15th Nov
Liberators arrive over Rabaul again and bomb the port.
Quote:
Morning Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
A6M3 Zero x 18
Allied aircraft
B-17F Fortress x 6
B-24D Liberator x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 3 destroyed, 13 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 1
CA Maya, Bomb hits 1
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 1
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 1
CVL Ryujo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Kinu, Bomb hits 1
Port fuel hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 18000 feet
Port Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 18000 feet *
Port Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 18000 feet *
Port Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 18000 feet *
Port Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 18000 feet *
Port Attack: 5 x 500 lb GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
751 Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 4 on standby, 6 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
582 Ku S-1 with A6M3 Zero (3 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 23000 , scrambling fighters to 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes
202 Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (2 airborne, 5 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
204 Ku S-1 with A6M3 Zero (3 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 30000 , scrambling fighters to 30000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 16 minutes
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The carriers are not too badly hit with the exception of Ryujo (30 system damage,) and everything else is still operational. I'm annoyed, mostly with myself. Almost all shipping is pulling out and heading to various ports. The carriers are going back to Truk for the moment.
According to the Aircraft Lost page, CCIP paid a high price in B-24s, losing 14 of them to about 4 zeroes. I've bumped the CAP levels up even more, and I can't really fault their performance if they really did take down 14 bombers, but it's an unpleasant development. Loading the troop ships is going to be fun.
Also, CCIP is moving a lot of shipping around suddenly. There are several task forces moving between New Caledonia and Guadalcanal, and a couple more down by Noumea.