After-Action Report, Operation Downfall, Frame 2


by Brooke, pilot, Hiryu Sentai

Hiryu Sentai was assigned Ki-67's. Our squadron consisted of Toadflak (GL), Becinhu, me (Brooke), Mussie, Mystic2, Taxi, Soupcan, and Easycor (as co-GL for this frame).

MISSION 1

We were all assigned scouting paths. I was to fly to the W of Japan, along with Toadflak. We took off from a24 and headed west. I climbed to 18k or so, whereas Toadflak levelled out lower. So, he was ahead of me. Toadflak spotted enemy fleets in 2,9,7 area. As I got near there, I saw them, too, and also reported them on the country radio.

I confirmed that I was to continue on my scouting path, not attack. At the far point of my scouting path, I asked permission to come back to hit the CV group and got permission to do so. I turned back and descended to about 16k, as the area over the fleets had looked clear on the way over. Command wanted most for us to hit the landing fleet, full of destroyers, it seemed. I wasn't quite sure if I could identify that particular fleet or hit the smaller destroyers nearly as well as the bigger ships, so I went for the CV that I saw instead. I figured we'd go for sinking everything anyway.

I dropped on the CV and got numerous hits on it, getting a very large number of objects destroyed, but no "ship destroyed" message.

I headed back to land at the closest base in Japan. On the way, a bogie was following me. I feared it was an enemy fighter. It didn't catch me and veered off as I got closer to Japan. I was able to time it so that I landed shortly before the next launch window.

MISSION 2

I took off from a24 again, with the mission to go hit the ships out in 2,9. Becinhu and I took off from there and headed out.

Along the way, I spotted a destroyer-only fleet. It was getting worked over by Hien Sentai (Ki-61's with 2 bombs each). Again, I kept going to see if I could find larger ships (CV's or CA's). I found a fleet or two fleets together with 2 CA's and several DD's. It was maneuvering hard as I did my run on it -- the US wanted it to live. I aimed for one of the CA's. It moved out of the way, but a DD moved into the path of my bombs and got hit. I didn't sink it, but got several objects destroyed.

I had some time before the launch window, so I came back over the fleet again, getting out a good radio report on the country channel on its location and composition. Then I headed back to land.

MISSION 3

The whole eastern portion of Kyushu was very hot, and there were reports of various US carriers off the eastern coast of Kyushu. So, instead of being sent out for more attacking on the fleet in 2,9, I was told to hit US CV's east of Kyushu.

At this point, the US had shut numerous air bases and had started to capture bases on eastern Kyushu. It took a little poking around to find a base from which I could launch Ki-67's. I think it was a31. I launched from there and was happy to find about 10-20 other people launching from there. I figured I'd get some fighter cover this mission.

The most-recent report was one an enemy CV in 4,6,3, so we all started to fly roughly in that direction. However, there were many enemy showing up on radar, so the bombers tried to pick routes around enemy concentrations. I climbed to 20k for safety with so many enemy around.

About this time, we got reports of numerous enemy CV's in 3,5,2/3,4,8. I started planning on how to get there, but I was a long way off (in the 5,5 area or so), and there were more enemy formations showing up on radar to get around. One formation showed up to the east of us, and most of the fighters with us veered off toward that to intercept. It turned out to be P-38's.

I started charting my own path, looking for clear "valleys" through the enemy clusters. After a while, I was alone, but I remained clear of enemy formations and was making progress south.

Before I got too far into 5,5, a report came in of a couple CV fleets (with CV's) in 5,5,5/5,5,2 area. This being a lot closer and the most-recent report, I decided to go for these. I found a CV, dropped on it, and got lots of objects destroyed, but again no "ship destroyed" message. I turned east to get out of there and ran across Toadkill and Becinhu, I think coming in to attack. Toadkill was a little shot up.

I tried just to get out of the area as best I could and as fast as I could -- at 20k, too -- but got jumped by a couple of F4U-4's. I was hauling ass, and they had to work to catch me, though. The first tried to go under me, so I dove, picking up speed. He was forced to close from the rear, and we had a running gun battle, which he lost when his F4U exploded. He did get the right engine smoking on two of my bombers, though. Then the other F4U-4 got within range. He, too, tried to go under me, and I dove, forcing him to close from the rear. The he tried to get out to the side out of arc of my tail gun, so I turned away from him, forcing him again to approach from the rear. I was doing about 400 mph true. This second one jinked a lot behind me. We again had a running gun battle. He got hits on me, but I eventually blew his wing off, and he went down.

I was trying to pick paths through groups of enemies using the radar. As I got to the shore of Kyushu, my damaged engines quit, and my speed declined to 200 mph indicated (or so -- maybe as low as 175 mph). Now I was getting very nervous. I was maneuvering here and there between clusters of enemies on radar, but travelling so slowly. I would occasionally go into a dive to pick up speed to 300 mph indicated. I squeaked through a gap in their roaming formations, then dove for an airfield a bit past where they seemed to be assaulting. For a while, I thought I'd get run down before I made it, but I did make it and land.

As my planes were shot up, I didn't have the ability to rearm and go back up, so that was it for me for the day -- it was 15 minutes until end frame.

CONCLUSION

Hiryu Sentai did great -- 111 objects destroyed and 19 kills! Several guys got "ship destroyed" messages on CV's. I got the top "objects destroyed" spot for frame 2, but no "ship destroyed". I got 2 kills (F4U-4's) and managed to get back to base each time. It was a blast!