Author Topic: Proof that N1K2-Js had automatic deploying flaps!!! (Read 2221 times)

Widewing · « **Reply #15 on:** August 04, 2006, 12:41:02 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AWwrgwy
It was 6 TBM's at Guadalcanal and he lost the use of his right eye as a result.

Incorrect. These were SBD-3s of VB-6 off of Enterprise. This is well documented. In 1982, Sakai was able to meet the SBD gunner who nearly killed him. He shook hands and exchanged hugs with former Petty Officer 3rd Class, Harold L. Jones.

My regards,

Widewing

cav58d · « **Reply #16 on:** August 04, 2006, 02:21:33 PM »

rolex...was that young naval aviator you?

Gianlupo · « **Reply #17 on:** August 05, 2006, 07:50:17 AM »

Rolex, i noticed only now your edit in the post where you replied at my question... are you sure about the eye? I checked the book I have, it says he lost use of his right eye, and, consequently, he was grounded till the last period of war, when the situation was so desperate that Japan needed every skilled pilot.

And, Widewing, are you sure those planes were SBD? My source says "Avengers"...

Rolex · « **Reply #18 on:** August 05, 2006, 09:10:00 AM »

@cav58d: I wasn't there the time he had the heart attack. He visited the Atsugi O'Club often and played golf many times at the base course.

@Gianlupo: He said that he was blinded for the rest of the flight. That is all I know. I'm sorry, but if there is some other source saying otherwise, I would not know. I'm just going by what he said.

Gianlupo · « **Reply #19 on:** August 05, 2006, 09:16:22 AM »

Cc Rolex, thank you. I guess first hand accounts have the priority.

OOZ662 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 05, 2006, 12:41:07 PM »

Quote

Originally posted at Wikipedia
On August 8, 1942, Sakai scored one of the best documented kills of WWII against F4F Wildcat flown by Julian "Pug" Southerland (5 kills). Southerland parachuted to safety. During the air group's first missions of the battle of Guadalcanal, he was seriously wounded in combat with Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers from USS Enterprise's Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6). Mistaking SBD Dauntless dive bombers, with their rear gunners, for American F4F fighters, Sakai attacked near Tulagi a SBD flown by Ensign Robert C. Shaw. Sakai fired 232 rounds at the SBD, but with its armor, self-sealing fuel tanks and twin machine guns in the rear cockpit, the dive bomber was proving a real adversary. A blast from the SBD rear gunner, Harold L. Jones, shattered and blew away the canopy of Sakai's Zero.

Sakai sustained grievous injuries from the return fire; he was struck across his head by a bullet, blinding him in the right eye. The Zero rolled over and headed upside down toward the sea. Unable to see out of his remaining good eye due to blood flowing from the head wound, Sakai's vision started to clear somewhat as tears cleared the blood from his eyes and he was able to pull his plane out of the steep seaward dive. He considered crashing into one of the American warships: "If I must die, at least I could go out as a Samurai. My death would take several of the enemy with me. A ship. I needed a ship." Finally the cold air blasting into the cockpit revived him enough to check his instruments, and he decided that by using a lean gas mixture he might be able to make it back to the airfield at Rabaul.

Gianlupo · « **Reply #21 on:** August 06, 2006, 08:37:34 AM »

Thanks for the link, Ooz, the next paragraph clear things up:

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Although in agony from his injuries (he had a serious head wound and was blind in one eye) Sakai managed to fly his damaged Zero in a four-hour, 47-minute flight over 560 nautical miles back to his base on Rabaul, using familiar volcanic peaks as guides. When he attempted to land at the airfield he nearly crashed into a line of parked Zeros but, after circling four times, and with the gas gauge reading empty, he put his Zero down on the runway on his second attempt. After landing, he insisted on making his mission report to his superior officer before collapsing. His squadron mate Hiroyoshi Nishizawa drove him, as quickly but as gently as possible, to the surgeon. Sakai was evacuated to Japan on August 12, where he endured a long surgery without anesthesia. The surgery repaired some of the damage to his head, but was unable to restore full vision to his right eye. Nishizawa visited Saburo Sakai, while he was recuperating in the Yokosuka hospital in Japan.

Btw, is it you the girl in your avatar?

OOZ662 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 06, 2006, 10:29:06 AM »

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Originally posted by Gianlupo
Btw, is it you the girl in your avatar?

*sigh*

Yoshimbo · « **Reply #23 on:** August 07, 2006, 09:47:01 AM »

wut show/movie is that?

1K3 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:35:41 PM »

The Cockpit by Reiji Matsumoto, 3 episodes

Episode 3: Sonic Boom Squadron

full video clip
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Gianlupo · « **Reply #25 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:37:34 PM »

Ooz, I couldn't resist!

Masherbrum · « **Reply #26 on:** August 07, 2006, 01:38:15 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AWwrgwy
It was 6 TBM's at Guadalcanal and he lost the use of his right eye as a result.

Wrong. (edit) WW cleared it up.

Yoshimbo · « **Reply #27 on:** August 07, 2006, 11:07:05 PM »

quote:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
originally posted By: 1K3
The Cockpit by Reiji Matsumoto, 3 episodes

Episode 3: Sonic Boom Squadron

full video clip
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Yoshimbo say: YAY!

1K3 · « **Reply #28 on:** August 08, 2006, 12:51:48 AM »

i wish they have this on DVD but it is out of print

bkbandit · « **Reply #29 on:** August 08, 2006, 08:04:52 AM »

i saw another one of those anime deals about hiroshema(please excuse my spellin). It was bare foot gen or somethin like that, it started out real mellow like a episode of pokeman or somethin, then the bomb drops and all hell breaks lose. it was distrubing even for a cartoon.