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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: The little ship that could.

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RE: The little ship that could. - 11/25/2014 7:05:33 AM

1275psi

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Ogowa calls the men around him

They form a pack of rough leather and fur, sunburn and sweat about him.
All eyes are upon him

'The enemy fighters, as expected, are sweeping takao. A carrier task force is operating 300 miles North of here........."

He lets THAT set in

"Our orders are to defend Manilla, in particular the port, the oil tanks, the fuel farms. I am asking for 100% CAP tomorrow......."

He smile."We have gotten fat my friends.
Time to pay the bill"

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3421

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/25/2014 7:17:40 AM

1275psi

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During her anchoring Susuzuki has swung to the aft unit, allowing some urgent maintenance to occur on the fwd plant. Its 4 am now, and at 10 this morning,she will sail again

Hirate will have the job of flashing the fwd unit again. Since the exchange of looks with the Captain, he has buried himself below, buried himself in work.
Irrationally, he feels that at sea, he will be safer
To be sailing south again, even better..........

he works almost automatically, the routine so well ingrained now, (that should he survive to be 80 years old, he would still be able to do it) thAt he only barely has to think about it.
Today is an easy one, with steam available from aft.

Cross connect the auxilliary steam, cross the drains, cross the condensate return.
Start the fuel pumps stroking. Roll the feed pumps, top the boiler, stroke the feed regulator.
Roll a blower
Light the bitch off
Shut the vents, shut the drains......open the aux stop, shut the cross, open the main stop, shut the cross, open the feed guard wide, shut the drain crosses, the condensate cross.

It will go smoothly this morning, the temperatures rising, the glare of the burners growing, the whine of the blowers rising
By 0900, Susuzuki is ready.

Specials are called, the anchor clangs aboard, the fire hoses clean the mud from the pick. The throttles turn, the water stirs at the stern

The convoy sails, considerably higher in the water now, returning to Ominato.
here, apparently, to collect another Division.

But there are rumours

After that..........the russians.......

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3422

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/25/2014 12:56:40 PM

Gridley380

Posts: 464
Joined: 12/20/2011
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Finally caught up after so long away!

Awesome story, I'm really glad you're keeping it going!

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3423

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 8:48:14 AM

1275psi

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Thank you gridley, your comments appreciated. I am curious, how much did you read to catch up?, I do hope it kept your attention.

OK, LOTS coming up.............and I must give certain characters the attention they deserve, patience please cherished journeymen!

(in reply to Gridley380)

Post #: 3424

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 9:09:05 AM

1275psi

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20/6/42

Diogowa rests easily on his arse, feeling the hardness of mother earth, a strangley comforting feeling, a return, almost to childhood, so so many lifetimes ago.

It is barely light, the sun yet to break over Manilla, the air cold, calm, sweet.
Before him rests Number 189.
His eagle
NK1 George, Mk 2 version.
The best fighter japan has.
There is dew glistening on her wings, oil stains around her cowling. The paint is all but gone from her leading edges, and the rubber on her wheels is dark, cracked.

But her canopy glistens, and the oil glistens on the guns.
Japans best
Diogowa has never, ever taken this job, this task seriously. It has always been so unreal, so unexpected, that a buffoon like himself should somehow find himself in fighter school.
That, somehow, he should pass that brutal process.
That so many landings on that ridiculous little deck of Zuiho's did not kill him.
That he should survive so long.

But he has 7 kills now..........and someone thinks that he deserves this, japans best.

And all he ever wanted to do was to escape the rice paddies..........and fly

The sun cracks the horizon, flooding the world with gentle yellow light.

Fly
yes, today, he will.
Battle today............undoubtably
Deep in his mind, a part of him is telling him that he should be worried, even fearful for the day ahead.
But he doesn't feel that at all. No fear, no trepidation. Not even today.
NK1 George. The fighter pilots dream machine.

Diogowa stands, approaches HIS machine, lovingly rubs his hand along a leading edge, then the sharp massive blade of the propeller.
He smiles

Today, he flies again. One of the very best, in the very best.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3425

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 9:19:09 AM

1275psi

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Ogowa steps down from the intelligence office

Behind him the radio chatter hums, the morse chiming, the clatter of the typewriters.the background sounds of war. Sometimes almost as deadly as bullets.........

The enemy carriers are coming.
dawn launching stations, 200 miles north of Vigan.......
It takes little imagination to see in his minds eye the activity on those decks..........

They will come..........arrogant, expecting.................expecting little, he would think.
They will come, face into the sun......

