Solomon Campaign Briefs

[AH_DealnDave]

S~ All,

As the time draws near for the Solomon Islands Campaign to start ... I want to welcome you all to what I hope will be a fun campaign !! :)  This forum thread will be where I'm going to be posting the individual mission maps and briefings.  I hope to have the new briefing for the next mission posted on Friday's.  The current time frame for mission-01 looks to be April 11th (is now scheduled).

With this campaign, the use of "Unit Squadrons", will be used, also going to try the use of separating comms, red / blue / main channels. This should reduce the amount of simultaneous calls and comments.  This should reduce talking from 24+ to 8+ pilots on each channel.  The comms are directly associated with that squad's individual mission.

As the campaign progresses from mission to mission, the squad assignments will also rotate.  Fighter, bomber, torpedo planes ... ect.

Well with that being said ... Here is Mission #01.



Solomon Islands Campaign - Mission - 01 - Tulagi
Date: August 8th, 1942

In preparation for the landings at Guadalcanal, allied planners knew that the sea-plane base at Tulagi Harbor had to be neutralized.

Intelligence:

Aircraft reconnaissance noted numerous enemy aircraft and shipping anchored at all four of the primary enemy held islands within the harbor.  AAA sites were also photographed. Enemy aircraft noted were H8K1 and A6M-N float planes. Shipping included a float plane tender, supply ship, and numerous other small boats.

During your attack, our forces (marines) will be hitting the beach area near the harbor.  There will also be one of our Navy destroyers providing artillery bombardment for the landings.

This is an active sea-plane base and the possibility of enemy scrambling aircraft is real.

The Mission:

SBD's - will arm with bombs and attack enemy aircraft and shipping. Note the map above, the target areas are circled in "red". Way-point map shown below.



F4F's - will provide CAP for the strike aircraft. Way-point map shown below.



NOTAMS:

Be watchful of the Marine landing force as you attack the harbor.

F4F's ( 1st Squad) will use "red" comms
SBD's (2nd & 3rd Squads) will use "blue" comms

If an individual squad needs reinforcements prior to mission launch, the HQ / Squadron Leaders will determine how to deploy the pilots needed.

If and when guests arrive for any mission, seating will determined prior to mission launch.

Good Luck ...

As with this mission, or any upcoming mission, I welcome all constructive and "off the wall" comments ... hehe !!!

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

Sounds awesome Dave, glad to see we are using the new slot map.

~S

[_AH_Bear]

My only issue with separate comms ... we have had this discussion many times before.. what if... im in a bomber, on my comms and i need to contact a fighter .. on the other comms for assitance   or a fighter wants to relay to a bomber about impending danger... for the most part we have learned to ID each others voices  and make short, to the point  messages... what seems like chaos is actually legible by most..

Just my 2 cents...

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

War is hell Bear.

S!

[_AH_Hollywood]

My only issue with separate comms ... we have had this discussion many times before.. what if... im in a bomber, on my comms and i need to contact a fighter .. on the other comms for assitance   or a fighter wants to relay to a bomber about impending danger... for the most part we have learned to ID each others voices  and make short, to the point  messages... what seems like chaos is actually legible by most.. - Bear

I was thinking about this tonight. 

The three squad leaders can have a separate channel and we three can communicate on behalf of others.

My only concern is you lose a bit of the banter with only 6 to 8 guys on comms opposed to 20 to 24

God help the Dirty 3rd. They get all of Jacks jokes for the next 30 weeks.

Wood

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Its been a long time since we split comms, can't hurt to try it. If we find it problematic we can always go back.

What are the exact aircraft models for Mission 1? It says F4F and SBD, are they F4F-4s and SBD-3s? Specificity in this regard would help guys wanting to practice in the kite they will be flying and skinners as well.

DW

[AH_DealnDave]

What are the exact aircraft models for Mission 1? It says F4F and SBD, are they F4F-4s and SBD-3s? Specificity in this regard would help guys wanting to practice in the kite they will be flying and skinners as well.

DW

S~ DW,

The aircraft types for the campaign are the following:

Initially ...
P-400 - 1941
F4F-4 - 1942
SBD-3 - 1942
TBF-1 - 1942

Later (mission 17 and so on)...
P-38F-1-LO - 1942
F4U-1 - 1943
F4U-1A - 1943
F6F (late) - 1943
SBD-5 - 1943
TBF-1C - 1943

[AH_DealnDave]

Updated mission-01 post with way-point maps, see above.

