I'm not worthy

[DonJasper99]

I would like to be able to contribute something back to the community, but getting real for a moment - that's just not going to happen. I know that there is a truly remarkable amount of material already available for any sort of operation that my weak-mind can recall.

"Let's see ... Flying Tigers, Pearl, Midway, Guadalcanal, Coral Sea ... Humm. Everything that I've ever heard of is already available in one form or another. Plus lots of stuff I don't recall. This ain't the shallow end of the pool. I think I'll have to wait around until the topic of the American Civil War comes up before I can hope to make a meaningful contribution."


Now - lo and behold - I find out that there were night-fighter units in the Pacific ...


"Hummm ... I wonder how many other CFS2'ers just press 'X' to end the carrier missions? Not because they find carrier landing repetative, but because they just can't do them? It's sort of embarrassing to admit that, so maybe I'll just skip over that part."


... I knew that they existed in the ETO, but Holy Cow!


Help Wanted: Looking for those few people in whom God has inordinately blessed. Must be able to fly a high-performance aircraft - navigate accurately enough (using range and bearing - GPS won't be invented for fifty years) to find the same ship you originally departed from - land said aircraft on a short skinny deck moving with the ocean surface - all in bad weather conditions. Ability to operate airborne radar set (twenty years or so before the invention of the semi-conductor) preferred.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Your comradeship, is all that needs to be contributed. Welcome, stay tuned in and keep your airspeed up :wavey:

[Jagdflieger]

Welcome Jasper! No need to hurry. Lots of stuff to play with while you get your projects sorted out.

[Hern07]

Check Crossing the Line in your local bookstore. The author was flying in the same formation with Butch O'Hare when he was shot down on a night fighter mission.

[Pen32Win]

Howdy Don and Welcome;

Sounds like you're into night fighters. Well they flew quite a bit in the PTO. The Big E had both a night fighter wing and an Night Attack Wing and by the end of the war they specialized in it. VF-90 and VT-90, The Night Birds of the Big-E. You can read about it here: http://www.cv6.org/1945/nightops/nightbirds.htm

As far as the USAAF:
547th Night Fighter Squadron - Activated March 1944 with P-61. Served in New Guinea, Philippines, Ie Shima, Japan.

418th Night Fighter Squadron - Received Black Widow in September 1944 - PNG.

421sth Night Fighter Squadron - Received Black Widow June 1944 - PNG & Philippines

The 6th Night Fighter Squadron began operations in February of 1943 with its P-70s from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, in an attempt to intercept high-flying Japanese night raiders. It was later supplanted by the 419th Night Fighter Squadron. The 418th and 421st Night Fighter Squadrons flew P-70s operationally in New Guinea for a brief time.

The 6th Night Fighter Squadron on New Guinea mounted two SCR-540 Airborne Intercept (AI) radar units which were mounted into two P-38 drop tanks. These aircraft were also able to carry a passenger located directly behind the pilot under a small bubble canopy.

That's just a start. Mission building can be both challenging and fun. You've always got a bunch of folks around here to help you out of a tough spot. AND, nobody that I can remember has really gone after this aspect of the war. There have been a few mission here and there but nothing I can remember as far as a full blow Campaign. Give it a go.

[Tango_Romeo]

He also serves, who simply stands and waits. :kiss: