3 vs 3 PBEM starting

[Hoplosternum]

General Hoplosternum: Philippines, China, Manchuria, Formosa, Borneo, Java & Celebes

General Mogami: Indo China, Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Burma and Sumatra

Admiral Laurent: Amboina, Timor, Australia and all points East.

We tinker in each others areas though. Mogami has generously taken over all bases in range of Singapore so Kuching on Borneo is under his operational control. I have fiddled about with the Amboina forces and the 'raid' on Kendari was mine [;)][X(]

Japan does not easily split into three groupings. Nor is it going to be easy to resplit them when we come to defending the Co Prosperity Sphere from allied counter attacks. I tried splitting all the naval forces between us but quite frankly it's hard to keep track of things and it tends to just make the IJ forces less flexible. Especially if applied to air power and the few available Divisions as well.

[AmiralLaurent]

Burma
Nothing to report

Malaya
During the night Khota Bharu was bombed by Blenheims and Singapore by Nells. Both raids were inefficient.
Japanese troops (3 Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts) took Malacca and repulsed the Allied defenders (6 Bdes and 2 ISF Base Forces).

Borneo
Kuching airfield was attacked by 12 Blenheim I and 2 P-40 from Singkanwang and then 67 heavy bombers and 16 medium bombers from Singapore. 9 Zeroes defended the base. 1 B-17E and 1 Zero were shot down and 4 Zeroes destroyed on the ground. Later 11 VIldebeest from Singwakang attacked ships off the port and hit with bombs two allready burning APs. Their 24 escorts fought the Zero CAP and 4 Brewster, 2 P-40E and 3 Zeroes were shot down.
30 Japanese bombers from Cagayan bombed Tarakan airfield and destroyed 3 Martin 139 and 1 Brewster 339 on the ground.

Celebes
Nothing to report

Timor
During the night, Japanese landed again on Kai Island. And in the evening, they landed at Lautem.

Australia
Japanese troops landed in Wyndham in the morning. Coastal defences hit 4 AP (3 reported in fire) and 4 PG.
Japanese CVs covered the landing and sent 40 Vals and Kates to sink an AK (survivor of the Philipines) 180 miles N of the town.

PI
Two submarines met ASW groups N of Luzon but both sides scored no hits

Rabaul
Japanese troops occupied Admiralty Islands.

Pacific
The tanker torpedoed off Midway sank during the day. A Glen was again active on the Canadian coast.

China
41 Ki-48 escorted by 9 Ki-43 attacked Kweilin airfield and met 6 I-16c. 3 Japanese bombers and 1 Chinese fighter were shot down.
SB-2 bombed troops S and NE of Changsha. Japanese troops isolated S of Changsha were attacked at 179 to 1. 400 Japanese and 100 Chinese were lost.
Artillery fire in Yenen.

[String]

I have little else to add from the allied side other than that the developments in northern australia are quite worrying and that australia has been transferred under british command to help with the coordination of the defence there

[AmiralLaurent]

Burma
Nothing to report

Malaya
During the night Khota Bharu was bombed by Blenheims. During the day 54 B-17 escorted by 14 Buffaloes bombed Kuantan airfield.

Borneo
43 medium bombers and 12 heavy flying from Singapore bombed Kuching airfield without opposition and destroyed 5 Zeroes on the ground.

Celebes
Nothing to report

Timor
In the morning, 9 B-17E from Darwin bombed ships off Lautem but missed. In the afternoon 17 Betties from Amboina bombed the base but missed too.
The 56th Brigade took the base during the day and the garrison surrendered (2100 POWs).
A small IJNAF unit occupied Kai Island and its airfield during the day.

Australia
During the night, another Japanese TF landed troops in Derby.
In the morning, the small submarine RO-67 sank a tanker in a surface attack 120 miles off Cairns. It is the 11th TK/AO lost by the Allied side.
In the morning, 22 Vals from Kido Butai bombed the RAN Base Force defending Wyndham and two were lost to AA fire. 14 B-17 flying from Darwin attacked ships off the base and scored one hit on an AP.
In the afternoon, 42 Kates bombed Wyndham while 18 B-17 from Darwin returned to the area and bombed without success the BB Yamashiro and 1 DD. The Kido Butai was in the next hex but sent no CAP during the day to defend the invasion fleet.
A Japanese division took Wyndham in the evening and the Australian defenders retreated towards Darwin.

