Yorktown down! (Marechallannes US Navy)
Scenario 6: Yorktown down!
4th June 1942, 11:00 am, the Imperial Japanese Navy Carrier Hiryu launches a wave of Aichi Val dive bombers with escort fighters to attack the USS Yorktown, spotted by a Japanese recon plane before.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...6&d=1371974232
An hour later, the Yorktown’s radar detects two waves of incoming enemy planes. But the radar officer misjudges the altitude an the entire Yorktown’s Combat Air Patrol expects the enemy wave at a lower altitude.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...5&d=1371974046
This moment a part of the USS Hornet’s CAP becomes the advice via radio to support the defense of the USS Yorktown. Lt.JG. Kyte with his brand new Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat and Lt. JG. Heston with his Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat are in the best position at the moment and head for the higher flying Japanese planes.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...4&d=1371974046
Japanes Aichi Val dive bombers dive bombers, escorted by Mitsubishi A6M fighter planes head for the US Carrier.
Down below them, a flight of Kate B5N prepares for the torpedo run.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...2&d=1371973914
The situation when the USS Hornet’s CAP receives the radio message:
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...1&d=1371973115
Kyte & Heston head full speed for the incoming bombers, but as well that they are in a good position, it’s nearly impossible to blast the bomber formation before the Japs reach the Yorktown.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...0&d=1371973070
The Zeros increase their speed too, heading directly at the US Wildcats. The Japanese pilots know, that the US pilots can’t irgnore them without risking high damages.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...7&d=1371972836
Fortunately the green is in an unvavourable position and can’t shoot at Kyte’s Wildcat, but his wingman blast a full burst of cannon and machine gun bullets in the US planes fuselage.
The same time, the dive bombers opens fire at the Wildcats, too.
Heston’s plane suffers only a light damage, but the combined fire of the Zero and the Val damages Kyte’s plane really heavy.
The return fire isn’t that bad, but neither the bombers is critical hit nor the Zero gets that damage from the US plane’s 0.50 cal machine guns.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...8&d=1371972836
The fighters pass each other and Heston is able to concentrate his fire on the second Val dive bomber, causing a certain damage and take of the bomber’s rear gunner.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...9&d=1371972836
The Japanese fighters begin to torn to attack the US planes again.
Meanwhile the Wildcats perform Immelmann maneuvers and are able to get right on the six o’clock positions of the dive bombers.
Heston fires immediately at the second bomber when he comes out out of the half loop. He’s able to hit the Jap...
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...2&d=1371972330
...but it’s to late, the first Val dive bomber commences his dive bombing run to hit the US carrier.
The CV’s AA fire is split up between the attacking torpedo planes and the dive bombers, A chance for the Wildcat’s to follow the attackers.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...3&d=1371972330
Heston is able to fire again at the second bomber, that starts his dive bomb run too, but he doesn’t cause enough damage to shoot it down.
„God damn,“ he thinks, „the Japs are through!“
The leading Val bomber releases his bomb an a few second later a big explosion on the deck of the rear end shakes the USS Yorktown down below.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...4&d=1371972330
A third Wildcat of the USS Hornet’s CAP comes in range. It’s Ensign Jeremy Taylor’s Grumman FM-1 Wildcat.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...8&d=1372012866
Heston and Kyte dive to follow the bombers but again, they’re not able to intercept the second bombers before it releases his bombload.
Heston’s Wildcat overshoots the bomber and a second explosion on the ships deck, near the island, shakes the USS Yorktown.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...8&d=1371972099
The only positive fact in this moment is the circumstance, that the Japanese bomber pilot is too busy to open fire ar the US plane.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...9&d=1371972099
The leading dive bomber turns away into the direction of his fighter escort, but the second one turns left, right in front of Lt.JG. Kyte machine gun fire.
The 0.50 cal bullets rip the complete flank of the Val. The Jap pilot lost control over his bomber and the crippled plane falls down into the sea.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...0&d=1371972099
Meanwhile Ensign Taylor is able to catch up with his comrades and the three US pilots of VF-8 are angy and determined to hunt down the attackers.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...1&d=1371972099
The bomber’s gunner realizes the danger and after a short burst after Heston’S F4F-4 he concentrates now on Kyte’s already damaged F4F-3.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...4&d=1371971931
Kyte and Taylor come in range and shoot at the bomber, that tries to escape.
The US planes damage the Val, but the rear gunner has good shooting abilities and more and more bullets of his 7,7-mm-MG Typ 99 hit Kyte’s Wildcat.
Both are not willing to surrender.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...5&d=1371971931
The concentrated fire of the US planes brings the jap bomber finally down in flames, but a last burst from the rear gunner’s MG sealed the fate of Kyte’s plane, too.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...6&d=1371971931
A hard fight ends when both planes are going down in wide curves.
Heston and Taylor have no time to watch after their comrade and need to pay attention to the remaining escort fighters. Especially Taylor has no time to feel happy about his first shared kill.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...7&d=1371971931
The green Zero curves in and burst a full salvo into Taylor’s machine and damages it’s engine.
The US pilot’s return fire isn’t that precise, but combined with Heston’s burst from the six o’clock position behind the Jap it’s enough.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...3&d=1371971700
Another shared victory for Ensign Taylor! This time with the assistance of his comrade Lt.JG. Heston.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...2&d=1371971653
The remaining Zero has finished his Immelmann and passes the Wildcats without a chance to fire at them.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...1&d=1371971325
Heston leads his plane with full speed into an half loop and manges to place a long burst from his six MGs right into the center fuselage of the Zero.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...9&d=1371971234
The damage is too high to keep the Zero in the air and the plane follows his comrade into the blue waters of the Pacific.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...7&d=1371971195
Heston oders his comrade via radio back into formation and the fighters return to the carriers.
They pass the position were Kyte’s plane was shot down, but couldn’t spot him. Heston transfers the position data via radio to the Task Force.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/att...6&d=1371970896
