April 1942 Alternate Indian Ocean

[Zheng He]

1300 Hours, 26 November 1942, Dacca, India – The one thing bad weather did was give the planning staffs plenty of time to plan and when the weather cleared, they could pull their plans off the shelf and put them into action. During the late morning and early afternoon of 26 November, the weather had cleared up enough for the RAF to launch a series of ambitious raids against the forward Japanese airfields at Magwe and Myitkyina. For the most part, RAF and IAF squadrons were flying missions in support the troops dug in around Akyab and against Japanese road-based supply movements along with maritime patrols along the coast. However, the recent attacks against Allied shipping near Akyab and Chittagong necessitated a response.

The airfields at Magwe and Myitkyina did not house units on a regular basis but the Japanese frequently rotated fighters to them. The missions would also give new Allied units experience as part of strike packages attacking large fixed targets. The attack against Myitkyina went to 12 Vengeance dive bombers from No. 82 Squadron, eight Hudsons from No. 62 Squadron, and eight Beaufighters from No. 27 Squadron escorted by eight RAAF Buffaloes from No. 25 Squadron. For the attack against Magwe, Brand was sending 16 Battles from No. 7 Squadron of the IAF and 16 Blenheims from No. 34 and No. 113 Squadrons escorted by eight of the Australian Buffaloes. By 1400 hours the attacking units were on their way to their targets.

In addition to the raids against Magwe and Myitkyina, 24 Wellingtons from No. 215 and No. 99 Squadrons and 12 B-24s from the 9th and 11th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) of the USAAF were prepared for a night attack against Rangoon’s docks.

 

[Butchpfd]

Jesus.... A stray pelican, seagull, or even a breaching dolphin could just wreck your existence there....

Hell. A well hit cricket ball would be trouble!

 

[mcducky]

Hell. A well hit cricket ball would be trouble!

There buccaneers pilots they considered treetop level flight to high altitude flying

 

[Zheng He]

1600 Hours, 26 November 1942, Magwe and Myitkyina Airfield, Burma – There were no Japanese aircraft present at either airfield with the exception of two damaged Oscars at Myitkyina both of which were wrecked beyond repair. At Myitkyina the Vengeances dive bombed the airstrip dropping two 500-pound bombs apiece while the Hudsons and Beaufighters strafed the vehicles and anti-aircraft gun emplacements, and the Hudsons scattered 40-pound parafrag bombs across the facility. At Magwe the Indian Battles walked their 250-pound bombs along the length of the runway from low level and they were followed by the Blenheims dropping 500-pound bombs from their internal bays and 40-pound bombs from under their wings. Throughout both attacks the escorting Buffaloes orbited over the airfields with the pilots keeping a sharp eye out for Japanese fighters. Four planes were lost – one Vengeance, one Beaufighter, one Battle, and one Blenheim. All of the damage could be repaired by Air Vice Marshal Brand was committed to making the Japanese pay a price for maintaining both of the forward airfields. If he could force them to keep their aircraft stationed back at bases around Rangoon, then it would be next to impossible for the Japanese to contest the RAF’s air superiority over the Arakan.

 

[TonyA]

Try after 1.50 on this......

Banana bomber, one of my favs...

 

[Aber]

Hell. A well hit cricket ball would be trouble!

From pprune

during Red Flag in 89 I witnessed a bucc returning with wire strike damage to the belly and lower aerials, If the story of the crew is to be believed the barbered wire fence they hit was a little over 5' high.

 

[Asian Jumbo]

Rabbit-strike?

 

[Zheng He]

Back in the day USAF F-4 crews would RTB after training missions with bits and pieces of trees sticking out of them.

 

[Paulo the Limey]

Try after 1.50 on this......

Take off from carrier and immediately descend to cruising altitude.

 

[Zheng He]

2000 Hours, 26 November 1942, Rangoon, Burma – The newly waning moon still gave off plenty of light for the pilots to navigate by and for an hour between 2000 and 2100 hours 24 Wellingtons from No. 215 and No. 99 Squadrons and 12 B-24s from the 9th and 11th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) dropped their 500-pound bombs, over 300 in all around the area of Rangoon’s docks. As with most night missions, the bombing was not particularly accurate and number of bombs fell into the water but there was still damage done and if nothing else the mission disturbed the defenders’ rest. Several bombers were damaged by anti-aircraft fire but none were shot down although one Wellington failed to return for unknown reasons and two others diverted to Akyab where they were repaired and refueled and sent on their way the next morning.