PI
ASW groups continue to chase submarines between Luzon and Formosa and reported 3 contacts but scored no hits and suffered no loss.
10 Sallies bombed Philipino troops in Davao.

Pacific
Nothing to report

China
This theater has been ignored by our correspondents lately and so two Japanese offensives have not been reported yet.
In the center a Japanese relief force (3 Bdes and a Tk Rgt) had advanced from Nanchang to a position SE of Changsha. It was bombed by 20 SB-2 but nevertheless repulsed to Changsha the Chinese forces holding the area (2 Corps and 1 Tk Rgt).
This enabled the Japanese forces surrounded S of Changsha to escape and join the relief force after a new day of Chinese attacks (at 572 to 1).
Another strong Japanese force is NE of Changsha.
In the south, Chinese forces were concentrated in Wuchow. Japanese troops are W and SE of the town and a Japanese division advanced up to Kweilin. The town was bombed by 23 Japanese bombers and then taken in the evening. A Chinese Corps and a BF were repulsed.
In Yenen activity was still limited to artillery fire.

[String]

It was a black day in china today... [:(]

[String]

Not to be pushy or anything.. but I sent the turn away on sunday.. what has happened to it?

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: String

Not to be pushy or anything.. but I sent the turn away on sunday.. what has happened to it?

Same question. I sent it to Mogami on Monday evening. Do you receive the replays I sent to all players ?

[mogami]

Hi, I sent it to Will

[String]

Hmh.. I really shouldnt be playing witp with a cold and fever it seems.

I just rechecked and I have recieved the turn on the 8th. Apparently i have given orders and saved but not sent it forward, yet i have no memory of this. The orders themselves were quite okay tho, I'd even say innovative [:'(]

Sorry for the delay [:o]

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: String

Hmh.. I really shouldnt be playing witp with a cold and fever it seems.

No you should. It in that state that one makes history. Like sending 5 CVs to the battle with all planes grounded or forgetting to refuel a TF before sending it from Karachi to Perth and wonder two weeks later where this fast TF is.

[AmiralLaurent]

This was a full naval attack day by Allied bombers from Singapore to Darwin.

Malaya
As usual Khota Bharu was bombed by Blenheims during the night. 23 Nells attacked Singapore at night but 8 were shot down by AA fire and they scored no hits.
A Japanese TF off Kuantan was attacked first by 3 Martin and some escorts and then by 12 unescorted bombers : 3 B-17, 6 Beauforts and 3 Swordfish. They met 9 Oscars and 7 Zeroes. 4 Beauforst,a Swordfish and an Oscar were shot down and all bombs missed.
Japanese troops advanced towards Johore Bharu.

Borneo
14 bombers from Singkawang with 8 escorts bombed Kuching airfield without opposition and destroyed 2 Zeroes on the ground.
In the morning, 45 Betties and 6 Zeroes from Jolo attacked Tarakan airfield. They met 5 fighters that shot down 3 Betties and 2 Babs for the loss of a P-40E to a Zero. AA fire shot down another Betty and the raid was a failure.
A convoy midway of Siagon and Kuching was heavily attacked by bombers flying from Singapore all day long. Total sorties were 39 medium bombers, 41 heavy and 22 escorts. For no loss they hit more or less heavily an APD, an AV, AN AK , a PC and a PG. The Japanese convoy was spared more attacks as many bombers get lost over the sea.

PI
During the night, a submarine evaded an ASW group S of Formosa
Davao was pounded during the night by two BB. 18 Ki-21 from Cagayan bombed Allied troops in Davao.

Celebes
Martin 139 flew twice during the day from Kendari to Menado to attack Japanese ships. Some Zeroes were flying CAP and shot down two. Most turned back and only in the morning 3 reach the ships and missed the CVL Zuiho.

Australia
B-17E from Darwin fly several missions to attack shipping off Derby (3 bombers) and Wyndham (11 bombers). All bombs missed. All met Zeroes but they were unable to hit the bombers and several Japanese planes were damaged.
Japanese troops continued to land in Derby all day long the the Japanese 2nd Division easily took the town in the evening.
More north, a Japanese AP was hit by a patrolling Hudson S of Lautem and Japanese troops landed in Babo, Western New Guinea.

Rabaul-Port Moresby
RO-64 attacked in the morning a convoy probably heading to Port Moresby some 250 miles off this port and hit a troop-laden AP with one torpedo.

