Keynes' Cruisers

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Winestu

Either the big ships should stay in port OR run south as fast as possible.
If they're sunk in port then they can be raised & repaired just as IOTL.
If they run south they may be able to link up with Enterprise and possibly Lexington. Both are at sea not too, too far away. At least they could provide air cover. They should still head away from Hawaii until/unless they can get more air support from Oahu.
 

Winestu

Btw where are Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga right now ITTL? My above post assumes that they're doing the same thing now as OTL.
 

Winestu

What air groups do they have?
I see a chance for the US carriers to hit the Kido Butai back afterwards. Or at least provide a lot of extra air cover for whatever ship leave Pearl.
 

Butchpfd

sloreck said:
@stubear1012 The possibility of that happening depends on what they do when they get clear of Pearl. If they go after the Kido Butai and the carriers have significant strike capability left they can be hit with no air cover and suffer disastrous loss. OTOH if the ships that clear the harbor head south to reorganize the second wave won't spot them, and the Japanese can't go swanning about looking at random for whatever has sortied from pearl. Additionally if the sortied ships head soiuth along the Hawaiian chain they can get air cover. Charging at the Japanese with an ad hoc collection of ships, which may or not not have full magazines or fuel, with probably incomplete crews is not a smart move.
Click to expand...

For the second strike not to spot them, they will need to be about 40 miles south of Pearl. Also, lots of wakes to follow leading to the BBs. Best thing is BBs sit in harbor, sealed up. Also the mother subs for thhe midgets are out there, 6 of them, within 30 miles
 

sloreck

double checking the timeline, there was about one hour between first and second waves, not enough time for heavy ships to leave and not be spotted...
 

RyderWest

Made this infobox for the alternate Asiatic Fleet (a bit in the future...):

Ze38mN0.png

I can edit it if you request it.
 
Story 0858
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    December 5, 1941, Leningrad

    Thick snow squalls blinded everyone. Artillery shells landed fifty meters behind the well dug trenches that were supported by broken wagons and snow drifts. The last German attack had been repulsed. Tatianna claimed another four kills including a pair of tank commanders who were trying to fight their tanks while exposed to the elements. That success was pathetic as the Germans were able to force their way to the shores of Lake Lagoda. The city was cut off as the Finnish border was closed and a German infantry division was busily digging in the narrow corridor that had been cut to the lake.
     
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    December 5, 1941 Pearl Harbor

    Three battleships entered the main shipping channel. The gunnery exercises had gone well. Nevada was the winner for accuracy as she consistently was straddling within four salvos at 22,000 yards. Arizona was the fastest, averaging slightly more than two salvos a minute when the ships went to rapid fire. The destroyers and light cruisers of the screen had their chance to shoot and work on their anti-torpedo tactics as well. Detroit was sharp but her age was starting to show compared to the performance of Phoenix and St. Louis. The men were excited to get back to port as next week’s training routine was even more intense as there were exercises scheduled with the carriers.

    Liberty, libations, ladies and lounging were the order for the evening, and then replenishment of the ships for further duty would be Saturday’s task.
     
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    December 5, 1941 1300 Singapore Time

    Captain Albert Rooks, USN, straightened his uniform as he led the small American delegation of three other cruiser captains and the two senior destroyer skippers down the pier to a pair of waiting staff cars. The cars were driven by boys who were very proud of their minuscule ability to grow facial hair that they could no longer display due to the mockery they received from their new peers after induction into His Majesty’s services.

    The cars zipped through the crowded streets of Singapore as traffic parted for the two police motorcycles that led the small convoy to the headquarters of the Royal Navy. As Captain Rooks looked out the window, he saw a steady stream of European and Chinese businessmen moving to the docks. Already that morning two steamers had departed for Ceylon and another for Perth full of white civilians. Three more steamers were scheduled to depart with the evening tide. The British were evacuating Singapore, the Gibraltar of the Pacific in preparation for war so it would only be natives and defenders at risk.

    The small convoy pulled up to a small, squat office building that was troll like in its appearance when compared to the sixty year old buildings around it. Craftsmanship was lovingly applied to its neighbors while brutal functionality was this building’s calling card. Windows had black out shades pulled down and a battery of single 40mm Bofors guns were emplaced across the street in a public park behind hundreds of sandbags. This was the vital nerve center of the Royal Navy in the Far East, and a Captain of a mere heavy cruiser was to find out what his mission would be.

    A small man with an easy confidence about him bounded down the steps to greet the Americans as they left their vehicles. He looked through the small party until he saw the face he was searching for.

    “Captain Rooks, it is so good to see you again. I have to say your gunnery was excellent last time you exercised with Mauritius. Admiral Phillips sends his compliments. “

    “Good morning to you too, Ted, it has been too long since we’ve had a chance for dinner and drinks to talk… we need to correct that problem shortly. But what is on today’s agenda?”

    “Breakfast with the Admiral and his staff, and then working sessions throughout the day. You’ll have to stay for a cocktail or two at the end as His Majesty’s establishments are still wet, and the bartenders are excellent.”
     
