Worst PH strike ever
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:10 am
I never imagined such a poor strike for Japanese, at least in term of ships sunk. Thank God it was only against AI.
Overall only 164 + 27 (2nd strike) DBs and TBs participated at the strike, and all Kates except one attacked with bombs and not with torpedoes. At the end of the day, only 1 CL was sunk and the most heavily damaged BB had 60 sys and 54 flt. On the other hand, the PH airforce was pretty much obliterated, for very little losses for Japs.
Among the reasons for the poor result could be the absence of one flattop (Kaga in special mission), although its Vals complement was distributed among 2 carriers (Akagi and Soryu). Other than that, I see no obvious reason, except luck (better said lack of it)[:(]
Any opinions on how to avoid this "lovely" result (for Allies) [&:][&:]
Morning Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
B5N2 Kate x 63
D3A1 Val x 101
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 1
P-40B Warhawk x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-36A Mohawk: 1 damaged
P-36A Mohawk: 3 destroyed on ground
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 11 destroyed on ground
B-17D Fortress: 2 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 6 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 3 destroyed on ground
A-20A Havoc: 4 destroyed on ground
SBD-1 Dauntless: 2 destroyed on ground
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
O-47A: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
BB Arizona, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Honolulu, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
BB California, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
Total of 6 torpedoes and 15 bombs (800 kg)
Allied ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 50
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 183
Port hits 5
Port fuel hits 2
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
26 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
18 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 1 plane(s) with no ordnance
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
22 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
13 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 4000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
16 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
13 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
12 x A6M2 Zero bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
1 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 5000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
10 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
4 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 3000 feet
Port Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
18th PG/6th PS with P-40B Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
15th PG/46th PS with P-36A Mohawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
18th PG/73rd PS with P-40B Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes
Afternoon Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 180,107
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
B5N2 Kate x 27
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 2
P-40B Warhawk x 6
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 6 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 5 damaged
P-40B Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
PBY-5 Catalina: 1 destroyed on ground
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 22
Aircraft Attacking:
23 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb (all kates were on Port attack)
Overall only 164 + 27 (2nd strike) DBs and TBs participated at the strike, and all Kates except one attacked with bombs and not with torpedoes. At the end of the day, only 1 CL was sunk and the most heavily damaged BB had 60 sys and 54 flt. On the other hand, the PH airforce was pretty much obliterated, for very little losses for Japs.
Among the reasons for the poor result could be the absence of one flattop (Kaga in special mission), although its Vals complement was distributed among 2 carriers (Akagi and Soryu). Other than that, I see no obvious reason, except luck (better said lack of it)[:(]
Any opinions on how to avoid this "lovely" result (for Allies) [&:][&:]