 

[Zheng He]

2000 Hours, 26 November 1942, Colombo Harbor, Ceylon – The oiler USS Brazos accompanied by two empty freighters, the corvette HMS Aster, and the destroyers HMS Paladin and HMS Panther arrived in Colombo after the trip around the island from Trincomalee. Admiral Somerville was working late in his office and was notified of Brazos’ safe arrival by a staff officer. The loss of the RFA Brown Ranger off Akyab had shaken Somerville and he was buoyed by the safe arrival of one of his only dedicated fleet oilers.

 

[Driftless]

2000 Hours, 26 November 1942, Colombo Harbor, Ceylon – The oiler USS Brazos accompanied by two empty freighters, the corvette HMS Aster, and the destroyers HMS Paladin and HMS Panther arrived in Colombo after the trip around the island from Trincomalee. Admiral Somerville was working late in his office and was notified of Brazos’ safe arrival by a staff officer. The loss of the RFA Brown Ranger off Akyab had shaken Somerville and he was buoyed by the safe arrival of one of his only dedicated fleet oilers.

I'd bet a replacement for the RFA Brown Ranger is a the top of Adm. Somerville's shopping list.

 

[Butchpfd]

I'd bet a replacement for the RFA Brown Ranger is a the top of Adm. Somerville's shopping list.

OTL the Second batch of high speed (18kt) Cimmaron class Fleet Oilers does not deploy until May 1943. of the first 1939 batch,12 were built,with Nesho is sunk at Coral Sea and 4 others converted to CVEs. most of the other USN Oilers were 10.5 knot with a small number of 14.5 knot ships built in 1916 - 1917.
This means that unless they press one of the slow transport tankers into service as a fleet oiler it's going to be a while to replace an oiler from USN sources.

 

[Draconis]

Back in the day USAF F-4 crews would RTB after training missions with bits and pieces of trees sticking out of them.

Serves them right for not ducking. Ya can't tell a conifer anything.

 

[Derek Pullem]

OTL the Second batch of high speed (18kt) Cimmaron class Fleet Oilers does not deploy until May 1943. of the first 1939 batch,12 were built,with Nesho is sunk at Coral Sea and 4 others converted to CVEs. most of the other USN Oilers were 10.5 knot with a small number of 14.5 knot ships built in 1916 - 1917.
This means that unless they press one of the slow transport tankers into service as a fleet oiler it's going to be a while to replace an oiler from USN sources.

RN oilers (Dale class ) were generally 11.5 kn compared to 14.5 kn for the Ranger class. Given the success of the operations in the Indian Ocean the historical Olna and Oleander stop gap vessels could have been pushed forward (16-17 kn)

 

[Zheng He]

Although at this point the primary job of the various RFAs, oilers, and tankers is not providing underway replenishment (although they do it on occasion), it's moving oil from the refineries in the Persian Gulf to where the operating forces need it.

 

[Zheng He]

OTL the Second batch. of high speed (18kt) Cimmaron class Fleet Oilers does not deploy until May 1943. of the first 1939 batch,12 were built,with Nesho is sunk at Coral Sea and 4 others converted to CVEs. most of the other USN Oilers were 10.5 knot with a small number of 14.5 knot ships built in 1916 - 1917.
This means that unless they press one of the slow transport tankers into service as a fleet oiler it's going to be a while to replace an oiler from USN sources.

Those are the two USN oilers Somerville has right now - USS Brazos and USS Trinity. Old and slow ships but they still work. Both ITTL and OTL Trinity is an Asiatic Fleet refugee delivering black gold around the Indian Ocean. Brazos ITTL was sent with the reinforcements from the Northern Pacific since that is a non-theater right now. OTL she spent most of the war up in Alaskan waters.

 

[Driftless]

Although at this point the primary job of the various RFAs, oilers, and tankers is not providing underway replenishment (although they do it on occasion), it's moving oil from the refineries in the Persian Gulf to where the operating forces need it.

I'd imagine there's a higher demand for fuel in this universe than historic: more ships, a great deal of action, and probably a great deal more demand for avgas as well. To offset that demand some, it seems likely there are more planned moves, so some reserves can be built up where they are most needed.

To your point about the OTL use of the Brazos in the North Pacific: where was that oil being picked up? (thinking of shipping miles and time)

This timeline certainly brings those logistical questions into consideration.

 

[Draconis]

To your point about the OTL use of the Brazos in the North Pacific: where was that oil being picked up? (thinking of shipping miles and time)
This timeline certainly brings those logistical questions into consideration.

From Los Angeles,California to Fairbanks and other points in Alaska I would guess. As there was no oil being extracted in Alaska in those days.

 

[Butchpfd]

From Los Angeles,California to Fairbanks and other points in Alaska I would guess. As there was no oil being extracted .

There might be enough transshipped by civilian tankers to Bremerton, for navy tankers to pick up oil from Bremerton/ Seattle
Outbound to Alaska.