Moderators: Joel Billings, wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
If those 20 500-er caused 10 sys dmg
ORIGINAL: rockmedic109
Star castling is going speed 2-4 with all extra power to shield reinforcement. Going faster allowed you to maneuver around the shield with reinforcement and hit unreinforced shields.
ORIGINAL: rockmedic109
Thanks Castor.ORIGINAL: castor troy
ORIGINAL: Menser
500lb bomb? Thats funny ....I thought the Kates that didn't launch torps were dropping 800kg bombs (modified BB shells) at Pearl .....1760 lb bombs ...... more than enough penitration for the deck armor at 10,000 feet.
you are right, they do drop 800kg AP bombs, but rockmedic talks about US TBFs on port attack, they drop 500lb ! bombs on port attack if they don´t drop torps.
But if the target is a battleship {or even a CA}, those 500lb bombs might just as well be ping-pong balls or even cotton balls! Disgruntling to see 20+ hits on a battleship or cruiser and know that none of them penetrated. I can only hope that enough fires were created to be a problem.
ORIGINAL: Feinder
Unfortunately, WitP is all-or-nothing for penetration (to keep up the SFB analogy: I always preferred to play with "leaky shields" to avert the same principle).
50 non-penetrating hits isn't going to do much in WitP. Yes, 50x 1000# bomb hits would hurt (most secondaries blown away), but you're still looking at probaly 15 - 20 sys damage and maybe 20 fires (which will be extenguished at end of turn if in port as this thread is about).
I think in AE, there seems to be some load-out options (torp or no-torp at least).
And to throw into the mix, the USN was moving away from torpedo bombers by end of war, because low-n-level (TB) wasn't as effective at ordinance delivery as high-n-fast (DB). DBs were both more survivable and accurate than TBs. I find it ironic that later-war squadrons (with more DBs than TBs) are actually a bit handicapped in WitP because torps trump all in WitP.
Speaking of which, why is the Helldiver rated for only one 1000# bomb? Just about everything I've ever read says it usually carried 2x 1000# bombs, or a torpedo (now -that- would be sweet!).
-F-
ORIGINAL: rockmedic109
Where would a Helldiver put a second 1000lb bomb? Wings weren't strong enough were they?
Attack on Enemy Task Force: 25 October 1944
Launched at 1200, our group consisting of 10 bombers, 5 torpedo planes, and 6 fighters. We joined up with planes from the other three carriers in Task Force Group 38.4, with the Franklin planes in the lead. This entire striking group comprised 25 bombers, 27 torpedo planes, and about 30 fighters. Group proceeded to reported position enemy disposition. At 1315 the group of enemy cripples sighted at reported position. At 1325 the enemy's main force sighted, consisting of 2 carriers, both damaged, one very slightly, one battleship, 2 cruisers, and 4 or 5 destroyers. Strike from Task Group 38.3 attacked and sank the large CV (Zuikaku). The Franklin planes attacked the smaller carrier (Otaka) with no apparent major damage resulting.
Then we delivered our attack. Approach was made from the southwest, planes coming in exactly out of the sun, and with above average benefit from a cloud cover. Dive was made to the north. Due to planes coming out of the sun and cloud cover, there was no AA fire during approach, and very little during dive. All ships opened up with intense AA of all calibre on retirement, maintaining this fire until planes were 15 miles away. Due to clouds and the necessity for expediting the retirement to a considerable distance, there was little chance for good observation of bomb hits. From 4 to 6 bombs were reported as being near misses in the water around the stern of the ship. Each plane having a bomb load of one 1,000 lb. AP and one 1,000 lb. SAP, this leaves a total of 14 to 16 bombs that were possibly hits. Carrier started burning and CAG-20 reported seeing internal explosions following this attack. While rendezvous was being effected to west of enemy forces, Target Coordinator kept us informed of the condition of this ship, which we left burning badly dead in the water and settling. He subsequently saw the carrier sink.
When we left this northern enemy force, it consisted of this one badly damaged carrier, one battleship, two cruisers, and 4 or 5 destroyers. On the way back to base, we again passed ships which had been with crippled enemy group. These ships had apparently forsaken the small carrier lying dead in the water to the south and were steaming north to join other forces. The ships seen steaming north were one battleship, one light cruiser and one Terutsuki class destroyer. The battleship seemed to be slightly damaged.
ORIGINAL: Feinder
Actually, they -did- carry 2x 1000# bombs (not always).
But this is an after action report by VB-20 from USS Enterprise flying Helldivers.
Deck Logs of USS Enterprise
Attack on Enemy Task Force: 25 October 1944
Launched at 1200, our group consisting of 10 bombers, 5 torpedo planes, and 6 fighters. We joined up with planes from the other three carriers in Task Force Group 38.4, with the Franklin planes in the lead. This entire striking group comprised 25 bombers, 27 torpedo planes, and about 30 fighters. Group proceeded to reported position enemy disposition. At 1315 the group of enemy cripples sighted at reported position. At 1325 the enemy's main force sighted, consisting of 2 carriers, both damaged, one very slightly, one battleship, 2 cruisers, and 4 or 5 destroyers. Strike from Task Group 38.3 attacked and sank the large CV (Zuikaku). The Franklin planes attacked the smaller carrier (Otaka) with no apparent major damage resulting.
Then we delivered our attack. Approach was made from the southwest, planes coming in exactly out of the sun, and with above average benefit from a cloud cover. Dive was made to the north. Due to planes coming out of the sun and cloud cover, there was no AA fire during approach, and very little during dive. All ships opened up with intense AA of all calibre on retirement, maintaining this fire until planes were 15 miles away. Due to clouds and the necessity for expediting the retirement to a considerable distance, there was little chance for good observation of bomb hits. From 4 to 6 bombs were reported as being near misses in the water around the stern of the ship. Each plane having a bomb load of one 1,000 lb. AP and one 1,000 lb. SAP, this leaves a total of 14 to 16 bombs that were possibly hits. Carrier started burning and CAG-20 reported seeing internal explosions following this attack. While rendezvous was being effected to west of enemy forces, Target Coordinator kept us informed of the condition of this ship, which we left burning badly dead in the water and settling. He subsequently saw the carrier sink.
When we left this northern enemy force, it consisted of this one badly damaged carrier, one battleship, two cruisers, and 4 or 5 destroyers. On the way back to base, we again passed ships which had been with crippled enemy group. These ships had apparently forsaken the small carrier lying dead in the water to the south and were steaming north to join other forces. The ships seen steaming north were one battleship, one light cruiser and one Terutsuki class destroyer. The battleship seemed to be slightly damaged.
ORIGINAL: tocaff
I'd love to see the Kates putting fish in the water on 12/7, just once.
