The Whale has Wings

[Astrodragon]

The pilots of the Kido Butai strike first realised that something was going wrong with their attack was when six SeaEagle fighters plunged down on the torpedo planes and their escorts at a speed that left even the veteran fighter pilots shocked. A usual, the inbound raid had separated into the low level torpedo strike, and the higher altitude dive bombers. The carriers had managed to get a further twelve fighters in the air, and had split them between the two (the outbound strike had disrupted the organisation of backup fighters somewhat, although the crews were racing to get another twelve ready and airborne.

The 22 torpedo planes were escorted by eight Zeroes, and the initial attack blew apart two of these as well as three of the torpedo planes - the RN fighters carried four 20mm cannon, and these were lethal against the lightly-built Japanese planes. The defenders had no intention of being dragged into dogfights with the Zeros, and simply zoomed up at the end of their attacking dives to come around for a new attack. The situation was a bit different for the other twelve defenders, who had not had time to get up to altitude. Instead they attacks from a shallow dive, confident that they were still much faster than the Zeroes. The Japanese fighter pilots were highly skilled, and even in the difficult position they found themselves in, managed to shoot down three of the SeaEagles (one pilot managing to ditch near a destroyer). However the losses to the torpedo planes was terrible - 20 of the 22 were shot down as well as six of their defenders. The remaining two torpedo planes had been forced to drop their torpedoes and make their escape without any chance of driving in for a successful attack.

The position of the dive bombers was little better. They had ten escorting fighters, and eighteen Sea Eagles had swooped on them and the 20 dive bombers they were escorting. The defenders had time to make a number of attacks, losing four of their number while shooting down fourteen dive bombers and four Zeroes. However they were not able to completely demolish the strike before the dive bombers were close enough to begin their dives.

The closest carrier to the raid was HMS Bulwark. The SeaEagles had followed their prey in close, and as a result the AA fire was restricted to the light 20mm and 40mm cannon. However with her escorts, there were the best part of 200 barrels aimed at the six dive bombers who managed to start making their attack dives. Even to the experienced and dedicated Japanese pilots, the sheer volume of AA fire was terrifying - none of them had seen anything even remotely approaching it. They had thought the US carriers AA fierce, but this was something else again. While the light AA of this period was not terribly accurate - this was before good computer sights were available - the sheer volume took four of the six planes out of the air before they could release their bombs. Of the remaining three, two managed to bomb even though damaged, but as a result their bombs were not close enough to damage the radically-manouvering carrier. One plane however, whether by luck or skill, managed to avoid everything to drop its bomb at a very low altitude -so low that the plane itself was unable to pull out of its dive, and only missed hitting the carrier itself due a last minute helm change. The 500lb bomb hit the flight deck well aft, penetrating the flight deck and exploding in the aft upper hangar. As usual there was no fuel or explosives present during an action, but the white-hot bomb splinters caused the inevitable fire among the parked aircraft, and a thick black plume of smoke soon lofted into the air above the carrier.

As the remnants of the raid headed north, the carriers prepared to recover and rearm the CAP. This usual evolution was abruptly interrupted by the radar echoes of a second raid - this time from the west. This was the strike from Yamamoto's light carriers, and it was actually heavier than the one launched by Kido Butai, although its pilots lacked the experience of the main carrier force. 24 torpedo planes, 36 dive bombers and 18 Zero escorts would be over Force Z in less than 20 minutes. The major problem for the controllers was the number of fighters low on ammunition. There were 12 planes ready for launch, and these were catapulted off as fast as possible. With little time to get more aircraft in the air, the fighters with most fuel and lowest ammunition were landed, brought forward in front of the crash barrier, where the crews started to rearm them on deck. While there were some additional fighters available, with a raid about to hit (and one carrier already damaged), it was decided not to refuel anything in the hangars. The crews managed to get another 10 Sea Eagles ready in time to launch, but these would have to intercept the torpedo planes - there was no time to climb to altitude. The dive bombers would be handled by the 12 planes already launched, plus five fighters who still had sufficient ammunition to usefully engage the incoming enemy planes.

The defending fighters again made use of their huge speed advantage to make their initial interceptions. These strikes were not as well co-ordinated as the previous one. It had split into four groups - 15 and 9 torpedo planes, and 20 and 16 dive bombers. The Zeroes were mainly escorting the dive bombers, six planes accompanying each group, while a further six were with the smaller group of torpedo planes.

