[propbeanie]

The one thing about the airplanes, and similarly to the "picket boat" sampans, is do not be seen by them. In other words, if you get a radar contact, and it shows "high speed" and angling toward you, or within roughly 6nm, mark where it is on the map once or twice and calculate when it will pass over you, then crash dive. Get down below 120 foot, then come back up to periscope depth after the guesstimated time and have a look around. Up to radar depth, have a look around, and surely you'll "see" them on the NavMap again. Mark their location and surface when they are far enough away. Draw a line on the NavMap, and if you see a course deviation from your first marks in that last mark, they did "target" you. No matter what though, Figure that in roughly 20-30 minutes, they might be back on a reverse, parallel course, approximately 8-10nm either side of the course they just went on, so be ready for that, and be prepared to do the same thing again. You can usually guess whether a Mavis type, or Betty or Zero, by their speed, with some experience, or if they are in singles or double-groups. The Mavis almost always are initially by themselves and have radar, though it is primitive and short-ranged early, so is easier to avoid, though they do have greater staying-power, and might do a half-dozen fly-bys, if they suspect they have a contact. The Betty might be single, or in groups, have radar later, and medium staying power, so maybe 3 or 4 passes, while the zero are almost always in doubles, and have only enough fuel to give you maybe two passes - unless you're close to an airbase. In any case, if they see you, they call their cousins, their brothers, and any other relative within range to come help hunt you. All they have to do is approximate your location, and then figure if you stay down and do 3 knots, you can only be so far before dark. If you stay on the surface, they might figure 20 knots, but it is still a relatively small circle to look in for something as large as a submarine. In other words, don't be seen, and be wary of places like the Shortlands or St George's pass or Truk and the like, where there a quite a few assets to call upon to just absolutely pester you after you've been spotted. Change course each time is key.