Wake island

[Matthias]

What are the ranges for the aircraft patroling from japanese held wake island? I've figured that the zero's have a radius of 700 km but I've been engaged by g4m Bettys at 1400 km from the island. How far out will these annoying flies venture?


Another small question:
I've seem to have lost the "line of sight" (the one showing what direction the torpedo will travel and time for it to reach that destination) on the attack map, what did I do to loose it?

Cheers,
Matthias

[Torplexed]

What are the ranges for the aircraft patroling from japanese held wake island? I've figured that the zero's have a radius of 700 km but I've been engaged by g4m Bettys at 1400 km from the island. How far out will these annoying flies venture?

The G4M Bettys were renowned for their range. They could fly 2,300 miles (3,700 km) carrying a 1,760-pound (800 kg) torpedo. Even further with a light payload. This came at a high cost of course, no armor to speak of. Carrying over 3 tons of fuel in unprotected tanks, the G4M tended to erupt in a ball of flame after taking a few hits from Allied fighters or antiaircraft guns.

The thing that seems unrealistic to me is using Wake Island as a base for these planes. As an American outpost it never supported more than a tiny squadron of F4F Wildcat fighters and a few PBY Catalina recon flying boats in the lagoon. Given the size of the atoll (3 square miles) I doubt the airstrip could have been enlarged to accommodate the G4M bombers. Not without a great deal of effort, and Japan's construction resources were always sorely stretched.

[tomoose]

I use 500nm as a rule of thumb and place that type of circle over Tokyo, Okinawa and Iwo Jima for starters just to give me a general idea when I am within air patrol range. So far it has worked as a 'start line' for when I should pay more attention to the air threat. Having said that, the large flying boats obviously have much more range and I may get caught out one of these patrols but so far so good with the 500nm circles.:salute:

[Matthias]

ok, I'll try those 500 nm radius circles.

/Matthias

[Col. Caldwell]

I use 500nm as a rule of thumb and place that type of circle over Tokyo, Okinawa and Iwo Jima for starters just to give me a general idea when I am within air patrol range. So far it has worked as a 'start line' for when I should pay more attention to the air threat. Having said that, the large flying boats obviously have much more range and I may get caught out one of these patrols but so far so good with the 500nm circles.:salute:

Interesting tip. Thanks for sharing. :up:

[vanjast]

The G4M Bettys were renowned for their range. They could fly 2,300 miles (3,700 km) carrying a 1,760-pound (800 kg) torpedo. Even further with a light payload. This came at a high cost of course, no armor to speak of. Carrying over 3 tons of fuel in unprotected tanks, the G4M tended to erupt in a ball of flame after taking a few hits from Allied fighters or antiaircraft guns.

They were called Ronson lighters by the allies..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G4M_Betty

Incidently the Zero had a longer range, and also flamed like a Ronson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Zero

:)

[Torplexed]

They were called Ronson lighters by the allies..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G4M_Betty

Looks like the men that flew them had similar derisive names. ;) They weren't too popular with their crews. The G4M Betty was also the bomber Admiral Yamamoto would perish in, being intercepted mid-air in 1943 during an inspection tour of the Northern Solomons. Not a lucky plane.

Interesting to note that Wake Island became something of a backwater after the December 1941 battle. Although Japan fortified the island heavily it was cut off from any further resupply by 1944 as Japan's merchant marine shrank. In the garrison 600 Japanese soldiers died from American carrier air attacks, and 1,300 from starvation. Those troops left who surrendered after the war's end had been reduced to eating birds and rats.

[Bubblehead1980]

torplexed, the Japanese actually did improve the facilities on Wake Island greatly from what I have read and did operate large aircraft such as G4M's and patrol planes, had fighters as well.Remember, the Japanese took Wake Island when they were at their peak in WW II.

[Matthias]

That's some good info right there, thank you for the replies.

Now how about that second small question I had regarding the attack map?

//Matthias

[Torplexed]

torplexed, the Japanese actually did improve the facilities on Wake Island greatly from what I have read and did operate large aircraft such as G4M's and patrol planes, had fighters as well.Remember, the Japanese took Wake Island when they were at their peak in WW II.

Yes, they did take Wake Island at their peak--after the second attempt. ;) However, since you have come across sources that indicate the Japanese did operate G4Ms from there then I'll concede it. :salute:

[KlassenT]

Now how about that second small question I had regarding the attack map?

