Chickenhawks Over New Guinea #5

All,

1130 local time
19 May 1942
New Guinea

Greetings all, having just wrapped up the Coral Sea battles, I figured it's time to head back to my U.S. Army Air Corps fighter squadron, the 565th Tactical Fighter Squadron, better known as the "Chickenhawks." The last we saw of the Chickenhawks was back in February of 1942; they'd started out fighting the Japanese over the Dutch East Indies before falling back to Australia and becoming embroiled in the fighting over Darwin. After things quieted down there, they ended up moving over to Brisbane, where they had a quiet period of daily patrolling to bring in replacements and get them trained up. But they got word at the end of April that they'd be moving soon, and immediately after the Battle of Coral Sea they packed up and shipped out, heading up to Port Moresby on New Guinea, making Kila Kila Airfield, AKA "3 Mile Drome," their new home on 11 May 1942. They only had a couple days before they were called to action.

On 13 May, Captain Cotton led six P-40s against four Zeros and six Bettys. One Zero and one Betty were downed at the cost of three P-40s and 25/30 damage points on the New Guinea Harbor Facilities.

On 14 May, Captain Goode led a depleted flight of only four P-40s up against four Zeros and six Bettys, and it was an unmitigated disaster. All four US fighters were shot down, with Captain Goode and Lt O'Brien killed in action, while the enemy didn't lose a single aircraft! The Japanese bombers quickly finished off the Harbor Facilities, and pounded the Marshalling Area (22/30 damage points).

On 16 May, Major Jordan led the squadron aloft to intercept six Bettys escorted by four Zeros, but Lt Daniel was the star of the show. The Americans lost a single P-40, but they knocked down two Zeros and four Bettys, with Lt Daniel knocking down four of those aircraft and winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. The remaining two Japanese bombers jettisoned their bombs and returned to base, so no bombs fell on the Allied Marshalling Area (still 22/30).

On 18 May, 1st Lt Pace led a flight of four P-40s on escort duty for six B-25 Mitchells detailed to pound Wewak's POL storage tanks. They met five Zeros over the target, with all five being shot down, though two of those were actually by the bomber crews, who took heavy losses. While the Chickenhawks only lost one P-40, four of the six bombers were shot down, and they barely scratched the POL target (6/30 damage points).

Now it's 19 May and two patrols have run into each other over No Man's Land. Captain Cotton is leading a two-ship section when a Japanese two-ship section is spotted.

This is my arena for aerial combat; simple, yet durable and, to me, beautiful (in a simple, durable way). I'm using tiny aircraft designed by my buddy Thomaston; not sure what size they are, just that they are much smaller than 1/600. They're 3D printed by models that I mounted on cut-down bases from Litko, and I'm using a very simple rules system called "Battle of Britain," which I found for free over on The Miniatures Page (I've already played a good 20 or so fights with them). Left is north, with the Japanese there, and the American at right.

The US patrol, from top:

2nd Lt Lageman, a Regular

Captain Cotton, a Veteran

Bomber targets are:
POL Storage (6/30)
Warehouse Yard
Wewak Airfield

The Japanese patrol, from top:

Zero 01, a Veteran
Zero 02, a Regular

Targets:
Harbor Facilities: Destroyed

Marshalling Area: 22/30

Airfield

I'm playing a 'fighter sweep' mission; prior to every game I roll to see what the mission is:
1-3 Americans defend
4-5 Americans attack
6 Fighter Sweep

Then I roll on a roster to see which pilots are in the fight, with losses from previous fights screwing things up in terms of those planes not being available. So that's how we ended up with two fighters facing two fighters.  The last piece was to roll to see which side goes first, high die wins.  The Yanks are up.

Of course, I didn't take a picture, but we fast forward throught he first couple turns.

Lt Lageman is just kinda chilling...

While Captain Cotton zooms straight in, pulling alongside Zero 01, keeping his options open.

Zero 02 cruises in.

