Short story technical help, please!

[parsifal]

There is another member, whose father was an aviator in one of the VF squadrons. Leonard is the members name. He would be well worth having a chat with, but i have not seen him around in a while......

 

[CobberKane]

CK,

I have the aerology report (dated March, 1944) for the Midway battle in my files.. On the June 4, Over the USN forces, generally clear skies with scattered cumulous, Wind generally out of the south at about 5 knots (characterized as light in the report), Visibility 6 miles. Exact sea state ia unknown although imagery suggests it was very calm... Ceiling unlimited to the East, lowering to 800 feet in partial overcast toward the West (and the IJN fleet).

Do a google image search on battle of Midway and you'll see plenty of photos from 6/4/42. including the dramatic one depicted below of wounded VF-3 Pilot Dan Sheedy's F4F-4 landing on the hornet and inadvertent firing of guns tragically killing Adm. Ingersoll's son. Note, the only real wave action is in the Hornet's wake. (1-2 foot wave height out of the wake?)

Over the IJN forces, partly cloudy to cloudy (due to frontal passage) with scattered showers, ceiling variable from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. Visibility 6 to 12 miles. Moderate NW winds (10-20 knots) becoming light as the day progressed, to out of the SE.

Over Midway: partly Cloudy, ceiling mostly unlimited after 0700 local. vis 12-30 miles. surface winds moderate (10-20 knots) out of the East,

By afternoon, the front had moved northward mostly out of the battle area and both fleets were moving into developing High Pressure areas. Partly cloudy with scattered showers. ceiling between 1,000 and 2,500 feetvis 12-20 miles Gentle East SE winds.
Flying conditions were characterized as average to good throughout the day.

Great stuff, thank you. I'm beginning to think I should get one of you guys to write the story for me.

 

[CobberKane]

Another detail guys. The F4F would have had fabric covered control surfaces, right?

 

[norab]

Yep