1 April 1942
CV Junyo likely operating near Luganviile
Borneo
The enemy lost a PB to a mine at Tarakan. I think mines are my new PT boats in terms of asymmetric losses.
Thailand and Burma
Tavoy airbase was bombarded from the sea; a heavy cruiser and a destroyer. They disabled 8 aircraft and destroyed 1, so that wasn't too bad, but it does mean I need to guard this sea lane. I'll be probing the area to figure out if the Betties aren't looking here.
We lost 7 more Blenheims trying to attack troops near Bangkok, our escorts did link up with the bombers this time, they just didn't do a very good job. Probably didn't help that we had 9 less planes from Tavoy available.
Java
Extensive air battles over Tjepoe resulted in 2 enemy fighters and 3 bombers shot down with a loss of 4 of our fighters. The bombers getting through are doing a good job keeping our troops disrupted--too much so to order an attack right now.
Sweeps over Tjilapjap went our way, 3 attacking Oscars down for a loss of 1 P-40.
South of Java, the KB went commerce raiding and found a tanker convoy returning to Colombo from Perth. They sank 3 of 4 tankers, damaging the other and its ASW escort.
New Hebrides
An attempted attack on the enemy CVBG was routed by the CAP, which ws 26 Zeroes strong. Our strike was 4 Hudsons and 3 Havocs escorted by 6 P-39s and 5 P-40s. We shot down only 1 Zero and lost 4 fighters and 6 bombers, the only surviving bomber aborted before reaching a target.
Intel reports the enemy carriers are the Kaga and Junyo. Apparently he accelerated production on the Junyo and got her early. Which probably also means the Hiyo will be showing up soon.
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Strategic picture:
The loss of the Australian troop convoy put an exclamation point on a really bad month for me. The Java campaign is going poorly, although if I'd succeeded in getting those Australians onto Java, or manged to seize the eastern beachhead, it could have become a quagmire for him. On the other hand, Operation Kinky Boots took the pressure off Singapore and it looks like the Malayan campaign will be on hold until Hawaii falls. I've also landed quite a bit of reinforcements on Sumatra, so that will be a harder nut to crack for him than Java is turning out to be.
My carriers have been quiet since Java Sea, partly because of the crazy distance they have to travel to get anywhere with CENTPAC in the enemy's hands. All of my US carriers are now due for upgrades, the Lexington class's being particularly significant in terms of upgraded AA. I considered docking the Lexington in Sydney for repairs and upgrades, but ruled it out due to the lack of sufficient airpower to protect it there. Also the repair yard just isn't that big. In any case, the Lex will probably put in for upgrades in early April and I'll try to cycle my other carriers through after. All my subs are now due to receive radars, so I'll be rolling through those on a steady basis. Indomitable will be repaired in 3 more weeks and the CV Formidable is in theatre and ready for action.
US Air force fighter production is not keeping pace with losses, but I think his are worse. So I can keep sending in replacements as long as I'm not losing them to naval bombardments, that needs to stop. Wildcat production is much higher than it used to be; short of any major losses I should be OK there. I'm not making SBDs fast enough though. If I lose dive bombers it will be difficult to get back to full strength. Torpedo bomber production is low, but they all suck anyways until the Avengers arrive in a month. Dutch production is still crappy, UK production is ticking up, we're starting to see Martlets (Wildcats) arriving for the carriers and Mohawks to outfit some badly needed training squadrons.
The fuel situation in Australia has stabilized thanks mostly to arrivals in Perth, but the loss of that tanker convoy is going to hurt there. My chain of bases in SouthPAC is doing OK, the airfields are built up enough to support bombers, supply is good, defenses are good, and fuel has been adequate. These bases are the reason I have as many fighters as I do in Java.
I'm still looking for signs that his fuel situation is deteriorating, but he's got the KB operating in the Indian Ocean south of Java, which sure doesn't look like he's afraid of running out of fuel. That, plus the various ships running riot all of the Java Sea right now and sustained operations in Hawaii--he seems to be doing OK. I'm disappointed my subs have only killed one tanker so far and that I don't even seem to be finding them. There are only 3 bases for him to pull fuel from right now and I'm constantly mining them and patrolling for tankers, it should pay off at some point, I hope.
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