vettim89
Posts: 3615
Joined: 7/14/2007 From: Toledo, Ohio Status: offline
|
4 Nov 1943 Dawn breaks over the Allied airbases at Rangoon, Tavoy, and Vicoria Point. To the amazement of the pilots at all three bases they all can see the sun rise - there is no rain at any of these base for the first time in weeks. It has been months since all three bases were fully combat capable on the same day. A RN TF had departed Tavoy at dawn heading to Victoria Point. The Indian divison south of that base is under siege. All in all spirits are high and then the first sighting reports of the day come in - Japanese carriers are back in the Gulf of Siam!!! Perhaps they came hunting the convoy moving up reinforcements up the coast. Every available bomber is loaded up for bear and for some of the pilots that is not just a colloquialism. The Japanese CAP rose to protect their charges but the inexperienced were no match for the honed veterans of the RAF who had been fighting for almost two years. AM Strikes Victoria Point Strike Day Air attack on TF at 27,43 Japanese aircraft A6M5 Zeke x 40 J2M Jack x 10 Allied aircraft Avenger II x 10 Spitfire Vb x 26 Thunderbolt II x 42 Beaufort I x 18 Beaufighter VIC x 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 x 11 B-25J Mitchell x 11 Japanese aircraft losses A6M5 Zeke: 38 destroyed J2M Jack: 10 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Avenger II: 10 damaged Spitfire Vb: 9 destroyed, 4 damaged Thunderbolt II: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged Beaufort I: 18 damaged Beaufighter VIC: 2 damaged Beaufighter Mk 21: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged B-25J Mitchell: 2 damaged Japanese Ships CV Unryu, Bomb hits 1 CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire CV Katsuragi BB Mutsu Aircraft Attacking: 1 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet 1 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 27,43 Tavoy Strike Japanese aircraft A6M5 Zeke x 1 Allied aircraft P-38J Lightning x 29 B-25C Mitchell x 25 Japanese aircraft losses A6M5 Zeke: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed, 10 damaged Japanese Ships BB Mutsu CV Unryu, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage CV Katsuragi, Bomb hits 2, on fire Aircraft Attacking: 1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet PM Strikes Here the mystery is solved. It is the B-25 groups dropping the 2000 lb bombs Day Air attack on TF at 27,43 Victoria Point Strike Japanese aircraft J2M Jack x 8 Allied aircraft Avenger II x 2 Spitfire Vb x 13 Thunderbolt II x 30 Beaufort I x 12 Beaufighter VIC x 3 Beaufighter Mk 21 x 5 B-25J Mitchell x 21 Japanese aircraft losses J2M Jack: 2 destroyed Allied aircraft losses Avenger II: 2 damaged Thunderbolt II: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged Beaufort I: 10 damaged Beaufighter VIC: 1 destroyed B-25J Mitchell: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged Japanese Ships CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage (at least one 2000 lb'er) CV Katsuragi, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage BB Mutsu, Torpedo hits 1 CL Agano Aircraft Attacking: 3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x Avenger II launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x Beaufort I launching torpedoes at 200 feet 3 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 3 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet 4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 27,43 Tavoy Strike Japanese aircraft J2M Jack x 2 Allied aircraft P-38J Lightning x 24 B-25C Mitchell x 39 Japanese aircraft losses J2M Jack: 6 destroyed Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 6 damaged Japanese Ships BB Mutsu CV Katsuragi, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage - at least 6 2000 lb hitsCVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage another 2000 lb'er CL Kitakami Aircraft Attacking: 1 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet 4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 5000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on TF at 27,43 Rangoon Strike Allied aircraft Liberator III x 34 B-24J Liberator x 33 No Allied losses Japanese Ships CV Katsuragi, on fire, heavy damage BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 3 CVL Ryujo, on fire, heavy damage Aircraft Attacking: 4 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 8 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 6 x B-24J Liberator bombing at 15000 feet 3 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 3 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 7 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 3 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 6 x Liberator III bombing at 15000 feet 9 x B-24J Liberator bombing at 15000 feet 9 x B-24J Liberator bombing at 15000 feet 9 x B-24J Liberator bombing at 15000 feet As the Catalinas turn toward the setting sun, Ryujo and Katsuragi are both seen slipping beneath the waves. LBA out of PM trashe a convoy at Adm Is also. Bad new is a raid on Hong Kong diidn't go so well with 11 a/c loss. SS Guardfish was sunk by an ASW TF near the Marianas
Attachment (1)
_____________________________
"We have met the enemy and they are ours" - Commodore O.H. Perry
|