This is from the original Campaign made in 2003.
Welcome to the Southwest Pacific, circa the first of March, 1943. With this campaign, you will relieve the three day aerial battle of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and fly as both a bomber pilot, a fighter pilot; as an Aussie and as an American against the best of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army.
US Navy signals intercept and intelligence units began picking up radio traffic in February of 1943 regarding a large convoy, called Operation 81. The convoy’s mission was to transport the Imperial Japanese 51st Infantry Division to Lae, New Guinea to reinforce the Imperial Japanese 18th Army. The need for reinforcement was due directly to allied successes in both the Solomon Islands and the large island of New Guinea. In order to mitigate their defeat on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, the Japanese decided to bulwark their strategic defensive lines by winning the battle for New Guinea. By stopping the allies in New Guinea, the Japanese would be able to secure their defensive perimeter and thus defend their “Greater Asian Co Prosperity Sphere.”
Convoy 81 would eventually consist of eight transports and eight IJN destroyers under Rear Admiral Mastomi. His destroyer crews were hardened by months of combat in the Solomon Islands Campaign and were aggressive and competent. The IJA 51st Division embarked aboard their transports during the last days of February in Rabaul Harbor. The convoy weighed anchor and set sail on the night of the 28th of February. The course of the convoy would take it through the previously safe passage along the north coast of New Britain to the Vitiaz Straight between New Britain and New Guinea at a stately 7 knots. The convoy commander hoped that the stormy weather at the outset of the convoy would hide and protect them from aerial interdiction during the voyage. Unfortunately, the weather, while a hindrance to the allied aircrews, did not stop their aggressive attacks on the convoy and its absolute destruction just three days later. Over 3,000 Japanese sailors and soldiers lost their lives to the terrible onslaught of General Kenney’s 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Major William Ben, a B-25 pilot of the 5th USAAF, helped develop the new technique of skip bombing prior to the battle and the B-25 crews used this technique with devastating effect. During the two day assault, all eight transport ships and four of the destroyers were sunk with the remaining four destroyers heavily damaged. Prior to this new skip bombing technique, 5th Air Force anti-shipping missions had produced only mediocre results and had given Japanese naval commander great confidence in their ability to sail convoys to all points in the Pacific.
Had the 51st Division reached New Guinea, they would have posed a tremendous obstacle to the battle weary and attrited allied forces. The future of the SW Pacific Campaign would have been very much in doubt had Operation 81 successfully landed the IJA 51st Infantry Division ashore at Lae, New Guinea.
I based this Campaign on the original made by the BoBs team in 2003 headed by Jagdflieger. I have updated some of their missions and added some of my own.
Welcome to the Southwest Pacific, circa the first of March, 1943. With this campaign, you will relieve the three day aerial battle of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea and fly as both a bomber pilot, a fighter pilot; as an Aussie and as an American against the best of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army.
US Navy signals intercept and intelligence units began picking up radio traffic in February of 1943 regarding a large convoy, called Operation 81. The convoy’s mission was to transport the Imperial Japanese 51st Infantry Division to Lae, New Guinea to reinforce the Imperial Japanese 18th Army. The need for reinforcement was due directly to allied successes in both the Solomon Islands and the large island of New Guinea. In order to mitigate their defeat on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, the Japanese decided to bulwark their strategic defensive lines by winning the battle for New Guinea. By stopping the allies in New Guinea, the Japanese would be able to secure their defensive perimeter and thus defend their “Greater Asian Co Prosperity Sphere.”
Convoy 81 would eventually consist of eight transports and eight IJN destroyers under Rear Admiral Mastomi. His destroyer crews were hardened by months of combat in the Solomon Islands Campaign and were aggressive and competent. The IJA 51st Division embarked aboard their transports during the last days of February in Rabaul Harbor. The convoy weighed anchor and set sail on the night of the 28th of February. The course of the convoy would take it through the previously safe passage along the north coast of New Britain to the Vitiaz Straight between New Britain and New Guinea at a stately 7 knots. The convoy commander hoped that the stormy weather at the outset of the convoy would hide and protect them from aerial interdiction during the voyage. Unfortunately, the weather, while a hindrance to the allied aircrews, did not stop their aggressive attacks on the convoy and its absolute destruction just three days later. Over 3,000 Japanese sailors and soldiers lost their lives to the terrible onslaught of General Kenney’s 5th Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Major William Ben, a B-25 pilot of the 5th USAAF, helped develop the new technique of skip bombing prior to the battle and the B-25 crews used this technique with devastating effect. During the two day assault, all eight transport ships and four of the destroyers were sunk with the remaining four destroyers heavily damaged. Prior to this new skip bombing technique, 5th Air Force anti-shipping missions had produced only mediocre results and had given Japanese naval commander great confidence in their ability to sail convoys to all points in the Pacific.
Had the 51st Division reached New Guinea, they would have posed a tremendous obstacle to the battle weary and attrited allied forces. The future of the SW Pacific Campaign would have been very much in doubt had Operation 81 successfully landed the IJA 51st Infantry Division ashore at Lae, New Guinea.
I based this Campaign on the original made by the BoBs team in 2003 headed by Jagdflieger. I have updated some of their missions and added some of my own.
