Distracted by a Diversion: Aleutian Air War

As part of the elaborate Midway attack plan, the Japanese developed a diversionary assault on the Alaskan Aleutian islands. Nearly 70 years later, this is distracting me! I had a bit of a slowdown at work yesterday afternoon, so I actually started writing up a few scenarios for CY6! involving the air battles in the Aleutians.

And it just goes to show the tiniest spark can ignite an interesting project. I had read somewhere that P-40s fought Japanese carrier planes. Well, I have P-40s, and I have Japanese carrier planes. So I started poking around the internet and learned there was a lot more going on up there. P-38s, B-24s, P-39s, Rufes, Mavises, Catalinas - oh, my! So here's a general outline of at least four scenarios to start:

• P-40s vs. Japanese attack force on Dutch Harbor
• P-38s vs. Japanese Mavis recon planes (3 of them!)
• SOC Seagulls vs. Rufes at Kiska
• P-38s and B-24s vs. Rufes (this is the one I've researched the least thus far)

I'm not sure yet how suited these are for a mini-campaign, but at the least they look like they could provide some interesting one-offs. And a good diversion from other theaters. Just like the Japanese intended.

Anyone out there interested in seeing these developed and/or testing?

By the way, the CY6 page here has been updated again to reflect what actually got ordered. Now, about those Rufes...