WesWorld

Better to leave the battle with a cruiser under their belt and a refit in the yards than to lose one, possibly both brand new battlecruisers.

Discretion is the Better Part of Valor, Live to Fight Another Day...

The Brazilians definately took the right course here. However the Recifes remind me of S&G.



Something I was planning to do for a long time, and finaly got around to it. The Mexican Observers in Action:


Capitan Valenzuela was in a foul mood. Here he was stuck in the Capital of Argentina, while a few hundred miles away the South American forces clashed with the South Africans. He didn't even have a decent plane to fly. Apperantly the only plane left in the city not in military service was the Embassy's Douglas O-2M. For God's sake, that plane was being use for basic training! The Argentinian pilots weren't much better, if they were to be believed the entire South African Air Force had been shot down three times over. Well who could blame them, they had the fighters, he had the trainer. Well at least the Argentinians were going to show him around the airport. There might be something interesting there, and he might be able to bribe a pilot into letting him fly something bigger than a trainer.

***

So far there had been nothing of interest, just the local FMA I-100 air defence squadron, a squadron of A-1 Mapaches that apperantly had seen considerable action, and a number of bombers also pulled back for repairs. The fighter pilots had not proven exacly cooperative, something about rules and regulations BS. At least the bomber pilots had been talkative and unlike the fighter pilot stories, those by the bomber pilots at least sounded true. Apperantly the night raids were not working very well as the crews couldn't even find the targets. Rumor had it that the bombers where going to switchover to daylight missions. Well the FAA would have saved a lot of trouble if they'd only asked him. That was why the FAM trained in the US tactics of daylight precision bombing, none of that sneaking around at night stuff.

Well at least he would have something to write about...wait had he seen correctly? There in the gloomy reccess of a hangar where four sleek shapes. Yes those where definately in-line engined fighters, but the Argentinians were not supposed to have any of those. They probably were Spartan F-9s, there had been something in the last issue of Jane's about a deal, but the article on the rumored Bf-109R had taken precedence. No those were not F-9s either, retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpit, nose radiator...nose, ah yes! That plane he had seen before, at the Talons Over Cordoba competition, and latter in his dreams framed in the gunsight of the Aguila II, that plane was no other than the Italian CR.35, it would not hurt one bit to take a closer look.

"Señor! That area is off limits to all unauthorized personell!"

Ah yes his guide, "But I just wanted to take a look at your nice F-9s. You know I flew them over in Atlantis last summer, nice planes."

"Oh no Señor, the're new I-101 fighters very hush hush."

Well that figured, first interesting thing in Cordoba and he couldn't take a close look at it. And those planes where not I-101s, after all it was not a fluke that he was the reigning Aircraft Identification Champion of the FAM.

***

With the tour of the airfield almost over, something caught the attention of the Capitan. There alone in another hangar was a Vanquish bomber, nothing strange about that, but there seemed to be a considerable amount of work going on its fuselage. Why was this plane being singled out when there where quite a few damaged planes elsewhere on the field? No harm done asking the guide...

"So what's the deal with that Vanquish over there?"

"Umm Señor, I umm don't really know what happened, probably battle damage from the raid on Buenos Aires."

A likely story. The Argentinians where up to something. What? He did not know...

Quoted

Originally posted by Earl822
Fun, fun, fun.

The Hertog Alexander certainly did make the Brazillian's run, but how much of this was out of a desire to preserve ships despite their potential advantage in fire-power.

Glad you liked this part. Just wait - there might be coming more.... ;o)

Quoted

Originally posted by Hrolf Hakonson
Probably has a lot to do with the fact that the Brazillian BCs are part of a very short list of modern Brazillian ships, while Hertog Alexander is not at all new to the RSAN. As such, the Brazillian BCs must be preserved, while the Hertog Alexander can be risked. Not to mention that the shorter range imposed by the weather favored the Hertog Alexander, with her much heavier belt armor, over the Brazillian vessels, which skimped on belt armor in favor of deck armor.

I think you´re right. Those battlecruisers are the most advanced and most deadly units in the arsenal of the Brazilian Navy. Only those two units have the speed, range and fighting power for sustained raiding missions where they most likely encounter AMCs or light cruisers now and then.

These facts are why the RSAN decided to keep the elderly HERTOGs and gave away the KONINGs to Peru. The Brazilians and Argentineans with their BCs also have to be given credit for forcing the South Africans to build the VICTORY and RADIANCE classes. Well, they and the Italians with their super-CAs.... The modern RSAN battleline would just be too slow by 2 or 3kn to catch those South American BCs.

Quoted

Originally posted by Desertfox
Discretion is the Better Part of Valor, Live to Fight Another Day...

The Brazilians definately took the right course here. However the Recifes remind me of S&G.

Something I was planning to do for a long time, and finaly got around to it. The Mexican Observers in Action:

Thanks for posting the bit about the planes. Interesting stuff, this. Allows us some insight in other parties point of view....

Quoted

Originally posted by DesertfoxThey probably were Spartan F-9s, there had been something in the last issue of Jane's about a deal, but the article on the rumored Bf-109R had taken precedence.

Rumored Bf-109R? Which rumor would that be?

Good stuff.

Why this one. Your planning on building it, aren't you?

Heh, BFW won't be ready for another year or so with that plane (I'm planning on having the He-100 speed run in March of 1936). The first He-100 V1 is now flying around Rechlin, putting a bit of pressure on BFW to improve the Bf-109's aerodynamics for service use (ie, the Bf-109F improvements), and the -209 will be along for a race plane next year.