Pacific
The TK hit two days ago between the West Coast and PH sank.
SE of Tarawa, RO-68 met a PT in the evening and dived to evade it.

China
13 SB-2 and 5 I-16c from Changsha attacked Japanese troops SE of this town. They met 4 Nates that shot down 1 I-16.
Artillery fire in Yenen.

[AmiralLaurent]

6 January 1942

Malaya
Bad weather cancels night operations from Singapore, that was the target in the morning of a sweep of 22 Zeroes from Saigon. They met 18 fighters flying CAP and shot down 2 P-40E and 1 P-40B without loss.

Borneo
15 bombers from Singkawang with 8 escorts bombed Kuching airfield without opposition and destroyed 1 Zeroes on the ground.

PI
15 Ki-21 escroted by 27 Nates from Cagayan bombed two Allied units in Davao.

Celebes
5 Martin 139 from Kendari attacked a convoy NE of Lautem without scoring hits.
During the day, Japanese NLFs landed in Sansapor and took Balo, both in Western New Guinea.

Australia
During the night, 3 BB, 1 CA and 7 DD bombarded Darwin airfield, destroying 17 planes (8 Wirraways, 6 C-47, 2 B-17E, 1 Hudson) and damaging 39 (including 20 B-17). No raid is launched from this base during the day. Several TFs are in the hexes NW of Darwin.
Japanese troops left Wyndham towards the east to pursue the Australian flleing troops.

Rabaul-Port Moresby
RO-64 pursued the convoy she attacked yesterday and attacked it again in the evening, putting two torpedoes on a TK. He counted 4 AK and 2 CA in the TF and reported no ASW-able escort.

Pacific
A US PT TF is reported at Tarawa by Japanese air patrols. Allied submarines are also appearing in the area for the first time, one being seen NE of Kwajalein by a Japanese plane.

China
In two groups 22 SB-2 and 6 I-16c from Changsha attacked Japanese troops SE of this town and they met 8 Nates. Aircrafts of both sides were damaged in the air battle but all returned to base.
For the first time since weeks guns remained silent in Yenen.

[Tom Hunter]

Just a thought; it would be very helpful if during reports if you said "A black day for China" or "A black day for Japan" rather than "a black day in China" I read the AAR once every few days and its difficult to remember who plays what. I know I can go to the front of the AAR and look it up but I am too lazy. [:'(]

Thanks

[dirtyharry500]

hi tom
as you can see,many players of this pbem are french or estonian and sometimes it's not easy for us to choose the correct word in english,it 'll more easy to write AAR or post in our own language,isn't it ?[;)]

[String]

ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter

Just a thought; it would be very helpful if during reports if you said "A black day for China" or "A black day for Japan" rather than "a black day in China" I read the AAR once every few days and its difficult to remember who plays what. I know I can go to the front of the AAR and look it up but I am too lazy. [:'(]

Thanks

Sorry, i'll try to be more specific next time. It's good to know that other people, besides the ones playing this game, are reading our AAR

Anyway, from the british,chinese,australian and dutch perspective i have to say that the invasion of northern australia was a bit unexpected. Now clearly, with the current forces allocated to malaya and Luzon those units had to come from somewhere, and therefore somewhat slower advance can be expected in DEI (i hope)

Until now tho, the japs have been rather ruthless, especially in Malaya where their advance has been very fast due to the allocation of a LOT of troops.. five divisions and three brigades iirc. Which makes me wonder if the japs can assault Clark Field any time in the near future. Ofcourse Clark Field can stay there and rot from the japanese perspective as capturing Singapore is much much more important imho than Luzon.

Our surface assets are as they are... quite a few ships have been damaged, most notably BC Repulse which took a few torpedoes around Kendari. The loss of CL Glasgow was quite unnessecary and she was a good ship with great crew experience. A major miscalculation from my part. Even worse was the loss of CL Boise to a submarine just a few days into the war. There was little i could do about it but still it was very annoying and as CL Boise was a brooklyn class cruiser she was very valuable. It should be noted that while heavily armoured the dutch CL's have absolutely horrific night combat values, and the US ships are also rather mediocre in that part. British ships however have excellent night combat values accross the board and even some of the destroyers have radar.

