World War II Database

1.  C. Peter Chen says:
7 Mar 2009 07:55:59 AM

Note carriers and battleships in background; they are, from left to right: Soryu, Hiryu, Hiei, Kirishima, Haruna, Kongo, Zuikaku, and Shokaku.

2. Anonymous says:
21 Apr 2010 05:00:08 PM

RE: Caption above (carrier Akagi). I cannot find a 'Stirling Bay' but I can find a Staring Baai or Staring Bay. I would have written you more info but your screen rejected my interpretation of the Sec Code and I'm sure as hell not going to write it all out again for you. So I will copy this in case the Sec Code fails again.

3.  Bill says:
12 Jan 2013 02:46:39 PM

AIRCRAFT LAUCHING OPERATIONS: The Air Operations Officer was in command of launching aircraft and had a position on the rear of the island. Japanese carriers didn't have a catapult system, to launch her planes, the ship had to turn into the wind at full steam planes were launched every 30 seconds to accomplish this, both air and ground crews were highly trained. BUY THE NUMBERS: First aircraft off the deck were the lighter planes, and needed less of a takeoff run to become airborne, The A6M Zero fighter needed less than 250 feet to leave the deck while the heaver D3A Dive Bombers and B5N Torpedo planes needed more takeoff distance. PREPARE TO RECOVER AIRCRAFT: Carriers could recover returning aircraft landing between 30 to 45 seconds, ground crews were highly trained in moving the aircraft below deck for any maintenance or to refuel and rearm. With the loss of four carriers, along with aircraft, trained pilots and ground crews, at the Battle of Midway, June 1942 the Imperial Navy never recovered. The Japanese rushed into training the replacement pilots and ground crews that were less experienced against the later highly trained Allied and US Navy aviators.

4.  Bill says:
8 Apr 2015 05:10:24 PM

COMBINED FLEET: IMPERIAL NAVY Ships have been identified as seen from Akagi's flight deck Battleships Hiei, Kirishima, Haruna and Kongo. Carriers Zuikaku, Shokaku, Soryu and Hiryu. Location off Islands of Celebes, March '42 transit to the Indian Ocean. Aircraft could be Mitsubishi A6M Model-21 Zeros allied code name (Zeke). The Nakajima B5N (Kate) and Aichi D3A (Val) didn't have spinners on props that's my guess, but I've been wrong before...