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BY THE DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT

American Baptism of Fire

Pacific Theater Flying Fort Scenario

   December 6, 1941 four B-17C’s and two new B-17E’s from the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron and six B-17E’s from the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron, departed Hamilton Field, California for Hawaii; enroute to the Philippines as reinforcements. The aircraft were carrying no ammunition and their guns were stored. Armor was shifted forward to maintain trim as fuel was consumed. They arrived early on the morning of the 7th right in the middle of the Pearl Harbor attack. Fortunately only one of the twelve planes was destroyed and three were seriously damaged. Initially 14 B-17’s took off two turned back due to mechanical difficulties.

PEARL HARBOR SCENARIO

   This is a What If Scenario that assumes the flight of B-17’s that arrived in the middle of the Pearl Harbor attack were armed and able to fight back. You have 12 aircraft organized as follows:

88th Reconaissance Squadron 6 B-17E

Pilot and Landing Field

Major Richard H. Carmichael Haleiwa Field

Lieutenant Harol N. Chaffin Haleiwa Field

Lieutenant Harry N. Brandon Hickam Field

Lieutenant David G. Rawls Hickam Field

Lieutenant Robert D. Thacker Hickam Field

Lieutenant FranK P. Bostrom Golf Course on two engines

>>>Following forty minutes behind<<<

38th Reconnaissance Squadron 4 B-17C and 2 B-17E

Major Truman H. Landon Hickam Field

Captain Raymond Swensen Hickam Field strafed and destroyed after landing*

Lieutenant Bruce Allen Hickam

Lieutenant Karl T. Barthelmess Hickam Field

Lieutenant Robert H. Richards Bellows Field

??? Wheeler/Hickam Field may have landed at Wheeler initially and transfered

??? Hickam Field

*Flight Surgeon Lieutenant William R. Shick was aboard, any crewmen wounded on this plane gets to roll for injuries twice and takes the better result of the two. Shick was killed by strafing Zero’s.

Landing Totals:

Hickam Field  8

Bellows Field 1

Haleiwa Emergency strip 2

Other 1

 

 

   This mission will consist of two zones: (2)Island Approach W/H and (1) Landing Airfield H. (W=Water, H= Hawaii)

   Your Group is low on fuel, with tired crews who have been airborne 14 hours. They have been caught by surprise as they arrive in the middle of the Japaneese Attack on Pearl Harbor. Roll for the Island Approach in the “Non-Designated Target Zone” for number of waves,  any B-17 that is shot down has the option of a water landing. The Landing Airfield uses the “Designated Target Zone” for number of waves, all aircraft are considered out of formation as they separate seeking a place to put down and a B-17 that is shot down is considered to be over land.

Fw-190’s are considered to be fresh Zero’s arriving in the second wave with  adequate ammo and fuel, add 1 to number of shell hits.

Me-109’s are considered to be Zero’s low on fuel and ammo covering the withdrawing first wave, they roll normally for hits.

Me-110’s represent Val Dive Bombers and Kate Torpedo Bombers

subtract one from number of shell hits minimum of one.

When a Zero is hit by defensive fire add one to the damage roll to represent no armor or self-sealing gas tanks. (Nose 30 caliber does not get this bonus)

   Bombers in the Landing Airfield Zone can attempt to land at Hickam Field or one of the smaller fields after undergoing all fighter waves and friendly anti-aircraft fire. Before making making the landing roll each aircraft rolls one 1D6: on a 1-4 they may attempt to land; on a 5-6 attacks are to intense, the runway is blocked with wreckage or the tower has waved them off; modifiers (cumlative) to this roll are +1 if hit by flak and +1 for Hickam or Wheeler Field. If unable to land the B-17 must roll for fighter waves and undergo flak before trying again. The pilot does have the option to change landing areas. Example a B-17 gets waved off of Hickam so diverts to Bellows field hoping the Jap attacks will be less intense (ie better modifiers) Each aircraft gets three landing attempts, if waved off for the third time the plane runs out of fuel and the crew must bail out or crash land: ie the golf course or sugar cane field option.

Aircraft landing at Hickam or Wheeler add plus one to the die roll for number of attacking waves and undergo friendly fire Heavy Flak.

