The Battle of Midway Roundtable Opening Remarks
First of all excuse me for being so late with the newsletter this month. I wanted to wait until the Movie was out before publishing it this month and then had some last minute business to attend so got delayed by a week. So lets get into some takaways from the Movie.
Many members sent in comments on what they thought about the film. I included a number that came in early. I apologize in advance for not including all comments. There were just too many. But from the ones included you get a pretty good idea of what most said.
My own observations.
First overall most people I talked to or attended the movie with liked it a lot. So from a point of view of the general viewing audience it was well recieved. The interesting thing was it was the #1 Movie last week. So I guess that is a win.
What I thought was well done was most of the scenes. I also thought overall the actors performances were pretty good. A couple scenes did not need to be there. Best looking for his 'friend' from the Arizona as well as the tribute to him. These two were fabricated for reasons that elude me. In fact the one scene where they are paying tribute was added to introduce George Gay, but the scene failed to do that as he was not even mentioned by name so you really don't know who he is other than 'a torpedo jockey not even good enough to fly with Torpedo Six'.
But for the most part I thought the scenes were pretty good.
However the CGI was another matter. Interestingly enough in the studio shots of the flight deck they got most of the things right. They built an SBD and TBD for the close up shots and for the flight deck shots. They were good. I did work with the prop department tracking down various equipment for the aircraft so the interior shots were as accurate as we could find original equipment. But much of the CGI failed. Which I really don't understand. Of all the things you have the easiest to get right is the CGI because you litterly create it. I can understand when shooting some of the close ups of the aircraft some equipment might be hard to source, but the CGI, litterly has nothing to source except some research. Yet it was utterly odd that it was not accurate. As the saying goes 'you had one job'.
It was interesting that nobody even asked me about the CGI so I guess it worked for the general public.
Did I like the movie. Yes. I thought the events were for the most part accurate (They better be seeing how much time I put in on the script making sure they were) and they did use only real historical people, no made up characters. Some people were combined into one character, Murray for instance was not Best's back seat man till a bit before Midway, but that is understandable.
I was satisfied that they did correct a considerable number of things in the script that I sent them. Emmerich did ask me to go through it and do so. He probably was sick of me by the end. He did go with how Ford told his story rather than how it actually played out despite my having Col Miniclear write them and describe where Ford was during the attack and that was somewhat disappointing. I could not get Dusty Kleis in the script but at least I got them to say Best was one of two men who hit two carriers rather than the only man to do so.
There is a whole story of the journey from first being in contact with the studio till the Movie came out and maybe I can relate more stories at some point.
As for more this month there was some interesting discoveries, that being both the Akagi and Kaga were found on the ocean floor. This is pretty amazing considering how little is known about their movements during the attacks and the aftermath.
Mark Horan and several others rightfully correct me when I said that I didn't know why more Army aircraft other than the B-26's were on the island. How could I forget the B-17's. Don't know. Momentary lapse of memory.
I found a couple videos that might be of interest. One if a behind the scenes making of Midway and the other is what appears to be flight deck operations aboard the Enterprise sightly before Midway.
And October is the anniversay of the founding of The Battle of Midway RoundTable 23 years ago.
Enjoy.
Howard Ady post Midway
From CAPT Howard P. Ady, Jr., USN October 16, 2019
To: B. K. Vickrey
Bill: I know my dad flew his PBY Catalina in Midway, and I suspect a Corsair while Commander Air Group (CAG) on the USS Kearsarge during the Korean War and F4 while CO of VFAW-4 at North Island in the late 50s. Any idea what other aircraft he may have flown during that time? I thought he may have mentioned that to you at some point...
Thx!
Vty, h
From Bill Vickrey October 16, 2019
I’ve browsed through my thick correspondence file with your Dad and can find very little about his career post Midway. We had two or three meetings and several telephone chats – if we talked about his later career I would likely not have remembered it…93 years kinda wears on one’s memory.
Sorry.
Bill
From CAPT Howard P. Ady, Jr., USN October 17, 2019
Thom:
Could you help us out here on Navy aircraft question?
Vty, h
Editors Note: I will look and see what I have that might reveal the aircraft flown post Midway. I'm pretty sure he stayed with the PBY's for a while but don't recall much about his post Midway aircraft or assignments. Will have to do some research.
