PzB74
Posts: 5076
Joined: 10/3/2000 From: No(r)way Status: offline
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ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS - ENEMY CARRIERS IN SIGHT!!! AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 10, 42 Air Combat Today we executed a beautifully coordinated attack on Dacca; an enemy heavy bomber hub! Several enemy training units got caught up in the attack. We destroyed only a couple of heavies on the ground but this will make Andy nervous. Either he has to place CAP over the base and become vulnerable to sweeps, or he has to live with the risks...or move his heavies out. I could have added 100 naval bombers to the raid but I can't risk our crack naval aviators even for enemy 4E raiding! Morning Air attack on Dacca , at 56,38 Weather in hex: Heavy cloud Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 3 minutes Japanese aircraft Ki-21-IIa Sally x 53 Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 54 Allied aircraft Hurricane IIc Trop x 4 P-39D Airacobra x 9 P-40E Warhawk x 8 P-40K Warhawk x 2 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 20 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 damaged P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed on ground Airbase hits 5 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 9 Aircraft Attacking: 25 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 15000 feet * Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb 27 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 15000 feet * Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb CAP engaged: No.5 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (3 airborne, 4 on standby, 0 scrambling) 3 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 19000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes 23rd FG/74th FS with P-39D Airacobra (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) 1 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 19000 Raid is overhead 23rd FG/75th FS with P-39D Airacobra (2 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling) 2 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 19000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes 23rd FG/76th FS with P-40E Warhawk (7 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling) 7 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 19000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 14 minutes 23rd FG/Hq Sqn with P-40K Warhawk (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) 2 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 19000 Raid is overhead Training flight from No.5 Sqn RAF has been caught up in attack Training flight from 23rd FG/76th FS has been caught up in attack -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Tojo's can only sweep Comilla, one hex shorter range than to Dacca! Morning Air attack on Comilla , at 56,39 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 11 minutes Japanese aircraft Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 27 Allied aircraft Hurricane IIc Trop x 1 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 27 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 30000 feet * CAP engaged: No.5 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 1 scrambling) Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 19000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lots of activity near Nuku Hiva again; Catalinas came back without escorts...but more interesting; a large group of enemy ships were spotted to the north and enemy dive bombers came flying over the island!! Morning Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 5 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 4 Allied aircraft PBY-4 Catalina x 4 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses PBY-4 Catalina: 1 destroyed CAP engaged: 284 Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) (4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.) 4 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 15000 Raid is overhead -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suddenly 160 Allied carrier ac streamed over Nuku Hiva and attacked our surface TF there. The light cruiser Oi led 6 destroyers; in the poor weather only the Oi and a destroyer was hit. Quite amazing considering how many bombers that attacked us! Another 2 waves of 2x14 torpedo bombers failed to cause any further damage in the AM turn! Morning Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 15 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 Allied aircraft Albacore I x 12 Martlet II x 16 F4F-4 Wildcat x 41 SBD-3 Dauntless x 78 TBF-1 Avenger x 11 No Japanese losses Allied aircraft losses Albacore I: 1 damaged SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 16 damaged TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged Japanese Ships CL Oi, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Hibiki, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Ikazuchi DD Kuroshio DD Naganami DD Inazuma DD Fubuki Aircraft Attacking: 8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 17 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 11 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo 12 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo 4 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 12000 feet 4 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 10000 feet 8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 10000 feet 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb CAP engaged: 284 Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) (2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.) 2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 6000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Oi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 16 minutes Allied aircraft TBF-1 Avenger x 14 Allied aircraft losses TBF-1 Avenger: 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Naganami DD Inazuma DD Fubuki CL Oi, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Ikazuchi Aircraft Attacking: 14 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 43 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 20 minutes Allied aircraft TBF-1 Avenger x 14 Allied aircraft losses TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged Japanese Ships DD Inazuma DD Naganami DD Kuroshio DD Fubuki Aircraft Attacking: 14 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the afternoon the story repeated itself; Catalinas came in first and suffered. Then another large carrier attack wave came in and only managed to score a single bomb it. A DMS heading south was also spotted but had less luck and was sunk. Thus the entire Allied carrier force launched their full might and only succeeded in sinking a light cruiser, a destroyer and a DMS. Another 2 destroyers are moderately damaged. Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 25 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 15 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 3 Allied aircraft PBY-4 Catalina x 3 No Japanese losses No Allied losses Japanese Ships DD Fubuki CAP engaged: 284 Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) (3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 15000 Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nuku Hiva at 191,167 Weather in hex: Heavy rain Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 17 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 2 Allied aircraft Albacore I x 12 Martlet II x 16 F4F-4 Wildcat x 32 SBD-3 Dauntless x 77 TBF-1 Avenger x 35 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Albacore I: 2 damaged SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged Japanese Ships DD Inazuma DD Fubuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire DD Hibiki, heavy fires, heavy damage CL Oi, and is sunk Aircraft Attacking: 10 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo 12 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 7 x Martlet II sweeping at 10000 feet 15 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 14 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo 6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 11 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo 3 x Albacore I bombing from 5000 feet Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb 5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x F4F-4 Wildcat sweeping at 15000 feet 12 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 1 x Albacore I bombing from 2000 feet Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb 12 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 8 x Albacore I bombing from 3000 feet Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb CAP engaged: 284 Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) 2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 6000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Hibiki -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Eiao at 189,163 Weather in hex: Moderate rain Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 4 minutes Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 18 SBD-3 Dauntless x 17 Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged Japanese Ships DMS Tatsuko, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk Aircraft Attacking: 5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 10000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DMS Tatsuko ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Enemy Carriers Attack Nuku Hiva No doubt Andy expected to find something at Nuku; over the last couple of days the KB has sunk 2 large minelayers in the area. The KB launched only small strikes but I'm pretty sure Andy knows it's there and targetted it.
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"The problem in defense is how far you can go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without" - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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