The japanese admirals have played rather well up to this point, having managed to cover most of their landigns sufficiently to avoid any major surface engagements by the ABDA fleets

[AmiralLaurent]

Japanese News Service reports:

Burma
Nothing to report. Everyday SB-2 recon Tavoy and Japanese planes recon Moulmein, meeting Lysanders flying CAP.

Malaya
Bad weather cancelled flying operations from Singapore. Japanese troops reached Johore Bharu and reported no Allied troops here.

North Borneo
Nothing to report, except that a PC hit in the air attacks against the Japanese convoy some days ago sank in Saigon.

PI
Allied ships raided during the night the bases of Jolo and Tawi Tawi.
First seven Dutch, US and British DD attacked Jolo and met the CL Naka and 2 DD. 3 Allied DDs and a Japanese DD were damaged by 1-2 shells. The Allied DDs then reached a TK TF and sank with torpedoes a TK and damaged severely their escort, a PG, that damaged a Dutch DD with return fire. 3 other TK escaped, one being hit by shells.
They were followed by 4 Dutch PT but these were surprised by the Naka TF and retreated after two PT had been hit by shells.
The main ABDA force (2 CA, 5 CL, 5 DD) attacked Tawi Tawi and met two Japanese surface TF. First they surprised 2 CA, 1 CL and 2 DD and sank the CL Kitakami, heavily damaged CA Kako and hit one DD. Then they were surprised by the CL Kashii and 2 DD but Japanese torpedoes missed and shells bounced and then Allied counter-fire sank Kashii and the DD Kari. On the Allied side, CL Java was hit by a torpedo and several shells and heavily damaged during the night and CL Tromp and 2 DD were more or less damaged and reported on fire.
During the day, 12 Sallies bombed Philipino troops in Davao.
In the afternoon, the mini-KB sailing north of Menado launched 27 Kates with escorts against the damaged CL Java and sank her W of Tawi Tawi.

Celebes - Timor
Japanese troops landed in Koepang during the night.
Martins 139 based in Kendari bombed an AP here (3 planes) and a TK in Banda Sea (2 planes) but missed.

Australia
The Japanese bombardment TF (3 BB, 1 CA, 3 DD) returned to Darwin during the night and surprised and sank a MSW. Bombardment was inefficient, as often during second attack, and destroyed only 1 B-17E.
Japanese TFs are reported just NW of the port.

New Guinea
A NLF occupied Sansapor during the day.
A Catalina bombed RO-67 E of Gili Gili and missed.
The TK Empire Silver torpedoed on the way to Port Moresby those last days sank in Port Moresby port.

Pacific
During the night, I-174 torpedoed E of New Hebrides an AS, that was reported heavily damaged.
SS Plunger was chased during the night and day off Kwajalein by an ASW group but was not hit or even depth charged.

China
Hengchow was bombed by 39 Ki-48 without opposition. Japanese troops are now just south of this town.
Japanese also advanced in force on Changsha again and tens of units are now ready to attack the city, where Japanese intelligence reported 30 Chinese units.

[String]

Ah yes, surface engagements at sea today!

A Destroyer squadron attacked the japanese ships at Jolo tonight. After driving away the defending ships (and suffering some damage in the process) they attacked a tanker fleet unloading there and sank one transport with her escort gunship.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 38,59

Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Yamagumo
DD Kuretake, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Barker
DD Parrott, Shell hits 1
DD Pope, Shell hits 1
DD Stewart, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Evertsen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 38,59

Japanese Ships
PG Hakkai Maru, Shell hits 15, on fire, heavy damage
TK Moji Maru
TK Ogura Maru #2
TK Terukawa Maru, Shell hits 1
TK Toen Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Barker
DD Parrott
DD Pope
DD Stewart, on fire
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1, on fire


The biggest action took place 50 miles southwards at Tawi Tawi. Lead by heavy cruisers Houston and Cornwall the bulk of ABDA fleet hit the japanese shipping there.

Two Japanese heavy cruisers with their escorts were surprised and CA Cornwall scored the first radar guided hit of the war on CA Kako in the opening minutes of the battle. She then proceeded to land almost 10 8" hits on the cruiser leaving her burning. Several torpedo runs were made on both sides and both sides only had a few succesful hits, with DD Electra torpedoing CL Kitakami and DD Amatsukaze torpedoing CL Java and DD Express. The hero of this battle was CL Marblehead who proceeded to bury the now wounded Kitakami under an avalanche of 6" and 3" shells sending her burning hulk finally into the bottom with a direct hit on her forward magazines. CA Myoko didn't take part of the battle.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Tawi Tawi at 38,60

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Kako, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
CL Kitakami, Shell hits 36, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Mikazuki, Shell hits 7, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1
CL Java, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 1
CL Tromp, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 1
CL Marblehead
DD Whipple
DD Tenedos
DD Thanet
DD Electra
DD Express, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

That battle wasn't over however as another light cruiser, this time the CL Kashii, an old training vessel, surprised the allied squadron with her two destroyer escorts. The small calibre japanese guns had little chance against allied armor however and only DD Sagiri escaped. CL Kashii was sunk almost single handedly by DD Electra's gunfire, surely a disgrace to the IJN.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Tawi Tawi at 38,60

Japanese Ships
CL Kashii, Shell hits 31, and is sunk
DD Sagiri, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Kari, Shell hits 25, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 1
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 3
CL Java, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 3
CL Tromp, Shell hits 2, on fire
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 1
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 1
DD Whipple
DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1
DD Thanet, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Electra
DD Express, on fire, heavy damage

Almost all shell hits on allied ships seen here and during the previous battle are glancing hits, with the exception of the hits on destroyers and one hit on CL Tromp

IJN got a small revenge outside of Darwin when three of their battleships escorted with a cruiser and 3 destroyers sank a minesweeper. [:'(]

Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 36,84

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima
BB Yamashiro
CA Furutaka
DD Oyashio
DD Natsushio
DD Oboro

Allied Ships
MSW Latrobe, Shell hits 35, and is sunk.



During the day there was little action aside from the sinking of the crippled CL Java by japanese light carriers.

So all in all the score of the night is as follows

Ships sunk 2 CL and 1 DD for japanese and 1CL and 1 PT for allies
Ships heavily damaged 1 CA for japanese and 1 DD for allies

Seems like a fair trade for me, considering that CL Kitakami is one of the two japanese ships that carry radar [:D]

[AmiralLaurent]

Real score of the turn:

Ships sunk 2 CL, 1 DD, 1 TK for japanese and 1 CL and 1 PT for allies
Ships heavily damaged 1 CA, 1 DD, 1 PG for japanese and 1 DD, 1 AS, 1 PT for allies

And yes it is a good turn for the Allied. The Kitakami will never fire its 40 torpedo tubes in battle...

The Japanese fleet was surprised because all fleet officers were on the radar room of the Kitakami, watching with amazements those little dots going closer and wondering what was going on. The conclusion is that radar is dangerous for our own navy and so we are happy to have so few on our ships.

[String]

Hehe, seems like my feverish mind came up with a decent plan afterall [:D]

[AmiralLaurent]

8 January 1942

Total aircraft losses today: 63 Allied (19 B-17E) to 27 Japanese (8 Betties/Nells)

Burma
In the morning, 144 Ki-21 Sally from Bangkok escorted by 36 Oscars flew to Rangoon, that was defended by 14 Lysander I flying CAP and bombed the airfield. 8 Lysanders were shot down by Oscars, another was destroyed on the ground with 5 SB-2c and 1 B-17E. Japanese losses were 4 Ki-21 (1 to AA, 3 to crashes) and 2 Oscars (1 hit by a Lysander crashes during return, the other in an accident).
In the afternoon, Japanese planes returned to Rangoon. This time they were 27 Betties and 54 Nells flying unescorted from Saigon. 6 Lysander intercept and claimed hits on 5 bombers, a Nell crashing later. The bombers attacked 10 AK and a MSW and sank two Empire class Ak and hit 4 others with one torpedo each.
Japanese recon report 16 Allied units and 46000 men in Rangoon.
During the day, a British unit reached the undefended base of Rahaeng in northen Siam.

Malaya
Il-4c flying from Singapore attack several times (total 13 sorties in 3 raids) during the day ships off Saigon without meeting CAP and hit in the morning an APD with two bombs, heavily damaging her.
6 B-17E with 7 Buffaloes bombed Khota Bharu airfield, that was still empty. A night raid by Blenheims had been unable to find it before.
Japanese troops (3 Div, 2 Bdes, 2 Tk Rgts) occupied the undefended town of Johore Bharu.

