green horns a go.
Truk probably tomorrow.

[Cap Mandrake]

Fun approach. Be sure to give us all the details should young Hanamoto have a run in with a "comfort woman"

[1275psi]

8/5/42
Another boring 4 hrs today
pretty pissed about this, why am I flying so much, while those who need the experience sit around on their arses
Hrs now 2534, landings now 98 - only 2 to go, and I join the club!

We passed a great big troop convoy today, it was going North - back home, the lucky buggars.
They cheered us crazily, who would'nt, such a mighty armada to see.
We should arrive at Truk tomorrow.
The tension grows onboard, but its a quiet one, detirmined to do our best.

[1275psi]

9/5/42
we arrive at truk
The battle fleet is here as well.
What a place - a lagoon so big it just swallows the fleet
No flying today, local fighters provide CAP
Its truly a fortress

As soon as we arrived, dozens of barges came out, and we refuelled.
All day the ships boats shuttled back and forth, carrying the Admirals and captains back and forth.

For all the activity everywhere -from the black gang trying to get spare parts onboard, to the supply chains as we get fresh food onboard, all is a blur of activity.
Except for us pilots.
We had nothing to do.
felt like a fifth wheel

[Alikchi2]

Interestingly I heard we have several French interpreters onboard - why, I have no idea.

[X(][:D]

I think I know.

[1275psi]

10/5/42

Some news today.
The airforce is in heavy engagement in Burma - attacking India apparently.

Snap inspection today
we are as ready material wise as we can be
Only battle will see how the men react, how i remember the fear over pearl,fear that turned to detachment.
If we die, we die

watched over a dozen transports loading with troops in the lagoon today, wonder where they will go.

[1275psi]

11/5/42

A crappy, crappy day
The fleet sailed.
50% cap set, but on 5 minutes notice.
Translation, I spend the whole day sitting under the wing, waiting for the call.
Only the breeze down the flight deck cooled us.
We are whipping along - south east as best i can tell, 6 fleet carriers, little shoho tagging along

Seaplane tender sending out scouts all day
No sign of the battle fleet, it went due south.

At least the intelligence officer had some news, enemy ships near Gilli, gilli, OH, I know where that is now, we have spent all day ( well this evening) pouring over newly issued maps.

The coral sea seems to be our field of destiny, I can feel it.

[Alikchi2]

I really like this format. Keep it up.

[1275psi]

12/5/42
The tension rises, you feel it in the men.
we took photos today - just a group of us, our little group in front of our "offices", the wind fairly wipping down the deck.
LTJG Kubota - 2700 hrs -serious and moody, yet always willing to help
PO1 Kasai -2200 hrs - and a crazy prediliction to spin his plane
PO2 masuyama -1800 hrs - baby faced, and a killer of 3 over pearl
PO2 Asada - a simple farmers boy, and i love him as a brother, he is my wingman, he has 2200 hrs
and last but not least, PO2 Sagara.c , last from the academy, he seems confident
And of course myself
I look at our liitle group, face into the breeze, tasting the salt we are carving up from the bow, and feel nothing but pride to be included in this little group defending our homeland.
bring on the enemy!

A test flight today, just 20 minutes
would you like to visit my office?
Getting in is not easy, always from the left hand side, there are 4 little pull out steps leading over the trailing edge to the cockpit, push a little button, and they pop out.
Miss them, and you put a foot straight through the wing
This is sure to earn LT Sato's wrath - and personally the crew Chief scares the shit out of me.
You get in gingerly - the seat is very barren, and very fragile

Unlike some, I now wear a chute - not for its use, it makes a good cushion.
Then to work
Its practiced, second nature
yellow Tab in - wing tips locked
Fuel tank selected, and on - 5 to choose from, 138 gallons max.
Check voltage - 24 -too low, and you can burn out the starter -and this usually results in a fire
set priming pump to on
seat belt on - I never use the shoulder straps -too restrictive
trim slightly tail down (my preference) - its a delightfully constructed wooden wheel, then vitally, set throttle friction tight!
If it slips, it goes back to idle - fatal if the flight deck is still under you
Then the battery switches, generator, pitot heater on
Half inch throttle, guns checked, and then final cockpit check

Control
harness
Airframe (flaps set, trim set, hatches and cowlings set0
Outside ( the steam streaming from the ports in Kaga's bow to indicate wind)
trim - again
Instruments
canopy - close - if there is a flash fire, it will protect greatly
Then start, 1000 rpm, priming pump off, don't over rev

the noise is tremendous, and my plane feels alive
She needs little warming up, and all eyes are on the flight deck officer
Flag
No hesitation, we must clear the deck in 5 minutes
Throttle on, no vision, tale rises, the deck is gone
40 inch manifold, throttle two thirds.
gear up

