AAR PTO –Scen. CAP (Allies – 488th RNZAF – Singapore) 23. January 1942
Singapore is in trouble. The 488th RNZAF is flying out of Podunk Airfield, as Kallang is getting hammered. 6 pilots & 6 planes started, but they are down a pilot and 3 planes. They did receive a single replacement Hurricane, so they can fly 4 planes if they need. And they will soon.
What has come before:
16-Jan-1942 Warmup CAP - (Rowley arrives – 4 japs strafe Podunk field – Noel Sharp defends. Noel KIA – 3 jap downed – Rowley ok – lands – plane out a bit
17-Jan-1942 Warmup CAP (RTB – hvly dmgd – pilot ok – got a kill!) Sqd Leader vs 2 Jap
19-Jan-1942 Scenario 1: Sleeping Giant - RNZAF defend Singapore harbor (Jan-42): Gloster Glad (x1) & Buffalo (x1) vs Ann/(Vals) (x2) (2 planes shot down – pilots ok – back for Scen 3)
22-Jan-1942 Scenario 2a: RNZAF defend infantry from Japanese attacks (Singapore Jan-42): Gloster Glad (x1) & Buffalo (x1) vs Nate (x1) & Oscar (x2)
TODAY:
23-Jan-1942 Scenario CAP: RNZAF (Singapore Jan-42): Bristol BeauFORT vs Nate (x2) The first six Australian built Beauforts reached Singapore just after the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941. One of these was attached to Air Headquarters, Singapore as a special reconnaissance aircraft; this Beaufort carried out one mission, during which it was attacked by Japanese fighters and returned to base to be written-off. It was soon decided that the Beauforts were under-armed, with insufficiently trained crews and the five remaining Beauforts returned to Australia (Depending on the Mark/model, this plane had a single wing mounted .303 MG and the rear dorsal turret with a single .303 MG. )
NO PICS - PHONE WAS CHARGING AND WAS FLYING TO KNOCK THE RUST OFF SINCE IT's BEEN AWHILE. I used the solo-rules as printed in the official rules for the Beaufort (flip the top card of the deck over and it worked 100% realistic, but that meant he actually turned like 5 straight times and would have gone off the board, so I made a "correction" once. After that, it went as if I had planned it out
.
This is the story as heard on PO Rowley's cockpit mike, as well as told by him upon the return. A Beafort is racing home after a photo recon, and is intercepted by 2 Oscar's, Rowley was in a Buffalo, but didn't enter the board for 4 turns, he started at the opposite end of the playing area when he did enter.
PODUNK: "Marmot 1. Photo recon coming come, says he wants an escort. Don't worry about fuel, we have that, just no planes to put it in!"
ROWLEY: "Roger, that, will head to meet him."
ROWLEY: "I see him, dead ahead, opposite of me". (Opposite sides of the playing area, center for each). "Two bogies, at 9 oclock, they will reach him first. He's gonna have to do some flying. Hang on Beau, I've got the throttle open."
ROWLEY: "These Jap pilots are eager, they nearly collided trying to intercept. Beau has turned to my 3 to avoid em."
ROWLEY: "Still turning, but they are going to intercept! Hold on" (Rowley enters the board.)
ROWLEY: "That's the worst pincer I've ever seen, but they have their guns on him... Oh a rear gunner! Get em!" (Minimal damage to green oscar, 3 to Beau)
ROWLEY: "Moment of truth, they meet....all 3 are past each other! Smoke from the Beau's starboard engine..he's still flying. Beau is turning to 9 oclock and running hard, I'm almost there." (Beau has an engine hit, has taken 8 or 9 of total of 18 damage, and despite being on the absolute right side of the board, turns towards the opposite and runs directly that direction, mottled oscar follows him, green oscar Immels to face Rowley).
ROWLEY: "Playing chicken with one...Firing! Look out! Damn, that was close, he clipped me!. Seem to be ok though. Turning to help Beau". (Rowley and green fired, then collided, but Rowley turns and is on an intercept directly behind the mottled oscar who is focused on the Beau, the green oscar has to immel. Rowley took 2 damage, green took 5)
ROWLEY: "Damn, Oscar just shredded the dorsal turret!" (5 or 6 damage, and wounded gunnerr)
ROWLEY: "Got my own shot.....BOOM! Got him, i friggin got em!".
ROWLEY: "Where is that other...on my six! Run Beau!" (Green is at long range behind Rowley. Green is at about 1/2 damage and Rowley is at 1/5 or so, Green takes a pot shot, misses, and decides to head home)
ROWLEY: "He's breaking off. Marmot returning home with a Beau".
BUTCHER TALLY:
Rowley - RTB, minimal damage, 2nd Kill in 2 sorties - no longer a rookie!
Beaufort - 15/18 damage, lost an engine, and gunner WIA (Out 6 scenarios, which will see him evacuated from Singapore).
Japanese Oscars - 1 destroyed, 1 RTB w/ 1/2 damage.
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