Off Oran (8-Nov-42)

Background: In addition to landing at Casablanca, Operation Torch included landings in Algeria, off the two large ports at Algiers and Oran. While the US Navy handled Casablanca, most of the naval support for operations in the Med were handled by the Royal Navy, including its carriers. If the Vichy French were not that pleased at the Americans showing up to land unannounced, they thought a good deal less of the Royal Navy coming to visit (even if they were landing Americans), as they recalled the last British visit to Mers el Kebir mere weeks after the Armistice was signed. The French scrambled aircraft as part of their response.

Fleet Air Arm began with an attack on La Senia, the main airfield near Oran, with eight Albacore bombers escorted by six Sea Hurricanes. After dropping 3 tons of bombs, the air assault turned back out to sea to return to Furious. Just off the coast, they were attacked by nine angry D.520s of GC I/3, and a melee ensued.

An attack by Albacores escorted by Seafire IICs and Sea Hurricanes that was hit on the way out by D.520s. 7 D.520s and 4 Albacores were destroyed

Next, the British planes sweep over the critical La Senia Airfield, five miles south of Oran, where French AA gunners are waiting. As black puffs of smoke fill the sky, all eight Albacores peel out and dive on the hangars, dropping 250-lb. general-purpose bombs. 24 bombs hit the hangars, leaving a reasonable amount of destruction. The French score no hits.

As the Albacores wheel for home, HMS Furious spots a second strike on her flight deck, 10 Seafires with orders to strafe La Senia and Tafaraoui airfield, 10 miles further inland. The Seafires streak in on the deck, at eye-level. French Dewoitine 520s, up-sun and at altitude, attack the British fighters. Some of the French pilots have already gained kills against the RAF in Syria. The British break formation to counterattack. The Seafire is slightly superior in design to the Dewoitine, and so are the British aviators. The British shoot down five De 520s, while the French shoot down three Seafires. Oddly enough, while the French vigorously defend their airfields, their bombers make no effort to attack the British fleet offshore.

Map

Any blue map (at sea)

Length

20 turns

Set Up

• Set Up the Albacores in fixed formation, headed NW, speed 3.0, level bank, in flevel flight, at alt 5.0.
• Set up the Sea Hurricanes as two vics to either side within escort parameters, same speed and heading in level flight.
• Set the Dewoitines at max level speed, (x far behind), a bit above?

Special Rules:

One Albacore was damaged by AAA at La Senia. RAF player is to role a D8 to determine which aircraft, then roll 1D8+3 for damage; add a critical hit for every 3 points of damage. Reveal which aircraft is damaged if damage level is severe.

Additional Rules:

1. National Training Standards:
2. The Albacores are organized a a squadron in two flights of four.
3. Albacores start in fixed formation. They may leave it at any time. 
4. Albacores are unloaded, carrying no ordinance.
5. Sea Hurricane IICs (armed w/ 4 20mm cannon) are organzied in 3 pairs.
6. D.520s are organized as 3 pairs and a vic.

ADC Availablility:

• Fairey Albacore was published in Air Power #47
• For Sea Hurricane IIC, use Hurricane IIC. Only diffrence is that it is carrier-equipped.
• Dewoitine D.520 was published in Air Power #48

History

The bombing run had been successful - the Albacores destroyed or damaged 47 aircraft (mostly light and medium bombers) and 6 hangars. The D.520s concentrated on the bombers. The Albacores got the worst of it, 4 being shot down, its Squadron Leader perishing. 3 D.520s were lost. Three more D.520s were lost less than an hour later when 3 Seafires from Furious returned to La Senia and strafed, hitting them as they took off.

Sources:

• Guarding the Straits of Gibraltar