Attack Condor
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Joined: 12/27/2002
From: Chicago
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December 18th, 1942
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fighting today definitely favored the Allies, as Quark’s invasion has lost a significant portion of its air cover. Yesterday’s results and a tally afterwards:
[I] AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/17/42
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Sub attack near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese Ships
AP Brazil Maru
CA Maya
DD Nowaki
DD Yugiri
MSW Hagoromo Maru
MSW Noshiro Maru #2
Allied Ships
SS Greenling
[B]Greenling is sent deeper into the 30-mile patch of water just north of TV. S-38, a shallow water specialist, has arrived to properly welcome the invaders.[/B]
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Sub attack near Gili Gili at 17,42
Allied Ships
SS Grayback
[B]Perhaps a mirage…the captain takes no chances and dives deep for the day.[/B]
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Air attack on Townsville , at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 35
G4M1 Betty x 69
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 2 destroyed
G3M Nell x 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty x 9 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 7 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning x 3 damaged
1LT R.Stoltz of 35th FS is credited with kill number 4
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 44
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 10
Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
3 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
14 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
9 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
4 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
5 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
2 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
5 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
2 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
3 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
18 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
15 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
[B]Quark actually had fighters on the Air Combat screen, but apparently they never saw the P-38s, who were circling the base at 10000 feet. The fighters, for their part, dismissed the fighters and engaged the bombers. Good show, lads![/B]
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Air attack on Charter Towers , at 8,63
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G3M Nell x 33
G4M1 Betty x 42
no losses
Airbase hits 22
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 48
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
11 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
0 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
16 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
6 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
14 x G3M Nell at 1000 feet
11 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
11 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
[B]FOW here, CT base damage totals only 24. More engineers are on their way to keep it minimal.[/B]
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Air attack on Cairns , at 7,56
Japanese aircraft
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 22
P-40E Kittyhawk x 16
P-38G Lightning x 14
A-20B Boston x 12
B-25D Mitchell x 6
B-26B Marauder x 12
B-17E Fortress x 6
A-20B Havoc x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 11
Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 42
Attacking Level Bombers:
10 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
6 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Boston at 6000 feet
6 x Hudson at 6000 feet
5 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Boston at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
11 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Boston at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Boston at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
[B]First strike………[/B]
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Air attack on Cairns , at 7,56
Japanese aircraft
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 25
B-25D Mitchell x 10
B-26B Marauder x 65
B-17E Fortress x 3
A-20B Havoc x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 2 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 11 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 7 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 100
Airbase hits 17
Runway hits 80
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
6 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
1 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
9 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
5 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
1 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
12 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
6 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
1 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
10 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
9 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
[B]Second strike……[/B]
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Air attack on Cairns , at 7,56
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6
no losses
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
[B]And the last one. Very profitable, indeed. More in the summary below.[/B]
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Air attack on 29th Aus Brigade, at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 13
A6M3 Zero x 3
D3A Val x 44
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 1 destroyed
D3A Val x 1 destroyed
D3A Val x 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning x 1 destroyed
[B]After all of this, the unit’s disruption is at 5, and fatigue at 12. Keep sending dive bombers against my troops, and not the ships.[/B]
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
A6M3 Zero x 21
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 3
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 3 destroyed
