Clash at Midway
Shortly after 0600 hours, 108 Japanese fighters and bombers attacked Midway Island; quickly overwhelming the twenty-six U.S. Marine Corps fighters. Seventeen pilots were killed, and eight more on the ground were also killed in the attack. The Japanese ultimately failed in their attack, as they failed to render the runway inoperative.
At 0656 the Enterprise, and Hornet, turned into the wind to launch their strike force of fighters, dive bombers, torpedo planes, and scouts (Yorktown did not begin launching until 0838). The main Japanese task force was sighted around 1000 hours, and a very intense fight began to unfold. The American escort fighters were tangling with high Zekes, while the American dive bombers, and torpedo planes struggled to get to target, due to complications with faulty arming switches, or Japanese fighters.
Over the course of three decisive days in June, the IJN and USN fought tooth and nail to find, and destroy each other's carriers. Many historians consdier this pivotal battle to be a turning point for the USN in the PTO. The IJN would never fully recover the experienced pilots, planes, and carriers lost at Midway. For the USN there was still a very long road ahead, which led to further naval engagements around the Solomons.
*Special Notes
This FSO will pit the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy against one another in a search for each other’s task force. The containment zone will be 100 mile grid (Four sectors). Each task force will start in the center of the containment zone, and from there, can be sailed into any direction as long as the task force stays in the containment zone. The Japanese containment zone will start with four carriers in the containment zone to represent the Japanese Task Force (three of the carriers will be jumped outside of the containment zone. If the target carrier goes down, one of the remaining carriers will be jumped back into the containment zone for recovery efforts. This carrier will be off limits to the attacking American force.) The American containment zone will start with three carriers in the containment zone to represent the American Task Force (two of the carriers will be jumped outside of the containment zone. If the target carrier goes down, one of the remaining carriers will be jumped back into the containment zone for recovery efforts. This carrier will be off limits to the attacking Japanese force.)
If a carrier, or any ship for that matter goes down during any frame, it will NOT be available during the following frames to simulate the actual loss of ships (an exception will be made for the USN if they lose their third carrier during Frame Three).
In each containment zone there will be two battleship groups, one with a battleship, and one without to represent a destroyer screen. There will also be another CV group inside the containment zone without a CV to act as a destroyer screen as well. These are optional targets AFTER an attack has been made against the enemy aircraft carrier.
Axis
Carrier Division 1, Vice Adm. Nagumo:
2 aircraft carriers:
Akagi (CV-20), Capt. Taijiro AokiAir Unit, Commander Mitsuo Fuchida:
19 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters, Lt. Cmdr. Shigeru Itaya
18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers, Lt. Cmdr. Takehiko Chihaya
18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers, Lt. Cmdr. Shigeharu Murata
Kaga (CV-21) Capt. Jisaku Okada
Air Unit, Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kusumi:
18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters, Lt. Masao Sato
18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers, Lt. Shoichi Ogawa
27 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers, Lt. Ichiro Kitajima
Battleship Division 3, Rear Adm. Tamotsu Takama:
Haruna, Rear Adm. Takama
Kirishima, Capt. Sanji Iwabuchi
Carrier Division 2, Rear Adm.Tamon Yamaguchi:
2 aircraft carriers:
Soryu (CV-22), Capt. Ryusaku Yanagimoto
Air Unit, Lt. Cmdr. Takashige Egusa:
18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters, Lt. Masaharu Suganami