First Strike at Midway: Attacking and Discovering IJN Kaga
From Barrett Tillman October 29, 2019
First Strike at Midway: Attacking and Discovering IJN Kaga
From Rich Frank October 29, 2019
Seth does good work. When we were doing the Road to Tokyo exhibit, I worked with Seth. He has a tremendous command of the archives of veteran accounts at the museum. He also had done deep work at the National Archives. One of the stellar parts of the exhibit is a the approximately four minute continuous loop of 1942 carrier flight operations. It covers servicing, spotting, manning, take-off, attack, and recovery (with Robin Lindsey waving the paddles). In the gallery you walk out onto a floor that resembles a wooden flight deck and look at a floor to very high ceiling screen on which the video runs. When it was first proposed, I was dubious because the film archive from 1942 is nothing as rich as what exists by 1944-45. But Seth found this tremendous footage shot on Enterprise which provides about 90 percent of the video. There are brief sequences of Hornet, including the take off of the last TBDs of Torpedo 8 at Midway. It includes the stunning sequence of the bomb hits at Santa
Cruz. We find that almost every single visitor will stop and watch this video. A large percentage will watch it twice. The fact the screen is so large makes a huge difference.
Rich
Editors Note: Watch the video at the bottom of the link above. I believe that's the video he is talking about at the Museum.
Kaga Found!
From Robert Brown October 18, 2019
You might find this article interesting:
Kaga Found
From Timothy Tynan and Scott Kair October 18 & 21, 2019
Deep-sea explorers find Japanese ship that sank during WWII
From Jay Sanes October 20, 2019
San Diego newspaper article
From Scott Kair October 21, 2019
Akagi Found
Soryu and Hiryu will likely be harder to find.
From Mark Lee October 22, 2019
If you haven't already heard about this, I thought for sure you'd be interested:
Petrol discovers Akagi and Kaga
Editors Note: I have been following the discoveries with interest. Not sure we'll learn anything new about their demise but you never know.
From Mark Lee October 22, 2019
I think you're right about the "learning something new" part, as I've heard the actual sinkings were pretty well documented already, and they're pretty deep to explore.
From Robert Rheinboldt October 21, 2019
Now that the two ghosts have been found maybe the question of how many bombs actually hit the Akagi might be resolved. Are any of the Japanese that were on these two ships still alive?
I am currently reading the Wade McClusky book and the announcement was timely.
Regards Robert Rheinboldt
Editors Note: I don't know if any Japanese that were on either of the two ships are still alive but I would suspect a couple might be. As for the bombs that hit Akagi very hard telling since most of the wooden deck seems to be gone. The bomb hits would not have penetrated past the hanger so any damage from the bomb or bombs would be difficult to detect.
P-40s at Midway
From Mark Horan October 19, 2019
A note on the thread "P-40s at Midway", concerning the editors note where in it states "One thing I've always been curious about was the 4 Army B-26's based on Midway during the battle. They seem to have been the only Army forces on the Island. How and why they were sent seemed curious at best but considering the situation it was probably a consequence of throwing everything available to the island's defense."
The above is inaccurate - the atoll was expressly reinforced, beginning by numerous elements of the 7th Air Force Bomber Command beginning on 30 May, and included elements of several units with daily operations commencing on 31 May:
26th BS(H): Lt-Col Coddington [Squadron returned to Hawaii on the 2 June] 6 x B-17E [serials 41-2665, 41-2610, 41-2397, 41-2611, 41-2621, 41-2524]
Arriving thereafter, and still on the atoll at the commencement of the battle:
7th AF HQ:
1 x B-17D equipped for photo reconnaissance
42nd BS/11th BG(H) [Lt.Col. Brooke E. Allen, USA]:
5 x B-17Es [includes serial 41-2455, others not recorded]
7th AF HQ [attached to the 42nd]:
1 x B-17E
431st BS(H)/11th BG(H) [Lt.Col. Walter E. Sweeny, Jr. USA]:
7 x B-17Es
31st BS(H)/5th BG (H): (assigned to Sweeny)
2 x B-17Es
72nd BS(H)/5th BG(H): (assigned to Sweeny)
1 x B-17E
[B-17E serials: 41-2409, 41-2520, 41-2396, 41-2404, 41-2437, 41-2463, 41-2612, 41-2523, 41-2661, 41-2413]
18th RS(M)/22nd BG(M): [1st Lt. James P. Muri, USAR]
2 x B-26
69th BS(M)/38th BG(M): Captain James F. Collins, Jr. USAR
Search patrols and search/strikes were flown daily:
31 May Dawn Patrol: 6 B-17s
31 May Afternoon Search/Strike: 15 B-17s
1 June Dawn Patrol: 11 B-17s
1 June Afternoon Search/Strike: 6 B-17s
2 June Dawn Patrol: 9 B-17s [one other struck]
3 June Dawn Patrol: 9 B-17s
3 June Afternoon Search/Strike: 10 B-17s including the B-17D photo plane
Others flew out to the atoll and joined the operation during the battle.
