Operation C - Attack on Columbo 2nd Wave

 Time - 10.00am April 5th 1942

Scenario - Attack on Columbo 2nd Wave - The Shotai must escort a further strike, this time consisting of 6 D3A2 Val dive bombers, as they try to finish off the already heavily damaged targets around Columbo Harbour.

Victory Conditions - In order to attack the targets the two bomber flights must fly the length of the playing board. Each bomber that survives gets to roll 1D6. The initial attack scored 20 points. If the total damage inflicted exceeds 25 points the target is considered to be destroyed. This time the defending RAF fighters will be already airborne to meet the second wave. As a random event at the beginning of each Japanese turn a check is made to see if any further fighters appear:

Roll 2d6. On a score of 10, 11 or 12 something arrives anywhere along a random table edge:

10 or 11: one further flight of RAF/FAA (as applicable) fighters arrive.

12: one further Shōtai of Japanese fighters arrives to assist.

As my dice rolling is at best medicore (as my good friend Paul will attest to :)) no reinforcements arrived in the first wave game for either side.....maybe things will change in this game.....  

Initial set up with the defending flight of RAF Hurricanes top left, two "vics" of D3A2 Val dive bombers in the middle and the Zero Shotai at the bottom right, not ideally positioned to get to the Hurricanes before they can mix it up with the Vals that the Zeros are supposed to be protecting.....

The Hurricanes begin to line up on the Vals as CPO1c Honda and PO1c Ashai leave Zero "C" flown by PO2c Watenabe well behind in their eagerness to engage the defending fighters....

Suddenly PO1c Ashai spots more Hurricanes!! "Enemy fighters at 11 o'clock high...coming down....now" he calmly informs his flight leader over the radio*......now CPO1c Honda must make a choice......defend the bombers or face the enemy fighters diving straight at his flight? 

 * All IJN Zero fighters were equipped with radios by 1941/2. See https://j-aircraft.com/research/gregspringer/radios/radio_systems.htm

 

Without hesitation CPO1c Honda wings over and lines up a rear quarter shot on the central British fighter who is himself "bore sighted" on the leading Val. A quick burst and the hapless Hurricane explodes before the pilot can react!

PO1c Ashai arrives too late (Zero "B" bottom of picture) to stop the remaining two Hurricanes from diving through the Val flight and perfectly half looping onto their targets tails. The Val rear gunners ineffectually shoot at the two Hurricanes ("G" and "I") as .303 incendaries rip into the left hand Val ("B") which disintegrates. The right hand Val ("C") fairs a bit better, but is damaged (red dot), though not enough for the pilot to consider breaking off and returning to the IJN carrier force.

The second Hurricane flight now arrives and the leader in Hurricane "A" (centre right) fires at PO1c Ashai with a high deflection shot, seriously damaging Ashai's Zero. He turns his crippled plane out of the fight and begins the long flight back to the Akagi (centre left with red dot). Meanwhile CPO1c Honda (just in front of the Val 2nd flight leader, centre top) is able to manuver for a high deflection shot at Hurricane "I" damaging it ( right hand red dot) just as PO2c Watenabe finally enters the fight, damaging Hurricane "G"  as he tails it closely. Watenabe's opponent, an inexperienced "sprog"  turns for home and dives away, but the other British pilot, a veteran, is made of sterner stuff and stays in the fight. (The picture above, and the next one were only taken after all movement was completed).
   

The British second section leader in Hurricane "A" uses the energy built up in his dive to reach the second section of Val dive bombers. He looses off a long burst at Val "D" damaging it (yes I rolled another 1 ! :) ) enough to make it break off and return to base. 

CPO1c Honda and PO2c Watenabe are now facing no less than 4 Hurricanes between them. Undaunted Honda uses the speed and manuverabilty of his A6M2 Zero to best advantage, scoring hits on Hurricane C as he flashes past, then deftly performs a perfect Immelmann turn to attack again from its rear quarter, which scores more hits. Unfortunately for Honda only his two 7.7mm machine guns appear to be working now, as the rugged Hurricane keeps flying, but at least he's forced the British pilot to break off. Meanwhile PO2c Watenabe risks a high speed head to head run at Hurricane "G" which is attempting to line up on the second section of Vals. Both pilots score hits as they flash by but again no fatal damage is inflicted yet....Watenabe's new found confidence as a combat pilot allows him to continue, and he calmly half loops onto his opponent's tail. Another quick burst and the already smoking Hurricane explodes in front of him for his third kill of the day.

As the two damaged Hurricanes ("C" and "I") dive away (top and left) the British second section leader in Hurricane "A" moves against the Vals. He hoses a quick shot at Val "D" that has broken off, damaging it again (second red dot), but somehow it keeps flying, then jinks left to try a shot at Val "F" but misses. Meanwhile Hurricane "B" closes in as well. CPO1c Honda moves in once again to protect his remaining charges. He can only get into a high deflection shooting postion on Hurricane "A"s 9 o'clock, but its good enough as he somehow unjams his 20mm cannon and sees his rounds slam into the opposition fighter, destroying it completely.

Hurricane "B", flown by a regular pilot suddenly finds himself alone in the middle of the Japanese formation. He can see some of his squadron mates diving away behind the formation and remembers the advice from his squadron intellgence officer at the breifing they received before take off....hard learnt lessons from the campaigns over Malaya, Java and Sumatra. The advise is simple but very true...."DON'T get into a turning fight with a Japanese fighter, instead use your energy and fight in the vertical plane using dives and zoom climbs". So he decides to dive through the second formation of Vals, shooting as he goes before diving away to low level to escape. He pulls round and fires at Val "F", but misses. The two remaining Zero pilots are still vigilant of their bomber charges and CPO1c Honda dives after the speeding Hurricane and gets on his tail, but nothing happens when he pulls the trigger...he must be out of ammo (Yes I rolled yet another 1!) so he breaks right to let PO2c Watenabe continue the pursuit. Watenabe's Zero, although damaged, surges forward and he finds himself postioned for a rear quarter shot which he takes, sending the Hurricane into a vertical dive. As he pulls up Watenabe flashes by the British pilot as he bails out just in time. Watenabe smiles to himself.....one more kill and he will officially be rated as an ace!

Result - Japanese victory. The 4 remaining D3A2 Val's bomb their targets around Columbo harbour  inflicting a further 16 points of damage, making 36 points in total, which is enough to completely destroy the assigned targets.    

Kills - CPO1c Honda - 2 Hurricanes, confirmed. PO2c Watenabe - 2 Hurricanes, confirmed. For the second time in a row PO2c Watenabe has scored two kills in one mission.....he now has scored 4 kills in one morning, so he will now be classed as a Veteran pilot after his outstanding performance during the last two missions.

As they land back on the Akagi CPO1c Honda spots his wingman PO1c Ashai watching from the carrier's island. Thankfully he made it back in one piece. During the afternoon news comes through that elements of the British Eastern Fleet have been spotted south west of Ceylon. As the flight deck party labour to range the air group on deck for its next mission the aircrews are briefed in their squadron ready rooms about their new targets - two County Class heavy cruisers have been spotted heading south at high speed to join up with Admiral Somerville's main fleet.....