Hi all,
Hi Capt. Thanks for your thoughts. They are taken on board. I will think more on this.
--------------------
Well a shock today! Enemy CV's approached Timor from the west! I was not expecting this. Luckily I had LBA on Koepang and Maumere to attack his bombardment runs. As it turned out they have struck a severe blow to the enemy:
Day Air attack on TF at 25,74
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 44
Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 9
Vengeance I x 6
P-38J Lightning x 24
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 22 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire VIII: 4 destroyed
Vengeance I: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-38J Lightning: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Kaga
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 25,74
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 10
Allied aircraft
TBM Avenger x 14
Beaufort V-IX x 12
P-47D Thunderbolt x 39
B-25J Mitchell x 45
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 13 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
TBM Avenger: 1 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed
P-47D Thunderbolt: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 20, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiyo
CV Kaga
CVE Hosho, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Yahagi
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Maumere at 28,73
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 25
D4Y Judy x 46
B6N Jill x 43
Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 5
P-38J Lightning x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged
D4Y Judy: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
B6N Jill: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire VIII: 1 destroyed
P-38J Lightning: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Samuel K. Barlow, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Samuel F. Miller, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Thomas Nelson
DD Quiberon
DD Quickmatch
AK Thomas Nast, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Samuel Adams, Bomb hits 3, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 25,74
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 9
Allied aircraft
TBM Avenger x 9
Beaufort V-IX x 8
P-47D Thunderbolt x 33
B-25J Mitchell x 30
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 5 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
TBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-47D Thunderbolt: 2 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Kaga, Bomb hits 13, on fire
DD Kishinami
CA Haguro
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 5, on fire
CVL Ryuho was confirmed sunk by Intel giving me 143 points.
CVE Hosho looks heavily damaged and
Kaga and
Hiyo moderately damaged.
Most of my airgroups are still in good shape morale wise. There are many damaged planes thouigh.
The enemy lost 56 planes to my 34 today (50 x Zeke!) My P38J's performed particularly well against the Zeke's. 1st LT A Reynolds of 49th FG achieved 4 kills today bringing his tally to 11 in 103 missions.
Hopefully we can catch some more damaged CV's tomorrow. An SB2C Squadron has moved into Maumere to support this effort.
Very happy with this. Attrition of CV's in a LBA/land hopping area not even remotely affecting my main CentPac forces.
He did hit my supply TF at Maumere though with
AK Smauel K. Barlow sinking and 2 more may sink.
Definitely my victory though.
----------------------
Bad weather still prevents Moulmein LBA from bombing Bangkok's resources.
----------------------
SS Sunfish evaded an MSW 180 miles west of Batan Island.
SS Mingo evaded 4 x ASW vessels 60 miles east of Tarakan.
SS Triton was attacked by convoy escorts NW of Brunei. 1 x DC near miss - 16/2/0
SS Tang sank the oil laden
TK Shinkoku Maru with 2 torpedoes 240 miles NW of Bataan. 1 x DC hit
Tang - 27/23/0. Returning to Darwin. My most experienced Submarine - 85/86 crew experience!
SS Tinosa heavily damaged
AS Tsukushi Maru with 2 torpeodes SE of Menado.
-----------------------
An AP, APD and a DE arrive in theatre tomorrow as does 77th USA Division.
