Background: Among the other skirmishes of the day was an air raid by SBDs on a battery position at the south end of Casablanca. The Batterie El Hank was threatening the fleet with four modern194mm guns plus four older 138.6mm guns in a modern bunker on a hill south of the city. The four SBDs of VS-41 were escorted by 2 F4Fs of VF-41 – but the escort was apparently not seen (or not cared about) by 2 Vichy Hawk 75A-3s. The SBDs tipped over into their dive, followed by the Hawk 75s. The F4Fs followed, chasing the Hawks off the dive-bombers’ tails, and into a small 2v2 match. .
2x Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless
2x Grumman F4F-4 Wildat
Vichy Armee de l'Air
=
2x
Curtiss Hawk 75A
El Hank Battery
Set Up
On the Ground: El Hank battery positions (Newer batteries in 1919, 1920, older batteries in 1720, 1820), Light House (0.2 alt in 1620), and AAA position (1821). See map.
Initial Aircraft Setup: Set up 2 F4Fs, 2 SBDs, and 2 Hawk 75A.
Set up the 2 SBDs in loose formation ready to tip over into dive run: player's choice for location and heading, speed (up to level max) and an upright bank, select altitude 6.0 - 8.0 in level flight.
Set up the 2 Hawks ready to chase the DBDs (roll on Tac Chart to select direction). 5+D5 total range (incluing altitude) to lead SBD. SBDs should be in front arc of lead Hawk. Player choice for speed, (up to level max), upright bank, altitude (minimum of SBD's lat and within total range) in level flight.
Roll to determine range from the F4Fs to the SBDs: Range for Hawks rolled above + D5. Set up in SBD's rear quarter at that total range (includes altitude) from lead SBD. Must also be at least the same distance form lead Hawk. FP of range must be altitude. Player choice for heading, speed (up to level max), and any upright bank in level flight.
Special Rules:
The French score double for shooting down an SBD with its bomb still attached. They score the value of an SBD if it jettisons its bomb before attacking.
The Light House is 0.2 high. Aircraft travelling through hex 1620 roll for collision as if they had met a barrage balloon.
Additional Rules:
National Training Standards: VF-41 was untested, and included no one with combat experience, although they had a lot of training. Many of the Vichy pilots had experience flying in the Battle of France and Syria:
US Navy: Average. Roll for additional characteristics as desired. No Aces.
Vichy Adl'A: Good. Roll for additional characteristics as desired.
Initial bombload: The SBDs are armed with a Mk13 1000 lb
SAP bomb, and is Loaded.
Battery positions: New battery positions have a hard defense
strength of 12 (treat as medium armor).
Old battery positions have a hard defense strength of 10 (treat
as light armor).
Vichy AAA: 4x twin Hotchkiss 13.2mm in 1721. Each is an
independent mount and can fire in any direction. Treate each guun as a hard
target, defense of 5 (light armor).
Weapon
Crit
MaxRange
0-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
13-16
19-21
22-27
Twin Hotchkiss 13.2mm mg
3
20
10
8
5
4
3
-
History
This attack, one of several, did not knock out El Hank. El Hank was hit by aircraft on 9-Nov-42, but was brought back into action the next day. It stopped firing to conform to the cease fire.
ADC Availablility:
F4F-4 Wildcat and the SBD-3 Dauntless dive bomber were published with Whistling Death.
The Curtiss Hawk 75A-3 was published in Air Power #49. An FW 2.0 (provisional) version is available at Uncle Ted’s.
Sources:
History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol II: Operations in North African Waters, Adm S. Morison.
Wildcats over Casablanca, M Wordell, E Seiler, Ayling.