A map of the battle area. In frame 1, our home base was a33, in sector 8.11. Our objectives were to attack enemy shipping in Letye Gulf (the gulf in the 13.14 area).
After-Action Report
8/7/2010
by Brooke, GL, 762 Kokutai
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was the Group Leader (GL) of 762 Kokutai, a Japanese bomber squadron. We were flying Ki-67's. Today, 762 Kokutai consisted of me (Brooke), JVnotch, Popsman, tudza, and LTOWN.
A map of the battle area. In frame 1, our home base was a33, in sector 8.11. Our objectives were to attack enemy shipping in Letye Gulf (the gulf in the 13.14 area).
762 Kokutai and some elements of 755 Kokutai taking off from our home field (a33). From left to right: me (Brooke), RamPytho, CAV1LtPB, LTOWN, Popsman, tudza, JVnotch, SIRvlad, and Kermit. t=0:00
On the way to Leyte Gulf. From left to right: LTOWN, tudza, Popsman, me, and JVnotch. We stay down below 1500 ft to stay off of radar.
It was a long haul to Leyte Gulf, which from our direction of approach was mostly ringed by bases that could warn of our approach. I decided to head toward a gap in warning coverage between a113 and a114, up the middle of sector 13.13.
Near the gap, we meet up with N1K2's led by none other than our glorious CO, KKEN. From left to right: saltee, drKorf, KKEN, and Kotrenin. We head through the gap, and then head N to scout for enemy ships. t=0:36
I spot an enemy task group in the far distance, using my front gone position, zoomed in to the maximum. This is near a12. I call out the sighting and position on the radio and call for folks to attack at will. t=0:44
KKEN's guys went in front of us to do divebombing attacks.
A picture of KKEN's plane exploding from a burst of AAA. "Hmm, this does not bode well," I think.
A view out of my cockpit as Tudza, Popsman, and I go in. A burst of AAA, visible just in front of me, blows the wing off one of tudza's bombers and damages a second. We are taking accurate and deadly 5" fire. t=0:45
Tudza and I press in, down low, through the flak. A burst engulfs one of tudza's bombers and blows the wing off the neighboring one. tudza is down. There is another burst off to the right -- I'm not sure if it's a destroyer being hit with bombs or one of our aircraft exploding. Popsman is visible in the upper right.
One of my bombers has just had its wing torn off by a 5" burst. Since I'm decently on target and in range, I drop my torpedoes right then. Popsman is decending for an attack run.
A moment later, my final bomber is engulfed in a flak burst, and this is it for me. Popsman is going in for his attack run through a hail of AA fire.
Fortunately for me, my drop was on target, and I sank the task group's cruiser. Everyone but LTOWN was killed by the AA. LTOWN made it out alive, got jumped by some fighters on his way back, killed one or two of them, but couldn't make it all the way back.
We returned to Leyte Gulf for our next run. On our way back, the task group that we had attacked previously got mauled by OOZ's 755 Kokutai and perhaps some fighter bombers. So, once in Leyte Gulf, I had us scout around for other task groups.
A picture as 762 Kokutai checks out the eastern sections of Leyte Gulf. Here, we are passing over the island in 14.14. From left to right: JVnotch, LTOWN, Popsman, and tudza. I am off picture to the left. t=0:53 (of film 2).
We searched around Leyte Gulf for a while, not seeing anything. I had a feeling that the task groups were positioned near fields closer to the shorlines on the western part of Leyte Gulf, but we wanted to check the rest first, since at this point, we had no escort. As we were heading back west from the island, I saw from radar a sizeable Japanese force coming north in the 13.12 and 14.12 area. Usually, that would be a good thing, but here, I was worried about it. I figured that the US might send a bunch of fighters to go meet it. If they did that, they'd run across us first, as we were about 1.5 sectors directly north of it. I thought about flying south to meet up with the forces, but that would use up about 10 minutes, and it might increase the odds that we run into enemy fighters. I decided for us to press on toward the western shore of Leyte Gulf, then go NW.
We get jumped by a pair of F4U-1A's while we are scouting for enemy ships along the western short of Leyte Gulf. We had been looking through our gunsights on maximum zoom for searching, and I had just called for a turn to the right (so folks were concentrating on my bombers to follow me). I didn't notice the F4U until it was firing on me. I jumped to my rear gun and put some hits into him, but he managed to flame one of my bombers. From left to right: JVnotch, me, tudza, and LTOWN. t=0:59
A view out my dorsal-gunner position as I get some payback on the F4U. I put a 20 mm cannon round or two into his engine, which promptly regurgitates oil and stops running. From left to right: Popsman, JVnotch, and tudza is behind the foreground bomber.
We are still under attack by the other F4U, but we haven't spotted any ships yet. I call for folks to keep pushing forward to find ships.
