Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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7/8/42 A very successful day for the Allies turns a Tactical Defeat into a Tactical Draw or Victory, and a Strategic Victory into a Decisive Strategic Victory. DEI: After yesterday's big engagement, the Allies shifted the aircraft from Ent and York to Sumatra (except for the fighters, which had legs only to reach Cocos Island) while those two ships and Indomitable retire to Colombo. Then the Allies set all divebombers and most two-engine bombers to range five, with escorts similarly ranged (I wanted to minimize the chances they would go too far astray and blunder into a big CAP trap over Semereng or vicinity). I was hoping my aircraft might capatured a crippled Fuso or Suzuya, or perhaps some destroyers shown lingering near Oosthaven after the battle. The fighters sortied in number to overwhelm Japanese LRCAP of 15 Zeroes, and then the bombers sortied in strength, getting more than I could have hoped for: Strike One: Morning Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 51,99 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 11 minutes Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 5 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 17 SBD-3 Dauntless x 31 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Yugiri, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage CL Yura, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Mogami, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage DD Asashio, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage Strike Two: Morning Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 51,99 Weather in hex: Overcast Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 12 minutes Allied aircraft SBD-3 Dauntless x 18 Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged Japanese Ships DD Yugiri, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Mogami, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage CL Yura, heavy fires, heavy damage Strike Three: Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kalidjati at 51,99 Weather in hex: Light rain Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 10 minutes Allied aircraft SBD-3 Dauntless x 17 Allied aircraft losses SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged Japanese Ships CL Yura, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk DD Asashio, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage CA Mikuma, heavy fires, heavy damage Impact: This changes the complexion of yesterday's battle entirely. Now the totals of ships sunk or heavily damaged changes to: Allies: BB 3; CA 1; CL 3; DD 4. Japanese: BB 1; CA 3; CL 1; DD 2. Heavy Fires/Heavy Damage: A report of "heavy fires/heavy damage" usually means a ship is mortally stricken. There may be rare exceptions, but at a minimum that vessel is out of the war for a very long time. Note to Chez (when he reads this "some day"): In his email, Chez asked if I had transferred "all" my carrier aircraft to Sumatra. He may be muttering to himself about this tactic. Just for the record, strike squadrons from two American carriers came to Sumatra this turn because both ships require yard time and have just been sent back to Colombo. Chez knew that the Oosthaven is a level nine airfield (with large backup fields at Palembang and Benkolen), so obviously the Allies were going to utilize them as best they could. Also, none of the Allied two-engine bombers (lots of Dutch B-25s and lesser aircraft) sortied.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 9/9/2011 7:38:15 AM >
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