[Hughes]

So, I've started a project with Deac to build an extensive campaign for the 506th FG. They flew from Iwo Jima to Japan and the pilots called themselves the Tokyo Club. Now, I'm here to ask if there is a map that extends from Iwo Jima to at least Tokyo on the mainland. If there is, what is it? If not, could it please be made?

[redko]

Agracier is on the task, it's a wip

(The link is inoperative)

Just one pic for the moment.

[78thFG_Doodle]

A friend of mine 506FG_Harper was working on the B-29 Alley Map, he was working on the base at Iwo Jima for the 15th, 21st and the 506th Fighter Groups. I haven't seen him for almost a year, so I'm not sure if he got it done or not.

Blue Skies, Happy Landings.

-Doodle

[Fireskull]

Yes, their is a Japan map called something like B-29 Alley, which includes Iwo Jima, Okinawa, other smaller native Japanese Islands, and the southern-roughly half of the Japanese main island, including Tokyo. I don't remember where I read that.

I wish you well. It sounds like a great project and will no doubt be very fun to fly.

[Harper]

Hey Guys !

A few hours ago, I was rescued by a US Navy submarine several miles south of Kyushu and am now recovering from wounds sustained by the Japanese as a POW in one of their remote POW camps. I'm just now able to comprehend what has taken place and am sending out a situation report on my status. I expect to be back at Iwo Jima within the next week.


Wearing the squadron skin for the 462nd Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group, I left Iwo on a VLR mission destined for Southern Kyushu. My flight of four ships ran into trouble when we were bounced by elements of the 343rd Kokutai and had a running gun fight all the way back to the coast before I took a nasty hit to my engine and had to parachute out not before I bagged two of the Georges. Needless to say, once I reached the ground I was only able to evade for a few hours before I was captured by Imperial Marines and led off in chains. I sat in a POW camp for several months before I had the strength to plan my escape. The events that led to that escape attempt are marked SECRET.


Some time ago, I formed the 506th Fighter GROUP or "506FG" for short that envisioned having the three historical and fully operational squadrons within this group represented by the 457th FS, the 458th FS and the 462nd FS. The idea was to have a Mustang fighter group organized for IL2's PTO with its main focus to support the highly anticipated B-29 release by AAA. The home airfield was to be out of Iwo Jima using the B-29 Alley map while the B-29's sortied out of Tinian further to the South East of Iwo.


In any event, there is a B-29 alley map that was created to support this idea that has Okinawa and Kyushu and the Marianas occupied by allied and or axis base locations depending on the islands location that also uses an older Zuti MDF as well as a moving naval task force in vicinity of Okinawa to support allied air operations over Okinawa. Unfortunately, the B-29 alley map isn't in the latest HSFX 4.1 release so that idea was shelved.


Having a intense campaign designed where the 506th FG provides fighter escort for the big bombers as well as ground attack action afterwards would be ideal. Using the capabilities from the Zuti MDF would really plus up this effort if we could see more interest within the community for the PTO in general.

Today, I just saw the map WIP that has Tokyo, Nagoya and other parts of the Japanese homeland modeled map wise is just totally amazing. If that map can come to fruition, that would be fantastic and would really help support the VLR missions that were flown from Iwo historically by the 506th FG. Many thanks to those who decided to take up this idea and make things happen.


P.S., Doodle...we can debrief later once I get back to Iwo. Till then....

Salute,

506FG_Harper

:wink:

[BomberBoy]

Don't forget that the 506th (and the other Iwo-based groups) also did quite a bit of ground strike missions against other islands in the Bonins (finally, a use for the Chichi Jima map!).

If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend visiting the 506th Fighter Group website:
http://www.506thfightergroup.org/

With some help from the 506th's webmaster, I was able to make a number of skins for the 506th (about a dozen per squadron plus blanks) that are available at Mission4Today if you need skins.

[Harper]

~S~

Yes ! I have all three squadrons worth of skins courtesy of "Jarink" for the 506th FG saved on my PC. All the skins look fantastic. I have also the 506th web site on my favorites as well.

[Guest]

That's where we're getting the info from for our campaign. Right now, we're just waiting on the map so we can have everything historical. Don't worry Harper, once that map comes out, you can bet that you'll be flying on missions like Black Friday. In fact, the campaign will be all of those missions listed there so you'll have the entire historical career of the Iwo Jima Mustangs.

[Harper]

Thanks Deac ! After I read your reply last night, I went back and read the time line for the sorties flown by the 506th on their web site. I see that one Mustang was typically shared by two pilots for logistical reasons within the Group. When I think about what it must have been like for these pilots to fly those VLR missions, you have to wonder how many times they ran into the 343rd Kokutai. In any event, looking forward to Black Friday.

[Harris]

I'm thinking of making a 'Tiger Force' campaign, and I could really use that map too.

If you don't know (and you probably do), Tiger Force was the designation given to the RAF's intended contribution to the stategic bombing of Japan, and its main targets would've been the bridges linking Kyushu to the main island of Honshu, as well as the ships of the Japanese navy, in support of the intended American invasion in January 1946.

Historically, the war ended with the dropping of the atomic bombs before they left England, but I thought an 'alternative history' campaign would be interesting. It might not come off, as I am very, very lazy. But a good quality map of Kyushu and Okinawa together would be a massive help! Otherwise most of the missions would have to start in the air on the edge of the 'Kyushu' map.

Does anyone know how far along this map is?

Thanks,
Harris