by Brooke-san, GL, VTZ, IJN
VTZ and VTI are Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) torpedo-bombing squadrons, flying B5N2 Kates. VTZ consisted of me, SA2, Curval, and DmdWind. VTI consisted of HB555 (GL of VTI), GaB, Klem, HAND, and LNWLF1.
VTZ and VTI took off from the Zuikaku as part of the first strike at the enemy. We had some Zeros out front by about 4-6k, and Val groups a little (2-3k or so) out front of us. The plan was for:
The scouts found the fleet, and we all vectored in. About 10-15 miles to target, a few Wildcats came at us. The Kates were at 17k. We went to full throttle. One of the Wildcats was a little too low to do much. Another came in with altitude and did a pass on us. He either did some more passes, or it was a third that came in and did some more. Hand got shot up a bit and dove, but the enemy didn't follow him down. The rest of us stayed level and concentrated on setting up our run as best we could except for anyone who was being hassled by the Wildcat. I don't think we lost anyone yet.
We first came over a group with a burning carrier in it. Through a combination of factors (haze between us at 17k and sea level, smoke from the burning CV, and my failure to correctly prepare for identifying enemy ship formations), I couldn't tell if it was a primary target (Yorktown or Lexington) or non-primary (such as Chicago). I typed and called on the radio to see if anyone knew. I got word over the radio (in heat of battle, trying to figure this out, line up, and worry about a Wildcat in on us, I didn't double check that info) that it was the primary, and I called for all of us to hit it.
In we went, with VTZ to attack the right side and VTI to attack the left side. The groups dove down, and folks spiralled as needed to bleed off speed and get lined up. I got an excellent position on it: 10-20 ft. altitude, 150 mph or less, all lined up and close. I dropped my torpedo, then pulled up to get over the CV deck and looked back for my torpedo wake. Nothing! I thought for sure I was in the groove. I wondered if I had blown my approach somehow, but I thought it was perfect. Maybe it was a dud torpedo, I figured -- but, man, I was frustrated. (Later from Jordi's after-action logs, I heard that it was a hit after all. Yeah!)
I bugged out north, got a little ways, then got chased down by a Wildcat. I did a hard turn into his attack, but his aim was good. One burst missed. An instant later the second just blew me up instantly.
Most from VTZ and VTI got shot down in that attack. The CV we attacked did go down, but we learned it was the Chicago and not the Lex or Yorktown. This was my fault -- I should have been more practiced on fleet identification.
We took off again from the Zuikaku and climbed south to target. We went to where we were last time, figuring it would at least be close. We got into the general area, but didn't immediately see anything. Then one of the guys or someone from another group reported the enemy fleet to our west. We turned west and shortly were at the enemy fleet.
We came upon a carrier, and I called for the group to hit it -- it was the nearest one. Then, as I overflew it getting ready to dive, I spotted a flaming carrier farther ahead of us that I hadn't noticed earlier. I called for the group (anyone who hadn't already committed to the attack) to hit that one instead. Might as well hit the damaged one preferentially. I hoped this didn't screw anyone up, but it was still pretty early in the attack, I hadn't heard any calls of diving in, and even if people had started dives, they could zoom over to the other CV, I figured, because of lack of enemy air cover.
As we overflew the area, we didn't see much if any enemy fighter or SBD cover. What I saw was sparse and too low to intercept us at altitude. We got into position and dove in, then circled or spiraled as needed to get to correct speed and position.
I got into position, and approached at 10-20 ft, 150 mph, all lined up. I dropped my torpedo. I pulled up to go over the CV and to see my torpedo wake. Nothing -- again! Damnation! Shortly after my pullup, AA shot off my rudder then my wing. I crashed into the sea. Real WWII pilots had to put up with dud torpedoes, so I guessed I could lump it. (Later, from Jordi's after-action logs, I heard that my torpedo had hit. Yes!)
Hand and perhaps another survived mission 2, but most of us did not. I thought that we had 2 lives as bomber pilots and that's it. We launched from the Zuikaku in PT boats to protect it from air attack, which we helped do, and then ran in front of it to help tangle with the enemy fleets. We ran ahead for a while. There were some PT boats far enough ahead that we couldn't ID them, but they provided forward intelligence. Some enemy PT boats made it through. I tangled with one briefly, but he was better than I was and dispatched me at long range.
In the meantime, Hand kept flying missions and kept surviving. Good work, Hand!
I came back up at a PT boat and again headed out front. At this point, the Shoho and Shokaku up north were coming under increasing attack, so VTZ and VTI (after asking for verification from command staff) exited and launched PT boats from the Shoho. There, we helped defend against an SBD and a TBM or two. Then things were quiet for a while, and the Zuikaku was back under attack. I exited and launched from the Zuikaku. The area looked clear, so I motored out in front again as before.
