Operation Goodwood

Operation Goodwood

German battleship Tirpitz in Bogen Bay in Ofotfjord, near Narvik, Norway, during World War II

Artist Credit: USN public domain 

The night of July 31, 1944 the German battleship Tirpitz carried out exercises at sea for the last time. Three weeks later the Fleet Air Arm returned to the fray with a series of attacks under the operational codename 'Goodwood I, II, III, IV', using 5 aircraft carriers, Indefatigable, Formidable, Furious, Nabob and Trumpeter. They were determined to end the threat of the Tirpitz to the northern shipping lanes to Murmansk. The FAA, flying Barracuda dive bombers, F6F Hellcats, F4F Wildcats and F4U Corsairs made repeated attacks on the Tirpitz while it was anchored in Altenfjord. Much to the dismay of the Kriegsmarine, the Luftwaffe refused to interfere with the Fleet Air Arm operations due to infighting between the offices of D-nitz and G-ring. It was inevitable that the FAA was victorious, and while not sinking the Tirpitz, certainly kept it out of the war until the RAF could administer the coupe-de-grace.

To ensure a more enjoyable time in this Snap Shot the Luftwaffe temporarily forget their snit with the Kriegsmarine and put fighters up to defend the Tirpitz.
Arena
SEA
Country Percentages
60%-Allied
40%-Axis

Allies:
Units:
SBD (in place of Barracudas) - 34%
F6F Hellcat - 33%
F4U-1 Corsair - 33%

Orders:
Take off from the carrier and strike the Tirpitz in Altenfjord (Red circle). Corsairs will fly cover.

Restrictions:
Allied CV must remain within Yellow square.
CO will need to stagger launch planes to ensure all pilots make it up. Suggest SBDs, F6Fs then Corsairs.
F6Fs must carry 2x500 lb bombs.
SBDs must carry 1000 lb bomb load.
Corsairs are clean, although they may use drop tanks.

Axis:
Units:
Bf 109G-6 - 100%

Orders:
German fighters will take off from A113, find and engage the British Task force.

Restrictions:
Bf-109 G6s will not use gun packs, they may use drop tanks.

Victory Conditions:
F6F - 15
Corsair - 15
SBD - 15
Bf-109 - 15
Tirpitz (Cruiser)-200

Arena Settings:
1. Terrain - Karelia
2. Icon Range - 9000
3. Wind - None
4. Time - 09:00 x1
5. Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 26,400 (about 5 miles)
6. Enemy Collisions - on
7. External view for bombers (F3) - on
8. Visibility - 6 miles
9. Friendly Collisions - off
10. Fuel - 1.5
11. Ack - 0.4
12. Kill Shooter - off
13. Tower Range - 26,400 (for display to aid players, set to match the above setting)
14. Radar - Full Bar-Dar only above 500

Designer Notes
The major alterations in this design are the substitution of the SBD for the Barracuda (they carried a similar bomb load), and having the Luftwaffe respond to enemy aircraft
over Norway. Due to maps available Allied CVs are in Russian waters.

CM Notes
Destroy the carrier in the CV group of Tirpitz

Design by
Holder, 880 Fleet Air Arm
Updated to AH2 by 68Raptor