Coming this weekend, 4 Oct

[Sabre]

I’m going to go on the assumption that Kanttori’s excellent Finland-Russia terrain will not be available in time for Friday, so here’s my back up plan…

“Fire in the Sky, 1943”

Well, sort of;).  This one is, I hope, as balanced as the planeset allows while still providing as immersive experience as possible.  It is meant to represent (“represent” not exactly duplicate) mid-1943 in the South Pacific theater.  Gunners will be enabled on fleets, but the CV fleets will have no LVT’s; only the Destroyer flotillas will have amphibious assault capability.  Fleet re-spawn time will be 2 hours, so be careful with them.  Radar will be 25 miles for dots and 50 for bar, with radar floor set at 300 feet.  Down time will be 15 minutes for hangers and MA standard for all other objects.  Because no one has a heavy JABO (though the TBM packs a decent punch), I don’t anticipate that being a problem.  I’ll keep an eye on it, though, and will adjust downtimes if it becomes one.  

US/ANZAC:
All airfields - P-40E, FM2, SBD, TBM, Boston-III, C47, all GV's except the Panzer-IV and the Ostwind.
US CV's - F4F, SBD, TBM
US DE fleets - LVT's
V-fields - All GV's except Panzer-IV and Ostwind
Ports - PT and same GV's as v-fields

IJN/IJAAF:
All fields - A6M5, A6M2 (think of it as a sub for the Ki43), Ki61, Val, Ki67, C47, all GV's except Pnz-IV and Ostwind
IJN CV's - A6M5, Val, TBM
IJN DE fleets - LVT's
V-fields - All GV's except the Panzer-IV and the Ostwind
Ports - PT and same GV's as v-fields

Notes on planeset: The F4U-1 will be available from only 1 rear Allied field, which will have only the F4U-1, the TBM, the SBD, and the C-47 available, alone with the normal compliment of GV’s.  This is an old wing-wiper’s tribute to the USMC…enjoy it, you leathernecks.  There will also be one rear-area Allied base where B-17’s and P-40E’s are present, a tribute to my own branch of service:D.  I’ve given the IJN the TBM to give their carriers a decent strike capability, but don’t plan on having them at IJ land bases.  I’m sure some would take exception either way (the third constant in the universe, right behind death and taxes), so I figure I’ve got nothing to loose;).

Designed (with help from you-all) by Sabre, CT Staff

[HFMudd]

Looks great to me.

[oboe]

Woot!   Thanks for a PTO, Sabre.   27 Sentai is pleased to get back to the warmth of the South Pacific.

One question - the FM-2 was in use in the South Pacific in mid-1943?   In the USMC?   I thought it started out in Atlantic service on jeep CVs, and wasn't significant in the Pacific until Battle of Leyte Gulf?

[Sabre]

Oboe: Now that you mention it, I'm not sure about the FM-2.  For some reason, I was thinking the Marines got it first in the Pacific.  Anyone have information to the contrary, i.e. when and where it served?

Sabre
CT Staff

[Löwe]

Uhh, yeah it came out in 1944 as jeep carrier aircraft. It served in the Atlantic fleet before the Pacific fleet.  However, the A6M5, and Ki-61 models are both late 1943 to 1944 models so personally I don't see a prob with the FM2. I would like to see this PTO setup come and go without a big turd slinging contest, I'm still cleaning dodo off me from the last PTO debate.
It should be obvious to all of us by now the CM's pretty much have their hands tied on what aircraft they can offer. As long as it's a 1943 scenario wiith none of the 1944 super planes like the P-51/ N1k2's. I don't see a problem. I still don't see a problem with the F6F5 being included on at least 1 USN CV, instead of the FM2.
God I hope I didn't open the can of worms again.
Looks Great Sabre, I hope you run it as it is. I'll try very hard not to get involved in a big flame war on this one.
Besides we all know ErgRTC started the last flame war
Just kidding Erg.
All

Yee Haa It's A6m5 time!