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    December 5, 0815 Hawaiian Time Cerberus Flight

    1st Lt. Joshua Jarosechek adjusted his oxygen mask and then scratch the back of his knee as he still could not quite get comfortable with the idea that Uncle Sam wanted him to fly fighters and more importantly paid him to fly. The robin blue Wildcat had been delivered to the squadron only a few months ago. It was a hot bird compared to the Buffaloes that were with the Dutch on Java, but heavier and faster. The pilots of the flight of Grumman F3Fs at Ewa had won several nights of free beer after they challenged the nugget Wildcat pilots to mock dogfights. The more experienced pilots in the squadron had taken to experimenting with vertical attacks and weaving defenses instead of engaging in turning fights.

    “Cerberus 1 to Hades, Cerberus flight has formed up at Angels 12”

    “Roger that Cerberus 1, we have bogeys to investigate at Angels 10. Come to 040 200 knots, bogeys range 72 miles speed 160 knots.”

    “Roger that, 040 at 200 knots”

    Cerberus flight consisted of his plan leading a section of two other Wildcats. One was flown by an experienced sergeant and the other by a brand new nugget who had just joined the squadron last week.

    “Cerberus flight is feet wet, Hades”

    “Cerberus lead to Cerberus flight, test your guns”. With that, his finger flipped open the trigger guard and fired a five round burst. Each of the four 50 caliber machine guns worked.

    “Cerberus 1 is hot”, “Cerberus 2 is hot”, “and Cerberus 3 is hot as well”

    “Cerberus Flight is hot, intercept in 11 minutes, and climb to Angels 15”



    December 5, 0825 Hawaiian Time

    Major James Brady was looking forward to the next hour. Piloting the beacon B-17D with a squadron trailing him had been stressful as they had seldom practiced flying so long overwater. Navigation was always easier when there was a landmark or a river to get a good fix. Overwater, overnight navigation was stressful. However Radio Honolulu had been broadcasting swing music for the past four hours and his navigator had been using that as a homing beacon. He was off by a mile but they were close enough to find their airfield.

    Once the squadron had landed, the crews would get a day off to recover from the flight while the mechanics fixed any minor problems and installed long range internal ferry tanks. On the 8th, they would take off for Christmas Island and beyond with an arrival date in Manila of the 19th to reinforce the Far East Air Force.

    “Bogeys, bogeys, bogeys” was yelled over the intercom

    “Location”

    “Bogeys high at 3 o’clock” the waist gunner called as he saw four stubby fighters diving on the last B-17 in the lead flight.

    His radio crackled as he saw the fighters pull out of their dive; “Aloha Ferry Flight, welcome to Hawaii from Cerberus flight and the Devil Dogs”
     
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    December 5, 1941 0800 Guam

    The Marines were dismissed from their morning inspection. Half the men went to get breakfast and the rest moved gear to the armory and push a broken staff car to the small motor pool. They were on a tropical paradise and at a time when they should be enjoying themselves, they were worried as they were being left alone to dangle. The Japanese Mandates in the rest of the Marianas meant they were cut off and isolated from reinforcements. If war came, and almost everyone knew war was coming, there was no succor, no relief planned. The men who could eat seconds ate seconds for both their own enjoyment and to steel their bodies for potential captivity.
     
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    December 5, 1941 Oahu

    “Cap, her radiator is busted” The experienced sergeant looked at the anxious captain with pity. This was the eighth P-40D of the squadron that was now grounded. Every plane that could fly over the past week had been in the air for at least eighteen hours. The squadron was expected to have the evening patrol and nine aircraft were on the flight list now. Every other aircraft was in the hangars.

    An hour later, the nine available fighters took off and covered the base. Thirty minutes after that, Hickam received the word that the alert was being stepped down as operational attrition would start killing pilots. Four fighters would be kept up in the air during daylight over the weekend with a single squadron on alert 30 while all other pursuit squadrons caught up on repairs. A smarter and more sustainable alert posture would be distributed for use on Monday.


    As the pursuit squadrons saw the chance to take a breath, USS Tautog cruised slowly down the channel out of Pearl Harbor. USS Condor was leading her out. Hickam was calm for the first time in a week as a maintenance stand down had been declared yesterday morning. Recognition lights were flashed at the coastal defense minefield control building. Three strips of command detonated mines guarded the entrance to the naval base. Each strip was 20 yards behind a permanent magnetic detector which would cue the coastal defenses that a submarine was attempting to penetrate the harbor.

    Half an hour later, Tautog increased speed and USS Allen, the guard destroyer at the end of the harbor entrance, sent her well wishes to the submarine. The submarine had a full war load and sufficient supplies to stay at sea for forty five days. The patrol was only scheduled for ten days of aerial anti-submarine exercises north of the island but in case of war, she would be ready.

    As she past Diamond Head, her diseasels pushed her forward at twelve knots.
     
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