The attention of the Japanese planes was first caught by the smoke plume from HMS Bulwark, and the larger flight of torpedo planes headed for her. The ten fighters re-launched were vectored onto them (the smaller group of torpedo planes was not initially seen in the confusion), and their first attack shot down five of the torpedo bombers. The Zeros tried to protect their slower charges, but this proved difficult as the SeaEagles used their superior speed to make a second beam attack. This shot down another four torpedo planes, and two Zeroes, although the now-warned Zeroes managed to shoot down two of the defending fighters. A further two, with inexperienced pilots, made the mistake of trying to dogfight the Zeros, resulting in one shot down and another damaged, although a further Zero was lost.

The remaining five torpedo planes were now heading for HMS Audacious, easily the biggest target around. Or at least they were trying to, the carrier had two AA cruisers and four destroyers with her, and the torpedo planes found themselves trying to attack through a torrent of AA fire, both heavy and light. Three of the torpedo planes were hit and shot down before they got anywhere near the carrier, and the remaining two were forced to launch outside of effective range. One torpedo missed HMS Dido by a few feet, the other was never seen.

The second group of Japanese torpedo planes, split off from the first, had headed for the smoke plume. Missed by the fighters, they were not missed by the carrier and her escorts. In view of her damage, Bulwark had a battleship on either side, and the torpedoes were going to have to get through them to get at her. The massed AA of HMS Bulwark, HMS Anson and a couple of destroyers was at least as heavy as that protecting HMS Audacious. Of the nine torpedo planes, five never made it to dropping range. The other four launched despite the storm of AA fire. The carrier and her escorts turned to comb the torpedoes, and were almost successful - three of the torpedoes headed off into the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but the fourth hit the carrier far forward on her port side. Fortunately it was an aerial torpedo rather than the much heavier ship-borne ones, but even so it tore a 30 foot hole in her side, and she was forced to slow to reduce the speed of the flooding.

The dive bombers had been a bit more organised - their superior height gave them a better idea of the fleet (the RN practice of keeping the escorts close to mass AA fire meant that Force Z was in a fairly compact grouping). The defenders had split into two groups. The twelve newly launched fighters headed for the larger group of 20 dive bombers, which was escorted by six Zeroes. Determined to stop the dive bombers before they got into range of the carriers, the defenders shot down twelve of the dive bombers and three of the Zeroes for the loss of five SeaEagles. The remaining eight bombers headed for the nearest and easiest target, the Bulwark, the fighters breaking off as they lost height into the ship AA zone. This was as dangerous as before, although AA was never as effective agaisnt dive bombers. The sheer weight of fire told again - four of the eight bombers were either shot down or forced to abandon their attack due to damage. Four bombs were aimed at the carrier, her ability to dodge reduced by the need to avoid tearing open the torpedo hole further. The pilots were not as experienced as those from Kido Butai, but they still managed to hit the carrier with two 500lb bombs. the ship was fortunate - one of the bombs did not explode, coming to rest on her hangar deck embedded in her heavy armoured deck, but the other blew out her forward elevator, leaving it hanging partly over the side and causing a hangar deck fire.
The remaining dive bombers were more fortunate. The group of sixteen had six escorting Zeroes, and only five SeaEagles to keep them company. The FAA fighters ignored the Zeroes to do the maximum damage to the bombers, shooting down seven of them and one Zero for the loss of three of their number. There were just not enough of them to stop the other nine starting an attack on Bulwark. Obviously slowed and in difficulty, she was the easiest target - and even from a distance, the volume of fire being put up by the Audacious and her escorts was intimidating.

The damage to Bulwark had reduced her AA fire, but her escorting battleships were still fully operational, and the 40mm shells again took a heavy toll of the dive bombers. These were heading down in the steepest dives yet seen, and the observers watching were wondering how they were going to pull out in time. In fact, only one of them did. Two hit the sea after dropping their bombs - one was a near miss, the other hit the rear starboard 4.5" mounts, exploding on them and putting them out of action. Three more planes were shot down, and two more seen to be hit, but the two damaged planes, and an undamaged one, made no attempt to recover but instead aimed themselves straight at the carrier. Three bombs, still attacked to their planes, hot and penetrated the carrier deck. All three exploded in the hanger, causing another series of serious fires.

[ModernKiwi]

And the divine winds show up...

