Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

And our planes approach with the sun at their back! Navy planners decided months ago to restrict F4Fs to air defense over fleet carriers, while the Hellcat was tasked with escort duty...

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[Lowpe]

Oscars are the first to respond....and I think this is the first sighting of the dreaded George. The Hellcats are trading even with Oscar IVs so far...

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[Lowpe]

Hellcat numbers are slowly getting whittled down....as more Oscars and now Zeroes show up. Oh my!

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[Lowpe]

The Oscar IIIa makes a run to dodge past the Hellcats....to no avail and either thru machine or pilot superiority the IIIa squadrons start losing a lot of planes!

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[Lowpe]

Two George fighters make their run....the first spins away, on fire and the second is shot down....Hellcats are putting up a hell of fight....Admiral Tower is listening in to the pilots chatter. Could the bombers get thru?

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[Lowpe]

The dogfight seems to be winding down, but the Hellcats are running low on fuel and a few have turned back their machine guns empty...

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[Lowpe]

Eventually, 3 Oscar IIIa make it thru to the divebombers....but they fight them off with no loss and our bombers are in amongst the circling ships....heavy clouds have moved in....

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[Lowpe]

The alpha strike reports back....

Morning Air attack on TF, near Terempa at 55,84

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 10
A6M5c Zero x 5
N1K1-J George x 2
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 2
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 30
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 17

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 138
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 27
SBD-3 Dauntless x 14
SBD-5 Dauntless x 53
TBF-1 Avenger x 56

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M5c Zero: 2 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 11 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed by flak
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 4 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 7 damaged
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 13 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CA Chikuma, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires
CL Naka
DD Satsuki
DD Shikinami
CA Takao, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
DD Asakaze
CA Aoba, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Ariake
DD Hatakaze
DD Ikazuchi
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 6, on fire
DD Shinonome, Bomb hits 1
DD Hakaze
DD Kyukaze
DD Isokaze, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
16 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
17 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
11 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
13 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
16 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.
6 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
17 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
12 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
10 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
19 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 15000 feet
19 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
14 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb, 2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
Yokosuka Ku S-2 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 24000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 24000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
Zuiho-1 with A6M5c Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
13th Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Raid is overhead
31st Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
66th Sentai with Ki-43-IV Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 10 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
77th Sentai Det A with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
260th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 11 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
265th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 11 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes
286 Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 10 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Takao
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring a Takao class CA
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Isokaze

[Lowpe]

A lone Avenger squadron attacks after the Japanese are reeling....only a couple of fighters try to intercept....but they are too few, too late

Morning Air attack on TF, near Terempa at 55,84

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 48 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5c Zero x 1
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 2

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 16

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
BB Yamashiro, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

CAP engaged:
Zuiho-1 with A6M5c Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 65 minutes
31st Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 192 minutes
260th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 19000 , scrambling fighters to 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 164 minutes

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[Lowpe]

Will their be an afternoon strike?

[Lowpe]

Nope....Admirals Sherman and Towers elect not to pursue....they have their mission now: The envelopment of Saigon.

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[Lowpe]

Brief thoughts: Hellcats are very superior to Wildcats on escort missions. More stamina from ammo or fuel or durability or speed or all four -- they really kept the enemy fighters from penetrating (numbers did help). Wildcats just don't last that long in my experience and more fighters would have gotten thru as evidenced by our early clashes. I forgot to put one Hellcat squadron on high escort....every plane was flying at 15k to maximize the coordination.

IJN flak was atrociously bad....most likely from the multiple smaller task forces? No upgrades?


Here is hoping that by taking the Gulf of Siam strongly, we will be able to reinforce Indochina and Vietnam with minimal risk. This will in effect cut off the entire SRA and Burma from Japan.

[Lowpe]

Tavoy buildup proceeding without loss.

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[RangerJoe]

Congratulations!

I think that those two battleships will be out of the war for a long time. Who knows? Maybe some submarines can get lucky on the cripples and turn them into diving attractions!

[JanSako]

Four torps + the bombs on Yamashiro... good chance that she won't make it. IJN boats are... not as durable as one would like...

[Lowpe]

Aug 16, 1943

Two Fletchers make short work of the sacrificial Yamashiro....2 Petes destroyed on the ground.

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[Lowpe]

I once suffered a IJN Cruiser with 7 Allied (some Dutch & Sboat) torpedo hits and still managed to save her in a previous life. They are tough. Chikuma was hit with 7 bombs yesterday and left the air attack on fire...

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[Lowpe]

Combined operations....the 1st Marine Raider Btln will take yet another base, while those hardworking Aussie paras take Soc Trang...giving our troops convoys three ports to chose from in the Gulf of Siam with some nice air bases.

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[Lowpe]

Our troop convoys will head to Kompong....while Soc Trang will get some destroyer squadrons...since the IJN has shown a willingness to sortie all sorts of junk ships at landing spots. Kompong is a nicer air field and Phnom Penh (AF4) is clear terrain perfect for our tanks to operate in.

Wonder where that troop convoy in the Malacca Straits is headed too? Port Blair most likely as I think there is 15k troops there.

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[BBfanboy]

Combined operations....the 1st Marine Raider Btln will take yet another base, while those hardworking Aussie paras take Soc Trang...giving our troops convoys three ports to chose from in the Gulf of Siam with some nice air bases.

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Those xAPs formed up in a convoy suggest he is trying to evacuate Singers and the BB TF you attacked was meant to clear the way. You will run low on ammo before you can finish all those rats in the trap!