Invasion of Malaya 1941/1942
The Japanese advance down the Malaysian peninsular was moving quickly, but not without loss. The RAF had a few operating airstrips sending out ground attack missions harassing the Japanese forces whenever they could.
“Seems like our brothers in the Army can’t protect their own ground troops so we have been asked to help. We’ll be hunting anything in the air or on the ground near the RAF base at Machang. Our ground forces are getting near the base so be sure of any ground targets before attacking.”
“If you see any of our friends flying Army planes in the area try not to antagonize them. They are having a difficult time right now”, Nobu smirked and the listening pilots chuckled.
Squadron leader Nobu Tanaka pointed at Takashiro Suzuki, Hiroshi Matsui and Shigeo Nakasumo, “You will come with me. Toma, take the others”.
Nobu wanted to keep an eye on Hiroshi. Toma Seiko gave a good accounting of him on his last mission. A rookie with promise is a valuable asset to the squadron and must be nurtured, not wasted.
Suzuki(white Zero) would have Hiroshi on his wing .(green Zero)
Nobu (camo Zero) would have another rookie, Shigeo, on his wing. (green Zero, white border on Sun)
As flight leader he would take the most aggressive path. Shigeo was instructed to keep close and protect Nobu’s tail.
Flying over the Malaysian jungles on the approach to Machang, Nobu spotted specks in the air ahead.
“Eyes open boys, make sure they are not Army before you start shooting”.
“RAF Hurricanes! Fire as you can”.
No one noticed the slow biplanes following behind.
Nobu engaged two Hurricanes. He was surprised at the accuracy of their fire as he shot his cannon into the engine of the enemy marked ‘H’.
“Shigeo, turn in behind me and take them from the side”.
Cutting over the plane he just wounded Nobu fires into the ‘G’ enemy at close range and watches it fall apart.
“Great shot Flight Leader”! cried Shigeo.
“Quite, concentrate and follow orders”, returned Nobu. Nobu worried that Shigeo’s
enthusiasm would distract him.
Shigeo keeps close and the “H’ enemy passes under.
Suzuki slips left unnoticed by Hiroshi. Two Hurricanes shoot at Hiroshi missing but his return fire finds its mark.
“Hiroshi, stay with me!” yells Suzuki.
“Yes Sir”, replied Hiroshi.
As Nobu flies over the falling wreckage of ‘G’, out of nowhere a biplane appears and fires on him. Shigeo sees the incoming biplanes and tries to protect Nobu, firing accurately into the new enemy.
Suzuki takes the worst of an exchange of fire with a biplane. Surprised to see a biplane, he overshot the slow moving target.
The biplane keeps on firing and wounds Nobu, stunning him into a momentary daze. Shigeo is too slow to respond as he watches the action fly past.
The highly maneuverable biplane keeps it’s aim and peppers Nobu’s Zero again.
Hiroshi sees Nobu in trouble. Instinct takes over and he leaves Suzuki and turns in to punish the biplanes for their actions against the squadron leader.
Speaking as fast as he can, “Leader Suzuki Sir I have to protect Flight Leader he is being shot by the enemy I have to try”!
Hiroshi damages the Gladiator tailing Nobu.
Hiroshi watches in pride and horror as Nobu downs his second Hurricane but does not get to enjoy it as Nobu’s Zero is in turn taken down by an RAF biplane.
“Nooooooo”! screams Hiroshi.
“Hiroshi, stay calm and keep on your enemy”, instructed Suzuki.
Hiroshi lines up a shot on the second biplane that was following Nobu.
Hiroshi slows and the biplane that downed Nobu cuts across his guns. He does not hesitate to fire, squeezing the triggers till his fingers hurt.
In the thick of the swirling action Hiroshi finds the second biplane while he is targeted by a Hurricane. He tears into the biplane but feels his Zero rocked by the incoming Hurricane fire.
Shigeo gets into the fight and scores on a biplane.
Keeping his composure, Hiroshi stays on the biplane’s tail and gets his first kill. Vengeance for Nobu does not make Hiroshi feel any better as he glances back and sees a hole in the jungle canopy where Nobu went in with smoke rising out of it.
The Hurricane ‘F’ finds Shigeo and hits his fuel tank setting it ablaze. Shigeo’s return fire scores and the Hurricane’s engine bleeds out a trail of smoke.
Suzuki returns to the action but is on the receiving end of it.
While turning wildly to try to douse the flames Shigeo finds the last biplane in his sights and smashes it to pieces.
“Banzai”! shouts Shigeo in triumph momentarily forgetting the growing flames engulfing his Zero.
Suzuki engages another Hurricane and hits home but takes significant damage himself.
Hurricane ‘E’ reverses to get on Suzuki’s tail but does so too soon and Suzuki stalls, getting on enemy ‘E’s tail. It happened so fast Suzuki could not believe his eyes and barely gets off a shot.
Hurricane ‘F’ turns as fast as he can to get back to help out his flight mate.
He’s too far away to make any difference as Suzuki downs Enemy ‘E’.
Now ranking as flight leader with Nobu down, Suzuki calls out to the two rookies to break off and head home.
Shigeo cries out, “I’m on fire and can’t get it out”!
Suzuki, “You are high enough, try a power dive, that may help”.
Shigeo dives from 3000’ to well under 1000’ but the fire continues. He is now too low to use his parachute and looks for a clearing to bring his plane down into.
The burning Zero crashes through the canopy and somehow finds its way to the ground in one piece. Shigeo is stunned by the violence of the crash and manages to get out of his burning plane, collapsing meters away.
He comes to for a moment as he is being lifted into a truck, but those helping him are not speaking Japanese.
When the truck stops at it’s destination an hour later a medic checks in on the Japanese pilot. No pulse.
Butcher’s Bill
Nobumichi Tanaka SD ET WIA 2 Kills
C 5 -1sd -1et -1wia +1ace +3ach = 6 injured 5 = miss 3 missions ( ach = Always Coming Home Ace skill)
E 8 -1wia -1wic -2bel +3ach = 8 last hurdle getting back to friendly forces, miss 1 mission, Total miss 4 missions
Shigeo Nakasumo SD FLM ET
C 7 -3flm -1bel -1r = 2 = KIA
Takashiro Suzuki RTB 1 Kill
Hiroshi Matsui RTB 1 Kill
Hurricane F RTB 1 Kill (set Shigeo Nakasumo on fire that downed him)
Hurricanes E, G & H SD
Gloster Gladiators both SD
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