trivia time

[Arlo]

Originally Posted by I'm goin' down

What was the Tokyo Express?

Who gave it that nick name?

Why was it called the Tokyo Express?

What was the route of the Tokyo Express?

The nickname given for use of IJN ships transporting troops and supplies at night.

The American press.

To protect the original name "Cactus Express" from public knowledge, "Cactus" being an operational codename.

Japan to the Solomons.

[fitzcarraldo]

And:

Is there a mod with the Tokyo Express really simulated?

TMO? RSRDC? FOTRS?

(I don´t know the answer...).

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo

[Dread Knot]

Originally Posted by Arlo

Japan to the Solomons.

More likely from Rabaul in New Britain to the various Japanese held islands and garrisons in the Solomons. Rabaul was the major port where supplies were stockpiled and escorts for the nocturnal runs were based.

[Arlo]

Originally Posted by Dread Knot

More likely from Rabaul in New Britain to the various Japanese held islands and garrisons in the Solomons. Rabaul was the major port where supplies were stockpiled and escorts for the nocturnal runs were based.

I gladly stand corrected.

[Ducimus]

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express?

[I'm goin' down]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express?

I believe the ships were destroyers. The Marines on Guadalcanal commonly referred to the dds coming down the SLOT (at night) as the Tokyo Express.

RSRDC has dds sailing down the slot at night in its program. Armistead knows RSRDC like the palm of his hand, and can likely provide when and where.

I believe the Tokyo Express ran at night because the American Air Force did not have night vision equipment.

[Armistead]

RSRD does a great job with the Tokyo express. The staging ground for the DD's was out of Shortland, giving them enough time to get down the slot and unload under the cover of darkness.

[Arlo]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express?

Um. Warships, I believe. Destroyers, if not exclusively, primarily (again, I believe). I think the point was to move things fast and at night.

IGD beat me to it. Posted post haste without lookin' for other responses. Oy.

[WernherVonTrapp]

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.

Yep, during the battle of GC, Nov/42, I think the night of the 15th the JP's tried to land a lot of troops and supplies with a fairly large merchant convoy. Whatever night it is with all the action in RSRD that night hard to decide what to do, but you'll see about 6 Nagara's coming past Savo. Course, with all the JP TF hard to decide what you want to attack.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.

The Japanese themselves had two names for the Tokyo Express based on the types of vessels used to lift Army units to Guadalcanal. "Rat Transportation" was the term given to using high speed destroyers and the occasional seaplane carrier. "Ant Freight" was the use of slow barges and transports to lift artillery pieces, tanks and other items too large and cumbersome for the destroyer decks. "Rat Transportation" was safer and quicker, but as an IJA soldier you were likely to find yourself at your destination without much to eat or many bullets to fight with.