18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers, Lt. Masahiro Ikeda
18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers, Lt. Heijiro Abe
2 Yokosuka D4Y1 'Judy' dive bombers
Hiryu (CV-23), Capt. Tomeo Kaku
Air Unit, Lt. Joichi Tomonaga:
18 Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 'Zeke' fighters, Lt. Shigeru Mori
18 Aichi D3A1 'Val' dive bombers, Lt. Michio Kobayashi
18 Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bombers, Lt. Kikuchi Rokuro
Cruiser Division 8 (CV-24), Rear Adm. Hiroaki Abe:
Tone, Capt. Tametsugu Okada
Chikuma, Capt. Keizo Komura
10th Destroyer Squadron, Rear Adm. Susumu Kimura in Nagara:
CL Nagara, Capt. Toshio Naoi
4th Destroyer Division (CV-25), Capt. KÅsaku Aruga
Nowaki, Cmdr. Magataro Koga
Arashi, Cmdr. Yusumasa Watanabe
Hagikaze, Cmdr. Juichi Iwagami
Maikaze, Cmdr. Seiji Nakasugi
10th Destroyer Division (CV-26), Capt. Toshio Abe:
Kazagumo, Cmdr. Masayoshi Yoshida
YÅ«gumo, Cmdr. Shigeo Semba
Makigumo, Cmdr. Isamu Fujita
17th Destroyer Division (CV-19), Capt. Masayuki Kitamura:
Urakaze, Cmdr. Nagayoshi Shiraishi
Isokaze, Cmdr. Shunichi Toyoshima
Tanikaze, Cmdr. Motoi Katsumi
Hamakaze, Cmdr. Tsuneo Orita
*CV-24 will have no CV, only the cruisers and destroyers. Can be used as a crusier screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-25 will have no CV, and no cruiser, only destroyers. Can be used as a destroyer screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-26 will have no CV, and no cruiser, only destroyers. Can be used as a destroyer screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-18 will have no CV, and no cruiser, only destroyers. Can be used as a destroyer screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-19 will have no CV, and no cruiser, only destroyers. Can be used as a destroyer screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
Allies
Task Force 16, Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance
Task Group 16.5
Enterprise (CV-16), Capt. George D. Murray
Enterprise Air Group Lt. Cmdr. C. Wade McClusky:
27 F4F-4 fighters, VF-6 – Lt. James S. Gray
19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers, VB-6 – Lt. Richard H. Best
19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers, VS-6 – Lt. Wilmer E. Gallaher
14 TBD-1 torpedo bombers, VT-6 – Lt. Cmdr. Eugene E. Lindsey
Hornet (CV-12), Capt. Marc A. Mitscher
Hornet Air Group, Cmdr. Stanhope C. Ring:
27 F4F-4 fighters, VF-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Samuel G. Mitchell
19 SBD-2/3 dive bombers, VB-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Robert R. Johnson
18 SBD-1/2/3 dive bombers, VS-8 – Lt. Cmdr. Walter F. Rodee
15 TBD-1 torpedo bombers, VT-8 – Lt. Cmdr. John C. Waldron
Task Group 16.2 (CV-9), Cruisers, Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid
Pensacola, Capt. Frank L. Lowe
Northampton, Capt. William W. Chandler
Vincennes, Capt. Frederick L. Riefkhol.
Minneapolis, Capt. Frank J. Lowry
New Orleans, Capt. Walter S. De Lany
Atlanta, Capt. Samuel P. Jenkins
Task Group 16.4, Destroyer Screen, Capt. Alexander R. Early
Destroyer Squadron 1 (CV-10):
USS Phelps, Lt. Cmdr. Edward L. Beck
USS Worden, Lt. Cmdr. William G. Pogue
USS Monaghan, Lt. Cmdr. William P. Burford
USS Aylwin, Lt. Cmdr. George R. Phelan
Destroyer Squadron 6 (CV-11):
USS Balch, Lt. Cmdr. Harold H. Thiemroth
USS Conyngham, Lt. Cmdr. Henry C. Daniel
USS Benham, Lt. Cmdr. Joseph M. Worthington
USS Ellet, Lt. Cmdr. Francis H. Gardner
USS Maury, Lt. Cmdr. Gelzer L. Sims
Task Force 17, Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher
Task Group 17.5
Yorktown (CV-15), Capt. Elliott Buckmaster
Yorktown Air Group, Lieutenant Commander Oscar Pederson:
25 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters, VF-3 – Lt. Cmdr. John S. Thach
18 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers, VB-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Maxwell F. Leslie
19 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers, VS-5 – Lt. Wallace C. Short, Jr.
