WarBirds News, http://ow.ly/sXHC50ju2j5 , New S3 Tunisia Campaign, Starts Nov 11. http://ow.ly/pfqd50

Warbirds, November 11th, Tunisia Campaign


(From Wikipedia)

Operation Torch

American troops land on an Algerian beach during Operation Torch.
In July 1942, the Allies, discussed relatively small-scale amphibious operations to land in northern France during 1942 (Operation Sledgehammer, which was the forerunner of Operation Roundup, the main landings in 1943), but agreed that these operations were impractical and should be deferred.[4] Instead it was agreed that landings would be made to secure the Vichy territories in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and then to thrust east to take the Axis forces in the Western Desert in their rear.[5] An Allied occupation of the whole of the North African coast would open the Mediterranean to Allied shipping, releasing the huge capacity required to maintain supplies around the circuitous route via the Cape of Good Hope. On 8 November, Operation Torch landed Allied forces in Algeria (at Oran and Algiers) and Morocco (at Casablanca) with the intention that once Vichy forces in Algeria had capitulated, an advance would be made to Tunis some 800 km (500 mi) to the east.

Panzer IV skin available?



With the M-3 in production, American designers set to work creating a medium tank with a turret that could carry a 75mm gun.
It was the M4, commonly known as the Sherman.

The Sherman became the main battle tank of both the American and British armies. They hoped to use it in the same way the
Soviets used the T-34, producing overwhelming numbers with minimum variation, sticking with a solid design. However,
by the end of the war, German advances were making the Sherman look less effective.

The Sherman was in production in time to feature in the Operation Torch landings and subsequent fighting.



Will there be aircraft used in the invasion?



This F4F-3 is displayed in the pre-war markings in which it was originally painted when it flew from the carrier USS Ranger during the
Neutrality Patrols protecting U.S. shipping in the western Atlantic Ocean in the months before the United States formally entered World War II.

This plane shows the Neutrality Patrol (1941) nose star and has the insignia of Fighting Squadron Four (the "Red Rippers") of VF-4,
which was later changed to VF-41. The USS RANGER served in the Atlantic during Operation Torch (invasion of North Africa), Nov. 1942.



Sorry that the "Grim Reapers" squadron flew in the Pacific, but you might choose this F4F-4 for Operation Torch anyway.

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Thank you, iart7! Excellent, as always!

The info I have on the event is:
WarBirds News: http://ow.ly/ouXj50jFiIf
WarBirds S3 Event, Battle of Tunisia Sunday Nov 18th!
Tunisia S3 will be short distances, fast fights, and lots of action for all players!
#warbirds #flightsimulators #flightgames #IENT

Some historical background earlier in November on Wikipedia:
-boats, operating in the eastern Atlantic area crossed by the invasion convoys, had been drawn away to attack trade convoy SL 125.[16]

Aerial operations were split into two, east of Cape Tenez in Algeria, with British aircraft under Air Marshal Sir William Welsh and west of Cape Tenez, all American aircraft under Major General Jimmy Doolittle, under the direct command of Major General Patton.

P-40s of the 33rd Fighter Group were launched from U.S. Navy escort carriers and landed at Port Lyautey on November 10. Additional air support was provided by the carrier USS Ranger, whose squadrons intercepted Vichy aircraft and bombed hostile ships.

On the night of 7 November, pro-Allied General Antoine Béthouart attempted a coup d'etat against the French command in Morocco, so that he could surrender to the Allies the next day. His forces surrounded the villa of General Charles Noguès, the Vichy-loyal high commissioner. However, Noguès telephoned loyal forces, who stopped the coup. In addition, the coup attempt alerted Noguès to the impending Allied invasion, and he immediately bolstered French coastal defenses.

Carrier aircraft destroyed a French truck convoy bringing reinforcements to the beach defenses. Safi surrendered on the afternoon of 8 November.

t Port-Lyautey, the landing troops were uncertain of their position, and the second wave was delayed. This gave the French defenders time to organize resistance, and the remaining landings were conducted under artillery bombardment. With the assistance of air support from the carriers, the troops pushed ahead, and the objectives were captured.

Airborne landings
Torch was the first major airborne assault carried out by the United States. The 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew all the way from Britain, over Spain, intending to drop near Oran and capture airfields at Tafraoui and La Sénia, respectively 15 miles (24 km) and 5 miles (8 km) south of Oran.[19] The operation was marked by weather, navigational and communication problems. Poor weather over Spain and the extreme range caused the formation to scatter and forced thirty of the 37 aircraft to land in the dry salt lake to the west of the objective.[20] Nevertheless, both airports were captured.

Thanks to NavWeaps.com, something interesting to look over; the Order of Battle for the Casablanca/North African Campaign!

http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_W ... blanca.php

Thank you for the link. My Father was serving on board CL 40 USS Brooklyn at this time (He was on board from May 1941 until Jan 1945 as radar/ radio operator)
The Naval historian, Samuel Elliot Morison was on the bridge of Brooklyn during the operation. My father delivered decrypted messages to the ship's Captain and
then turned them over to Morison so he could record them.

Fencer

Dang iart! I wish I was as talented as you are.

Background courtesy of Wikipedia. This covers the November '42 to January '43 timeframe.

Nehring, considered by most to be an excellent commander, had continually infuriated his superiors with outspoken critiques and was "replaced" when the command was renamed the 5th Panzer Army and Colonel-General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim arrived in Tunis unannounced on 8 December, to assume command. The Army consisted of the composite Infantry Division von Broich/von Manteuffel in the Bizerte area, the 10th Panzer Division in the centre before Tunis and the 1st Mountain Infantry Division Superga on the southern flank but Hitler had told Arnim that the army would grow to three mechanised and three motorised divisions.[36] The Allies had tried to prevent the Axis build up with substantial air and sea forces but Tunis and Bizerta were only 190 km (120 mi) from the ports and airfields of western Sicily, 290 km (180 mi) from Palermo and 480 km (300 mi) from Naples, making it very difficult to intercept Axis transports which had the benefit of substantial air cover.[10] From mid-November 1942 to January 1943, 243,000 men and 856,000 long tons (870,000 t) of supplies and equipment arrived in Tunisia by sea and air.

General Eisenhower transferred further units from Morocco and Algeria eastward into Tunisia. In the north, the British First Army, over the next three months, received three more British divisions, the 1st, 4th and 46th Infantry Divisions, joining the 6th Armoured and 78th Infantry Divisions. By late March the British IX Corps HQ (Lieutenant-General John Crocker) had arrived to join the British V Corps (Lieutenant-General Charles Allfrey) in commanding the expanded army. On their right flank, the basis of a two-division French XIX Corps (General Alphonse Juin) was assembling.[37]

In the south was the US II Corps (Major General Lloyd Fredendall), consisting of the 1st and 34th Infantry Divisions and the 1st Armored Division (although the 34th Division was attached to the British IX Corps to the north). Giraud refused to have the French XIX Corps under the command of the British First Army and so they, along with the US II Corps, remained under command of Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ). New forward airfields were built to improve air support.[38] The Americans also began bases in Algeria and Tunisia, to form a large forward base at Maknassy, on the eastern edge of the Atlas Mountains, well placed to cut off the Panzerarmee in the south from Tunis and the Fifth Panzer Army in the north.

German reinforcements; a Sd.Kfz. 8 half-track and a tractor pull transport from a Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant.