Hortlund
Posts: 2884
Joined: 10/13/2000 Status: offline
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Huge airbattles around Darwin today. I had moved my BBs two hexes south to make Castor think Im setting up for a bombardment run. I had all my 150 fighters at Lauterm flying CAP over the TF. The real objective was to draw out his fighters and cause some damage. It worked. I inflicted 2-1 losses, and if I hadent had one combat round where I lost 20 Tojos, the numbers would look even better. What surprised me was that I killed alot of Swordfish. I had no idea he had based them at Tenimbar. I was expecting SBDs. Well, Im happy, those Swordfish have been in the fight since december 7th, so he probably lost some very experienced pilots today. I am retiring the forces back to Lauterm now, but he does not know that. I did not dare press on with the bombardment mission because I fully expect him to fly in 200 B-17s and B-24s from the east coast of Australia and put them all on Naval attack. Therefore Im pulling my ships back, but instead Im doing a 3-phased attack on Tenimbar. Im sweeping the base with Zeros from Lauterm. Then Im attacking with Helens from Ambonia escorted by Oscar IIs, Bettys from Kuching and Betties from Koepang. I hope to inflict at least some damage on him, but I am coming in high (16k) with semi-experienced pilots (75-85) so I should not expect too much. AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/09/43 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 39 encounters mine field at Andaman Island (23,34) Japanese Ships ML Kurokami, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ML Kuroshima, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 28,66 Japanese Ships DD Susuzuki PC Sado PC Oki Allied Ships SS Tunny -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 30,66 Japanese Ships PC Oki, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage PC Sado DD Susuzuki Allied Ships SS Scamp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Toboali at 22,57 Japanese Ships AK Hakonesan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AK Kusuyama Maru PC Ch 12 PG Busho Maru MSW Tama Maru MSW Wa 3 DD Kisaragi Allied Ships SS Searaven -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Kiska Island , at 92,35 Allied aircraft F4F-3 Wildcat x 48 TBF Avenger x 22 Wellington III x 55 PV-1 Ventura x 24 Allied aircraft losses Wellington III: 3 damaged PV-1 Ventura: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 118 casualties reported Guns lost 8 Airbase hits 4 Runway hits 66 Port hits 1 Port supply hits 1 Aircraft Attacking: 4 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 9 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 9 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 6 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 10 x TBF Avenger bombing at 19000 feet 6 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 6 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x TBF Avenger bombing at 19000 feet 3 x TBF Avenger bombing at 19000 feet 3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 4 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 3 x TBF Avenger bombing at 19000 feet 3 x TBF Avenger bombing at 19000 feet 3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 3 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet 3 x Wellington III bombing at 16000 feet 2 x PV-1 Ventura bombing at 16000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 1st NLF , at 36,27 Allied aircraft Hurricane IIb x 63 P-40E Warhawk x 21 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 41 casualties reported Aircraft Attacking: 14 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet 7 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet 14 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet 14 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet 14 x Hurricane IIb bombing at 2000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 25 A6M3a Zero x 15 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 38 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 23 Swordfish x 37 T.IVa x 8 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 17 destroyed Swordfish: 12 destroyed, 13 damaged T.IVa: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged Japanese Ships DD Natsugumo DD Oboro, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Uranami DD Kiyonami DD Kasumi Aircraft Attacking: 2 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet 1 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 1 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 12 A6M3a Zero x 7 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 17 Allied aircraft B-25C Mitchell x 47 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 1 damaged A6M3a Zero: 5 damaged Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 4 damaged Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed, 28 damaged Japanese Ships DD Kiyonami DD Natsugumo DD Uranami DD Kasumi DD Arare DD Oboro, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 25 A6M3a Zero x 15 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 36 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 28 P-40E Warhawk x 61 B-25C Mitchell x 42 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 7 destroyed, 6 damaged A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 23 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 11 destroyed, 6 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed, 26 damaged B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged Japanese Ships BB Ise, Bomb hits 3, on fire BB Kongo, Bomb hits 1 DD Hayate Aircraft Attacking: 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 20 A6M3a Zero x 10 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 18 Allied aircraft Kittyhawk I x 22 P-40E Warhawk x 25 B-25C Mitchell x 3 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed A6M3a Zero: 4 damaged Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Kittyhawk I: 9 destroyed, 4 damaged P-40E Warhawk: 3 destroyed, 17 damaged B-25C Mitchell: 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Oboro, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 19 A6M3a Zero x 10 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 12 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 Swordfish x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 1 damaged A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed Swordfish: 4 destroyed, 4 damaged Japanese Ships DD Arare DD Uranami DD Kasumi Aircraft Attacking: 1 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 34,80 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 9 A6M3a Zero x 5 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6 Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 3 B-25C Mitchell x 46 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 2 damaged A6M3a Zero: 1 damaged Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged Japanese Ships DD Natsugumo, Bomb hits 1, on fire DD Kiyonami DD Arare DD Kasumi DD Uranami, Bomb hits 1, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 56,95 Japanese Ships AK Taki Maru DD Naganami CL Agano Allied Ships SS Pompano, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences..
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