Regards,
Mark E. Horan
Editors Note: Mr. Horan, you are of course correct. I had a momentary lapse of memory when I wrote that. Thanks for the correction. More of our members added some reminders for me about the B-17's on Midway below.
USAAF on Midway
From Zsolt Szalanczi
October 15, 2019
In the last issue you made the remark "One thing I've always been curious about was the 4 Army B-26's based on Midway during the battle. They seem to have been the only Army forces on the Island."
What about the USAAF B-17Es of 7th Air Force, 5th Bomb Group?
regards,
From Chuck Wohlrab
October 15, 2019
As to the four B-26s, you must remember that until the afternoon of June 4th, there were, if I recall correctly, seventeen B-17s stationed at Midway as well. As to the B-26s, they were provided with the external mounts to lug torpedoes externally under their bellies, one of only two or three times they were to actually do so in combat. Because of the destruction of the fueling system most of the B-17s were sent back to Oahu on the afternoon of the 4th.
From Barrett Tillman
October 15, 2019
http://web.archive.org/web/20160303232120/http://www.johngreavesart.ca/b26.htm
Editors Note: I should see if I can get permission to use the picture on this page and create a page here on the RoundTable with the same information. I'll have to see if I still have a contact that would be of assistance.
Midway Movie
From John Bond November 5, 2019 Battle of Midway movie - Advance Premiere
It was frankly much better than I had expected based upon earlier criticism of the trailers. The 3D meshed and worked really well with the live action. The fast pace was really also great to move the story and plot along. I really liked the ending that paid tribute to some of the heroes and their real faces. Dick Best was way over hyped which was a bit annoying. The Marines are totally cut out of it and the movie is pretty much focused on the USS Enterprise. As an historian I know much more about the battle and wished their could have been another hour of the movie to get it all in. But this was a very good tribute to make the public aware of the Midway story and should do well in the box office as well as become a long term collector's DVD when that comes out.
There is still hope that Roland Emmerich will later release a DVD "Director's Cut" which might include additional scenes and story that didn't make it into the final movie release. I can also understand the commercial realities these Hollywood people operate under. Hopefully this will spin off more documentaries or even more thoughtful movies.
From Jeff Lund November 8, 2019
Maybe some spoilers, but not really. Saw the movie last night. I expected the over the top action, but there was so much from start to finish that Midway just blended in with the rest of the movie. It was hurried and did not tell the story as well as the 1976 version. I felt the original really drove home Nagumo's delimma and the suspense of the PBY search. The Gilbert raid was unnecessary, but I guess that would have made too much dead space between Pearl Harbor and the Doolittle raid. I could have really done without Best's bomb drop on the Hiryu, I cringed. It is what it is, just my thoughts in case you were sharing opinions on the next newsletter. Hope you enjoy.
Jeff
From Anthony Tully November 8, 2019
Relevant to this is Mathew Jones review on J-Aircraft just posted. I agree with what he said was cringe-worthy.
"As to the Japanese ships themselves, from what little they are shown - the USN is the main focus - don't look too bad at a glance. Akagi and Hiryu have their islands on the correct side (at least that much was accurate), though the bridge sets for the Japanese carriers could've been done a little better. The character of Genda Minoru is wearing Captain's insignia; again, incorrect; he was a CDR at Midway and was not promoted CAPT until May 1944. He also appears to have taken over the role of Nagumo's Chief-of-Staff, as RADM Kusaka was apparently eliminated from the film entirely.
Yamato is shown in the film three times, but I was unable to tell if she is accurately portrayed (by that I mean did she have her wing turrets). Nagara is seen a couple times briefly during the air attacks; she doesn't look too bad at a glance. A Tone-class CA is also seen briefly in the same scene. There is a Kongo-class BB that the main character (LT Dick Best) flies over, though she appears to be portraying an early 1930s version of the ship as the bridge structure is horribly wrong. Tone #4 sights the Americans, and the vessel shown is a Colorado-class BB steaming along accompanied by what appear to be some DDs. I visibly cringed."
