Part 990: Operational Report: 22/08/44

Another night raid is staged on Shanghai.



We continue to push south.







As dawn arrives, one of our carrier task forces runs into their Japanese counterpart! Both sides circle each other at long range, but once the firing starts, we score a couple of quick hits and the Japanese make a break for it. This could have been messy, as the Japanese have two battleships to our one!



This leaves the Japanese carriers sandwiched between two of our forces, with island based support. They lost a lot of planes yesterday, and today's first sorty costs them more.



The second sorty loses 9 planes, mainly Jill's. Then we strike back, for once, they bombers go in supported, and in large numbers.



They burst through the CAP, and although we lose 11 planes, the damage done is well worth it!



You don't know how good it is to see those words. Then the southern task force sends in its planes.



One of the carriers is missing already, and the Kaga, Hiei and Haruna are hit again.



The Amagi is still around, but the land based bombers hit her once more.



The afternoon raids see no enemy fighters, and the slaughter continues.



The Hiei is reported sunk, and the Kaga is missing, could this really be true? Or is this a dream?




I can't have it all my own way. The Rangoon ships are savaged by kamikaze's.



The supplies they have unloaded do allow us to get more planes into the air though, and the next wave does not fare as well.



A later raid on our airfeild loses 29 planes for three hits, a trade I would happily make!







Well, what can I say?



Oh yeah, another 1000 points gained today, which means at least one carrier is about to join that list, and most likely both, our own losses have been light, but the Japanese lost over 150 planes today. This one could be a major turning point in the war.



Tomorrow, we have another go at hitting these ships.



PS “Oh Grey, you suck at everything, ha ha”