081 - Countersrike!

t had been five months since the beginning of the Pacific War and the Imperial Japanese Navy seemed unstoppable. The only response the Allies had up to that point had been one of retreat due to the Royal Navy’s few suitable options for its own defense

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 On April 9^th, “Val” Dive-Bombers from the Kido Butai sunk the Light Carrier HMS Hermes and Australian Destroyer HMAS Vampire. Although the Hermes was the world’s first purpose-built Aircraft Carrier it was considered a Light Carrier due to its size and speed. Still, with these losses, the British Command decided there had to be another way.

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As the Kido Butai steamed east through the Bay of Bengal, Allied Scout Planes spotted the fleet and a Squadron of 9 Bristol Blenheims attacked Japanese Carrier Akagi.
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Unfortunately, their bombs only managed to bracket the carrier with explosions and water spouts. Still, this was the first Allied attack of the Kido Butai, proving that Strike Force One’s seeming invincibility was just about to come to an end.

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