About this time, we got into a discussion on whether or not we were still able to fly aircraft. It was decided that our limit was available aircraft, not lives of pilots. I verified this about 3 times with command staff, just to make absolutely sure.
So far VTZ and VTI had used up 18 aircraft. In total, we had available 40 aircraft (12 x 2 for VTZ and 8 x 2 for VTI). So, many more aircraft awaited us. We had flown 19 aircraft off of the Zuikaku and none of the Shoho, so we all formed up at the Shoho and launched for mission 3. We could use up 16 planes from the Shoho.
We didn't have much trouble finding the fleet. By this time (I think well before it, as a result of the IJN mission 3), both the Lexington and the Yorktown had been sunk. Our orders were to take out cruisers. We flew in at 12k altitude or so -- most enemy air cover by this time was gone. We found a cruiser and attacked it.
I followed GaB in, and the cruiser started to sink right before I was going to drop my torpedo. I kept my torpedo and pulled up to get a view of what I could line up on. There were some enemy PT boats about. Shortly after I pulled up, my right wing was blown off, and down I went. I dropped my torpedo before I hit the water, but I suspect that (even if it were not a dud this time) it would have been destroyed on impact -- it was hardly a good drop position.
Now it was getting late. Prior to this, the Shoho had gotten attacked. There were still enemy in the area, possibly PT boats in a particular direction. Because of all of this, the Shoho and Shokaku stayed on a northerly course -- that was good enough as long as the fleet would stay on course (whatever course that was) and not turn. We announced that we were going to launch, and GB kept the fleet straight for us.
Launching downwind, we used flaps upon takeoff. Even then, off the end of the runway, our Kates would drop off the end, and with stall horns buzzing, we'd keep them out of the water and eventually have the speed to climb out. We formed up and headed south.
We hadn't seen any enemy fighter or SBD opposition, so this time, we went in at 10k. We picked out a cruiser and went in on it. I lined up (the usual drop conditions), dropped my torpedo, and pulled up to miss the deck of the ship. This time, I did see a torpedo wake. Yeah! There was a PT boat in the area shooting at me, and I worked to bug the hell out of there. On my way out, I got a "ship destroyed" message. Finally, I got a hit!
Also, the PT boat and other AA didn't get me. I was able to jink and run north out of there. I briefly circled back to join up with any others in VTZ or VTI, but it looked like a couple of folks were still getting situated for torpedo runs rather than running north, so I turned back around and headed back to Shoho with a couple of the guys who were doing the same.
Back at the Shoho, our fleet was under attack from enemy PT boats. The Kate has no forward guns, so I couldn't do much to shoot at enemy PT boats, but I did some passes at one to distract him -- maybe he wouldn't remember that Kates have no forward guns. Also, up in the air, I could see the torpedo wakes well and fly over the top of them. I told GB locations and running conditions of some torpedoes and gave a suggested course here and there, although GB was certainly on top of it.
The torpedoes and enemy PT boats were neutralized, an end to hostilities was called, and all planes were called to land. As the sun was setting, I lined up at one of the last planes in the pattern for the Shoho. Right before I touched down, I realized I had forgotten to drop my tail hook. I pulled up a little, hurriedly dropped the hook, then set my plane down pretty hard on the deck immediately after deploying the hook. It was a hard landing, and not pretty, but my gear didn't collapse, and I caught the wires just fine.
Frame 3 was a major victory for the IJN. We sank the Lexington, the Yorktown, the Chicago, and most of the escorting cruisers. I hear that we also attacked Port Moresby. VTZ and VTI did a great job. Guys, here's the tally from after-action logs, thanks very much to Jordi who compiled it all.
(The final hit isn't any more important than the ones that go before it -- it's just, well, maybe like getting the largest side of the wishbone at Thanksgiving.)
GaB -- 2 "ship destroyed" messages. I think one of them was the Lexington
or Yorktown!
Brooke -- 1 "ship destroyed" message
GaB -- 3 hits
Brooke -- 3 hits
HB555 -- 3 hits
HAND -- 2 hits
klem -- 1 hit
LNWLF1 -- 1 hit
Curval -- 1 hit
DmdWind -- 1 hit
I congratulate everyone on an excellent day of aerial skill! I especially congratulate GaB for 3 torpedo hits and 2 "ship destroyed" messages, including perhaps the final hit on Lexington or Yorktown; HB555 for 3 torpedo hits as well; and HAND, our walkon of doom, who not only got 2 torpedo hits on ships, but got shot down only once, flying his second plane all day long.