As Zero 01 cuts hard right, keeping his options open as well, and trusting that Lt Lageman (off camera to right) won't be able to swoop in on his tail.

And he's right, Lt Lageman just kinda keeps moseying along...

So Captain Cotton, with his wingman screwing off, is now a bit worried.  He pulls right, defensive, but may have given Zero 01 (bottom left) too much space.

Zero 02 cuts hard left, into him.

But luckily, Zero 01 pulls left to confront Lt Lageman (right).

Who jinks in behind Capt Cotton, unable to line up a shot on Zero 02 (top left), so just kinda protecting his boss's tail.

Confusing the hell out of the good Captain, who pulls ahead...

And performs a 'Split-S' maneuver to reverse course.

Zero 01 pulls around to the left, in good shape on Lt Lageman.

As Zero 02 jinks over and takes a front aspect shot on Captain Cotton!

Though he misses and pulls around him, defensive.

With Zero 01 (bottom right) on his tail, Lt Lageman is in big trouble.  So he decides to ignore the threat and pull right, lining up a frontal aspect shot on Zero 02...

A couple .50-cal rounds strike home, damaging the Zero, and he cuts hard left, defensive.

*Damn, I can't believe I hit him, but then only damaged him...

Captain Cotton then jinks over to watch his wingman's tail.

But Zero 02 then pulls off a helluva maneuver to roll right, onto Lt Lageman's tail.  Tracers zip past...

But none hit, and the Japanese pilot jinks past, defensive.

As Zero 01 pulls right, into Lt Lageman.

Who immediately executes and Immelman, flipping the script on the enemy fighters!

But Captain Cotton is in trouble, not enough energy to do anything cool, so he just nudges right, which puts both Zeros on his tail...

And Zero 01 pounces...

20mm cannon shells slam into Captain Cotton's P-40, knocking large pieces of his plane out into space, until he's forced to bail out.  It takes him a couple days, but he's able to walk back into the airbase safe and sound.

Zero 02 cuts right, working to get on Lt Lageman's tail.

Then pulls an Immelman, in great position.

As Lt Lageman pulls up...

And does his own Immelman, holding serve with Zero 02.

As Zero 01 comes shallow left, playing the long game, let the young American Lieutenant get nice and comfortable chasing Zero 02, then jump on his ass.

Zero 02 cuts hard left and takes a wild shot at Lt Lageman, but misses and pushes into another Immelman!

Which is matched, again, by Lt Lageman pulling an Immelman!  Very crafty, putting him in good shape on Zero 02 (left), while enabling him to keep an eye on that pesky Zero 01 (bottom right).

Who comes left, straight in on him.

But Zero 02 pulls right, behind him.  They're getting close to trapping the young Lieutenant.

So he pulls a desperation move: he rolls right and goes head to head with Zero 01!  Both pilots set their guns to blazing...

And Zero 01 goes down in a ball of flames!  But uh-oh, Lt Lageman's P-40 was damaged, too.

Zero 02 reverses course yet again, putting him in good shape on Lt Lageman's tail.

Damaged, low on fuel and ammo, and in bad position, Lt Lageman does the only sensible thing: he dives away from the Zero, knowing the lighter aircraft can't keep up, to disengage and return to base.

Well, a little fight, but it was kinda interesting, and a lot of fun, despite coming out dead even.  It's funny that the two more experienced pilots are the ones that went down.  I really enjoyed the twisting, turning nature of the dogfight, waiting for someone to make a mistake, or to be forced into a desperate move, which worked out for Lt Lageman.  If it hadn't, more than likely both Americans would likely have gone down at no cost to the Japanese.

2nd Lt Lageman scored one kill, and gets bumped to Veteran for his display of heroics and aeronautical skill

Captain Cotton was shot down and bailed out over the jungle, though he made it back to base okay

Next up on the docket is another US bomber escort mission, coming right up.

V/R,
Jack