I stand corrected. Jap Ki49s did fly but w/out escort. I would bet the Ftrs could not muster the .5 to one ratio needed to fly. In addition the nells sat on Hilo and got shelled by one of my SCTF.

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Morning Air attack on TF, near Kona at 182,111
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 14
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 52
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 6 destroyed, 7 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
APA Fuller
LCI-330
AKA Virgo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CAP engaged:
VF-1 with F6F-3 Hellcat (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-9 with F6F-3 Hellcat (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-16 with F6F-3 Hellcat (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-18 with F6F-3 Hellcat (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-71 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-22 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-23 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-24 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
VF-37 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 7 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 38800.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 25 minutes
VRF-1F with F6F-3 Hellcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 7000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
VRF-4F with F6F-3 Hellcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
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Naval bombardment of Hilo at 183,111
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 20 damaged
A6M5 Zero: 4 damaged
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CA Quincy
CL Mobile
CL Santa Fe
CLAA San Diego
DD Aulick
DD Anthony
DD Fletcher
Japanese ground losses:
55 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 30
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 84
Port hits 32
Port supply hits 7
CA Quincy firing at Hilo
CL Mobile firing at Hilo
CL Santa Fe firing at Hilo
CLAA San Diego firing at Hilo
DD Aulick firing at Hilo
DD Anthony firing at Hilo
DD Fletcher firing at Hilo
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CAP did not pick up one 3000ft skipbomb attack.