Then, always, I roll the plane 360 on its axis - why -because I can

The zero is a delight to fly, she stalls at less than 60 knots, and i can turn on a dime

where i want to put her, she goes.
And this is what makes the differensce between us , and the new chums

Up there, there is no up
I am comfortable flying inverted, flying with the horizon at 90 degrees - it is all the same to me.
the key is orientation, situational awarness. If you need to think about your flying -need to think about your stick movements, you are lost.

Vision in the cockpit is superb.

So, 99 landings after today

towards dusk, the ship shudders, we are going through the bismark straight - at full speed.
I can hear the blowers scream deep in the bowels of kaga, and she vibrates from end to end.
Evening meal, and the ship goes to action stations. Its going to be a long night in the ready room

An announcement - many, many enemy ships -including BBs are near Port Moresby.
We aim for the coast of some point called buna - have we been spotted.
Will I be on CAP, or strike tomorrow?

I am supremely scared -but will never show it
how many of us will fall tomorrow, like cherry blossoms in the autumn

[1275psi]

The frustration
13/5/42

battle is joined!
We powered through the straight , and were not attacked

before dawn the planes were spotted on deck- and I drew the short straw.
It was my fate to spend the entire day in the ready room, I was assigned to standby strike, in case we are surprised.
A long, long day, listening to the radio

rabual air apparently struck at dawn, Port moresby is packed with shipping.
we have been told that at least 60 to 100 fighters were shot down by our compatriots over port moresby, but we lost at least 20 of our planes
The nells did badly, scoring no hits
Our 1st strike failed to cross the ranges, a massive thunderstorm blocking our path, the frustration of the Val pilots was palapable - how humiliating to be stopped by the weather!
I think fortune smiled, to go into the bear pit unescorted is foolish

After lunch we tried again
60 zeros and 41 vals crossed, and encountered about 40 fighters
So far we count just 6 zeros lost, and claim 35 kills
PO1 Kasai returned beaming, he got a kill, a P 39, it tried to out turn him

results are being assessed, but were very poor, only a single large AP sunk, the enemy has scattered his shipping all over the area
many, many troops spotted disembarking.

As the afternoon wore on, a report - SS I-17 sinks an AO -the neasho, south of Gilli, gilli, and the glenns report a task force to its west - The carriers!!!????

yamaguchi tells us that tomorrow he will committ the kates - stood down today -until we find real targets -and we continue to hammer down the coast towards Milne bay

As night falls, the tension eases, we have blooded many men, and no one is lost on this mighty ship today.
Tokyo announces 100 fighters destroyed over port moresby, and our losses light.
it also claims many, many ships sunk at port moresby
The mess is riotious tonight, as we release the tension, and gird ourselves for the next round.

This battle is far from over, our captain came and spoke to us , the enemy is making a stand here, this battle is only just begining.
I pray that I will fly tomorrow.

[Freddy Fudpucker]

Hi Herb,

I like your AAR idea of writing from the point of view of an in-game combatant.

I thought of doing something similar with half a dozen in-game characters but decided I wouldn't be disciplined enough to play a PBEM.

Good luck vs your arch-adversary.

[1275psi]

We steam south today at high speed
Rumours abound

Tokyo rose reports big air battles over Dacca -the empire reaches everywhere

I spend much of the day in the combat centre -listening to the radio intercepts
Big air battles over port moresby

Air attacks at Lea

I regret to hear that we have lost several ships at lea

In the evening, we slow down -I fly a CAP mission as KB weaves her way at 20 knots through channel near Deboynee island

100 landings
Celebrations will have to wait - we are far too busy

[1275psi]

15/5/42

A mix of news
The night and day is spent entering the channel, and debouching into the coral sea
Still no sign of the enemy over KB

The news is mixed - a small task force has entered port moresby harbour, and sunk many ships
We , in turn have lost several at Lea, the enmy has landed many carrier planes at Port Moresby

The briefing at midnight comes from yamaguchi himself, and a great growl of anticipation greets it in the ready room

The enemy has deployed his air from the CVs to PM, and retired the planeless ships to cairns
Tonight several BBs will crush those planes on the ground
This ship will sail directly to cairns - where our submarines pin his CV's -and attack.
The Samuri spirit of Attack, attack, courses through our viens