About him mailla field is bursting into life, clouds of blue rising as engine after engine bursts, snarls, growls into life.

Oh yes........they will come.
And I will have them..................

Scramble!

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3426

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 10:46:18 AM

Smoky Stoker

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Tennouheika Banzai!

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Post #: 3427

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 12:27:48 PM

pws1225

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From: Tate's Hell, Florida
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Great pictures! Thanks for sharing. The pictures are a George I presume.

(in reply to Smoky Stoker)

Post #: 3428

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 12:36:21 PM

Gridley380

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I was about a year and a half behind I think; been off the fora for a while due to other things. This was the first thread I looked for when I came back.

To borrow one of your phrases... make of that what you will. :-)

(in reply to pws1225)

Post #: 3429

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/26/2014 11:14:08 PM

Smoky Stoker

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quote:

ORIGINAL: pws1225
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing. The pictures are a George I presume.

All N1K Georges. The bottom picture is captioned.

_____________________________

"Leveling large cities has a tendency to alienate the affections of the inhabitants and does not create an atmosphere of international good will after the war." -Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery

(in reply to pws1225)

Post #: 3430

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/27/2014 8:09:21 AM

1275psi

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In one easy motion Ogowa swings his right leg into the office, foot automatically resting on the pedal, both arms support himself, and the other follows.
The checks come quickly, circle the stick, kick the rudders, flaps out, in, set. Trim, mix, brake...a glance at the ground chief, contact!, the blade hesitates, swings, stutters, the explosive bang of first cylinder firing, the blade vanishes into the blur, and everything begins the mad vibration that will live in his bones forever.
Diogowa, dust billowing taxi's past...Ogowa smiles, the barsted is yes, eating again, gods knows what.
Eyes back to the few instruments, manifolds, oils, temps, climb and bank indicator
All is good, the great radial beats its discordant dance, the stick rests easily in his right, the flaps, the throttle in his left.
Wave away!

Manilla rumbles, dust and exhaust.
The ground crew, still faithful, still doing their duty, line the taxi ways, and wave them away

Now the strip lies before him, diogowa on his left, Oda, his right.
The familiar excitement rises in him.
So much power.................

The rumbles rise to a roar, to a bellow.....

In the streets of Manilla, they have been waiting for the Americans to arrive for months now, ever since the word of the landings at Minando.
The Japanese are leaving, the streets say, they are finished.........gone forever.

Snarling, eagle after eagle races overhead, shadows racing across street and home.
Windows rattle, cats howl, a hundred thousand faces turn upwards
Eagle after eagle, after eagle..after eagle .

If they are going, soon to be gone, Ogowa will give them a memory they will never forget..............

(in reply to Smoky Stoker)

Post #: 3431

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/27/2014 9:50:57 AM

british exil

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The eagles are flying again.

Suspense!

Mat

_____________________________

"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill

WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3432

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/27/2014 1:09:38 PM

Smoky Stoker

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Note for historical technogeeks:

The first picture in my post above is labeled as N1K2-j in most locations online. It is actually an N1K1-j, which can be distinguished by the wings being mounted higher on the fuselage than the later version, seen here:

More N1K1s were lost to collapse of their landing gear than to American action. Also interesting is that the fighter was originally designed as a float plane fighter (spotter code name 'Rex') and then converted. The landing gear actually was an afterthought.

< Message edited by Smoky Stoker -- 11/28/2014 3:39:19 AM >

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Post #: 3433

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/29/2014 5:08:31 AM

1275psi

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20000 feet.
The air cold, sharp, clear

Below at 10000 feet, the haze.
Below, somewhere, the world

Up here. Freedom. Power. Honour. Bushido

Ogowas wings rocks
Diogowa has heard the radio call too. His hands tighten.
Deliberately, he releases the stick, flexes his hand........better.
And there, growing black dots...........coming in from the north..same altitude..........those deadly gull shaped wings...........
And the heart leaps
36 strong!
And we have a 100 plus

The throttle goes forward to the wall, the stick gently back........hieght, hieght, hieght is life itself......
But the corsairs are climbing too............and behind them, more dots, and even more.
And the radio tells of many more behind them

The barsteds are curling in onto them now, a glance to his right.........Ogowa watches.........face inscrutable behind the mask
A nod.
Easily, smoothly, as he has done so many times before, Diogowa picks his target and swings his fighter into battle............