Aircraft landing at Bellows, Haleiwa or one of the other smaller fields subtract one from the die roll for number of attacking waves and undergo friendly fire Medium Flack. They also get -3 on their landing roll due to shorter runways.

Aircraft crash landing undergo friendly fire Light Flak and get -5 on their landing roll.

Any roll of 16/26/26/36/46/56 represents some of the few American Fighters that got airborne during the attack. That bomber may roll for Poor Fighter Cover on its next wave. A 66 roll indicates a brief lull and that bomber may land without undergoing any further attacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BY THE DAWN’s EARLY LIGHT

Sequence of Play

Alternate History 1.0

You have two separate groups of six B-17’s each; your goal is to land them safely during the attack.

Take off

A.Roll 2D6 for each bomber, that aircraft aborts on a roll of 7 due to mechanical    problems.

B.Roll for Fighter Waves in Island Approach Zone

C.Roll for Light Flak

D.Choose either Hickam or Alternate Field

E.Roll for Fighter Waves in Landing Airfield Zone

F.Roll for Flak

G.Attempt to land

H.If unable to land repeat steps E and F and try again

I.After three attempts bailout or crashland undergoing flak first

 

Alternate History 2.0

Assume both groups flew together with 38th as High Squadron and 88th as Low Squadron. 16/26/36/46/56/66 count as no attackers, driven off by formation defensive fire in the Island Approach Zone; in the Landing Airfield Zone the formation disperses and 16/26/36/46/56 represent friendly fighters and grant Poor Fighter Cover during the next wave. The 66 represents a brief lull that allows a bomber to land without any further attacks.

 

OPTIONAL RULES

AIRCRAFT TYPES

Option One (4 B-17D and 8 B-17E)

B-17C’s were upgraded to B-17D standard, Hess/Johnson/Marshall’s Book Big Bombers of World War II lists the flights as a mix of B-17C’s and B-17E’s

Option One A (4 B-17C and 8 B-17E)

The B-17C’s are not upgraded

Option Two (12 B-17D)

B-17C’s were upgraded to B-17D standard, Caiden’s Book The B-17 list both flights as B-17D’s. All aircraft are B-17D variants.

Option Two A (4 B-17C and 8 B-17D)

The B-17C’s are not upgraded

AIRCRAFT AVAILABILTY

Hess/Johnson/Marshall’s Book Big Bombers of World War II list the original flight as 16 aircraft, make abort rolls for 16 aircraft, if less than four abort you may beef up either of your squadrons with that many of the earliest model they are flying.

Caiden’s Book The B-17  list the original flight as 14 aircraft, if less than four abort you may beef up your squadrons with that many of the earliest model they are flying.

In both cases if more than four abort delete the appropriate number of aircraft from your starting force.

 

CREW QUALITY

Consider all US crews as green due to no combat experience and fatigue as they had been airborne for fourteen hours

The Japaneese Pilots are the cream of their Naval Air Arm; roll 2D6 for experience: 2 Green (-1 to hit and +1 when fired at)  3-9 Regular no modifiers 10-12 Ace (+1 to hit and -1 when fired at) Val and Kate pilots due not make this roll.

 

B-17C Flying Fortress

Gun blisters were innovatitive but not very practical. They were an attempt to provide the greater field of fire ,of a turret, while minimizing aerodynamic drag. In service it was found while they gave a reasonable arc of fire, elevation and depression were very limited and drag was considerable. 

The C differed from the B variant by having the waist gun blisters removed and replaced with oval shaped windows, with a port, for a single 50 caliber machinegun in each; the ventral gun blister was replaced by bathtub like housing for a single 50 caliber machine gun; the dorsal blister located at the radio operators station was replaced by a flush panel with a socket for a single 50 caliber machinegun; the nose contained a 30 caliber machine gun.

Initial models did not have self-sealing gas tanks

Engines 4 x 1200hp supercharged Wright Cyclones

Max Speed 300 mph at 25,000 feet Cruise Speed 227 mph Landing Speed 84 mph

Climb to 10,000 feet in seven and a half minutes

Max Range 3400 miles Range with 4000 pound bomb load 2400 miles

Armament 4 fifty caliber and 1 thirty caliber machine guns; up to 4800 pounds of bombs.

