January 2019 FSO
https://ahevents.net/index.php/fso-current-next-eventMarianas Madness
Introduction
The Battle of the Philippines Sea, also known as “The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” by American pilots, was the Japanese Navy’s final attempt to hold the Marianas Island chain in the South Pacific during 1944. It was also the fifth and final large-scale carrier to carrier battle of the surface and air war in the South Pacific. The Japanese began the battle outnumbered and in desperate need of a victory. The Japanese forces were outnumbered by well over 200 hundred aircraft. In addition to the Americans overwhelming numbers of aircraft, the Americans fielded 7 fleet carriers and 8 light carriers, while the IJN could only muster 5 fleet carriers and 4 light carriers.
The final result of the battle yielded great losses for Japanese Naval and Army Air forces and placed the Americans in a firm position to be unchallenged at sea for the remainder of the conflict.
Join the Aces High CM Team as we recreate the hot South Pacific air action in Marianas Madness.