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3434

RE: The little ship that could. - 11/29/2014 5:26:07 AM

1275psi

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In the mountains of Minando, 35th army is holed up
Daily the americans march into the hills, and the skirmishes have become clashes are becoming battles

35th Army sees a chance

Just after midnight, it emerges from the caves, the ridges, the gullies, and attacks the enemy
Final attack
Special attack
Final effort
a Hundred thousand human bullets.

Call it what you will

Flesh against armour

The attack will collapse
The survivors will drag themselves away

They have not heard of the term zombies in these years. That term is 15 years away yet
But this is 35 army now
The walking deadl

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3435

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/1/2014 7:14:00 AM

1275psi

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The corsair fills Diogowas mirror, big blue, the buka seemingly attached to his tail by an invisible string.
Diogowa weaves, rolls, the roll flowing into as hard a bank as he can handle.
The Buka sticks with him

A curse

Tracers race past, a hammer blow somewhere behind him, another to his right.
Instantly the stick losses its tightness, vibrates.a glance, the right aeriolan is shredded

Buka!
He has to rid himself of this barsted........and quick!
The bank levels out, more tracer.........another fighter, Ogowa, , on this barsteds rear....
The corsair inverts, and falls away.........

Ogowa comes alongside him
Points to the aeriolan.Diogowa shrugs......abandon this furball?.you have to be kidding right?

120 plus corsairs have piled into the fight, and it spreads across the heavens, a snarling howling brawl, hundreds of whining wasps, all detirmined to sting their enemies to death

There are no advantages here, no bounces, no overwhelming numbers against the other, just men, machines, skill, courage, cowardice, luck, and death

Oda kills again, thats 12 now, but niether Ogowa and diogowa will score.
Both, in fact, will barely escape with their lives, both landing utterly spent, machines badly damaged.

It will take the rest of the day to gather the score........a dribble of pilots will return via various ways and means
11 never will.

19 george are lost.
58 corsairs are killed

The enemy carriers retire, towards Hong kong
They must return.

Ogowa's eagles lick their wounds
Tankers are coming. manilla MUST be defended.

And diogowa lies in his bunk, staring at the canvas
he is good, one of the best of the best
But there is an American out there who is even better.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3436

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/1/2014 7:15:59 AM

1275psi

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that heart stopping moment where you watch one plane exchange shots with another, again and again........I was so relieved to see those two vanish from the combat replay.

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Post #: 3437

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/1/2014 8:47:15 PM

John 3rd

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Well written as always Sir.

_____________________________

Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.

Reluctant Admiral Mod:
https://sites.google.com/site/reluctantadmiral/

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Post #: 3438

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2014 6:49:21 AM

1275psi

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Thank you sir!

21/6/45
It takes more than bushidio to keep the fighters in the air
The men are willing, despite the fatigue.
But it takes fuel, spares, oxygen, bullets, tyres, map boards for gods sake, to keep them up there
100 percent CAP is ordered by Ogowa again today, and some 60 fly
Thankfully, no enemy appear, the carriers are in Hong kong.

At days end , Ogowa has no choice. There are critical shortages of everything...............
They must stand down.
Replacement fighters are coming. Good. But a case of sparkplugs would be far more appreciated.
10000 litres of aviation fuel would be even better...................

< Message edited by 1275psi -- 12/2/2014 7:50:32 AM >

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Post #: 3439

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/2/2014 6:55:02 AM

1275psi

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22 June

Enemy carriers arrive off Palembang, wreck the port, sink no less than 7 escorts, and then head south.
Amoy falls
Swatow falls

6 nells launch a night strike on Hong kong, they sink 3 enemy ss
But not the carriers.............

Susuzuki will arive Ominato tomorrow
She will refuel, and immediately sail again, there are SS everywhere, the seas must be swept clean around here again.
They are worse than cockroaches, the more you kill, the more seemingly take their place!

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3440

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2014 8:03:40 AM

1275psi

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23rd

Stand down.
In the movies, the Commander barks at the Sergeant."get them ready for battle , I want them all on the line by dawn!"
And magically, there they are.
I have never seen a movie where real life logistics comes into play........

Real life is screwing Ogowa over now, big time.
5 days, 4 days, 5 days,......... so many fighters broken, so few parts.
The enemy are destroying batavia, palembang, Soerabaya..........the 50000 tons of oil here becomes more precious by the day.

Ogowa will not scream or rant. he is, actually, too tired for that.
He takes the worst crate flying into the air, he leads by example.
This is duty.
No glory.
Just duty

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Post #: 3441

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2014 8:09:48 AM

1275psi

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24th of June

Extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production.