Less than a minute later, I spot a task group ahead using my forward gunner position. It's a full task group, too -- lots of ships. I call it out, announce it no the radio, and call for folks to attack at will. t=1:01
Another F4U joins the fight. He took a run at Popsman, causing one of Popsman's engines to smoke, and then comes after me. I put some 50 cal rounds into him, but he's shooting me up, too. t=1:02
After he makes his pass, I try to get back on my attack run, working to set up my approach to the cruiser.
Two F4U's gang up on me, and another of my bombers goes down missing the back half of its fuselage. I'm very close to the ships, now, but worrying that I won't be able to make it. From left to right: tudza and LTOWN (who has taken some hits and is trailing smoke). t=1:03
As I go in, I'm not lined up that well. And I'm in a bit of a panic because I'm focusing on my attack run (and going about 175 mph), unable to man any guns or even look at where Corsairs are, and imagining that I'm going to get shot down seconds from dropping my torpedo. I miss the cruiser by about 50 feet to its stern. Crap! I should have yanked my plane around harder to line up.
I try to get out of the area, but two F4U-1A's get on me again. They are trailing smoke, so the lads of 762 Kokutai have worked them over. In the background, someone got a hit on the CV. They shoot me down moments later. From left to right: LTOWN, JVnotch, me, Popsman, and tudza.
I think LTOWN made it out, but the rest of the guys got killed by more enemy fighters who showed up. Tudza saved our reputaton, though, by sinking an enemy ship. Way to go, tudza! <S>
We had enough time to get to Leyte Gulf one more time. This time, most of us got gunners. My gunner was Wil3ur. Thanks, Wil3ur, for joining me! <S>
A view of my and JVnotch's bombers as 762 Kokutai once again heads through the a113/a114 gap. A view left shows, in the distance, the radar tower of a113. t=0:35 (time in film 3).
We headed up the western short of Leyte Gulf. Along the way, someone (OOZ or BMathis, I think) reported a badly damaged enemy task group up at the northern end of Leyte Gulf. As time was short, I was thinking we'd just attack whatever we first came across.
I spot an enemy CV in the far distance and call it out. I look at it as we get closer, to see if there are any other ships there, but it is just a CV. BMathis warns that there are enemy fighters protecting it or nearby. I ask KKEN if he wants us to hit the lone CV -- he tells us to go for it. I'm glad of that as I want to get while the getting's good! :) t=0:39
As we go in, we get attacked by a couple of P-38's.
Popsman (or his gunner) blow up a P-38 that was attacking one of his bombers. Way to go! t=0:40
Another P-38 goes in after Popsman, and blows up his damaged bomber. From left to right: JVnotch, me, Popsman, and tudza.
Popsman (or gunner) and my gunner Wil3ur work over the P-38 as it comes through, going after me following his attack on Popsman. He's hit pretty hard, missing half his horizontal stabilizer, both engines trailing smoke, and one trailing coolant or fuel. From left to right: me and JVnotch.
I hop in the forward guns and tag the P-38 some more as it flies past. His left engine is giving out.
As we went in on the CV, it started turning. On this run, I had some folks (if they preferred them or were having problems hitting with torpedoes) take 8 100 kg bombs instead, to do level bombing from about 1000 ft.
Popsman lays some 100 kg bombs onto the CV. You can see some of his bombs still in flight (black dots on left of picture). Way to go, Popsman! I'm veering off to the right, as the CV maneuvered in a way to make my line up not very good. I'm working to go around for another pass.
A view as I maneuver for anther pass. Tudza has just released his torpedoes (black dot under his flaming bomber), has just been set ablaze by an attacking P-38, and his gunner has shot up the P-38, which is smoking. JVnotch is just about to drop torpedoes on his run. t=0:41
A shot-up Corsair zooms underneath my bombers after an attack run. More enemies are showing up (F4U's and P-38's). My gunner Wil3ur shot up the F4U-1A. JVnotch is heading past overhead, shooting at a P-38 that is in hot pursuit. t=0:41
Shortly after this, JVnotch's torpedoes hit the carrier, and it went down. Scratch one flattop! Way to go JVnotch! I kept my torpedoes and tried to work my way north or northwest, to search for any other nearby task groups. I still had three bombers for a bit, but I eventually got chewed up.
My final moments come before I can locate any more enemy task groups. t=0:43
I sank one cruiser, shot down one F4U, and got one assist on an enemy fighter. I also (unfortunately) got one assist on tudza and one on Popsman (i.e., hit them with some of my defense fire in mission 2). Sorry, guys.
Overall, 762 Kokutai sank 3 ships, destroyed 31 objects, and shot down 1 enemy fighter (4 kills, counting gunners). Our following gunners each got a kill: Voudou, wil3ur, and buzz.
-- Brooke, GL, 762 Kokutai