初めて夜間戦闘機に遭遇

昭和18年1月17日、メイクテーラからインパールへ百式重爆(Ki-49-IIa Helen)28機が夜間空襲にむかいました。昨日の目標だったDimapurにはCAPがいなかったのでそれなりの戦果をあげることができましたが、インパールは多数の連合軍機が配置された飛行場なので、しっかりCAPが上がっていました。待ち受けていたのは8機のP-70 Havocです。このゲームで初めて遭遇する夜間戦闘機です。たった8機ですが、レーダーと、機種(CL)に装備した20mm機関砲4門は効果的で、百式重爆は3機が撃墜され、1機がOps lossとなってしまいました。日本の爆撃機は夜の闇に隠れてこそこそ仕事をすることも許されない時期になってしまいました。

ビルマへの連合軍の夜間爆撃は昨夜もありませんでした。かわりに昨日と同じくミートキーナに、Hurricane IIc Trop 32機の護衛で6波爆撃機107機(Blenheim IV 19、Blenheim VD 32、Hudson IIIa 12、Wellington Ic 14、Vengeance I 28)が来襲しました。Airbase hits 13、Airbase supply hits 6、Runway hits 31の被害で、ミートキーナ飛行場は2週間近く営業休止になります。

ソロモン・ニューギニア戦線では夜間空襲があり、ラバウルにB-24D Liberator 32機が3波に分かれて侵入しました。零戦52型(A6M5b Zero)23機と二式複戦(Ki-45 KAIa Nick) 2機が迎撃しましたが、ゼロ戦は9機、二式複戦は1機が撃墜されています。B-24は1機がOps lossになったのみです。レーダーと複数の大口径機関砲装備の夜戦とは違って、日本の戦闘機は爆撃機に撃墜されてばかりです。日本の夜戦として最も早い月光(J1N1-S Irving)の登場はまだ8ヶ月も先のことです。レーダーも装備していないし、どのくらい効果があるんだか怪しいところではありますが期待して待ちたいとは思います。爆撃の被害は、Airbase hits 7、Airbase supply hits 2、Runway hits 19と、飛行機の地上での破壊とOps loss合計で15機を失いました。

ニューギニアでも実はマダンも連日昼間の爆撃を受けています。今日はHurricane XIIb 16機とP-40E Warhawk 16機の護衛で29機の双発爆撃機(Hudson III (LR) 12、Bolingbroke IV 12、Mitchell II 5)が来襲しました。Port hits 10、Port supply hits 4の被害が出ています。ニューギニア東部では昭和17年12月24日のNadzab失陥後、そのまま連合軍地上部隊がニューギニア島北岸を西進するのかと思っていたのですが、今のところその気配はなく、かえって南の方に進軍している部隊も見受けられます。陸路で西進すれば、敗残の日本部隊を撃破して根拠地を奪うことは難しくはないと思われます。しかし、ニューギニア北岸の根拠地はポートモレスビーやラエ、ブナといったニューギニア東南の根拠地から陸路で補給することは困難です。また、ラバウル、トラック、ホーランディアといった日本側の根拠地を無力化しないと、海路でサプライ輸送も容易ではありません。サプライを遅れなければ占領した飛行場の利用もままならないわけですから、単純に西に猪突猛進としてこないのも考えてみれば当たり前なのかもしれません。

昨夜も、潜水艦による被害がありました。宗谷海峡でxAK Kiyoshima Maru(VP 4, tonnage 2375)がSS S-42の魚雷で撃沈されました。今月は3日に2隻くらいのペースで、ちょっとこれはまずい感じです。

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 17, 43
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Night Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 11

Allied aircraft
      P-70 Havoc x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/6th FS/B with P-70 Havoc (2 airborne, 6 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes

Some CAP have air radar

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-21-IIa Sally x 5

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       5 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 8

No Japanese losses

Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 8

No Japanese losses

Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125 

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      A6M5b Zero x 23
      Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 2

Allied aircraft
      B-24D Liberator x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
      Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 damaged
      A6M2-N Rufe: 2 destroyed on ground
      Ki-56 Thalia: 1 destroyed on ground
      A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16

Aircraft Attacking:
       5 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
       6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
       5 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb
       4 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
204 Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (3 airborne, 10 on standby, 10 scrambling)
      3 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 9000 and 14000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
Spc.Attck.Unit  with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 
      Raid is overhead

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
      6 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
       7 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-21-IIa Sally x 4

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       4 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Kweiyang , at 74,49 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 8

No Japanese losses

Airbase hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Night Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 8

Allied aircraft
      P-70 Havoc x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/6th FS/B with P-70 Havoc (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      7 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 
      Raid is overhead

Some CAP have air radar

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Night Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125 

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 24 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      A6M5b Zero x 20
      Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 2

