The Bear
33
0000 January 6th 1947.
Carrier Group C Flagship. IJN Hiyo, Malabar Coast.
Nagano Osami, Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, had left Tokyo to oversea operations around the Indian Ocean once the assault on Vladivostok had been called off. No sign of the British Carrier fleet operating in the area had been seen since it supported the invasion of Colombo a week ago. There had been a report a day earlier of a convoy attack off the coast of Ceylon and Osami had ordered both Carrier Groups C and D to move back towards the area to investigate.
They had sailed to escort 8. Kaigan Transport fleet to Ahmadabad in preparation for any further offensive during Operation Komodo. Admiral Mikawa was left to transit north ahead of the Carriers as they turned back south.
The weather had been good for several days all around the Indian coast which allowed Japanese spotter planes to see enemy shipping fairly easily but Osami knew that the convoys could have been sunk by the large British Submarine fleet also known to be in the area.
He was on the bridge of IJN Hiyo when the first reports came in from the spotter planes. The response was almost automatic as both Carrier Groups received the same information and six Japanese Aircraft Carriers turned into the wind as the crews were greeted with the sound of the alarm that would bring them to Action Stations.
Japanese Carriers would do battle with HMS Ark Royal and her escorting Battleships and smaller vessels as dawn arrived off the Malabar Coast. The experienced Japanese crews and pilots wasted little time in launching the first wave of attacks as they knew that they too would be receiving visitors from the much more modern HMS Ark Royal.
Four Japanese Carriers, led by IJN Ryuho, attacked the already damaged Battleship HMS Warspite as IJN Hiyo led the remaining two Carriers as they targetted HMS Ark Royal. IJN Junyo had been picked out as the target for HMS Ark Royal's aircraft. The British Battleships would be kept well out of range for the time being keeping the odds very much in Osami's favour.
By 0200 hours HMS Warspite had been sunk by planes from IJN Ryuho as HMS Ark Royal also sustained heavy damage as a further Carrier joined IJN Hiyo. HMS Prince of Wales became the new target of three Carriers as IJN Ryuho's aircraft led the attack again.
The battle was becoming very one sided by 0300 hours as HMS Ark Royal was close to sinking and HMS Prince of Wales also began to take very heavy damage. The escorting Light Cruiser and Destroyers could do little to prevent so many aircraft choosing their targets at will. IJN Junyo was taking light damage in comparison from HMS Ark Royal as the combined Japanese Carriers were able to provide much better protection with their Combat Air Patrols.
0400 hours would see the inevitable withdraw by the British as casualties mounted.
The victory had been almost total for Osami as the three British Capital ships were all sunk leaving just the escorts to escape. HMS Ark Royal would be claimed by IJN Hiyo as IJN Ryuho claimed both HMS Warpsite and HMS Prince of Wales. Carrier Group D, containing the damaged IJN Junyo, would head back towards Colombo for repairs as Carrier Group C turned north to continue to provide protection for 8. Kaigan and its Transports. The removal of the British threat had left any plans open for Operation Komodo if it could find a suitable target.
Osami received some news in regards to Operation Tedious at 1100 hours on January 6th as the Red Army launched an attack against the Cavalry in Tetyukhe province. Orders were already in place for such an event as all three divisions immediately began to board their landing craft and head back out to sea and the waiting Transport ships.
0000 January 7th 1947.
Airforce Offices. Tokyo, Japan.
Jun had been waiting for two things to occur and they came in a rush. One was on time and the other was later than had been hoped but was nonetheless welcome.
The first four Escort Fighter squadrons arrived from the production lines and would be attached to the Tactical bombers that were operating from southern Korea. They would rebase to Sapporo to pick up their new aircraft and continue to operate from there for the time being. They were targetting the area around Vladivostok and Sapporo was just as close as Korea for that task.
The second piece of news was the completion of upgrades to the final Interceptor squadron in Mj. General Tanaka's wing. He was ordered to Calcutta where a period of re-organisation would be allowed before he moved to the badly damaged airfield in Ahmadabad. Jun was curious and somewhat eager to know what the outcome would be when the new aircraft met with the Allied Strategic bombers.
Almost as if they knew what was coming the bombers attacked the airbase in Ahmadabad again to try and keep it almost un-usable. Saboru's Interceptor wing had still not completed upgrading to the new model but had recovered enough to try and protect their own airfield. The exchange would not be totally one sided but the bombers would suffer much the higher casualties as one squadron came close to being destroyed before the bombers broke off their attack. They had flattened the airbase during their bombing run despite the attentions of Saboru.