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Of Decisive Importance: Operation Pedestal

Of Decisive Importance: Operation Pedestal 1942

Six Hawker Sea Hurricanes of 885 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm with their engines running, ranged on the deck of HMS VICTORIOUS. All are ready to take off the moment an enemy aircraft is spotted.

Also known as the Malta Convoy and the Santa Maria Convoy, Operatiojn Pedestal was a massive convoy operation by the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm in the Mediterranean in August of 1942. Malta was the destination as it was seen as an integral part of winning North Africa and eventually Italy for the Allies. Supplies, men, and indeed aircraft had to be delivered to Malta in order to build up its status as an island fortress. Once word gout out to the Italians and Germans, Göring emphatically delivered orders to halt all air operations in the Mediterranean and focus solely on destroying the convoy: "[The Luftwaffe] will operate with no other thought in mind than the destruction of the British convoy ... The destruction of this convoy is of decisive importance."

The Fleet Air Arm defended the large convoy day and night against Italian and German attacks from August 10-15, while also delivering Spitfires to Malta. This event seeks to recreate the fierce battles over the fleets during that week in August, 1942.

 

Allies: 48% / Axis 52%

Order of Battle (Frame 1):

FAA

Luftwaffe/Regia Aeronautica

Martlet Mk. II (F4F-3)

-

C.202

-

Sea Hurricane

   -  

Ju 88

MIN 12

 Hour 2:

FAA

Luftwaffe/Regia Aeronautica

Sea Hurricane          

-

C.202

 

   -  

Ju 87D

-

Order of Battle (Frames 2 and 3):

FAA

Luftwaffe/Regia Aeronautica

Spitfire Mk V

-

Bf 109F-4

-

Martlet Mk. II (F4F-3)

-

C.202

MIN 12

Sea Hurricane

MIN 12

Ju 88

MIN 12

Hour 2:

FAA

Luftwaffe/Regia Aeronautica

Martlet Mk. II (F4F-3)

    -  

C.202

-

Sea Hurricane

-

Ju 88

-

 

Loadout Restrictions:

F4F-3 - No 6x.50 cals
Ordnance disabled on all fighters.
1,800 Kg bomb disabled on Ju 87D.

Notes:

Fighter Alt Cap: 20K
Jabo Alt Cap: 14K

Scoring:

Aircraft - 1
CV - 12
CA - 8
DD - 4
(Max of 1 fleet in 1st hour)
All targets worth half value in Hour 2.
HMS EAGLE's flight deck is awash as a merchant ship from the Pedestal convoy presses on.
Recommended Skins:

806 NAS - Martlet

885 NAS - Sea Hurricane

102 Gruppo - Ju 87

KG 54/77 - Ju 88

JG 77 - Bf 109F

No. 249S - Spit V

Arena Settings:

- Terrain: italy
- Fuel Burn: 1.0
- Clouds: med5kmed15k
- Icons: 3K Friendly/Enemy
- Ack: .3
- Fighter and Bomber warning range: 63360 (about 12 miles)
- Tower range set to 63360 (for display only to match the above setting)
- Haze/Fog: 15 miles
- Radar: Off
- Enemy collisions: on
- Friendly collisions: off
- Killshooter: off
- Time: 1000 (10AM) Game Clock
- Formations: On
- Formation Autopilot: On
- Bomber calibration: Automatic
- Wind: 0K-2K NO WIND
2K-8K: S TO N - Speed 5
8K-14K: SW to NE - Speed 10
14K-20K: S to N - Speed 15
20K+: 45MPH Downdraft

           

Area of Operations:

Pedestal Map

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