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Gents,

In my ongoing effort to explore various "what if" Oahu scenarios I would like to invite your opinions on the possibility of the Japanese sending some of their JSNLF (almost) trained paratroopers to Oahu for a 0730 arrival on Dec.7'41 ?

I know that Japan had in 1939 converted 12 of their G3M "Tina" twin engined bomber (actually cargo carrying "Lily" varients were converted) types into a 10 passenger (+2 crew) pressurized airliner, factory equipped with a long ranged RDF loop. They regularly flew long distance, over-water Pacific night flights as passenger carrying airliners. Two had been damaged in service, thus leaving 10 available for a Dec.6'41 departure from Roi (at Kwajalein Atoll) and overnight flight to Oahu. Carrying a total of 120 combat trained "volunteers".

The aircraft's (one way) range gives a 15% fuel reserve but weight restrictions would have allowed the 'troopers' only their personal weapons, some demolition (WP) handgrenades and 1 LMG per aircraft. No "heavy weapons" allowed, nor parachutes either.

Since there clearly was no place else for the crews to fly to, I assumed that there would be NO parachute descent. (Combined with the historical fact that the JSNLF paratroopers weren't fully jump trained until the end of January '42, a controlled aircraft landing seems safest. Historically the Japanese did paint their drop planes to look like Austrailian Hudsons for jumps over the DEI a few months later.) Rather the 10 aircraft, painted to look as much like twin engined USAAF A-20s as was possible, would land (hopefully by surprise) at their Oahu target(s) and the pilot & co-pilot would join the 'troopers' in ground combat/sabotage.

As fate would have it (and unknowable to the Japanaese) their course from Kwajalein to Oahu would take them nearly right over top of (as best I can tell only 50-100 miles away) the radar equipped USS Enterprise TF (steaming inbound west of Oahu) at about 0530. The big question then being, could/would a still peacetime Halsey risk a nighttime fighter intercept to check out what he would likely believe to be a USAAF night navigation training flight out of Oahu, or not ? And if so, would the 10 Japanese planes, painted in USAAF markings "pass muster" in the darkness ?

Considering that historically Short had ordered his USAAF aircraft lined up at their airfields, wingtip-to-wingtip, to prevent sabotage (which Yoshikawa reported to Tokyo), which target(s) on Oahu would you choose for such a force, and why ? Specify what small aid(s) your 'troopers' might request from the Japanese staff of the Honolulu Consulate if you believe that to be possible ?

And what chance/method of escape from Oahu would you offer those 120 JSNLF "volunteers" ? If any ?
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