Interest in Japanese missions?

[dasuto247]

Just gauging interest in flying missions from the Japanese perspective. I have some flying for the 204 Kokutai and 582nd over Solomons in mid to late 1943. I plan to release some in next week or so after finish upgrading them. (wrote these missions a while back and shelved them when went on hiatus from CFS 2) Just wondering if there is much interest, if so will keep it mind. Definitely a different battle in the Zeke, Hamp, Val etc as don't take the punishment the same and don't have the same power but is a whole new challenge I have found.

[Captain Kurt]

Don't know about other pilots but I don't fly as Japanese. It's historical immersion for me and I have no respect for the Japanese at that time in history. I can't begin to relate.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Don't know about other pilots but I don't fly as Japanese. It's historical immersion for me and I have no respect for the Japanese at that time in history. I can't begin to relate.

I too don't fly as Japanese. My father fought them and out of respect for him and the millions slaughtered during the war, I will not fly them.

[rwatson]

I agree with Capt. Kurt No Marine with any respect for the past would ever fly Jap planes shooting at other Marines..I know it's just a game but I had family that served in the Corps as I did and I respect them.


Semper Fi

[Rami]

Good morning,

I completely understand the viewpoints that have been expressed, but as a historian, I enjoy looking at battles through the eyes of both sides, rather than one. So I have some interest, Dasuto.

[Wayland]

I would also be interested, ever since encountering Sakai Saburo's bio at age 13, I have been fascinated by the the way the Imperial forces hung on, and fought on as the allies got the steamroller going.

[wolfi]

The “Zero“ is the reason while I’m bought this sim some years ago! So I fly in generally both sides
I bought the Tamiya 1:32 Zero first and while assembling the plastic kit CFS2 came up, so I thought it would be nice to fly this aircraft on my new bought windows 98 PC. The kit is still unfinished…
Yes I like to fly Japanese missions.
wolfi

[MaskRider]

Interesting thread! I'm not much of a mission or campaign flyer though- Japanese or Allies.

MR

[rwatson]

Yes an interesting thread and I see a level of respect for each members choice, which is good, no flames or any other garbage. Good to see an open discussion.

[gaucho_59]

Yes an interesting thread and I see a level of respect for each members choice, which is good, no flames or any other garbage. Good to see an open discussion.

And just as well, a certain level of respect .... Nonetheless... In this case, it might be worth remembering... or for some folks... LEARNING... some history...
In WW2, the quaint idea of cowboys with white and black hats... is a bit naïve... or perhaps revealing little knowledge of the geopolitical situations wherefrom conflict arose...
There were no REALLY GOOD AND BAD GUYS... All the way from the industrial revolution to the advent of Social Darwinism... through Pangermanism, etc. ad nauseam... should tell a discerning
mind that something was rotten in the state of Denmark... to quote Hamlet... The expansion west in the US was no better than the Japanese attempt to attain an Asian Sphere of Prosperity in terms of
trampling through the God given right of all people to live in peace... The justice rendered at the Palace of Justice in Fuerth (birthplace of Henry Kissinger) aka Nuremberg... was a victors' justice...
none of the big wigs responsible for the Mi Lai massacre in Viet Nam were hanged... not even Lt Calley!!! So, the idea that the Japanese and the Nazis were the only bad guys... is really quite quaintly naïve...
One is finally coming to accept the fact that our country was and is no saint... So... seeing the WW2 belligerent airman in such black and white terms... is not really worth of respect... if we think like
that... we live in a bubble... and should get ourselves enlightened... Those folks were just victims or paladins... or actually merely pawns in a bigger game of chess... What should be recognized is that
in the midst of all that chaos.. they had the resolve to fight for their countries... just like I did for mine in Viet Nam... I never for a second... as a young inexperienced but very wise Captain... thought I
was defending Democracy... I was just paying my way for the privilege of living in the US and enjoying its good life... and so were those young and old airman in WW2...
No good guys and bad guys... that is only a figment of John Wayne movies...
G.

[dasuto247]

Interesting discussion which I was not trying to provoke at all lol but that is how the best discussions get started. I see and agree with both sides, as in I have feelings of both. Having personally known quite a few WW 2 PTO veterans(family and friends) over the years, I have encountered views that range from pure hatred that will last until their last breath(which is understandable) to absolute forgiveness and everything in between. I seem to fall into is a begrudging respect, which all these years later is one I encounter(well encountered, most of the WW 2 vets I knew have passed on) the most. Like in any war, those in power make the decisions, the aviators, soldiers, sailors, marines etc have to fight for their nation and try to survive. Warmongering imperialists in the Japanese government pushed their nation into actions that lead to the war, including the pact with Germany and Italy.Voices of reason such as Yamamato were ignored, in some cases silenced by murder.Yamamoto's life was in danger at one point if I recall, so he was promoted and sent to a sea command.Hirohito of course had a role in this but he, even with all his supposed power was somewhat of a puppet, he listened to the Army, he trusted them and their actionslead to reactions such as the oil embargo and things "snowballed" from there.

Politics of the war aside, I do hold a begrudging respect for the bravery and Japanese in the war, especially the airmen. Flying is always dangerous but US planes, especially fighters were built to take punishment and give aircrews a chance to survive.Japanese planes were built light without armor as we know, and many chose not to bring a parachute. A bit Crazy? Perhaps, but brave.

Obviously we all have a love of history and military aviation, which is why we enjoy this sim.My love of aviation tends to take hold here and just enjoy the Japanese aircraft, many of which are fairly well modeled in the CFS 2.I enjoy flying and fighting in the sim from a different perspective.Like I mentioned in the OP, you definitely have to fly and fight differently, esp if used to flying Allied esp large, powerful US planes.

Differing views aside, glad to see there is interest in IJN IJAAF missions, so will put some together for release.

[baldy]

I don't generally fly Japanese or German being more of a circuits and bumps guy but I have no problem with those who do.

However I must disagree with our friend Gaucho_59 about good guys and bad guys. When I was much younger than I am now I read a couple of books by Lord Russel of Liverpool - The Scourge of the Swastika and The Knights of Bushido. The books outline the war crimes of both the Germans and the Japanese - these were some very bad guys indeed. The Mi Lai massacre and others committed by Allied servicemen were random events, to be condemned, but not acts of government policy as were the German and Japanese.

baldy

[Typhoon Willy]

Hi Dasuto247,

I wouldn't mind Japanese missions. Like Rami, I enjoy the experience of flying for "the other side." I like bomber intercepts in the J2M3 Raiden (Jack) against B-29s w/escorts and FW190s against B-17s/B-24s w/P-51 escorts - you are definitely taking your virtual life in your own hands! I don't imagine this makes me appear to support the gov'ts or their political policies of the time, just want to have a better understanding of how it MAY have been like for those pilots.

Kind regards,

TW