Event begins at 10:00pm Eastern in S.E.A. II. All players are welcome!
The Battle of Sicily
Acknowledgments to the world renown Aviation Artist Robert Bailey.
By July of 1943 the air campaign to capture the Island of Sicily was underway. This prior to “Operation Husky” the amphibious Invasion of the Island. The RAF’s Desert Air Force and the USAAF’s 12th Air Forces flew hundreds of sorties in preparation for the first American invasion of the war. The medium bombers of both commands pounded the Italian and wehrmacht troop positions, air fields, AAA positions, and naval ports near Sciacca and Castelvetrano. On this mission the bombers were escorted by the fighter planes of the 324th FG USAAF. The Sicilian Island was defended by the famed III. /JG 77 as well as I. /II. SG2 of the Luftwaffe. Many brave pilots on both sides of the conflict fought ferociously over the Sicilian landscape to either secure the invasion beaches or defend the island from invasion. This snapshot will reenact one such mission of historical importance in the halls of military aviation history.
Oberstleutnant Johannes “Macky” Steinhoff was the group commander of JG 77 after the unit moved to the Italian mainland suffering a bitter defeat in North Africa. Steinhoff was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally throughout the entire six years of the war. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots with 176 victories, and one of the first to fly the Me 262 jet fighter in combat, being a member of the famous aces squadron JV 44 led by Adolf Galland.
This mission also marked a significant milestone for one famous group of combat pilots. The 99th Fighter Squadron, the famed Tuskegee Airman, participated in the Sicilian air campaign attached to the 324th Fighter Group, performing dive bombing as well as fighter escort missions. On this day July 2nd 1943, Lt. Charles B. Hall of Brazil Indiana became the first Redtailed Angel, as the group would be later known, to score an air to air combat victory.
Arena:
SEA
Country Percentages:
Allies: 60%
Axis: 40%
Allies:
Boston Mk III - 25%
B-25C - 25%
P-40E - 50%
Orders:
The Bostons will takeoff from A104 with orders to attack and destroy the fighter and bomber hangers at A24 in Sciacca.
The B-25Cs will takeoff from A103 with orders to attack and destroy the fighter and bomber hangers at A18.
The P-40Es will takeoff from A105 with orders to provide escort for both groups..
Axis:
Me109G-6 - 50%
Fw190A-5 - 50%
Orders:
The Me109s are ordered to takeoff from A18 and intercept the incoming bomber raid. This after a five minute delay on the runway.
The Fw190s will launch from A24 and patrol the airspace between A18 and A24.
Restrictions:
Me109s have a five minute runway takeoff delay.
Bombers must salvo there full complement of ordnance on first drop.
The bombers must attack their targets at T-60 minutes.
Victory Conditions:
Allies:
Fighter Hanger = 10 pts. ea.
Bomber Hanger = 10 pts. ea.
Enemy Fighter = .5 pts. ea.
Earn 10 additional bonus points by shooting down Oberstleutnant Steinhoff.
Axis:
Bombers = 3 pts. ea.
Fighter = 1 pt. ea.
Earn 10 additional bonus points by shooting down Lt. Hall.
Arena Settings:
1. Terrain - Italy_1
2. Icon Range – Short
3. Wind – 5 knots NW
4. Time – 0600 hours x1
5. Fighter & Bomber Warning Range - 36,960 (about 7 Miles)
6. Enemy Collisions – On
7. External view for bombers (F3) – on
8. Visibility - 20 miles
9. Friendly Collisions - off
10. Fuel - 1.0
11. Ack - 0.3
12. Kill shooter - off
13. Tower Range - 36,960 (for display to aid players, set to match the above setting)
14. Radar – off
Designers Notes:
Have fun!
CM Notes:
The AXIS CO must appoint a player to stand in as Oberstleutnant Steinhoff. The Allies CO must appoint a player to stand in as Lt. Hall. Announce take off time for 109s. 5 minutes after fields open.
If time permits frame #2 could be P-47D-25 vs. Fw190A-8s over Pantelleria Island.
Designed by:
Redtail7 on August 15th 2008...
