After the Solomons operations had concluded, most U.S. Marine aviation remained in and around the Solomons areas, or moved north and operated out of the captured airfields of the Nimitz's thrust through the Central Pacific. Likewise, US Army Air Force resources had been supporting MacArthur's push through New Guinea and into the Phillipines. Neither service had participated in the same scale of joint operations that had characterized the desperate days of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal in late 1942. But, due to poor weather and lack of resources on Leyte, 5th Air Force was not able to move as quickly to operate out of the new fields captured during the landings in late October of 1944. Meanwhile, off the coast of Leyte, Admiral Kincaid's 7th Fleet was being involved in an on-going air and naval battle that was increasing in intensity. Even after the failed attempt by the Japanese Navy to drive off the invasion force, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese continued to move ships and aircraft throughout the Leyte and Samar island areas to disrupt the allied assault on Leyte, while Kamikaze attacks increased on the ships in San Pedro Bay. Admiral Kincaid began to feel more exposed and pressed 5th Air Force and General MacArthur for more air cover. A compromise was reached, when MacArthur ordered Marine Air Group 12 to move to Tacloban, and begin operations under the command of 5th Air Force. Ultimately, through December 1944 and January 1945, MAG-12, and eventually MAG-14 participated in the second major joint air campaign of the war as they teamed up with 5th Air Force assets to support both 7th Fleet at sea, and 6th Army on Leyte. This FSO will attempt to recreate the events of December 1944 and January 1945 in the Phillipines.
Frame 1: 7 August, 0800 T-Time
Frame 2: 14 August, 1400 T-Time
Frame 3: 21 August, 1100 T-Time
Aircraft:
USAAF/USMC
F4U-1A (48 Min)
P-38L (48 Min)
P-40E (24 Min)
P-47D25 (48 Min) (Sub for P-47D23)
B-25C (16 Min) Formations enabled
A-20 (24 Min)
B-25H (16 Min)
IJA/IJN
A6M5 (Min 96)
Ki-61 (Min 64)
Ki-84 (Min 24)
Bf110C (Sub for Ki-45 / Min 20)
Ki-67 (20 Min) Formations enabled
Rules:
Map: Luzon
Special Rules:
--Manual calibration will be used for bombers
--Ship hardness = X3 (3 times as hard to destroy)
Arena Settings:
--Fuel Burn 1.0
--Icons Short
--.4 Ack
--Fighter and Bomber Warning Range 48,000 (~8 nautical miles)
--Tower Range 48,000 (~8 nautical miles, To Match Warning Range)
--Visibility 17 Miles
--Wind speed will vary with altitude and frame. See Objectives
--Radar Off
--Enemy Collisions On
--Friendly Collisions Off
--Killshooter Off
--Takeoff time per frame descriptions above
Task Groups:
(1) Task Groups will consist of the all ships except the CV (i.e. Cruiser and Destroyers only). They will be placed on
the map by the Frame Objectives (by the Admin, me) but shall be under Allied CIC control during each frame. See Frame
Objectives each week.
Get your squadron information updated--that includes a 3rd POC for each squad. If you do not have a 3rd POC, you need to find one, or else you can't modify your squadron information. That being said, if there's any discussion or Q & A, please post it here...
<S>
Stoney
