Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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Namlea: JJ Sweeps aggressively with Tojos. Not sure if there was supposed to be an airfield or anti-shipping attack to follow. In any event, it did not happen. The Corsair sees its first combat. Looks like a draw. Morning Air attack on Namlea , at 76,108 Weather in hex: Severe storms Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 9 minutes Japanese aircraft Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 36 Allied aircraft P-40B Warhawk x 17 P-40K Warhawk x 28 F4U-1 Corsair x 13 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed Chikuma and pals evidently hoped to intercept Arried shipping at either Namlea or Boela. It did not work. First the Marine SBD's from Namlea attack. Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Obi at 76,105 Weather in hex: Heavy cloud Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 4 minutes Allied aircraft P-39D Airacobra x 6 P-40K Warhawk x 3 F4U-1 Corsair x 1 SBD-3 Dauntless x 9 Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged Japanese Ships CA Chikuma Then the carrier planes from about 80 mi to the SE of Namlea. Evidently, the IJN did not anticipate the Northwesterly movement of the carriers during the night. Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Obi at 76,105 Weather in hex: Heavy cloud Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 6 minutes Allied aircraft Martlet II x 4 F4F-4 Wildcat x 30 SBD-3 Dauntless x 45 Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 5 damaged Japanese Ships CA Chikuma, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Tadeyame, Bomb hits 1 DD Sagiri, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage DD Hatakaze, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk DD Hatsushima, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage 11 hits/45 sorties on an undamaged CA/DD force. Not bad.
< Message edited by Cap Mandrake -- 8/2/2012 5:52:26 PM >
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