Matt's full review here:
http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=18069.0
Still, it seems like Midway as movie passes the test of having some of the elements and visual ques that will at least succeed in raising layman's interest still further, and that will be sufficient in my view, as opined earlier.
- Tony
From Barrett Tillman November 9, 2019
OK: it is not entirely terrible.
It is IMMENSELY better than '76. But then we knew that.
Whosis 1 seems to do well as Layton
Whosis 2 makes a credible Dick Best, although the intentional no-flaps deadstick trap is hyena-gagging.
Harrelson is surprisingly acceptable as Nimitz, and I was prepared to hate him.
Quaid is good as halsey.
McClusky is a hotshot rather than the steady leader. Confusing as to CAG/whatever role. Dickinson is poorly drawn, almost a cut & paste minor guy.
Whosis 3 is SO much better than the vile alecbaldwin as General Jimmy Japanese seem OK.
CGI ranges from mediocre to good. Ships better than planes.
YORKTOWN HARDLY EXISTS. No explanation of who did Hiryu.
Aircraft markings & gear need improvement.
Saw it on a Friday afternoon, pretty full house ("It's the hot ticket today") At the end people stood and applauded. Honest. Don't recall that happening since American Sniper.
Sidebar: I was acquainted with Dick's daughter Barbara. Sort of odd to see somebody you knew and liked as an adult represented as a child.
More later.
Barrett sends
Follow-up: Other observations:
No early 42 aircraft markings.
Best flies B-1 and G-1 as XO/CO.
All SBDs have dash -5 reflector sights.
Zeros have the obligatory (since "Pearl Harbor") Star Wars Canyon flight over BB Row, sinking ships.
20mm Oerlikons at Pearl, tho one or two shots of semi-1.1s.
Twin .30 mounts in all SBDs from Pearl onward though a TBD has a single.
Some TBDs carry bombs as well as torps.
VT-6 attacks a BB (or something big) at Roi.
Best shoots down two Japs, Roi & Midway.
After landing his bullet-pocked plane, (holes aft of the wings) off Roi he says "Not enough lead" (pronounced as the metal, not the deflection.) He did make that comment, it's in my 1996 Hook feature.
Gaido is already an aircrewman when he shoots at the Nell off Roi. (I thought he was promoted to aircrew.)
Lindsey crashes on deck pre-Midway rather than in the groove.
Best attacks Akagi from starboardgofigger.
As noted, YAG is totally missing. No mention of the composite EAG/YAG Hiryu strike.
Maybe 6-8 SBDs flame in the Hiryu attack (v. 2 actual?)
NOBODY fastens his helmet's chin strap. Tailhook version of michael jackson's one glove? Sheesh.
Note: Dick said he avoided serious hits to his SBD at Roi because he'd flown numerous gunnery hops in VF-2, towing the banner. Therefore he knew what a good pass looked like. Makes sense, especially given the quality of the Flying Chiefs.
Editors Note: Saw it last night as well with a group of friends. All really liked the movie but said they were not familiar with the history so got a good idea of what happened. So I guess I can take that as a win.
One thing you said, and I agree but didn't want to say anything before the movie came out is the dead stick landing at the start of the movie by Best. I had a phone conversation with Emmerich about that very scene saying that first of all it was not possible or at least highly improbable. Hard enough to do on a runway that isn't moving let alone in a combat aircraft on a narrow moving flight deck. Plus I pointed out that Best being a career Navy officer certainly would not do such a thing not only because it was technically before the war and risking an aircraft, pilot, and crewman, would in all likelihood end his career even if he did by some way shape or form actually manage to land the SBD. Plus I suggested an alternative scenario and while Best did not do it himself at least it happened. The incident occurred a couple days prior, on December 5th, where a Wildcat could not deploy the tail hook. My quote to Emmerich in a follow up email where I found the alternative that I thought
he could use.
"One thing you could do that although it did not happen to Best you could work it that way was on December 5th VF-6 Exec Officer Lt. Frank T. Corbin had to land his Wildcat without a tail hook because it would not deploy. Probably about as harrowing an experience and a true story."
Despite my considerable objection he said he wanted 'his' hero to do something heroic at the start of the movie. I said it makes him look foolish, not heroic. But apparently that alternative suggestion fell on deaf ears.
