Time of Aces - Operation Cartwheel
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As the Guadalcanal Campaign came to an end Operation Cleanslate saw the unopposed capture of the the Russell Islands on 21st February 1943. It was clear to see that the Allies were planning on taking the war right up the Solomons to Rabaul. The Allies would call their Island hopping campaign Operation Cartwheel. Operation Cartwheel would consist of 13 individual operations and a set timetable for their launching. Of the Thirteen, Rabaul, Kavieng and Kolombangara were not undertaken leaving the Allies with 10 different Landings.
From November 1942 to February 1943 the Allies would see the introduction of several new aircraft into the theater. Aircraft like the P-38G, P-40F, and the F4U-1 were replacing the war weary F4F-4 and the P-39D. To the Northwest of Guadalcanal, The Allies were finding Rabaul a veritable hornet's nest and the Japanese would launch more long range strikes on Guadalcanal under the operation I-Go. These initial months of 1943 saw the Japanese grip on the Solomons slipping but the situation was still uncertain.
By June 1943 the Allies had launched Operation Toenails, The Landings on New Georgia and By November the Allies would land on Bougainville during Operation Cherry Blossom. Operation Cartwheel would last into 1944 and used the strategy of avoiding major concentrations of enemy while cutting Japanese communications and supply lines. Although Rabaul would remain in Japanese hands until the Japanese surrender in 1945.
This FSO is a revisit to 68KO's 2006 setup and depicts the situation in the Solomons and Rabaul beginning in February 1943.
From November 1942 to February 1943 the Allies would see the introduction of several new aircraft into the theater. Aircraft like the P-38G, P-40F, and the F4U-1 were replacing the war weary F4F-4 and the P-39D. To the Northwest of Guadalcanal, The Allies were finding Rabaul a veritable hornet's nest and the Japanese would launch more long range strikes on Guadalcanal under the operation I-Go. These initial months of 1943 saw the Japanese grip on the Solomons slipping but the situation was still uncertain.
By June 1943 the Allies had launched Operation Toenails, The Landings on New Georgia and By November the Allies would land on Bougainville during Operation Cherry Blossom. Operation Cartwheel would last into 1944 and used the strategy of avoiding major concentrations of enemy while cutting Japanese communications and supply lines. Although Rabaul would remain in Japanese hands until the Japanese surrender in 1945.
This FSO is a revisit to 68KO's 2006 setup and depicts the situation in the Solomons and Rabaul beginning in February 1943.
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AIRCRAFT
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- Maximums indicate total number of Aircraft for all three frames.Â
- TBM-3 - Rockets, 1000lb and 2000lb Bombs disabled.
- SBD-5 - 1600lb bomb disabled.
- F4U-1, P-38G and P-40F - 1000lb bombs disabled.
- B-25C Glass nose only. Strafer Disabled.
- Only aircraft with minimums must be flown.
- Requirements Indicate # of Pilots.
- Formations are enabled but not required.
- Certain Aircraft will only be active from certain fields. Please refer to the Objectives and Orders.
- Pilots may refuel and rearm at ANY FRIENDLY FIELD.
- All Aircraft must land successfully at ANY FRIENDLY FIELD before T+120 or you will be counted as lost.
- Requirements Indicate # of Pilots.
- Formations are enabled but not required.
- Certain Aircraft will only be active from certain fields. Please refer to the Objectives and Orders.
- Pilots may refuel and rearm at ANY FRIENDLY FIELD.
- All Aircraft must land successfully at ANY FRIENDLY FIELD before T+120 or you will be counted as lost.
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AIRCRAFT SCORING
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OBJECT SCORING
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ACE MISSIONS:
Each side will have one mandatory Ace mission per frame. These frames will represent notable pilots of the time and theater. One pilot from each side will designated an "Ace" Pilot. They must fly the Aces listed aircraft. The Aces must be relayed to the Admin CM before launch. They will be scored as follows.
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Ace Pilot = 20 Points
Ace Pilot Kills = 20 Points
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So for example if an Ace Pilot is shot down they are worth 20 points to the other side. Like wise, every victory an Ace Pilot lands they will be rewarded 20 points.
