Special: from 5am GMT January 30th till 5am GMT January 31st
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The Palembang Raids
If asked to name a single battle in which the Fleet Air Arm was involved in, particularly in the Second World War, the majority of present day naval aviators will most probably name Taranto. Whilst there is no doubt as to the huge importance of the Taranto Raid, it is perhaps strange that far less well known are the Palembang Raids. It is particularly strange as the strikes on Palembang were the largest operations the Fleet Air Arm was ever involved in as a stand-alone force.
By the end of 1944, the allies had thrown the forces of Japan onto her back foot – the US Navy had defeated the Japanese at Saipan and Leyte Gulf, and the British Eastern Fleet had carried out its first strikes against targets in Sumatra. But whilst a good working relationship existed between Britain and the United States, there were many senior officers in the US Navy who believed that the final defeat of Japan should be a purely American affair – fitting revenge for Pearl Harbour.
It was down to Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser to convince the US Navy that the British Eastern Fleet was not just a political addition to the allied force in the Far East – it was a vital weapon. After talks with Admiral Nimitz, a target was agreed for the aircrews embarked aboard the Eastern Fleet’s four carriers – the Palembang Oil Refineries in Sumatra. The Pladjoe and Soengei Gerong refineries were the two largest sites in the entire Far East, and were capable of supplying enough oil to supply nearly two thirds of the Japanese requirement for aviation fuel – a successful strike against these targets would have a huge impact on Japanese air power. However, they lay a long way inland with a route across mountainous terrain, and allied intelligence reported heavy defences consisting of fighters and AA. Unbeknownst to the crews was the presence of a network of some 30 barrage balloons – a significant shock which added complications during the raids and caused losses amongst the attacking aircraft.
Read more Here!
http://warthunder.com/en/news/429-The-Palembang-Raids-en