tabpub -> RE: surviving the heavies (1/16/2006 12:01:18 AM)
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A sequence of events that shows the trend in air warfare in Burma in Jan.’43. Granted, that we aren’t talking ’42 anymore though, but I have restrained myself from doing the “bomber mass”. Right now, there are 2 American BG(H), 1 FS in Dacca and 2 American BG(M), 1 FG in Akyab. The rest of the planes in theater are British, who are just getting Lib VI planes, enough to equip 2 squadrons. All other bomb groups are assigned to their original theaters; although I do let myself temporarily attach groups to neighboring commands, ala CentPac to SouPac, during lulls in one sector. Akyab was recaptured months ago and has weathered some attacks and bombardments, one cost ¼ of the English fleet one night trying to stop it. But, I waited for the next Japanese major effort over Akyab; it came on the 14th: 01/14/43 Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29 Japanese aircraft Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 28 Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 59 Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 69 Ki-21 Sally x 47 Allied aircraft Hurricane II x 29 Spitfire Vb x 34 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 18 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 30 destroyed Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 10 destroyed, 5 damaged Ki-21 Sally: 6 destroyed, 9 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane II: 23 destroyed Spitfire Vb: 21 destroyed B-25C Mitchell: 3 destroyed Catalina I: 1 destroyed Beaufort I: 1 destroyed Allied ground losses: 18 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 2 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 12 Aircraft Attacking: Ki-21 Sally bombing at 8000 feet Lots of carnage in the skies, and plenty of damaged planes; noted that Rangoon was originating base, set the counterattack in place. Weather delayed it to the 16th: 01/16/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 14 Allied aircraft Beaufort V-IX x 15 P-40E Warhawk x 57 B-25C Mitchell x 104 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 19 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 11 destroyed Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 11 destroyed L2D2 Tabby: 3 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Beaufort V-IX: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged B-25C Mitchell: 21 damaged Japanese ground losses: 223 casualties reported Guns lost 10 Airbase hits 24 Airbase supply hits 13 Runway hits 128 Aircraft Attacking: B-25C Mitchell bombing at 9000 feet 2 Groups of Mitchells savaged the airstrip with the cover of the 24th FG. Who needs heavies? 01/16/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Liberator VI x 16 B-17E Fortress x 32 B-24D Liberator x 48 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 destroyed B5N Kate: 1 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 5 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Liberator VI: 3 damaged B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged Japanese ground losses: 163 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 18 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 162 Aircraft Attacking: All bombers attacking at 7000 feet The heavies churn up the wreckage some more. The next non storm day is the 18th. Suspect that CAP from supporting bases is up, based on recon flights, so P38 squadron sent in early morning sweep to soften up the opposition: 01/18/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 11 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 23 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 4 destroyed Allied aircraft losses P-38G Lightning: 1 damaged Only one B25 group is ready for this attack, the other is gassed at morale in the 30’s and stood down. Attack shows fewer targets on the ground, but most every plane generates a hit on the strip. 01/18/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft P-40E Warhawk x 61 B-25C Mitchell x 32 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 2 destroyed Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 destroyed L2D2 Tabby: 1 destroyed B5N Kate: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged Japanese ground losses: 52 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 31 Aircraft Attacking: 24 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 9000 feet 7 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 9000 feet The heavy groups come down again, with the Brits working on the port facilities now; The American groups find the bomber revetments and do some damage, though diminishing returns are setting in. 01/18/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Liberator VI x 25 B-17E Fortress x 37 B-24D Liberator x 43 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-21 Sally: 12 destroyed Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 2 destroyed L2D2 Tabby: 4 destroyed B5N Kate: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Liberator VI: 1 damaged B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged Japanese Ships AK Hyuga Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 121 casualties reported Airbase hits 4 Runway hits 88 Port hits 4 Port supply hits 2 Aircraft Attacking: All set to bomb at 7000 feet 01/19/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Allied aircraft P-38G Lightning x 18 No Allied losses The final attack runs show the tiredness of the force. Only about ½ of the groups are flying now due to fatigue and damages; and the results are not as good as the intial strikes. 01/19/43 Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34 Japanese aircraft no flights Allied aircraft Liberator VI x 24 B-17E Fortress x 28 B-24D Liberator x 34 Japanese aircraft losses Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 2 destroyed Ki-21 Sally: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Liberator VI: 2 damaged B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged Japanese Ships AK Hyuga Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 66 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 3 Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 28 Port hits 1 Port supply hits 8 Aircraft Attacking: All set to bomb at 7000 feet Now, these are with groups that are not overstacked in any fashion, are for the most part all groups that were assigned to SEAC and have been used in a reasonable fashion throughout ’42. The 19th BG is the only Fortress group that has a majority of its crews over 50 missions, as it has been in constant action from the PI, through Java then evacuated to India; where it has mainly done ground support missions to impede the Japanese advance on Mandalay/Lashio. The only non-original SEAC planes would be the 2 squadrons that left PI in their P26’s and 35’s; they converted to the P39->38 and P40E respectively. Their presence has been needed to counterbalance the Japanese effort here for the last 6 months, where in air to air combat, over 600 Spitfire and Hurricane losses have been suffered from constant combat over Akyab-Mandalay area, which at one point drove the Brit pilot pool down to sub 20 level. I don’t know if this will contribute anything at all to the discussion here, other than to highlight again the need for the IJNAF/IJAAF to operate from more than one base in any particular operation, or be prepared to defend it quite heavily or suffer the consequences.
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