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ALLIED ACES
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FRAME 1 – P-40F - Robert "Westy" Westbrook was flying a P-40 Warhawk with the 44th Fighter Squadron when he was sent into Guadalcanal. He would score his first kill during his first major engagement on January 27th 1943. He would reach 5 victories on June 12th and ultimatley shoot down 7 total while flying the P-40 in the Solomons. He would transition to the P-38 and would score 13 more victories before being killed in action, strafing a ship in the Makassar Strait, Philippines.
FRAME 2 – F4U-1 – Kenneth Walsh was one of the most experienced pilots in the USMC's first Corsair squadron when they arrived at Guadalcanal in February 12th 1943 and they were thrown right into combat the day they arrived. He claimed his first three Japanese planes on April 1st and would become the first Corsair ace on May 13th. He would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions against the Japanese on August 30th. Walsh retired a Lt Colonel and passed away in 1998.
FRAME 3 – P-38G - Murray "Jim" Shubin, a Pittsburgh PA native, Shubin scored his first victory on February 2nd with another on June 7th. During a huge raid on Guadalcanal on June 16th he would shoot down 5 enemy Zeros and claim another probable. He would claim two more enemy aircraft bringing his total to 11 enemy before being sent back to the states. He was awarded the Silver Star and the DFC. Shubin was killed in a vehicle accident in France in 1956. Â
AXIS ACES
FRAME 1 – A6M3 Model 32 – Kenji Yanagiya was sent to Rabaul in October of 1942 with the 204th AG and recorded his first victory on January 5th 1943. On April 18th he took part in the ill-fated escort mission of Yamamoto. Yanangiya continued flying and while on a mission to the Guadalcanal was seriously injured by F4Fs. With his right hand nearly shot off, he flew all the way back to Munda on New Georgia Island fighting blacking out from loss of blood. Yanangiya was credited with at least 8 victories and passed away in 2008.
FRAME 2 – A6M3 Model 32 – Masaaki Shimakawa claimed his first victory on the opening day of the war against the US in the Philippines. A pilot in the famed Tainan Air group of Rabaul he was aboard the Carrier Kaga when it was sunk during the Battle of Midway. He was rescued and then began flying in the Solomons where he would down a total of 8 aircraft and share in another 12-13 before coming down with Malaria and being shipped home in March 1943. Shimakawa passed away in 1997.
FRAME 3 – A6M3 Model 32 – Ryoji Ohara was sent to Buin in October of 1942 and immediatley began claiming victories, his first on October 23rd. His fellow pilots dubbed him the killer of Rabaul and was credited with shooting down the F4U-1 of VMF-124 CO, William Gise on 13 May 1943. Ohara was later transferred back to Japan where he would serve until the end of the war with the Yokosuka AG. Ohara would claim 48 kills and would later serve in the JSDAF.
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SETTINGS:
- Solomons Terrain
- Solomons Terrain
- Icon Range – Friendly 3k, Enemy 3k.
- No Radar
- Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 63360 (12 miles)
- Tower Range – 63,360 (for display to match the above Fighter and Bomber Warning)
- External view for bombers (F3) - On
- Friendly Collisions - Off
- Enemy Collisions - On
- Kill Shooter - Off
- Fuel - 1.0
- Ack - 0.4
- Formations - Enabled
- Bombsite calibration - Main Arena Standard
- No Radar
- Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 63360 (12 miles)
- Tower Range – 63,360 (for display to match the above Fighter and Bomber Warning)
- External view for bombers (F3) - On
- Friendly Collisions - Off
- Enemy Collisions - On
- Kill Shooter - Off
- Fuel - 1.0
- Ack - 0.4
- Formations - Enabled
- Bombsite calibration - Main Arena Standard
- Stall Limiter Disabled
- Visibility - 17 miles
- Object Downtime – full (200)
- Winds - None
- Game Clock:
           Frame 1: 06:00
           Frame 2: 12:00
           Frame 3: 16:00Â
- Object Downtime – full (200)
- Winds - None
- Game Clock:
           Frame 1: 06:00
           Frame 2: 12:00
           Frame 3: 16:00Â
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Original Design Bill "68KO" Bundesmann
Updated by Will "Nefarious" Hyman