All in all about half the things I sent them as corrections they did employ so I guess at least that is somewhat palatable. Things like changing the note at the end of the movie about Best being the only man to hit two Carriers to one of two men who hit carriers was satisfying. Could not get them to change Ford's falsified report, with plenty of badgering by the way, of what Ford reported he did despite my getting Col. Miniclear to write up exactly what Ford did during the morning attack and send it to them. That is too bad as it just reinforces a falsehood about Midway, despite written testimony, from a man standing a few feet away from him during the battle that contradicts everything he reported to the newspapers.
I think Patrick Wilson did a great job as Layton. Probably the best acting in the movie. Harrelson was surprisingly good as Nimitz.
The ending of the movie was not what was in the script and I think the ending they had was better but perhaps they could not get rights to it. Don't know. I'll have to see if my NDA would prohibit me from revealing the ending that was not used. Probably but I'll see if I can get a note saying its okay to reveal. (Edit) The ending they had was in the script but there was a bit more after the last scene that was not included.
Thanks for the note. I'll probably have more in the newsletter. Right now a lot of emails coming in about the movie, some good, some not so much, but overall mostly they can live with it.
From Barrett Tillman November 9 2019
I surely appreciate your insight. You are correct, of course: the deadstick-no-flaps landing from a near vertical dive was physically impossible, especially pulling up from below flight deck level. I knew Dick well--he would be appalled at that depiction. (You should see a couple of LSO comments!) I was acquainted with Jim Murray, whom I believe was the leading chief yet he's reduced to a tentative sort of newbie. Will say that Skein (a Brit) does well as the Dick Best I knew--that focused intensity.
Guess Emmerich wanted a Hollywood Homage to Ford but IMO his role contributed nothing.
As ever, Barrett
From David Rigby November 9, 2019
I saw the movie. I liked it, and I agree that Dick Best was a hero, but I’m not sure the movie should have been almost exclusively from Best’s perspective. After all, Dusty Kleiss also went two for two on June 4th, but Kleiss wasn’t even mentioned.
They also adhered to the three planes only on Akagi scenario, when in fact Dick Best himself repeatedly told Walter Lord that Bill Roberts was with him. That makes four, without including Delbert Halsey, who was probably there as well. And, after the war, Lewis Hopkins always insisted to his daughters that he dove on Akagi. As I point out in my book, Goldsmith might have been on Akagi as well.
The film doesn’t mention Wade’s greatest feat; instinctively turning north before sighting the Arashi.
David
From John Bond November 9, 2019
'Midway’ Takes No. 1 From ‘Doctor Sleep’ in Box Office Surprise
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/midway-takes-no-1-doctor-162059255.html
From Christopher Braund November 9, 2019
I’m sure you’ve seen it by now. I found it to be a great portrayal of the events they chose to cover, but I would love to see a Director’s Cut released with additional footage. I’ve also been trying to avoid reviews, but the ones I’ve seen seem to enjoy the visuals and the story but chew up the acting. I’ll take that. It was also great to see specific things/information I gave them in the film. Sure, somethings were wrong...as we’ve discussed previous, overall I’m happy.
On a different note, we sold out our local 189 seat theater for the premiere. My history department hosted a premiere event on Thursday and the local community supported in droves. The aviation branch historian and I spoke before hand and even made a friendly bet of a steak dinner on whether or not our names would be in the credits. Needless to say, I lost as I was holding out hope they would be. However, big kudos for the Roundtable for making it in them, congratulations.
Regardless of the movie’s final totals, it was great to see Hollywood present the subject to a new generation. I hope your advisory role was represented properly on screen as well as I felt mine was. I’ve included a few pictures of the night for the group.
Thanks for conversing with me during this process.
Chris
Bruno Gaido
From Michael Simonis November 11, 2019
Attached is a link to a story ran in the Milwaukee newspaper providing interviews with the family of Bruno Gaido that was prompted by the recent Midway movie. I was unaware that he was from Milwaukee prior to reading the article. The Harp Tavern mentioned in the story where GAIDO grew up is still present and running.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2019/11/14/midway-movie-hero-played-nick-jonas-grew-up-milwaukee/2576626001/
Midway Behind the Scenes
Editors Note: This is a little YouTube Video showing how some of the scenes were shot. Somewhat interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mp4NOdLCT0
Landings and Take-Offs Aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6)
Editors Note: The appears to be film shot on Enterprise shortly before Midway showing some take-offs and landings. Have to say before Midway because we see a TBD as well as no red circlesw in the Stars.