The landings at Loemadjang remained un opposed for 4 days, a slow but steady transferring of men and machines across empty beaches.
The sudden attack by just two of japans oldest DDs, Hokaze and Nokaze, achieves total surprise.
They are old, poorly armed, these two, but they have fish, and courage.
Before they are sunk at dawn, 4 APA, a LCI, 2 AP's have been sunk
The invasion has been lightly escorted.
Lack of ships (hardly)..........or indications that they are somewhere else, gathering............

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Post #: 3442

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2014 8:16:01 AM

1275psi

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Midnight

ss trout raises her scope, her skipper bends to the glass.
Sonar has the target right.
Multiple targets, warships, at least 6 or seven, moving north, 2000 yards away.
'Down scope!"
He will have to be quick

'Sir, sonar...change of bearing, possible destroyer, turning towards us, bearing 010 degrees"
'Up scope!"

A destroyer......almost ahead on............coming fast
'Standby, tubes 1 and 2................"

The calculations are done........the enemy races closer.....
'Fire 1, fire 2!.......down scope, hard to port, take her deep!"

Nearly two tons of explosives, oxygen and steel races towards destroyer Susuzuki..............

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Post #: 3443

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2014 11:59:50 AM

ny59giants

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Your last posting could be from the classic movie, "Run Silent, Run Deep."

_____________________________

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Post #: 3444

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/4/2014 6:21:43 PM

BBfanboy

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No calculations needed for a "down the throat shot"! Zero gyro angle, Zero spread, depth shallow, Fire!

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

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Post #: 3445

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/6/2014 7:50:31 AM

1275psi

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Asada turns to the OOW..eyebrows cocked in enquiry
"Emergency steering drills complete sir"
'Good, Port ten...........and get me the communications officer"

The fish do not hit. The turn comes moments in tiime They are, in fact, never seen, vanishing into the depths.

The allied submarine is briefly detected by vessels more skilled, (or dutiful) than Susuzuki.

Asada however has bigger things on his mind
The "steering gear failure" has placed Susuzuki well to the north of the rest of the task force, and now The destroyer sends a single message to 4th fleet HQ
"Am in position"
She will linger here, alone for some thirty minutes, as Asada awaits the impact of his message to filter through

(in reply to BBfanboy)

Post #: 3446

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/6/2014 8:19:02 AM

1275psi

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Captain Yakabe of I-184 looks yet again at the signal in his hand, and yet again at the silent russian forests on the horizon.
The order makes no sense to him, but he can guess.
Someone, somewhere, wants to pull the russian bears chain.............but didn't the empire have troubles enough already?

He sighs...whatever the reason, its above his pay grade.
And orders, after all are orders...........
"Comms, to the tower!"

The signal man climbs up from below, hot and sweating.
"Send this"
"I -184 aground postion..................require assistsnce. Damage minimal, remain undetected"
"But we are not aground sir?"
"No lad, but our careers may be if you don't send that ey?
Signal sent, the ss slips back into the depths again.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3447

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/6/2014 8:23:06 AM

1275psi

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From CA Chokia
to DD Susuzuki

SS I-184 reported aground position ...........
You will render assistance

Critical that your prescence, and that of I-184 remains undetected
Should SS be unrecoverable, you are to scuttle her and rescue crew

Detach immediately"

Asada smiles

'new course, due north, make speed 22 knots"

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Post #: 3448

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/6/2014 8:39:59 AM

1275psi

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The emperor nods

"And the mission begins?"
General Sugiyama nods. 'if they are discovered, the russians will have more than an excuse to declare war upon us.....'
The Emperor dismissively waves his hand.........'they are going to anyway, you know that, i know that"
"And nothing will stop that?'

I am going to lead my country to its ruin...........No matter what I do. The river of History has us in its grasp, sweeping us away.......
I must save what I can.........

I need that gold..........I must have it

'No general, I do not think so..........."

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3449

RE: The little ship that could. - 12/9/2014 6:23:45 AM

1275psi

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25th June 1945

They slide into manilla harbour, sides streaked with rust, paint fading, funnels dark with soot from engines and boilers well passed overhaul date.
A dozen great fat tankers, the big ones, the ones the allies have failed to find all this long, long war.
A CVE , kaiyo, the last of them, shepherds them, her planes almost as care worn as her charges.

The Tankers moor, many come alongside, and begin to suck the tanks at manilla dry.
Overhead, Ogowa's eagles growl, 60% CAP today
He only has to keep his eagles aloft until the ships are full, the tanks empty.
Only until then...........

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 3450

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