[J_A_B]

Why would the P-40E be restricted?  It looks like a great match for the Ki-61.  A typo perhaps (maybe he was thinking P-47?).

J_A_B

[Wotan]

US/ANZAC:
All airfields - P-40E, FM2, SBD, TBM, Boston-III, C47, all GV's except the Panzer-IV and the Ostwind.

Where does it say p-40Es would be restricted?

There will also be one rear-area Allied base where B-17’s and P-40E’s are present, a tribute to my own branch of service

[Sabre]

Originally posted by J_A_B
Why would the P-40E be restricted?  It looks like a great match for the Ki-61.  A typo perhaps (maybe he was thinking P-47?).

J_A_B

No, the P-40E is available at all Allied airfields, per the US/ANZAC OOB, with the exception noted in the Notes-section. The note regarding the one B-17 base is probably what you misinterpreted.  The "All Airfields" section of the Allied OOB should probably have read "all airfields (except the USMC and USAAF-only fields)."  I just haven't decided what two fields will be the exceptions yet.

Sabre
CT Staff

[J_A_B]

"There will also be one rear-area Allied base where B-17’s and P-40E’s are present"

--Sabre

I can see your intended meaning but the statement sort of lacked clarity     I took it to mean that BOTH the P-40E's and B-17's would be available only at that one rear base.  Thanks for clearing it up.

J_A_B

[oboe]

Originally posted by Sabre
Oboe: Now that you mention it, I'm not sure about the FM-2.  For some reason, I was thinking the Marines got it first in the Pacific.  Anyone have information to the contrary, i.e. when and where it served?

Sabre
CT Staff

My info comes from "Wildcat" by Barrett Tillman.  First FM-2 accepted into Navy service was September 1943, and production ran approximately 240 per month.   The first naval air operation involving substantial numbers of the FM-2 was the Battle of Leyte Gulf (Oct '44).

From Osprey's "Wildcat Aces of WWII", first squadron deployments occurred in early 1944.   First kill was a "Tony" in March 1944.    

I can't find any reference to use of the aircraft by the USMC...

[Sabre]

Thanks for the info, Oboe.  After due consideration, I think I'm probably going to drop the FM-2 from the line-up.  The F4F was the prevailing fighter for both the USMC and the US navy at this time, so that's what we'll go with.  I'm still giving the Allies the one base with the F4U-1 on it. That gives each side three fighters to choose from, and a fairly even match up I hope.  Thanks for the input, guys (and for the civil tone it was delivered in;)).

Sabre
CT Staff

[cajun]

I think FM-2, a6m5b, and Ki61 shouldn't be in this scenario *IF* they werent in service during mid '43..

But It doesnt really matter, FM and a6m5 arent that "Uber"... Ki61 may be though, dont know when it was in service..

I'm startin to mis my Hurri Mk I! Will have been 4 weeks with out it after this setup!

[ergRTC]

cajun you be quiet!!!!

Ki is gonna be tough but I think the match up will be a good one.  I have found the fm2 and f4f really to be equal.  Fm2 just isnt that much faster, and climb on both is still kinda sucky compared to the ijn.  I just dont want to hear the whines when I get tired of turning and grab my trusty f4u....


erg

[oboe]

Yeah, Cajun, don't know what to tell ya.  The Japanese planeset is so limited here we just wouldn't be able to do much PTO at all if we stuck to true service entry dates.   It would leave the Japanese 1 fighter, the 1940 A6M2, to face all these 1943 US birds.

I was surprised to read the A6M5 didn't see service until October of 1943.   I thought it was more toward mid-1943, about the same time as the F6F.    The A6M5b has pilot armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, and trades one of the cowl-mounted 7.7 mm machine guns for a 12.7mm.   Our Ki.61 has 2 nose-mounted 20mm cannon where the 1943 version had 2x12.7 mm machine guns.

The FM-2 was 250 lbs lighter, had 150 more hp, and 2 less 0.50 cals than the F4F-4.

[Sixpence]

Pacific my favorite:D