Landings and Take-Offs Aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6)
Superb Video Lecture on the Battle of Midway
From Ron Russell October 29, 2019
It's gratifying to see that the Battle of Midway Roundtable is still going strong after so many years, and the continuing influx of newcomers to our roster indicates that it still has a very long way to go. That's great, and to help those newer members who weren't here to experience the early contributions made by some of our renowned historians and authors, I'd like to recommend a Youtube video from 2012. It's Jon Parshall's presentation at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the battle. It's especially valuable for our newer subscribers, for Jon manages to cover just about all of the key issues surrounding the BOM, including some of those that got their principal public exposure here the Roundtable.
The program runs about 50 minutes, and it's worth your time--it's refreshing to hear and see what the Roundtable is all about in the flesh, rather than by just reading a web page. Find it at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sqt4-ux9jU
--Ron Russell
Announcements and Questions
Buried WW-II Aircraft in Hawaii
From John Bond October 13, 2019
I know of the approximate location where all of the Dec 7, 1941 Ewa Field planes were buried in crushed dry coral and have never been excavated. The parts are likely still in very good condition. Ewa has a hot dry climate and found aircraft parts still are in very good condition without any corrosion.
Another location about a mile away was a major 1945 Navy and Marine plane pool where hundreds of planes were dismantled and pushed in a very large coral pit and covered up at war's end. This site has also never been excavated and is still there without development over it.
Do you know of anyone who would be interested in funding an exploration of these two sites?
John Bond
MCAS Ewa historian
Editors Note: I probably know several people who would be interested but interested and able to afford are two different things. The most interested parties would likely be salvage yards that specialize in vintage aircraft parts or possibly museums that are looking to restore aircraft. However that again takes some serious cash to make a return on investment worthwhile. Maybe someone on the RoundTable knows of a contact that would find this useful to them.
Racing the Sunrise
From Chuck Wohlrab October 15, 2019
I heartily agree with your opinion of Racing the Sunrise. I was most impressed with the level of detail the author provides on the shipping involved, the material and troops carried and delivery schedules. One of my hobbies is computer war gaming, and a favorite game is War In the Pacific by Matrix. This game allows you to recreate the entire Pacific War, and some of the scenarios provided allow you to add some "What if" factors. After reading Racing the Sunrise, I made about 200 tweaks to the basic long war scenario. These were mostly very minor, such as adding Canadian Bren Carriers to the two US Tank Battalions in the Philippines. The book is a wonderful read, and should be on the bookshelf of every serious student of the Pacific War. Also, The Matrix game is an excellent platform for refighting the Pacific War. You are allowed to refight the war using land units, air squadrons and task forces to recreate the course of the war. It also teaches you what a cast iron b*tch logistics
can be over the long stretches of the Pacific!
Secondly, I'd like to briefly address Mr. Benaro's question about Japanese names, as I understand it. Historians have traditionally used the Anglicized version of Japanese names, such as Isoruku Yamamoto. Probably about 2000 or thereabouts, it became popular to present the names in what some claim is the Japanese way, hence Yamamoto Isoruku. Other historians have claimed that is not correct, so the issue seems very much in debate. Not being a Japanese scholar, I have no personal opinion on the matter.
Chuck Wohlrab
Editors Note: I had an early version of the game by SSI so I know what you're talking about. Never did have the time to play it properly as it takes a lot of time due to the detail level. New version by Matrix is definately an even more advanced simulation.
Cleo J. Dobson
From Barrett Tillman October 15, 2019
Anybody know of a decent resolution wartime pix of Dobson? Other than the medal presentation this is all I find, and it's really small size.
BT
Navigating over the Pacific Ocean.
From Rafael J. Benero October 15, 2019
How did pilots navigate around the Pacific Ocean during the Battle? I know that they were given the approx. position of their carrier so they can return and land...and they had like a board to plot their route...but it should not be an easy task!...any info will be greatly appreciated.
Editors Note: While the answer is fairly complex the simple answer is that navigation is a combination of course, speed, wind, relative direction of the sun, and the location the Carrier says its going to be when they return. Another significant help is that the Carrier will transmit a homing signal on the agreed upon frequency to further aid the pilots return. None of this is a guaranteed safe return. In the battle the Enterprise and Hornet were not exactly where they said they'd be and also a bit of faulty navigation resulted in some pilots from VF-8 being lost when returning and had to ditch.
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