[_AH_Sandhog]

Request F4F-4, please

[AH_DealnDave]

Request F4F-4, please

~S All,

Sand, this campaign will be flown as squads vs. individual aircraft assignments.  So, whatever part of mission that the squad has been assigned, the members of that squad will fly those aircraft.  :)

So, requesting an individual aircraft type will not be necessary going forward.  :)

[AH_DealnDave]

~S All,

The current time frame for mission-01 looks to be April 11th (is now scheduled).


Review the mission brief above ... Tuesday night is just around the corner 

[_AH_DarkWolf]

BBQ's birthday is tuesday too!

Wow. He's like two decades older than me. Thats a long time. Just saying.

DW

[AH_DealnDave]

Excellent turn-out for mission - 01, we had 24 pilots altogether !!! Thank you all for the kind comments.  :)  Here is the next briefing to be flown on next Tuesday - April 18th.

"Solomon Islands Campaign"
Mission - 02 - Guadalcanal / 01
Date: August 21st, 1942

After Action Report:

Well done ... Tulagi is secured and the enemy seaplane base and harbor has been neutralized.

Welcome to Guadalcanal...well we currently have a small toe-hold on this island.  The enemy is pretty thick here. We've been able to establish a radar set in our area and we can get a good look at the airspace out to about 50 miles. That doesn't give us a whole lot of reaction time however. We also have a carrier group in the Santa Cruz area if we need help.



Intelligence:

Our radar has picked up enemy planes coming towards our area from the south-east.  Plane types are unknown, their altitude is roughly 2000m+. The enemy force looks to be greater than 20 aircraft.

The Mission:

Both F4F's and P-400's will fly to grids CP-9 & CQ-10, proceed on patrol to CT-7. Engage and destroy enemy aircraft.



NOTAM's:

F4F's (1st Squad, seats 1-8) - will use "red" comms
F4F's (2nd Squad, seats 13-20) - will use "blue" comms
P-400's (3rd Squad, seats 9-12 & 21-24) - will use main channel
P-400's (Spare's, HQ & Guests, seats 25-28) - will use main channel these aircraft also have "zero" fuel, if used make sure you put fuel in your aircraft, they are also AIR-START

If an individual squad needs reinforcements prior to mission launch, the HQ / Squadron Leaders will determine how to deploy the pilots needed.

If and when guests arrive for any mission, seating will determined prior to mission launch.

Good Luck ...

As with this mission, or any upcoming mission, I welcome all constructive and "off the wall" comments ... hehe !!! 

[AH_DealnDave]

S~ All,

Updated brief, NOTAM's section, see above.

[AH_DealnDave]

Excellent turn-out for mission - 02, we had 24 pilots altogether !!!  Here is the next briefing to be flown on next Tuesday - April 25th.

"Solomon Islands Campaign"
Mission - 03 - Battle of the Eastern Solomon's
Date: August 24th, 1942

After Action Report:

Good job attacking those bombers.  They were searching for our Navy Task Force near the Santa Cruz area. They were unable to find them they drifted to close to our area. Our group destroyed more than 30 enemy aircraft.



Welcome aboard the USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise. The group has been deployed here for the next mission.

Over the past few nights we've had scout planes out trying to locate the enemy fleet.  Finally we've caught a break and found them. This morning we are hitting the Japanese carrier task force that has been trying to harass us.

Intelligence:

Our scout planes have located the enemy fleet in grids CL-29 and CM-29.  They are headed south-east putting them north-west of the island of Ndai and our position. Estimated speed 25 knots, heading 140 degrees. The scout's report that there are two separate carrier groups. One group appears to be a fleet type carrier, the second group looks to be a light carrier.  Both groups are being screened by cruisers and destroyers.  The scout's also report there is a single battleship as well.



The Mission:

Destroy the enemy task force.  The primary targets are their carriers.

F4F's will provide CAP for the strike aircraft.
TBF's will arm with torpedoes and strike the carriers.  If the carriers are destroyed, target the screening vessels.

NOTAM's:

TBF's (VT-6, 1st Squad, seats 1,4,7,10,13,16,19,22) - will use "blue" comms
F4F's (VF-6, 2nd Squad, seats 25-28 & 53-56) - will use "red" comms
F4F's (VF-5, 3rd Squad, seats 57-64) - will use main channel
TBF's (VT-5, Spare's - HQ & Guests, seats 29,32,35,38,41,44,47,50) - will use "blue" channel

Good Luck ...