遊びをせんとや: Shweboの陸軍部隊への空襲

昭和17年12月20日から23日まで、Shweboの飛行場は連日100機以上に爆撃されました。そして、今日24日はクリスマスイブのはずですが、sweepに続いて44機のWellington Icと12機のHudson IIIaが目標を地上部隊に変更して空襲をかけてきました。disruptionが急増するとともに、この規模の空襲が10日も続くと地上部隊の各deviceはみんなdisabedにされてしまいそうなくらいの被害を受けました。しかも今日やってきたのは両方とも双発爆撃機で、本当に爆弾搭載量の多い四発爆撃機は休養中。これで四発爆撃機が100機以上で空襲にやってきたら、どうなることやら。少なくとも、畑(cultivated)のような平地のヘクスでは、3Fortsの築城をしていても、空襲されるとだめなことがわかりました。

この日、日本側はTaung Gyi飛行場にTojoの部隊を集めて、レーダーがなくて最も与しやすいKalemyoにsweepをかけました。結果はご覧の通りで、連合軍空軍にクリスマスプレゼントを贈ることができました。多数撃墜の成果を上げて、戦闘機部隊の士気は最高ですが、fatigueも上昇したので、今日はゆっくり休養させようと思います。ただし、きまった飛行場に長居すると連合軍の空襲により地上で破壊されてしまうおそれがあります。今のところまだ比較的安全なラングーン、ペグー、モールメンに移動させて休ませることにしました。こういう時、鉄道で連絡のある飛行場どうしだと、可動機が自力で飛行して移動すると、メンテ中・修理中の機体も鉄道輸送してもらえるので便利ですよね。

また、今日からCox’s Bazarの連合軍地上部隊が東に向けて移動をし始めたのが見えますが、何を意図してるのでしょう。今後の動きに注目が必要のようです。

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Dec 24, 42

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Morning Air attack on 91st JAAF AF Bn , at 59,45 (Shwebo)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft

P-38G Lightning x 18

P-40E Warhawk x 10

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:

10 x P-40E Warhawk sweeping at 20000 feet *

18 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 16000 feet

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Morning Air attack on Kalemyo , at 59,42

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 38,740 feet.

Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft

Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 122

Allied aircraft

Hurricane IIc Trop x 22

P-38F Lightning x 8

P-40K Warhawk x 8

Japanese aircraft losses

Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses

Hurricane IIc Trop: 7 destroyed

P-38F Lightning: 1 destroyed

P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:

41 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 36740 feet

24 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 36740 feet

34 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 36740 feet

CAP engaged:

No.261 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)

(5 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 15000

Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes

No.273 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)

(5 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)

4 plane(s) intercepting now.

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 15000

Raid is overhead

No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)

(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)

1 plane(s) intercepting now.

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 15000

Raid is overhead

No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 2 scrambling)

5 plane(s) intercepting now.

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 35600 , scrambling fighters to 35000.

Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes

51st FG/16th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 8 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 29000

Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes

51st FG/26th FS with P-38F Lightning (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)

0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 8 out of immediate contact.

Group patrol altitude is 39000

Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes

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Morning Air attack on 143rd Infantry Regiment, at 59,45 (Shwebo)

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft

Wellington Ic x 44

Allied aircraft losses

Wellington Ic: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:

321 casualties reported

Squads: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled

Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled

Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:

12 x Wellington Ic bombing from 12000 feet

Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

16 x Wellington Ic bombing from 12000 feet

Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

16 x Wellington Ic bombing from 12000 feet

Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb