Yet another odd Combat

[Chiteng]

By rights...I should have lost the entire strike force.
(I am the Japs)
However that isnt the way it worked out.
In fact...the morale of the fighter units went UP
after the battle.
The Vals naturally were less happy.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/27/42

Weather: Thunderstorms

Air attack on 41st Regiment, at 10,39


Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
SBD Dauntless x 170


Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless x 1 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 28 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 261


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 11,46

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
A6M3 Zero x 37
D3A Val x 21

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 18
F4F-4 Wildcat x 152

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 13 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 14 destroyed
A6M3 Zero x 2 damaged
D3A Val x 20 destroyed
D3A Val x 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat x 31 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22 damaged

PO2 F.Minegishi of F2/6th Daitai is credited with kill number 3

Allied Ships
CV Yorktown
CV Lexington

[Raverdave]

Looks to me that the US couldn't see your planes for all the wildcats in the air;) You got a lucky break.....now run!:)

[mogami]

Hi, Looks like at least 5 USN CV are present. Prehaps they have been flying CAP for several days? (Had this force been making attacks on the days before?)

[Mr.Frag]

I do the math on that and it is 4.7 CV's worth of planes on CAP. That would imply 90% CAP.

We all know the effects of running extreme CAP levels in 2.30. All it does is produce tired pilots who do nothing except burn gas.

Nothing weird here except for the fact that none of the Val's made it through the obviously tired CAP and scored hits

If you take into account that it sorta looks like the 18 F4F's escorted the SBD's to a land based attack, which look like 4.7 CV's worth of SBD's as well, the picture is pretty clear that the USN had no idea that Japan was even in the area and was caught completely with their pants down. They should be grateful that all six CV's that were obviously there as still floating.

I presume based on the numbers of aircraft that it was actually all 6 Allied CV's, one of which still had not upgraded to F4F-4's. Thats 210 fighters of which 188 were airborne. I assume the remaining unaccounted for aircraft were either unfilled CV's or losses during a prior turn.