[caspian88]

Astrodragon,

During the Kido Butai strike's dive bomber attack on Bulwark, you wrote:

"While the light AA of this period was not terribly accurate - this was before good computer sights were available - the sheer volume took four of the six planes out of the air before they could release their bombs. Of the remaining three, two managed to bomb even though damaged, but as a result their bombs were not close enough to damage the radically-manouvering carrier."

Did you mean to say that "three of the six planes" were shot down by AA? Fourteen dive bombers had been shot down by the CAP, leaving six to attack into the teeth of RN AA.

[voodoomaster]

Given the number of aircraft that attacked Force Z i am not surprised that Bulwark was badly damaged, although not in danger of sinking 1 torpedo hit and in effect 6 bombs i suspect that she will be withdrawn east and "loaned" to the USA after her repairs.

Even still Force Z is still a potent force, and the Japanese Fleet's aircraft have been badly mauled.

[Garrison]

Ouch! But destroying Bulwark has gutted the Japanese escort carriers air wings, not that they are likely to survive long enough for that to be an issue. The question is will the remainder of the KB realize now how bad a situation they are in? Or thinking that the USN is out of the fight and still underestimating the power of the RN force will they try and finish them off?

If they don't run I think KB is finished...

[Incognitia]

Is it bye-bye Bulwark?

And what the hell kind of report are the Japanese strikes going to put in about what they ran into? Ouch...the combination of Sea Eagle CAP and RN AA fire is deadly.

[The Oncoming Storm]

Oofff! That was a brutal encounter Bulwark is in serious trouble, if she makes it back she's going to need several months in the yard but the IJN has paid a heavy price for this and in the attacks on the USN, that's their elite aircrews completely gutted. The CVL's are going to be getting a visit from the RN's outbound strike soon and I expect it is going to do some serious damage on that force. Then it will be an RN night strike against the remainder of the KB, Lyster still has two fully operational decks and then there's Enterprise, Yorktown and Midway Island still in the picture. The next 24 hours could well be the darkest in the IJN's history.

[Astrodragon]

One torpedo and 5x500lb bombs on a RN fleet carrier...

Hands to paint ship.

Actually, she is pretty badly damaged...

[Paulo the Limey]

Originally Posted by Astrodragon

One torpedo and 5x500lb bombs on a RN fleet carrier...

Hands to paint ship.

Actually, she is pretty badly damaged...

You mentioned that there would be a Force Z snafu at some point in the battle. I wonder if it was the handling of the CAP here, or if there is some other disaster about to befall Admiral Lyster's force.

[Garrison]

Originally Posted by Paulo the Limey

You mentioned that there would be a Force Z snafu at some point in the battle. I wonder if it was the handling of the CAP here, or if there is some other disaster about to befall Admiral Lyster's force.

I think this was it, hard to imagine the KB coming up with any more surprises, especially after the RN dive bombers have visited the light carriers.

[ModernKiwi]

Yeah, short of a sudden appearance of a shoal of submarines (which are only there thanks to the Japanese compasses which point towards the strongest local source of tea), the Japanese are running out of aircraft to put in a surprise.

[sonofpegasus]

Astrodragon,you write a great battle sequence I hope my count is about right but the KB have lost about 10 zeros, 20 torepedo bombers and 19 dive bombers and the Light cariers have lost about 7 Zeros, 17 torepedo bombers and 29 dive bombers so far the RN have lost 14 sea Eagles and Bulwarks complement of Torepedo bombers plus Bulwark is in modern parlance a mission kill even if she survives. So the night torpedo attack will be reduce to the torepedo aircraft from the remaining two RN carriers providing nothing else intrevenes. That is still going to hurt the remaining units of the KB badly. It remains to see what is left of the carriers with the main Body once the FAA dive bombers have done their bit! I eagerly await the next installment

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by ModernKiwi

And the divine winds show up...

Even at Pearl Harbor, it was not unusual for a Japanese aircraft, even if it was just a Zero-once they had found their engine crippled-to turn and drive their machines into the nearest American target of opportunity. At Midway OTL, it is theorized that this may have happened with the Japanese strike force commander Lieutenant Tomonaga, who took off against the American fleet knowing full well he would only have enough fuel in his damaged aircraft for a one way journey.

[ModernKiwi]

Yes I was aware of that. And I'm not expecting Kaimakaze as we know it to turn up until convential attacks are rendered pointless - which at the moment they're not.

[17inc]

i hope Bulwark can make it Pearl Harbor by the way is there going to be a visti by the king to the far east command an time soon .

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by 17inc

I hope Bulwark can make it Pearl Harbor.(1) By the way is there going to be a visit by the king to the far east command any time soon?(2)

1) If Yorktown makes it, Bulwark will make it. IIRC, Bulwark still has better watertight integrity.

2) It would be a heartwarming sight to see King George VI and Queen Elizabeth touring through the hospitals of Pearl Harbor, speaking to the British wounded.

3) Imagine HMS Bulwark sailing into San Diego for repairs, the crew marching in a parade in Los Angeles, and spending Christmas on leave in Hollywood! Lonely starlets...

[23 November 1939]

Solid scene. To state the obvious, given the current state of US CV design, heavy escort (fighter and ship) would seem a logical route. But will others draw that conclusion? Fighters seem to be the true back-breaker (making torpedo attacks particularly hazardous) but will the powers-that-be agree?

My numbers may be off by a couple (I only saw 17 dive bombers lost to the RN, but sonofpegasus may have caught a couple I missed, while I thought I saw two more CVL dive bombers lost, so it all works out ):

So, fresh casualties for the KB this afternoon:
35 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
25 Aichi D3A dive bombers
24 Mitsubishi A6M fighters

Leaving:
15 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
+ 4 that were not launched, less any lost aboard the CVs, permanently or otherwise.

25 Aichi D3A dive bombers
+ 6 that were not launched, less any lost aboard the CVs, permanently or otherwise.

15 + 22 (CAP) Mitsubishi A6M fighters + 19 not accounted for in CAP or strike, less any lost aboard the CVs, permanently or otherwise.

Some of which will be damaged.

The CVLs have either held back or can recover:
9 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
21 Aichi D3A dive bombers
38 Mitsubishi A6M fighters

IJN has, at most:
28 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
52 Aichi D3A dive bombers
94 Mitsubishi A6M fighters

KB has lost:
98 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
70 Aichi D3A dive bombers
74 Mitsubishi A6M fighters

IJN has lost:
116 Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers
101 Aichi D3A dive bombers
81 Mitsubishi A6M fighters

Even accounting for damaged aircraft, that must make for horrific losses among the aircrew.

Looks like Bulwark's vertical defenses worked as advertised, and should prove substantially easier to make good the damage she has taken than one of the OTL carriers would have required. Looking at the last few scenes, the most obvious technical development of this TL, the alternate CV design, is nicely on display.

I look forward to the night and the morning. Would that there was an S-class with Mark 10s in the area... (a leap too many, but still, we can dream, can't we?) Oh well, FAA will have to make up for it, their calling card is going out by Cormorant-post.

[usertron2020]

23 November 1939

I could be wrong, but IIRC, long ago Astrodragon said something to the effect that the British were under such a tight schedule just to bring Force Z into the Battle of Midway that bring their submarines was just one step too far. Come to think of it, I think he specifically wanted British subs concentrated in the DEI and SCS just in case the American intelligence on Operation: MI turned out to be all wrong.

EDIT: That is masterful calculating of IJN aircraft losses, but have you calculated for damaged aircraft that may not make it back? Aircraft that do reach their carriers but are total write-offs? OTOH, there is also the matter of wounded pilots and aircrews. So as planes are damaged, not everyone will be able to fly again immediately, or soon, or ever. IIRC, frex, Commander McCluskey was wounded OTL, but was able to go on further air strikes in the following days.

[DD951]

Pretty intense air attack, & in exchange for a mission kill on Bulwark, it seems like the Japanese burned up most of their remaining strike capacity (did more than a half-dozen of their bombers total survive the mission?)

Even without Force Z's strike on the CVLs & anything they might get on KB that night, and/or whatever the USN & RN launch the next day, the IJN, particularly their air arm has been nicely gutted, as they've lost at least 125 bombers- the equivalent of the strike capacity of 3 of their fleet carrier airgroups- (haven't added up fighter losses), as well as 2 fleet carriers & a third crippled with more likely to come, in exchange for shooting up Midway somewhat, sinking Hornet & Ticonderoga, & assuming no more strikes or run-ins with subs, put Yorktown & Bulwark in the yard for several months, & inflicted substantial aircraft losses on the Allies. Nowhere near the rate of exchange that the IJN needs to achieve.