 

B-17C/D GAME MOIFICATIONS TO PLAY

Serial Numbers of the B-17C

40-2042 thru 402079

The Fortress MkI is the British version of the B-17C and is described in the 90 Squadron Campaign.

These rules modify the variant described in the AH General Volume 20 Number 6. There are some minor differences. The General article as written under B-17C actually describes the B/C/D models.

Armament Blisters as described in the V20/N6 were used on the B-17B. The B-17C had flush gun mounts.

 

Armament: All gun positions have 15 ammo points

B-17C

Four single-mount fifty caliber machine guns: Dorsal Mount fired by the Radio Operator, Port and Starboard Waist Guns, Ventral Mount use BT Gunner Position: field of fire is 6 level/ 6 low/ vertical climb.

One single-mount thirty caliber nose gun hits on six with minus one to the damage roll.

B-17D

Dorsal and Ventral Positions are increased to twin gun mounts

 

Crew: No Tail Gunner or position, these aircraft do have a navigator.

Fuel Tank Hits 1-3 Fire, 4-5 leakage, 6 Self-Seal on C variants re-roll 6

Fire Extinguishers put out the fire on 1-2 while 3-6 it continues burning with three attempts allowed.

 

>DamageTable Modifications< Pearl Harbor Scenario

No Bombs on board

Fuel Tank hits, reroll leakage 1-3 tank nearly empty no effect or 4-6 lose remaining fuel shutdown engine.

Armor from the rear of the aircraft was shifted forward as fuel was consumed.

Radio Operator, Ball Turret, and Waist all add plus 1 when rolling on wounds table.

Superficial Damage to Radio Room, Waist, and Tail Sections; roll 1D6 on a 1-3 no change on 4-6 reroll damage on appropriate table. If superficial damage comes up on a re-roll do not re-roll again.

 

B-17E GAME MOIFICATIONS TO PLAY

The E version is very similiar to the F variant, as used in the standard game, with following differences. The nose armament is 1 or 2 thirty caliber machine guns, roll a D6 1-3 one gun, 4-6 two guns, which hit on a six and subtract one when rolling for damage against any fighters. They can be mounted in the nose or cheek positions. The ball turret is remotely controlled and sighted through a periscope and only hits on a six and does not receive the twin gun damage bonus.

 

 

Custer’s Last Stand

Pacific Theater Flying Fort Scenario

   Captain Colin Kelly of the 19th Bomb Group (14th Squadron) stationed at Clark Field in the Philipines became one of the first American war heros, while flying a B-17C.  On December 10th his aircraft bombed the Jap Invasion fleet and came under attack by 7 A6M2 Zeros lator joined by three more. Included in this group was Saburo Saki (who would go on to become one of Japan’s leading aces with 62 victories). Initial passes killed the flight engineer and started a fire in the bomb bay. His aircraft was not equipped with self-sealing fuel tanks, and he stayed at the controls to allow his crew to bail out, before the plane exploded. He received the Medal of Honor posthumously.

 

Custer’s Last Stand I

B-17C bombs dropped and attempting to disengage

Seven Zero’s, one ace, roll on successive attacks table for initial positions each will make one initial attack and two follow up attacks; if the B-17 survives three more Zero’s attack in simliar manner to the first seven. Each Zero is limited to three attacks total due to the aircrafts limited ammo supply. After all attacks roll for landing the B-17 wins if it survives. Phyric Victory if the B-17 is shotdown but at least half the crew survives.

 

   In yet another Custer’s last stand scenario just four days lator Lieutenant Hewitt Wheless flying a B-17D from the 19th Bombardment Group became separated from its formation and was bounced by 18 Zeros. After repeated passes they shot out one engine, knocked out the radio, oxygen system, killed one crewman and scored over 1000 hits. Breaking off due to low fuel and ammo as well as losing three of their number.

 

Custer’s Last Stand II

Somehow this bomber survived

One B-17D bombs dropped and attempting to disengage

Eighteen Zero’s, roll on successive attacks table for initial positions each will make one initial attack and two follow up attacks. After all attacks roll for landing the B-17 wins if it survives.