Incompetent IJN Pilots?

NorthBeach · 04-12-10, 11:22 PM

I've never seen this before (TMO RSRD career):

I completed a useless patrol of the Sea of Okhotsk and received orders to patrol the Japan-Mariana-Truk shipping lanes. I cut through the straight between Rausa and Namuro (nothing in either port). Then headed SW to the coast of Japan to see if I could scare up a potential reef on my way south. I crept into Miyako at 1kt, PD, silent, in the shallows and under the cover of darkness of the early morning. At 4000 yds I ID a Hakusika Maru and an Armed Trawler. The Maru's tonnage is worth a couple of fish! So, I swing the boat around and set up an aft solution for the Maru. I rise to RD, adjust the gyro, let them loose and make sail at 3kts, as I don't want to be in the shallows very long with daylight coming on. Exec confirms the kill. The boys in the aft torpedo room whoop like the idiots they are. And, I smile. 8343 tons for a few hours work and two fish. I'm happy.

I clear the bay and start back south at 10kts. I'm enjoying the sunrise on the bridge when the scope dope hollers, "radar contact, bearing 130". That's about where we just came from. Likely an aircraft. Time to get the boat wet again. I'll light my pipe later.

Here's the curious part:

The boat has plenty of water under her, and the crew know their job. So, I go to the Free Cam to check out the Maru we sank earlier. We were only about 12 miles away, as the crow flies. So, it'll still render. I zoom the cam up and over the hills between the boat and the bay, when I see an orange flicker in the distance. I know it's not the Maru because it's not far enough away. And, because it's on the back side of the hills!

It's a burning bi-plane! No USN TF around. I didn't shoot him. The bugger flew his charge into the side of the dang hill!!! I've seen ships on fire that I had no confirmable data to explain their demise. But, never a plane!

Anyone else?

04-12-10, 11:22 PM	#1
NorthBeach Torpedoman Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Francisco Posts: 112 Downloads: 216 Uploads: 0	Incompetent IJN Pilots? I've never seen this before (TMO RSRD career): I completed a useless patrol of the Sea of Okhotsk and received orders to patrol the Japan-Mariana-Truk shipping lanes. I cut through the straight between Rausa and Namuro (nothing in either port). Then headed SW to the coast of Japan to see if I could scare up a potential reef on my way south. I crept into Miyako at 1kt, PD, silent, in the shallows and under the cover of darkness of the early morning. At 4000 yds I ID a Hakusika Maru and an Armed Trawler. The Maru's tonnage is worth a couple of fish! So, I swing the boat around and set up an aft solution for the Maru. I rise to RD, adjust the gyro, let them loose and make sail at 3kts, as I don't want to be in the shallows very long with daylight coming on. Exec confirms the kill. The boys in the aft torpedo room whoop like the idiots they are. And, I smile. 8343 tons for a few hours work and two fish. I'm happy. I clear the bay and start back south at 10kts. I'm enjoying the sunrise on the bridge when the scope dope hollers, "radar contact, bearing 130". That's about where we just came from. Likely an aircraft. Time to get the boat wet again. I'll light my pipe later. Here's the curious part: The boat has plenty of water under her, and the crew know their job. So, I go to the Free Cam to check out the Maru we sank earlier. We were only about 12 miles away, as the crow flies. So, it'll still render. I zoom the cam up and over the hills between the boat and the bay, when I see an orange flicker in the distance. I know it's not the Maru because it's not far enough away. And, because it's on the back side of the hills! It's a burning bi-plane! No USN TF around. I didn't shoot him. The bugger flew his charge into the side of the dang hill!!! I've seen ships on fire that I had no confirmable data to explain their demise. But, never a plane! Anyone else?