salt_air's "Hunt" in the Mitsubishi A5M4 "Claude"

**salt_air** · August 16th, 2015, 12:28

I am taking off from JCB and going to GSP

**salt_air** · August 16th, 2015, 14:20

I have landed at airport GSP

FlightLog_18-07-16.TXT

Bent the route around terrain again .... there's a valley and river that runs straight into Gusap from Lae thank goodness.

That's all for today .... Nap time for me and a wrench or two will need to be turned on "Claude".

Earlier suspicions have been confirmed through the course of the day ...

I will need to adjust for the longer legs into Frans Kaisiepo and Naha.

Extra stops for fuel or a serious cut back on the throttle to lessen fuel burn rates.

Fun, fun, fun .... Probably run some fuel burn tests during the next leg.

Cheers!

**salt_air** · August 17th, 2015, 15:05

I am taking off from GSP and going to HFD

***PRB*** · August 17th, 2015, 15:29

And thus, surrounded by hills and clouds, he Claude his way westward...

**salt_air** · August 17th, 2015, 15:41

Well .... both the leg between HFD and WABB as well as the leg between WA0A and WAMH (FS9) are too long for this bird to make on a full tank.

Throttling back is an option but the trade off in Ground Speed loss doesn't make it very viable .... especially if there's a wind shift and or a dramatic change in wind speed ... if all factors came into play, then I would get wet no matter how far I throttled back.

So we will be diverting from the original plan and adding two airports to the list.

They're really not all that far off route and spaced nicely almost cutting those two legs in half.

No worries on fuel, but there will be two more chances to bust it up landing and some extra mileage(=time).

Can't say adding landings is safe, but proportioning the fuel as best I can will eliminate any worries of getting wet ...
I mean unless cross paths with a Hellcat or Corsair somewhere enroute ...

I'll call it prudent for now and maybe not be so hasty about aircraft selection in the future.

Meanwhile I sure am havin' a ball!!

**salt_air** · August 17th, 2015, 16:09

I have landed at airport HFD

FlightLog_20-07-04.TXT

**salt_air** · August 17th, 2015, 16:26

Lovely day for flying uh, VFR? .... there was a NDB that I passed by on my starboard side, but this is supposed to be a visual approach, yeah?

It did clear up enough for me to find the airport at my 2 o'clock ... after that I was too busy for any more screenies.

Usually happens just the opposite huh?

Nap time

Cheers All,

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 11:33

I am taking off from HFD and going to WABB

There will be an intermediate stop .... I decide after I get up to cruise altitude to check winds.

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 12:15

I have landed at airport AYVN

FlightLog_16-13-46.TXT

Fuel, coffee, a trip to the gunny and then back in the saddle ....

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 12:17

I am taking off from AYVN and going to WABB

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 13:45

I have landed at airport WABB

FlightLog_17-43-39.TXT

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 13:47

I am taking off from WABB and going to WA0A

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 15:13

I have landed at airport WA0A

FlightLog_19-12-13.TXT

**salt_air** · August 18th, 2015, 15:27

Had to duck terrain .... weaved a bit and was about to steer around it, but decided to climb over it.

Only up to 12000' .... lost 10 kts or so GS, but may have fared out by cutting the extra distance (Time).

Looked back at fuel for today's antics and think I may have made it non-stop from HFD to WABB .... same distance as the upcoming leg.

We'll see what Mother Nature has in store tomorrow .... may make the call to go for it straight to Naha .... lots of water

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 12:54

I am taking off from WA0A and going to WAMH

Straight across if the winds favor .... an intermediate stop if not.

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 13:12

So far winds are right on the ol' snot locker ... only 8 kts.

May climb slowly ....

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 13:34

Not enough of a change to matter .... shifted to just off the starboard side wing, but a substantial loss in GS.

Only a few miles out of the way to fly by Pitu (WAMR) and have a look at the gauges and watch ... then make the call.

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 14:17

I have landed at airport WAMR

FlightLog_18-14-31.TXT

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 14:18

I am taking off from WAMR and going to WAMH

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 14:33

It is what it is ...

All freshened up at Pitu (WAMR) ..... reckon I could make it all the way to Manila for a glass of cold milk and a whole box of those delicious Manila Wafers .... mmmm good!

Na, better stick to Miss Nellie's instructions and land at Naha.

Any newcomers that are reading this pay attention ... Miss Nellie doesn't require us to do very much, but she always gets what she asks for from each of us.

Not sure if she would consider me as one of her "Boys", but I'm sure enough her biggest fan.

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 15:19

I have landed at airport WAMH

FlightLog_19-18-09.TXT

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 15:22

I am taking off from WAMH and going to RP0G

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 15:52

I was followed for a short time by two Wildcats that broke the pursuit off ... probably low on fuel.

Except for that I have manged to sneak through without any conflicts.

Should have it made at Malita .... expecting to find the base there abandoned temporarily .... with a few planes (Japanese) and a Cracker Jack repair hanger that (as rumor has it) is being constructed to begin regular service tomorrow.

The workforce arrived in planes ... prepared the runway .... set up the hanger facility and were to have departed in a submarine.

They are supposed to return some time tomorrow with more aircraft and the balance of tolls and parts to begin operations.

Hope my info is correct .... at least the part about them having left.

This plane won't give me away, but my Japanese is .... uh .... I don't have any Japanese.

We will see shortly ....

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 16:12

I have landed at airport RP0G

FlightLog_20-09-41.TXT

**salt_air** · August 19th, 2015, 16:25

Info was right ..... not a soul to be seen.

Time to do some explorin' .... what looks like a hanger at the south end of the field with four or five piles of camo tarps covering what are probably aircraft parked along beside it in the grass.

First things first .... A local fisherman has agreed to give me a lift over to Marcos.

Wanna check the Shoes-R-Us there ... these boots are killin' my feet.

Then I gotta find me some of those Manila Wafers .... mmmm good!

I'll send a teletype to Miss Nellie ... let her know I made it okay .... then a nap before finding some mischief to get into.

Need to find out what's happened to my P-40 ....

You havin' fun yet?

Thread: salt_air's "Hunt" in the Mitsubishi A5M4 "Claude"

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