Oh Canada!

111 Squadron Kittyhawk Mk IA of Kenneth Boomer

Going back to a bit of an Aleutian theme with this post, as I wanted to delve deeper into the Canadian involvement in the Aleutian Campaign, and I have to say there wasn't much of one from a front line perspective. After seeing numerous photos in The Aleutian Warriors - A History of the 11th Air Force & Fleet Air Wing 4 by John H. Cloe, I was hoping to locate more information on the Canadian participation in active duty against the Japanese, but have been a bit disappointed in that aspect. That is not to take away the importance of the RCAF and their Bristol Bolingbrokes (license built versions of the Blenheim Mk IV) and Curtiss Kittyhawks in filling a support function, there is but one mission in which 111 Squadron took an active part. 

By late summer 1942, Allied forces initiated the "Kiska Blitz." On September 25, a massive joint US-Canadian strike force took advantage of a break in the fog to hammer the occupied island. The operation was immense by Aleutian standards, with nine Consolidated B-24 Liberators, twelve Bell P-39 Airacobras, and twenty Curtiss P-40 Warhawks/Kittyhawks taking part. To bolster the overstretched 11th Air Force, the RCAF deployed four pilots from 111 Squadron, under the command of Squadron Leader Kenneth A. Boomer, a veteran with service in England. The flight from 111 Squadron was assigned to fly close and high cover in company with the USAAF 11th Fighter Squadron's P-40s. The Japanese 452nd Kokutai managed to scramble airborne resistance, but the severe weather and relentless bombing meant they only had two A6M2-N Rufes in flight-ready condition.

After protecting the bombers, the Allied fighters dropped down to strafe the harbor. In the ensuing low-altitude skirmish, Squadron Leader Boomer engaged the floatplanes and successfully shot down one of the Rufes, marking the only recorded RCAF air-to-air kill over North American soil during the Second World War.

Of course, this led to the creation of a scenario, starting with the Canadians after they completed the bomber escort portion of their mission. Next will be to buy even more P-40E models from Flight Deck Decals (need to buy more anyway to use with my Blue Falcon Hobbies 49th Fighter Group decals). Here is the single Canadian combat during the Aleutian Campaign:

Oh Canada!

Revamping the Rufe

A few months ago I hosted for the Check Your 6! Southwestern Ohio Group the Strike on Kiska scenario from Battles Above 3, and it did not go well for the Japanese (see HERE for that after action report). Outfitted in that scenario with five A6M2-n Rufes, the Japanese players could inflict but little damage to the B-25s or their P-40E escorts. Of course knowing that Check Your 6! is nothing if it is not a dice game, results may vary when running the same scenario several times. However I feel there may be a little more than just "luck of the dice" when it comes to using the Rufe.

On my bookshelves are three titles that deal directly with the Aleutian Campaign, including the recent two part series published by Helion. I've been re-reading these books, and then remembered that there was at least one video on the Aleutian Rufes (initially the 5th, but then redesignated the 452nd Kōkūtai) on the excellent Showtime 112 YouTube channel (it is actually a two part series). This morning I watched both of those videos, and I have become a bit more convinced that the poor showing in the scenario might have been partially due to the Rufe's CY6! ratings. 

In Part I of the Showtime videos it is mentioned that the addition of floats to the A6M2 Model 0 Zeke created a slower aircraft, but one without a loss of maneuverability. In CY6! the Zeke is rated (at lower altitudes) as A4 + 2(-) for maneuverability, speed, and agility, while the Rufe comes in at a paltry B3 + 1. I would make the argument that the Rufe's ratings should be enhanced a bit based on its performance in the Aleutians.

Early in its Aleutian deployment, the Rufe faced unescorted American heavy bombers. The floatplanes, always in fairly limited numbers, were able to damage and on occasion shoot down those large monsters, with one group of seven B-24s all taking damage during one mission. This would be a tough proposition in game terms as the Rufe only has a +1 agility advantage, going up against aircraft that have a robustness of 4. Even facing a B-25C is an almost even fight, as the B-25 has the same game agility as the Rufe, just one rating worse for maneuverability (B Chart vs. C Chart), and is a tough son of a gun to shoot down, as evidenced in the Kiska after action report linked above. 

Rufes also managed to do some solid work against American fighters, namely the P-39, P-40, and P-38 - faster and more robust aircraft. In all the 452nd Kōkūtai claimed seventeen kills and five probables against a loss of a dozen Rufes in combat.

