FSX Around the world in 175 days part 14: Japan! Omitato, Hyakuri (Tokyo)

[joefremont 98]

May 22, 1924:  Smith had hoped depart early the next morning but here old enemy fog prevented that.  They visited the local village and were invited on board one of the Japanese destroyers where invited to watch a Sumo match.  Weather was again unfavorable the next day but by the 22nd they were able to depart.  They had wished to depart at midnight but fog prevented them leaving till 5:30am, they encountered light fog as they flew along the mountainous islands, 495 miles to the Village of Minato on the north east corner of the Japanese main island of Hanshu  where USS Ford waiting for them.

July 22, 2017: Again I am flying the Aerosoft PBY, this time flying Jacques Cousteau’s converted PBY-6A.  Weather today was overcast with a 1200-2000 foot ceiling.  Still trying to use VFR rules I stayed at around 1000 feet for most of the flight.  The engines on the a bit more finicky than most sim aircraft and I was trying to be careful with them but for reasons I can’t explain the right engine kept shutting down on me and I probably restarted it a dozen times trying various combinations of the settings trying to keep them running, some worked better than others but I never found the right combination as it shut down again as I was on final.  I flew to the airport at Omitato which is on the bay where they flyers landed.  I should have landed in the bay as the airports 2000 foot runway was a bit short for what I needed and overran the end before coming to a stop.  I landed after flying 361 nm in 2.8 hours.

Here are a few pics from the flight:

Ready for takeoff.

On our way.

Staying low.

Making our way around Hokkaido island.

Selfie!

Around the last ridge on Hokkaido, and the engines are running again!

Our destination is in sight!

Landed, just got to the place I wanted to park before both engines decided to quit on me.

May 22, 1924:  Although Lt Smith had wired ahead that he did not want any party arranged, A welcome arch and reception tents had been erected and large crowed lined the shore and warfs ands everal hundred school children waved american flags. As soon as they came to a halt a giant fireworks display lit up the sky.  While a celebration was planned the flyers were behind schedule and Lt Nutt, the advance officer for the flight in this region went ashore to give there regrets while the flyers refueled there aircraft.  By 1pm they were back in the air again.  They plunged into fog and rain, but after two and a half hours the weather cleared and became ‘balmy’ according to Wade.  They continued flying down the eastern short of Hanshu.  At 5pm they turned inland and landed at Lake Kasumigaura, Home of the Japanese Navy Air Base, 50 miles north of Tokyo, They were met by thousands of spectators and news correspondents and photographers from all over the world.   The Admiral in command welcomed them and assured them they would get all the assistance they would need.  After their planes were made secure they were taken to the Naval Air Service Club where local officers hosted a dinner in their honor and were each shown to private rooms with there own orderlies, they also received there first mail since they left home.

July 22, 2017:  For first few legs over Japan I wanted to use some Japanese planes, but there are only a few I could find that worked well in FSX (or later).  The first one I found is the Nakajima B5N2 Kate.  The B5N was the standard torpedo bomber if the Imperial Japanese navy for much of world war 2.  It first flew in 1937 and over 1100 were built and was used throughout the war.   The model was first made for CFS-2 by Thicko and converted to FSX by Erik Hertzberger.  The exterior model is pretty good but the VC shows its age.  

My flight to Hyakuri Airport started off in weather that was best unpleasant, Cloud level was at 1500 feet so I stayed below at about 800 feet and continued down the coast toward Tokyo,  About half way down the coast the clouds lifted a bit and was able to climb to a safer altitude and made my way and landed safely after flying 306 nm in 2 hours.

Here are a few pics from the flight.

Ready to go.

On our way.

Staying low while flying up the coast.

Glamour shots.

Its clearing up.

Getting closer to civilization.

On final into our destination.

Landed.

By this point in the flight they had flown 5,657 miles and logged 76 hours in the air.  At this point I have flown 5493 nm and logged 47 hours in the air and based on our start dates I am 8 days ahead of them.

[HLJames 2,568]

Great looking shots...love the story...keep in mind these were Douglas World Cruisers that could not fly over mountains!

HLJAMES

[joefremont 98]

1 hour ago, HLJames said:

Great looking shots...love the story...keep in mind these were Douglas World Cruisers that could not fly over mountains!

HLJAMES

This is true, on the reading I have done the highest I have seen them climb to was 8000 feet and that often decided the routes they would take.