Question: Vella Gulf

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Oooooh! Goody, goody, goody. I'm running RSRDC in tandem with RFB. I'm currently in the New Georgia Sound and it's August 5, 1943. I've spent the last five days patrolling of the coasts of Kolombangara and Vella Lavella in anticipation, of tomorrow. I guess I'll break out a deck of spotter cards and play some poker with the boys while we wait for .

There are actually several medium battles yet to come. I'll try to remember them.

No doubt the Solomons campaign in RSRD is awesome. You can stay in heavy action for about 2 years with a little planning. You really don't have to cheat history because the game gives you the same basic info of whats coming, but it's good to know.

Sometimes just not enough torps. Take the Battle of Coral Sea. I will attack the Shoho invasion group first, but just get the carrier, then hurry to the battle of Coral Sea to take out the two carriers. Then rush to cut off the large Port Moresby invasion group returning to Rabaul. You have no time to reload, but can attack all three groups if you just go for the big ships.

Then the big battles
Battle of GC
Battle of Savo...one of the best surface battles
Battle of Eastern Solomons.
Battle of Santa Cruz....real biggy.

Then all the slot runs, mostly DD's, but several groups have CA's.

Then numerous medium battles....

Lurker really put in the work here.

[Armistead]

Make sure you do the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay or just nice to watch. Nov. 2 43, should be coming up. Then the battle of Cape Saint George Nov. 26.

You can sit off Rabaul and watch the carrier raid on it Nov 5. Goe's on for a few days in game, but just use the cam and go to the bay, fun to watch all the different surface planes attack. Even some P-51's show up, not that they should.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by Armistead

fun to watch all the different surface planes attack. Even some P-51's show up, not that they should.

Now, now, don't be too sure. You never know with George Kenney and his Fifth Air Force. From what I've read about him, he was uncanny in his resourcefulness.
Anyway, thanks for the heads-up. I'm currently heading north toward Pohnpei island to see if there are any goodies docked at Ponape, then I'm heading home to Midway.

[NorthBeach]

Wernher - What fun!!! But, what ingrates!

[tater]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Make sure you do the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay or just nice to watch. Nov. 2 43, should be coming up. Then the battle of Cape Saint George Nov. 26.

You can sit off Rabaul and watch the carrier raid on it Nov 5. Goe's on for a few days in game, but just use the cam and go to the bay, fun to watch all the different surface planes attack. Even some P-51's show up, not that they should.

Odd, since I just checked and there are no P-51s there, only F4Us and TBMs.

Small USAAF bases do have P-51s after mid 1943 in RSRDC, so perhaps it was a randomly generated group. The USAAF was using P-51s in Asia at that time, but really in the CBI.

It's important to remember that not all types in use are available to use in SH4. The P-51 is a reasonable "fill in" for the P-40s in use in that area (liquid-cooled, single engine fighter).

[Armistead]

You're right, I was thinking P38's, been so long I said the wrong ones. I went looking at my SS's thinking P51's and they were the 38's. I don't think I've ever seen P51's in the game anywhere, not that they were used to any degree in the Pacific.

If it only shows F4's and TBMS, not sure how the files work using RSRD unless a random group, as the P38's show, along with several other different types of US and British planes attacking Rabual, including the big bombers.. .Course these aren't carrier aircraft, so you may be looking at those files.

P38's my favorite plane of that time.

[Stealhead]

They did fly in the CBI mainly A-36s Apache which where P-51As that where modified for ground attack though in the CBI at least they where used as fighters often and they did also fly with P-51As.Funny thing is the only real difference between a P-51A and an A-36 was that the A-36 had dive brakes so in all reality the A-36 was a P-51A with a new name the A-36 was so-so in the CBI but it was all they had to fly. P-51D and Ks where only flown in mostly 1945 escorting B-29s the P-82 Twin Mustang(entirely different air frame from the P-51 it was not two P-51Ds side by side) was to have performed this role but missed out on the big show and some CBI squadrons did also finally get the P-51D in late 44 early 45 to replace A-36s and P-40s, Europe First!

I wonder if they have any P-39 models they did have P-39s at Guadalcanal as well as P-38Fs.The one in the picture above looks like a P-38JorL which was not around until 1944 late late 43.The P-38s that flew on the Yammato kill mission where P-38Fs.

[tater]

The A-36 had the Allison engine, that's the primary difference, IMO.

[Stealhead]

The P-51A also had the same Allison engine as in the A-36 which did not perform very well at high altitudes which was a no go because the P-51 airframe was not at home at low level with any engine it was the P-51B that got the Merlin/Packard and D got even better the K had a smaller diameter propeller and different radio gear.The simple engine change out and then the bubble canopy and extra fuel tanks turned a mediocre plane into one of the best fighters in history not to mention best looking.

Of course my favorite PTO based aircraft would have to be the P-38 because it kicked some serious ass in the Pacific.Many people do not know that Charles Lindbergh who was not allowed into the US military for political reasons had a great interest in the P-38s in the Pacific and often went to P-38 units and showed the pilots and maintenance crews ways to improve the planes overall performance especially its range he also did fly the P-38 in combat(illegally) a few times and did shot down Jap planes of course they where never credited or recorded except in the minds of the men flying with him for obvious reasons.And of course you cant forget Richard Bong Americas top ace.