LTJG C.Morita of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 6
Attacking Level Bombers:
0 x Hudson at 10000 feet
[B]This was a mistake. I sent them to Brisbane, but forgot to have them Stand Down.[/B]
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
A6M3 Zero x 21
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 4
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Jusan Maru
Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-24D Liberator at 20000 feet
[B]More fatigue on his fighters, I hope.[/B]
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
A6M3 Zero x 21
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
Beaufighter VIC x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 8
P-40E Kittyhawk x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 30
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 2 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 damaged
Beaufighter VIC x 1 destroyed
Beaufighter VIC x 1 damaged
P-39D Airacobra x 3 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 2 damaged
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk x 17 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk x 4 damaged
LTJG V.Hirusawa of EII-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 6
PO2 K.Ikeda of EI-1 Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED
Japanese Ships
AP Taimei Maru
CA Maya, Shell hits 20
AP Shoan Maru
[B]Once again, the P-40’s take a beating, but cannon hits on the Maya leave her smoking. No serious damage, but perhaps she’s a bit slower now.[/B]
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
A6M3 Zero x 20
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 3
no losses
no losses
Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 20000 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
A6M3 Zero x 20
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 3
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 destroyed
Hudson x 2 damaged
LTJG R.Kotani of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 5
[B]More Hudsons die because of my mistake.[/B]
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
A6M3 Zero x 10
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Maya
DD Nowaki
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-24D Liberator at 20000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 20000 feet
[B]Quark’s air cover is starting to thin out…[/B]
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Air attack on TF at 8,55
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40E Kittyhawk x 9
P-40E Warhawk x 13
P-38G Lightning x 10
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 8
[B]This time, the 37mm cannons poke holes in the destroyer.[/B]
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Summary:
Quark apparently got caught with his fighters on the ground at Cairns. I count 82 fighters and 92 auxiliary aircraft at Cairns, with a airfield damage of 45. Cairns, being a level 7 base, will repair damage slower than usual, and the lack of IJN construction equipment will not help him, either. If there is [I]any[/I] base damage to add to the 45 damage rating of the runway, Quark’s planes are sitting ducks. He lost 18 planes on the ground yesterday alone. I’ve added night raids from RH to Cairns to the list. I’m also beginning to bomb the port there as well. Quark has 2000+ combat troops and 5000+ engineers (most likely a BF unit for his planes). Daylight raids from CT and TV scheduled again for tomorrow. I thought long and hard about sending all of the bombers against the port, but if Quark can rescue some troops, that’s better than if I miss what amounts to a golden opportunity to seriously compromise his fighter situation. Once the airfield has a damage of 70+, then I’ll unleash the bombers on the ports and shut them down as well.
Troops are ashore on TV. It was bound to happen, but I feel a bit better about it now that I have a better hold on the air. I count 9 INF units, 1 HQ, and 1 ENG unit on the ground, against my defenders. The CD unit at TV did fire twice at the troops and twice at the amphibs, but no hits reported.
The FT TF actually slipped in during the night, but didn’t unload. I hope they can get the artillery on the ground and themselves out of there ASAP. So far, they haven’t been spotted by Quark.
Back to the air war, yesterday, the Allies lost 25 planes, while the IJN lost 76. 34 of those were [I]Zeroes[/I], and 33 were [I]Bettys[/I].
TV actually had too many aircraft, causing some to go unrepaired. I’ve adjusted the squadrons there by sending some back to Brisbane, and the two remaining [I]Hudson[/I] squadrons to RH. CT is getting another 30 engineers and 200+ BF personnel. They’re being airlifted by 7 full strength C-47 squadrons from Brissy. CT also gets 32 more B-26 [I]Maruders[/I], along with another SBD and TBF squadron from the [I]Sangamon[/I] via RH.
TV air strength is about 50% operational, 50% in need of repair. Now that I’ve adjusted the levels of aircraft to within the support available they should start repairing more.
CT also sending 2 P-39 additional squadrons on Naval Attack @ 100ft. Also, once the ground fighting starts, I will send about 40 [I]Wirraways[/I] in from Brissy to aid the defenders with ground attacks.
CT is worth its weight in gold.
[I]North Carolina[/I] will dock @ RH tomorrow 4 DDs will join her TF and move on TV. [I]Suwannee[/I] arrives and sails west, to add her aircraft to the fight for TV.
Meanwhile, in the Solomons, Kourouratopo continues to strengthen. Almost all 21000 tons of supplies are ashore, and about half the ground forces. The airfield is [I]already[/I] up to 43% complete towards level 3. I’m going to have to get a tanker in there and drop some fuel off there as well. That will also cut my SS turnaround time down. Strangely, this action has drawn almost no response from Quark. One [I]Mavis[/I] got too close and was shot down. If I can get some B17s there, then Lunga falls into normal range, and they can carry full bombloads.
The situation is still in doubt, but it’s a lot better than it could have been.
Much more (no doubt) to come…
_____________________________
"Shouldn't we be leading the shark into shore...instead him leading us out to sea?"
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