Allied aircraft
      B-24D Liberator x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M5b Zero: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
      A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
      Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
      H8K1 Emily: 1 destroyed on ground
      A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
      B-24D Liberator: 4 damaged

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
       6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
204 Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (10 airborne, 0 on standby, 10 scrambling)
      10 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 14000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 53 minutes
Spc.Attck.Unit  with Ki-45 KAIa Nick (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      2 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 
      Raid is overhead

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Night Air attack on Rabaul , at 106,125 

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 25 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      A6M5b Zero x 10

Allied aircraft
      B-24D Liberator x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
       6 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
204 Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 10 scrambling)
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 12000.
      Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes

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Night Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 4

Allied aircraft
      P-70 Havoc x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       4 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/6th FS/B with P-70 Havoc (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      7 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 
      Raid is overhead

Some CAP have air radar

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Night Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 5

Allied aircraft
      P-70 Havoc x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       5 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 9000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
18th FG/6th FS/B with P-70 Havoc (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
      4 plane(s) intercepting now.
      Group patrol altitude is 10000 
      Raid is overhead

Some CAP have air radar

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Sub attack near Toyohara  at 125,47

Japanese Ships
      xAK Kiyoshima Maru, Torpedo hits 2,  heavy damage
      xAK Yubari Maru
      xAK Kirisima Maru
      xAK Hasuna Maru
      SC CHa-50

Allied Ships
      SS S-42

SS S-42 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Kiyoshima Maru
S-42 diving deep ....
SC CHa-50 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-50 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-50 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-50 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC CHa-50 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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Morning Air attack on Madang , at 97,123 

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Hudson III (LR) x 3
      Bolingbroke IV x 12
      Hurricane XIIb x 16
      P-40E Warhawk x 8

No Allied losses

Port hits 6
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
      12 x Bolingbroke IV bombing from 7000 feet
               Port Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       3 x Hudson III (LR) bombing from 7000 feet
               Port Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Madang , at 97,123 

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Mitchell II x 5

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
       5 x Mitchell II bombing from 7000 feet
               Port Attack:  6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Madang , at 97,123 

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Hudson III (LR) x 9
      P-40E Warhawk x 8

No Allied losses

Port hits 4
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
       9 x Hudson III (LR) bombing from 7000 feet
               Port Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 25 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Blenheim IV x 10
      Blenheim VD x 32
      Hurricane IIc Trop x 24
      Wellington Ic x 3

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 13

Aircraft Attacking:
      10 x Blenheim IV bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
      16 x Blenheim VD bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
      16 x Blenheim VD bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       3 x Wellington Ic bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Hurricane IIc Trop x 8
      Wellington Ic x 11

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 5

Aircraft Attacking:
      11 x Wellington Ic bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Vengeance I x 12

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
       1 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       7 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       4 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Blenheim IV x 9

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 4

Aircraft Attacking:
       9 x Blenheim IV bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Vengeance I x 16

No Allied losses

Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
       4 x Vengeance I releasing from 4000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       4 x Vengeance I releasing from 2000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb
       8 x Vengeance I releasing from 3000'
               Airfield Attack:  2 x 500 lb GP Bomb,  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Myitkyina , at 64,42 

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
      Hudson IIIa x 12

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
      12 x Hudson IIIa bombing from 7000 feet
               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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ASW attack near Lingga  at 51,87

Japanese Ships
      AMc Ogashima

Allied Ships
      SS Trusty

SS Trusty is sighted by escort
AMc Ogashima fails to find sub, continues to search...
AMc Ogashima fails to find sub, continues to search...
AMc Ogashima fails to find sub, continues to search...
AMc Ogashima fails to find sub, continues to search...
AMc Ogashima fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

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Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 61982 troops, 605 guns, 246 vehicles, Assault Value = 2185

Defending force 144363 troops, 533 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4260

Allied ground losses:
      143 casualties reported
         Squads: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
      Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
    35th Division
    36th Division
    70th Division
    110th Division
    32nd Division
    3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
    12th Army
    2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
    6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
    Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
    20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
    10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
    11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
    41st Chinese Corps
    19th Chinese Corps
    1st Chinese Corps
    57th Chinese Corps
    76th Chinese Corps
    16th Chinese Corps
    3rd Chinese Corps
    77th Chinese Corps
    34th Chinese Corps
    36th Chinese Corps
    23rd Chinese Corps
    33rd Chinese Corps
    61st Chinese Corps
    82nd Chinese Corps
    90th Chinese Corps
    17th Chinese Corps
    91st Chinese Corps
    2nd War Area 
    34th Group Army
    Red Chinese Army
    6th Group Army
    22nd Group Army
    5th War Area 
    4th Group Army
    7th Group Army
    8th Group Army
    19th Chinese Base Force