If Yamamoto & Nagumo realize what's going on & are smart, they'll pull out immediately in the hopes of saving what's left of KB by using the night to get out of Dodge, assuming that some Sea Lances don't come calling in the middle of the night, as if they stick around to fight the next day, between Enterprise, Hornet's group on Midway, and Force Z, they aren't going to have a carrier force left when the smoke clears, irregardless of how much damage they do in return. (Figure the CVLs are probably toast no matter what with all those Comorants headed their way.)

[usertron2020]

Originally Posted by Fortress

Ouch! But destroying Bulwark has gutted the Japanese escort carriers air wings, not that they are likely to survive long enough for that to be an issue. The question is will the remainder of the KB realize now how bad a situation they are in? (1) Or thinking that the USN is out of the fight and still underestimating the power of the RN force will they try and finish them off? (2)

If they don't run I think KB is finished... (3)

1) (with thanks from John Costello):

*KB strike force leader*: "British fleet, three fleet aircraft carriers, two battleships, closing on Kido Butai!"

Nagumo, upon hearing this, issues his orders: "Check your identification and unit types of the enemy!"

*KB strike force leader* "Enemy identity confirmed! Fighters have roundel markings!"

Nagumo:

2) Either throw everything against Force Z or get the Hell out of Dodge. If it isn't too late to do so.

3) Yup

Originally Posted by Unrecognizable

Is it bye-bye Bulwark?

Not unless a sub finds her. Hard to believe that could happen to a British task force, unless it happens like RIGHT NOW, during the air attacks. Even the little Nautilus managed an attack OTL, so its not outrageous. Just VERY unlikely to happen, even less so to succeed.

Originally Posted by Invisible

And what the hell kind of report are the Japanese strikes going to put in about what they ran into? Ouch...the combination of Sea Eagle CAP and RN AA fire is deadly.

See above

Originally Posted by The Oncoming Storm

Oofff! That was a brutal encounter Bulwark is in serious trouble, if she makes it back she's going to need several months in the yard (4) but the IJN has paid a heavy price for this and in the attacks on the USN, that's their elite aircrews completely gutted. The CVL's are going to be getting a visit from the RN's outbound strike soon and I expect it is going to do some serious damage on that force. (5) Then it will be an RN night strike against the remainder of the KB, Lyster still has two fully operational decks and then there's Enterprise, Yorktown (6) and Midway Island (7) still in the picture. The next 24 hours could well be the darkest in the IJN's history.(8)

4) There are plenty of dockyards nearby on the US West Coast available. But the crews will have to get used to baseball, hot dogs, apple pie...and starlets.

5) With those IJN CVLs being so fragile, the only way I can see them surviving AT ALL is for any of those ships not being located. They were basically one-hit wonders for anything bigger than a single 500 pounder, and even then a hit in a relatively non-essential area.

6) I believe Astrodragon declared Yorktown to be a mission kill at this point, but I could be wrong.

7) If they are still in effective range of the KB by then.

8) If they HAVE a future history.

Originally Posted by Astrodragon

One torpedo and 5x500lb bombs on a RN fleet carrier...

Hands to paint ship.(9)

Actually, she is pretty badly damaged...

9)

Originally Posted by Paulo the Limey

You mentioned that there would be a Force Z snafu at some point in the battle. I wonder if it was the handling of the CAP here, or if there is some other disaster about to befall Admiral Lyster's force. (10)

10) Considering the state of Force Z's training, technology, and expertise; I'd say that this was plenty snafu enough.

Originally Posted by Fortress

I think this was it, hard to imagine the KB coming up with any more surprises, especially after the RN dive bombers have visited the light carriers.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by OldFashionedKiwi

Yeah, short of a sudden appearance of a shoal of submarines (which are only there thanks to the Japanese compasses which point towards the strongest local source of tea), the Japanese are running out of aircraft to put in a surprise.

And the Japanese don't wolfpack. Plus their I-class boats are getting a little long in the tooth. ONE sub may take some potshots at the Bulwark and/or Yorktown, but not flotillas of them.

BTW, Astrodragon? Are BOTH Ticonderoga AND Hornet now sunk outright? Or are they still just dead in the water, burning out of control, and in a sinking condition? I know you have made it clear that they are goners, but if IIRC, OTL none of the KB carriers sank prior to nightfall...

Just saying, they might, as hulks, draw subs.