alternatehistory.com

The Battle of Albay Gulf: Far East Air Force attack
Prelude December 10, 1941 Daylight hours
American and Japanese search planes spot the opposing forces over the course of the day, but American and Japanese fighters each shoot down a float plane. The Japanese carrier force, under Admiral Takagi, is within air strike range, but the appearance of American fighters makes him loathe to commit his small force of bombers until they are within range of his comparatively short range fighters.

As night fall approaches at 1700 hours, it is clear that the American surface fleet is on a heading to attack the Invasion Force.

But that is not all the Americans are planning.

The 27th Bomb Group attacks 1505 Hours December 10
The Americans have 36 A24 Banshee bombers armed with a single 500 pound bomb each (as there are no heavier bombs available) and 8 AT6 Texans each carrying 4 light 100 pound bombs. While the Banshee are capable of dive bombing attacks the Texans are only capable of glide bombing. To escort them Colonel George sends 4 CW21 Demon fighters from the 7th Pursuit and 8 P40B fighters from VMF112. The Warhawks will deal with any enemy aircraft, while the Demons provide back up and if their help is not needed, strafe the enemy seaplane tenders. Texans will also hit the seaplane carriers, while the Banshee attack will focus on the enemy cruisers. Their specific orders are to “attack the biggest ships they see with guns on them” as Colonel George is well aware that his Army pilots are terrible at ship identification.

The Japanese have 12 of their Pete floatplanes in the air, which can be used as area defense fighters, up as a combination anti-submarine patrol and combat air patrol. The rest of their float planes have already been recovered or in the case of their Jake floatplanes, due to return for recovery at dusk. The Japanese are too far away for fighter protection from either Formosa or the Ryujo but as far as the Japanese know, there are no bombers likely to be within range of them either. Indeed the only air contact so far was a SOC Seagull that was shot down by a pair of Pete aircraft at 1458 hours. The Japanese failed to spot a PBY that flew overhead a short time later, only picking up its radio signal and it transmits a position report.

The American and Filipino aircraft arrive together flying at 11,000 feet, and the Warhawks and Demons immediately swarm to the attack and within a few minutes have shot down all 12 of the Japanese float planes in the air. While the Marine and Navy pilots fly back up to altitude in case any Japanese fighters show up, the Demons and Texans swarm in on the seaplane tender Mizuho, strafing it heavily and igniting 2 float planes on her deck and inflicting light damage but numerous casualties. Japanese fire is heavy, and 1 of the Demon fighters and 3 of the Texans are downed (all 4 pilots are killed) and 2 of Texans are forced to crash land on Leyte as they attempt to return home. The dive bombers meanwhile concentrate on the biggest ship spot as they approach, with both the 16th and 17th squadrons concentrating on the Nagara, failing to spot the Ashigara until the 16th has already begun their dives, and heavy fire and orders to concentrate their attack causes the squadron commander of the 17th to commit his aircraft to the same target.

The American Army pilots have been trained to attack ground targets, not ships, and most of thrown off by the desperate evasive action by the Japanese cruiser. Of 36 bombs dropped, only 4 hit her, but they hit her hard. The high explosive bombs (as the Army lacks armor piercing bombs) blast apart her torpedo tubes, starting fierce fires amidships, another kills most of the men manning her aft guns, and a final hit blasts apart her middle stack and briefly snuffs out her boilers. The Japanese manage to get her fires out and restore power by 2114 hours but she is need of repairs and will need to return to Japan for those.

Japanese fire has been fierce in return however, and less well trained than Navy Dauntless pilots, the Army Banshee's attack at a shallower angle and pull up sooner, exposing them to anti-aircraft fire longer than Navy planes would have to face. This is a costly lack of training for 5 of the American aircraft which are all forced to crash land on their way home, although all of their crews are recovered. The 17th suffers the entirety of this loss as their aircraft came in behind the lead squadron and the Japanese had more time to react. Several more of the bombers return to base with bullet holes and other light damage but remain combat worthy.

The pilots of VMF 112 score again as the force leaves the scene, running down and destroying 2 Jake float planes as they are returning to their ships. In all the engagement has cost the Japanese a light cruiser heavily damaged, a seaplane tender lightly damaged and 16 floatplanes, including 2 destroyed aboard their ship.

It has been a costly strike for the American and Filipino pilots however. 5 dive bombers, 1 fighter, and 5 light attack bombers, all precious and irreplaceable, are gone. VMF112, which has pilots trained in ship identification (indeed 2 of the pilots were dive bomber pilots before they volunteered for the AVG) report that one Japanese light cruiser has been heavily damaged and is likely out of action.

Luzon December 10
Meanwhile Japanese bombers hammer Del Carmen Field in the morning and Zablan Field in the afternoon, effectively destroying both fields. Chennault has kept the 17th, 74th and 75th Pursuit squadrons on strip alert ready to cover the evacuation of Subic Bay and although fighters are scrambled during both raids he orders them to remain over Subic.

Weather closes down Del Monte field in the morning, delaying the take off of bombers from Darwin until conditions clear and thus the B17Ds of the attack force commanded by Colonel Eubanks do not arrive until late afternoon, too late in the day to attack the Japanese in support of the 27th Bomb Group.
Top