Building the 109R/209 might be a bit of a waste of time given the existance of three Macchi high speed test aeroplanes. Ordered back in 1933 to investigate high speed flight, they resemble the MC.72 but with retractable landing gear, a new cantilever wing and a fuller rear fuselage. They were built to investigate high speed flight at speeds of over 400mph by collecting real life data. They just haven't been used to set any speed records, as it's currently held by the MC.72 anyway...

Thread hijacked......

[Guess I should have written a fighter battle instead.... O.o]

Lol Hoo, you'll need more air battles for Hrolf, Foxy and RA's amusement!

Quoted

Originally posted by HoOmAn

[Guess I should have written a fighter battle instead.... O.o]

No no no, ships Gooooood !

Hmmm. Makes one wonder how much pressure Chile is feeling from all of this. If there is any pull into the war, or if they are just sitting it out but covering the southern passages (and freeing Argentinian ships from that region).

Argentina doesn't want Chile to actively engage in the war. It could get out of hand and encourage the Dutch and/ or India to stir into action. What would Chile gain from the war anyway?

Just covering those southern passages and saving the Argentines some ships to use elsewhere is helping a great deal. I'd expect border controls to be slack and maybe the blind eye to arms shipments to Argentina via Chile.

Volunteer pilots and soldiers are welcome however...

Atlantis has hoped that we have set an example by taking a neutral stance in reguards to the war, despite having many interests at stake as a result of not picking a side.

Another reason however is the inevitability that if the war expands beyond the current borders it could quite easily continue to expand untill we find ourselves in another great war. We remember how costly the last great war was.

[Sorry for the delay but finally here is the next part of the battle report...]

The Battle - Phase Four

Phase four began when the Hertog Rijnhard entered the battlefield at 0255pm. Coming up from the South she had been on course 340° when the Brazilians sailed out of the rain squall they disappeared in minutes before. Their guns still trained north, they were only 6600 meter away from the Hertog Rijnhard. The Recife was in the lead and the Rio de Janeiro 500 meters behind had just barely finished her turn. [Note 9]

Following the sighting report Captain Phelan Kell of the Hertog Rijnhard ordered maximum revolutions and course 308° to bring his entire battery to bear. Both main guns and secondaries were to open rapid fire on the leading Brazilian which also turned to open arcs. Their new course was 275° but at 0257° when range had dropped to a mere 6000 meters they turned to 330° which would bring them further away from the South African battlecruiser that appeared so suddenly to port. During these two minutes the Hertog Rijnhard achieved one hit with her main guns and also landed three 15cm shells while return fire from the Brazilians included two hits by 30,5cm shells and four by 12cm projectiles.

The SAP shell from the Hertog Rijnhard [Note 10] struck the port secondary turret abreast the Recifes forward superstructure. The mounts 75mm front plate was holed just left and slightly above the left gun port and the shell exploded while leaving through the back plate. Everybody inside the turret was killed or wounded and most equipment wrecked by either shell or splinters. A fire was started in the handling room but an ammunition fire could be prevented by swift action of the crew. Of the 15cm shells the first hit the Recife at her boat deck without doing much damage but splinters cut down five of her crew. The second projectile hit the barbet of B turret without much effect, leaving just a star-like mark 1,5m above the deck. The third hit the hull plating just aft of C barbet and exploded on impact. The plating was holed and splinters entered the hull devastating some crew quarters. Smoldering debris started a small fire but it was soon extinguished by damage parties.

As stated above the Brazilians scored twice during the 2-minute period, both from the Rio de Janeiro. Her first four salvos had been over but at 0257pm a single salvo landed two hits. Of these hits the first was against the Hertog Rijnhards forward funnel and passed through without exploding while the second hit the forward superstructure just above the upper 88mm gun. Two of the mounts crew were wounded. The shell exploded about 5 meters from impact and caused considerable damage. The wireless room and its environs were completely destroyed and put out of action. A total of 9 crew members were wiped out by this hit and another 14 wounded either by splinters, debris or the fire started. Two 12cm shells hit forward too, one against the coning tower without doing much harm and one hit the hull plating abreast the windlass, causing a hole 50cm x 70cm through which some water could enter the hull but the warships main pumps could easily handle it. A third shell hit the upper belt about 2 meters aft and 80cm below No. 4 15cm casemate and broke up or partially exploded on impact, leaving just a small scar on the 200mm plate. Finally there was a hit against the crane on starboard which was put out of action. It is believed this was a ricochet as its flight path was directed upward.

Notes:

[Note 9]
Torn between saving his ships for further operations and the chance to gain a great victory by sinking an enemy capital ship using favourable odds the Brazilin admiral decided to turn towards the Hertog Alexander again and ordered course 225° at 0254pm which would have made his force pass behind the enemy.

[Note 10]
The SAP (semi armour piercing) shells used by the South Africans are effectively base-fuzed HE (high explosive) shells with a slightly smaller burster and hardened nose compared to a standard nose-fuzed HE shell.

*Displays partisanship*

Go Hertog Rijnhard! *waves a little SAE flag*

At that range, HR's thicker belt armor should be a blessing to her. If she can slow the Brazilians down, then Hertog Alexander should be able to catch up and aid her. If not, didn't you report that the carrier Gripper was in the area? Airstrike!

Unless something serious happens to Rijnhard, I expect the Brazilians will be in a spot of real trouble soon...

Did the Brazillians hit with 2 12cm rounds or 4? The text says both.....

Given the weather it would be quite easy for the Brazilian ships to slip out of contact again unless they suffer speed loss from damage. Make smoke, head into a squall and they'll next be seen in a Brazilian port.

*looks at Brazil BC specs*

They carry torpedoes... At this range they stand a very good chance fo torpedoeing the SAE BCs.

Very interesting. I have a feeling the hit on the wireless room may be more critical in the end than the destruction of a secondary turret.

Go go Dutch! err South Afrikans!