13 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers, VT-3 – Lt. Cmdr. Lance E. Massey
Task Group 17.2, Cruisers (CV-13), Rear Admiral William W. Smith
Astoria, Capt. Francis W. Scanland
Portland, Capt. Lawrence T. Du Bose
Task Group 17.4, Destroyer Screen (CV-14), Capt. Gilbert Hoover
USS Hammann, Commander Arnold E. True
USS Anderson, Lt. Cmdr. William M. Hobby, Jr.
USS Gwin, Lt. Cmdr. J. M. Higgins
USS Hughes, Lt. Cmdr. Donald J. Ramsey
USS Morris, Cmdr. Harry B. Jarrett
USS Russell, Lt. Cmdr. J. C. Pollock
*CV-9 will have no CV, only the cruisers and destroyers. Can be used as a crusier screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-13 will have no CV, only the cruisers and destroyers. Can be used as a crusier screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
*CV-10 will have no CV, and no cruiser, only destroyers. Can be used as a destroyer screen, but must stay in the containment zone.
Side Split
Axis 50%
Allies 50%
Planeset
Axis
Mitsubishi A6M2 Unlimited (Skins: Akagi Air Group, Hiryu Air Group)
Aichi D3A1 (12) Min (Skins: Soryu Air Group)
Nakajima B5N2 (12) Min (Skins: Hiryu Air Group)
Allied
Grumman F4F-4 Unlimited (Skins: VF-3, VF-6)
Dauntless SBD-5 (12) Min (VS-5, VB-6,)
Nakajima B5N2(Sub for TBD) (12) Min (USN is default skin)
Ordnance Distribution (Loadouts)
Axis
Aichi D3A1 - 1x 250kg bomb, 2x 50kg bombs
Nakajima B5N2 - 1x 800kg torpedo.
Allies
Grumman F4F-4 - 4x .50 Cal. or 6x .50 Cal.
Dauntless SBD-5 – 1x 500lb bomb and 2x 100lb bombs
Nakajima B5N2 (Sub for TBD) - 1x 800kg torpedo.
Terrain
Midway
Special Event Rules and Ordnance Restrictions
- This is a one life event. Pilots may not re-plane at their home airfields.
- Ordnance for each aircraft will be set by the setup CM in the hangar.
- All assaults must be made by no less than 12 attacking aircraft.
- All destroyed objects stay down for the entire FSO.
- Altitude CAP for all 22,000 feet.
Arena Settings
•Terrainmap: Midway
•Fuel burn rate: 1.0
•Anti-aircraft gun strength: 0.4
•Bombsight calibration: AUTOMATIC (MA standard)
•Icons: 3.0K yards (9,000 feet)
•Sector Radar ("bar dar"): OFF
•Dot Radar: OFF
•Fighter and Bomber warning range: 42,000 feet
•Tower range set to 42,000 feet (for display only, to match the above setting)
•Haze range: 8 miles
•Friendlycollisions: OFF
•Enemy collisions: ON
•Kill shooter: OFF
•Stall Limiter: Set ON (Players may disable)
Scoring
Single Engine Fighter - 5 pts
Single Engine Torpedo - 10 pts
Single Engine Dive Bomber - 15 pts
Carrier: 125 pts
Battleship: 100 pts
Cruiser: 75 pts
Destroyer: 50 pts
Wind
Altitude Speed Direction
00 - 02K 0 NO WIND
02 - 10K 05 W -> E
10 - 18K 13 N -> S
18 - 26K 27 E -> W
26 - 30K 38 S-> N
Arena Clock
Frame 1 0700 (7:00 AM, Morning)
Frame 2 1200 (12:00 PM, Midday)
Frame 3 1600 (4:00 PM, Afternoon)
Sources
http://www.midway1942.com/index.shtml
Kleiss, N. Jack, Never Call Me A Hero: A Legendary American Dive-Bomber Pilot Remembers The Battle of Midway
Special Shoutout to Greebo for making Midway era skins to be used for this setup. Definitelymeans a lot! <S>