ADavidB
Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001 From: Toronto, Canada Status: offline
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PzB's bomber crews were out for what they thought would be a routine, risk-free mission on November 30 when they hit an unpleasant surprise - unpleasant for them that is: Day Air attack on Tjilitjap, at 19, 62 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 74 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 15 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 15 destroyed, 14 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-38G Lightning: 6 damaged Port hits 1 Yes - my P-38s in Tjilitjap were in fine fettle and had a good day hunting Japanese bombers: Day Air attack on TF, near Tjilitjap at 19, 62 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 3 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 15 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-38G Lightning: 2 damaged Allied Ships AK Waipo And: Day Air attack on Tjilitjap, at 19, 62 Japanese aircraft Ki-21 Sally x 27 Ki-48 Lily x 9 Ki-49 Helen x 14 Ki-46-II Dinah x 1 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 9 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 4 destroyed, 8 damaged Ki-48 Lily: 1 destroyed Ki-49 Helen: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses P-38G Lightning: 1 damaged Allied ground losses: 11 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 4 Now, PzB's bombers did drop a few bombs on some of the ships that were still out to sea, but he had chosen to use his Army planes, which meant that they weren't dropping torpedoes. PzB has concluded that I am sending in those ships to evacuate my troops and he was prodding me in his email about just how many troops did I think that I would actually get to Australia. That is a good sign, because it suggests that he will send more force to try to stop me. In the meanwhile, my other attacks increased: Day Air attack on Kendari, at 33, 71 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 23 A6M3 Zero x 20 Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 6 Allied aircraft F-5A Lightning x 4 B-17E Fortress x 27 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 damaged What is important here is that is the second attack in two days, and I still had bombers ready to go back this next turn. And: Day Air attack on Paramushiro Jima, at 82, 34 Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 11 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged This is my first attack on the Kuriles. Sure, I didn't destroy anything, but it was good practice for my pilots and they will be back, along with "friends". And: Day Air attack on Kwajalein, at 79, 79 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 7 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 31 Allied aircraft F-5A Lightning x 3 B-17E Fortress x 90 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress: 8 destroyed, 22 damaged Yet another attack on Kwajalein and PzB had to put more fighters there. And: Day Air attack on Shortlands, at 63, 93 Allied aircraft P-40B Tomahawk x 15 B-26B Marauder x 58 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 8 casualties reported Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 8 I "own" Shortlands, and those Marauders are just "waiting" for a Japanese ship to come within range. Day Air attack on Koepang, at 28, 77 Allied aircraft Brewster 339D x 9 B-25C Mitchell x 18 No Allied losses Airbase hits 1 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 7 I also "own" Koepang. Those troops that PzB has stuck there are slowly wasting away from a lack of supply and lots of malaria. And: Day Air attack on Koepang, at 28, 77 Allied aircraft Hudson I x 49 No Allied losses Port hits 1 Port supply hits 2 BTW - those Hudsons and Mitchells are regaining experience and morale after the ill-fated mission against the Ise. And: Day Air attack on Lautem, at 33, 78 Allied aircraft B-25C Mitchell x 44 No Allied losses Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 42 PzB thinks that he can keep Lautem supplied. "Rots of Ruck". And this, which was more "practice" than anything else because there is little left at Jaluit to bomb: Day Air attack on Jaluit, at 81, 84 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 6 B-25C Mitchell x 43 Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed And finally, not to leave PNG "feeling" lonely: Day Air attack on Gasmata, at 59, 90 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 20 B-26B Marauder x 41 Allied aircraft losses B-26B Marauder: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged Japanese ground losses: 8 casualties reported Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 4 And this coming turn I will be sending out more bombers to many of the same places and a few others too. In the meanwhile, the Formidable's TF is demonstrating off of the southern DEI. Who knows, its presence might even interfere with any surface attacks that PzB may consider against my transports. At the same time, I've sent a more serious carrier TF out towards the Marshalls, just to give PzB something to "think" about. All the while some very serious forces gather in the Gilberts and at PM while the "demonstration" forces elsewhere may not stay in "demonstration mode" too much longer. Dave Baranyi
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