Based on my reading and interwebs research (knowing the latter is always an adventure), I think the Rufe should be slightly improved in performance. Loaded weight and time to 20,000 feet favored the Rufe over the Zeke while both fighters used the same powerplant. I have changed climb and dive rates to a middle ground between the Rufe and the Zeke. Here are the game ratings and my proposed ratings.

I will be hosting the Strike on Kiska scenario a few more times to see if the proposed ratings work, or if I have created an overbalance.

Strike on Kiska AAR

I hosted the Strike on Kiska scenario from Battles Above 3, and I have to say it was a tough day for the Emperor's men. 

The initial setup allowed the Japanese players to close on the returning B-25s with relative ease. Yours truly commanded the Mitchells, and I thought I would have all sorts of trouble before a pair of rescuing P-40s could assist. I did not need to worry - a combination of the B-25's robustness with the use of a pair of hot dice (a set of Israeli dice from Fight's On, which have now become legendary, or infamous depending if one is on the giving or receiving end) made short work of the Rufes. The fact that the Mitchell is as agile as the Rufe certainly added to the Japanese futility.

The veteran Rufe pilot, leading others into the fray, would not survive this turn

Damaged...

The first Rufe closed in, a veteran pilot. While a lucky hit caused fire and panic among the bomber crew of fire and panic was inflicted, a couple of successful aircrew checks would eventually resolve both issues. Opening up with the top turrets in return, the veteran floatplane pilot was damaged by one Mitchell, and then sent spinning out the action by another. However, this result did not deter two additional Rufes from mixing into the bomber box, one finding itself squarely in the middle of American crossfire. The second of this pair was able to obtain a lucky hit, another fire. This one caused airframe damage, which then allowed the bombers to break formation and increase speed! One Rufe pilot showed tail, breaking off after seeing the destruction wrought by the Mitchells, which had been diving each turn to grab an extra hex since the beginning of the game, and now the increased speed assisted in creating more space.

Not learning by the example of the veteran's demise, two skilled Rufes move into the box...

...causing fire on the lead bomber...

...scratching a Rufe in return...

...the other Rufe turns tail, or perhaps passes an intelligence check

The focus moved to a fighter on fighter action as the pair of P-40s closed in. The superior firepower, robustness, and agility of the American fighters soon made short work of two additional Rufes, but in a final act of defiance, the last Rufe was able to damage a P-40.

The P-40s move to engage the Rufes.

The end result was an overwhelming American victory. One P-40 and one B-25 were damaged. All the Mitchells exited a friendly edge, and four Rufes were lost. The Rufe is truly a shite plane, with poor agility and robustness. However, a few die rolls in the other direction could have possibly the outcome.

Planes - Flight Deck Decals and painted by Miscellaneous Miniatures

Mat - Deep Cut Studio

The Commissioned Projects - Part IV

Another Check Your 6! project, that has the potential for expansion, is an Aleutian scenario from Battles Above 3 - Strike on Kiska. This scenario pits three B-25s and a pair of P-40Es against five A6M2-N Rufes. With the addition to the library of two reference books (Into the Endless Mist I & II, published by Helion), which has more of a focus from the Japanese perspective, I can see the Aleutians becoming a larger project. For now the focus is to get this unique scenario on the table top. Planes are all resin prints by Table Top Flights.

The B-25s will be painted in olive drab over neutral gray, with roundels of a white star on a blue field, representing the 77th Bombardment Squadron. The P-40s will be from the 11th Fighter Squadron, with their distinctive Aleutian Tiger motif (if Miscellaneous Miniatures can do that), again in olive drab and neutral gray with the same style of roundels.

The Rufes are a bit more complex, or maybe I just need to make a decision on how I want them to look. The initial batch in the Aleutians seemed to have the dark green over light gray scheme, but I believe later ones were painted overall ame-iro (the light caramel gray that was common on early war Japanese naval aircraft). It is a cool color, but being a bit of a historian I do like having accuracy whenever possible. Of course I could also do a mix of schemes. I most likely will settle on the dark green scheme.

From Into the Endless Mist

From the Bravo Bravo website

The Aleutians offer a mix of aircraft types from the Allied side, including Canadian P-40Ks in the standard British green and brown over gray. As always, more on all this in a future post!

Table Top Flights 1/285th World War II