Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December 8th by Newt Gingrich

Author:Newt Gingrich
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780312943394
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Japanese Navy Type-97 carrier attack plane (B5N1 “Kate”) takes off from the carrier Akagi during the filming of the motion picture From Pearl Harbor to Malaya, circa March-April 1942. This scene is frequently used to represent the launch of torpedo planes to attack Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. However, the plane is the older B5N1 model, not the B5N2 used for the Hawaii operation. Its torpedo is an exercise unit (note its dented nose and lack of “air box” aerodynamic fins at the tail).

NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

flying in echelon to the right behind him. They were his best, they were keeping formation well, but still they were coming in too fast.

“Three thousand meters to target,” Hideo shouted.

Fuchida looked forward again, half rising out of his seat. The target was straight ahead, but he could tell they were still flying too high and too fast.

“Lower, and slower!” Fuchida snapped into his mike. “Still lower, not more than fifteen meters above the water!”

Even for skilled pilots this was becoming dangerous. Judging height over water, especially the flat calm of the bay but minutes after sunrise, was tricky work. Sunlight was reflecting off the ocean, nothing to gain perspective from, far too low to trust any altimeter. The slightest mistake and the pilot would ram into the sea.

They ignored the risk; they had to. He had worked out the calculations; and if this was to work, it had to be no more than 180 kilometers per hour at fifteen meters above the ocean.

He could sense the plane slowing, Hideo cutting the throttle back to idle, a bit of a stomach knot as he nosed over slightly, then leveled out, throttled back up slightly.

“No deflection,” Fuchida announced, “no deflection!”

The target was not moving. That made the calculation far easier; no need to estimate target speed and then lay in the proper deflection for a hit as the enemy attempted to maneuver out of harm’s way.

Straight ahead was the target, and his heart swelled at the sight of it, a carrier, anchored in the shallows just below Etajima.

Releasing his shoulder harness Fuchida half stood. The canopy was open, wind blast buffeting him as he turned and looked at the formation and then back forward.

“Fifteen hundred meters,” Hideo announced, “fourteen hundred…” Every two seconds another hundred meters closer.

“Eleven hundred meters… !”

“Release!”

The Kate surged up as the half-ton torpedo slung below their belly dropped away.

Excitedly Fuchida turned to look back at the other five planes, spaced out correctly. At one-second intervals each released in turn, torpedoes dropping, splashing into the sea. He held his breath… Make it work… make it work!

A few seconds later he saw a trail of bubbles, the oxygen driver of a torpedo, then a second one… and no more.

“Damn!” he snarled.

His plane surged up, and he dropped back into his seat.

The bulk of the target, the carrier Akagi, was just a few hundred meters ahead. They were heading straight at it, still below the level of the deck. It was doctrine to fly so low that the antiaircraft gunners could not depress low enough to hit them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.