Borneo
During the night, a Japanese AP sank in Kuching from former damage while two Allied MSW sweep Japanese mines off Tarakan.
In the north, 12 Blenheim I and 12 Vildebeest from Singkawang bombed Kuching airfield under escort by 8 CW-21B Demon. They met no opposition but scored few hits.
In the south the Japanese airmen were very active against the retiring Allied ships. A CV TF that was now W of Macassar and 300 miles SW of Balikpapan launched in the morning 22 Vals against ships off Balikpapan but they didn’t find the target. 2 patrolling Vals were shot down during the day by fighters based here.
Before noon, 9 Betties and 3 Zeroes from Jolo attacked ships off Balikpapan but met 16 P-40E and 12 Brewster. 2 Zeroes, 2 Betties, a Warhawk and a Brewster were shot down in the aerial battle. The 7 remaining bombers dropped torpedoes an the CA Cornwall and CL De Ruyter but missed and one was shot down by AA fire.
At the same time 9 Nells from Indochina attacked the 2 MSW off Tarakan. The CAP of 12 Hawk 75 was able to shot down a Nell but another torpedoed MSW Quail.
In the afternoon, 11 Betties from Jolo attacked 120 miles E of Balikpapan the destroyed TF that had raided Jolo but all torpedoes missed. All returned to base. 3 other Betties and 12 Zeroes attacked the damaged CL Tromp 60 miles SE of Tarakan. Two torpedoes hit her but one was a dud.
In these operations and the Rangoon raid, 2 Betties and 1 Nell were lost in accidents.

PI
During the night, the SS S-40 was chased by a PG north of Jolo.
Japanese troops landed in Dadjangas, SW of Davao.
14 Ki-21 escroted by 21 Nates from Cagayan bombed Allied units in Davao.

Celebes
During the night a Japanese DD depth charged the S Spearfish N of Sorong and hit her twice.
6 Martin 139 from Kendari attacked two DDs off Koepang without scoring hits. The 56th Bde took the base during the day and the 1st Timor Defense Bn and the 3rd DAF Base Force surrender (2500 POWs).

Australia
During the night troops, the Japanese 4th Div landed in Darwin. The base was defended by big CD guns (9.2in) and several minefields. Only one DD hit a mine during this operations but CD guns sank 3 MSW and damaged heavily 3 APs and 1 DD and hit others. Japanese troops suffered 1500 casualties during the landing. They are facing the Darwin Defense Bde, the Sparrow Force and 2 CD units.
In the morning, 2 Hudsons and 2 B-17E took off to attack the CV TF just north of Darwin. They met 52 Zeroes flying CAP that shot down one bomber of each type and finally attacked a resplenishment TF nearby, missing two AO. 8 Wirraways and 10 B-17E bombed at the same time ships off Darwin and hit an AP while a bombd bounced on CA Tone.
In the afternoon, the Japanese CV launched a great raid (90 Kates and 80 Vals) against Darwin airfield. Two Vals were lost to AA fire but they dealt great damage to the airfield and destroyed 33 planes (17 B-17Es, 15 Wirraways, 1 Hudson) on the ground. 6 Hudsons, 6 Wirraways and 3 B-17 attacked at the same time ships off Darwin and sank the DD Kuretake, damaged by CD guns in the morning, and hit an allready burning AP despite a Cap of 11 Zeroes who obly shot down a Wirraway. 2 others B-17 attacked ships off Wyndham. They met 11 Zeroes that were unable to damage them and then missed an AP.

Rabaul-Port Moresby
A big Allied convoy (9 ships seen by Japanese airmen) unloaded in Port Moresby.

Pacific
In the evening SS Plunger attacked an ASW groups with torpedoes off Kwajalein. She missed and survived the subsequent depth charging.

China
In the morning, Chinese airmen attacked Wuhan airfield from Changsha with 28 SB-2c and 24 escorts. They met 34 Nates and 3 Tojos and in the afollowing air battle 6 I-16c, 1 I-153c and 1 Nate were shot down. All SB-2c reached the target anyway and they destroyed on the ground 2 Nates and 2 Ki-15 Babs while losing two of their number to AA fire.
In Changsha, the Japanese forces now counted 6 Div, 5 Bdes, 6 ENG units and 4 ART units. They faced 14 Chinese Corps, 1 Tk Rgt and 1 BF. Japanese troops also reached the town of Hengchow, SW of Changsha, from the south.
But Chinese troops advanced again. They reached today the undefended towns of Hsinyang (despite a raid by 14 Sonias from Changsha) and Kweilin. They also reached again Kaifeng but found Japanese units here.