The estimated torpedo track will only appear for the currently selected tube, and the current firing solution. Meaning, if you've got a firing solution lined up for a target 1500yds out on bearing 015, you're in prime position to put a few forward fish right into him, and if a forward tube is currently selected, you should be able to confirm that on the attack map. That said, however, there is no torpedo gyro angle that would let an aft tube carry out this attack. In the case that you've got the TDC set up for the above example, but have an aft tube currently selected, you won't see any predicted torpedo pathing on the attack map since it's an impossible shot. Similarly, you won't get this line in the event that you do not have a firing solution established (Note that the TDC completely resets on loading a savegame). And obviously, the other possible cause is that you're fresh outta torps, but hopefully that's not the issue. ;)

[Segwin]

Another question about air cover: When you get inside the zone where they patrol do you automatically go to PD in the day time?

If I run on the surface & get the Aircraft Spotted message I crash dive right away however it's a coin flip if I'll get hit or not. Got hit once and down we went. :dead:

[Torplexed]

Another question about air cover: When you get inside the zone where they patrol do you automatically go to PD in the day time?

If I run on the surface & get the Aircraft Spotted message I crash dive right away however it's a coin flip if I'll get hit or not. Got hit once and down we went. :dead:

Your air search radar should be giving you ample warning to get under. Take advantage of it. If you wait until the plane is visually spotted it'll likely be too late. Gatos aren't as nimble as U-Boats in this regard. If you run at periscope depth all day it really degrades your submarines operational range, as fuel will have to be burned all night to recharge those batteries.

Sadly, the stock version of the game throws way more aircraft at you than the Japanese deployed in most areas historically.

[Matthias]

The estimated torpedo track will only appear for the currently selected tube, and the current firing solution. Meaning, if you've got a firing solution lined up for a target 1500yds out on bearing 015, you're in prime position to put a few forward fish right into him, and if a forward tube is currently selected, you should be able to confirm that on the attack map. That said, however, there is no torpedo gyro angle that would let an aft tube carry out this attack. In the case that you've got the TDC set up for the above example, but have an aft tube currently selected, you won't see any predicted torpedo pathing on the attack map since it's an impossible shot. Similarly, you won't get this line in the event that you do not have a firing solution established (Note that the TDC completely resets on loading a savegame). And obviously, the other possible cause is that you're fresh outta torps, but hopefully that's not the issue. ;)

I have selected the tube, got a firing solution but then when I go to the attack map the "predicted torpedo line" is missing.

Is there some option I have messed with (manual targeting or something)?

//Matthias

[KlassenT]

Afraid I can't be of much more help than that. Those are the only real circumstances I know of that determine whether or not the line is visible. The only other thought that I might have is that when I mentioned the TDC resetting on loading a saved game, it also resets the Distance marker to neutral, so if you're using one of the constant bearing attack techniques that don't use the stadimeter, make sure you're dragging that blasted little rangefinder triangle around before you send bearing and range to the TDC. That little quirk has caused me to miss a few crucial shots before. :(

If there are any other known bugs or glitches that can cause this, though, I'd have to defer to someone who's more intimately familiar with the engine, afraid I'm not all that much help there.

[Matthias]

Allright, I'll have to fiddle around with the different settings in the torpedo-settings to figure out if I've accidentally activated some setting that would make that line go away...

[Andrew82]

could it be that the setting for manual targeting is turned off for whatever reason?

[Armistead]

If you're in campaign mode, make sure you adjust your game options in the office using the radio on the left. In campaign mode, you must use
the radio for settings to take effect.

If you're playing stock the air traffic is plain silly, you get one contact after the other all day long. It's almost easier to stay dived using TC, than constant diving.

People argue, but I say load a supermod to start with. Learn to play the game the way it was meant to be played, you can still adjust some settings to make it somewhat easier if needed, but why miss out on all the fixes, added stuff, 100% better graphics, ect. Not to mention the air traffic is toned way down. Not sure about RFB, but TMO gives you a map that shows the reach of most air bases. If you run RSRD with it, you can also watch the air bases pop up and know where the traffic is coming from and stay away from most of it if you prefer.

If you're worried about diving, always hit crash dive early war until you get radar or if a plane sights you, moreso with supermods that adjust diving times, ect.

[HMCS]

The men that flew the G4M took to calling it "The Type II Cigarette Lighter". The Japanese were not without their own form of gallows humor.

[TwistedFemur]

japanese seaplanes also refueled at french frigate shoals for a time allowing them to reach hawaii. until the USN started stationing ships there.

[Torplexed]

japanese seaplanes also refueled at french frigate shoals for a time allowing them to reach hawaii. until the USN started stationing ships there.

Indeed. French Frigate Shoals was the launch point for the not well known Second Raid on Pearl Harbor called Operation "K" carried out in March 1942. It was undertaken by two Emily seaplanes which flew from Wotje Atoll in the Marshall Islands and then refueled from Japanese submarines at that location. Due to bad weather conditions they didn't hit anything of value but it was one of the longest bombing missions of the war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_K

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Operation_K_Map.jpg