JG 53 lauched 7 Bf109 G6 fighters for operations south of Sicily in the area
of Malta. Load out was 75% fuel, External Tank. and single 20mm nose
gun(turns out to be bad choice)
Pilots involved and their claims and disposition.
Group 1
Pongo CO 0 kills Swimming. (b17s)
Ygsmilo 2 kills 1 assist. RTB
Zigrat 0 kills 2 assists RTB
Group 2
Cobra 2 kills 2 assists RTB
BigJoe 3 kills RTB
Sox 4 kills 3 assist KIA (p38s)
Swager 0 kills Swimming (b17s)
For the loss of 3 airframes and one pilot JG53 accounted for 4 b17s
destroyed and 2 heavily damaged. 4 P38 destroyed 3 spitfires Destroyed.
Jg53s Baptism of fire over Sicily was an outstanding success.
I never realised that the 190 A8 unit that shared the defence of sicily with
us was not present till we were over malta. The JU88s targeting malta were
whiped out by the defending spitfires ne of malta. We only loaded single
20mm on our Gustavs and had a large amount of problems with the 6 b17s we
intercepted as a result.
The pilots of Jg 53 performed far above the call of duty on this day.
My plan of battle (assuming the support of the A8 unit) was to form a picket
line se of 18 all the way to malta. Myself Zigrat and ygsmilo would form
that line and fly back and forth till contact. (thought no radar)
Cobra would lead the remaining 4 pilots to malta to attempt to cap it.
The malta spitfire pilots headed east to gain alt and Cobra led his unit to
keep position on them. Milo detected and intercepted a lone spitfire headed
to Sicily. Myself and Zigrat over flew Malta and then detected a large
formation of B17s(6) se of malta and called the rest of the squad to join
for attack. Milo had to finish his spit then he joined us followed closely
by the rest of the squad closing at alt from the north.
Our attack in our lightly armed 109s went as well as could be expected. We
got 2 and damaged several in our mass attack and I went down with a verticle
stab gone and swager had to bail as well.
Both of us were in the water for the remainder.
A running battle developed with the remaining members and the 4 surviving
b17s. 2 more were killed. Zigrat got engine damage and had to RTb. Out of
ammo the squad landed at A19 to rearm and refuel. The last spitfire was
killed chasing Cobra into the Ack. In the LW we honor such kills....
. Re
armed the squad took off to chase the wounded bombers only to be atacked by
4 fresh p38s. In the ensuining running battle the squad destroyed all of the
attacking planes but Sox impacted the ground(i think, was hard to tell on
rw...) The last victory of the great 38 pilot Milo, who was killed shortly
afterwards.
Some other spits were killed in there somewhere...
Other than Swager and myself the squad did extremely well. Swager is going
to the eastern front. I am going to a rest home for war weary heros in Vienna. Cobra
took over the squad during my bath and of course the credit for the success
of the squad goes to him.
Operational status for next frame is.
7 Bf 109G6 (5 survivors-1 unused- 1 replacement)
7 Pilots (6 survivors - 1 replacement) air sea rescue!
The Eastern med will be empty of enemy for the next frame. Unfortunatly it
will be empty of our bombers as well.
Comendations
Cobra-Iron Cross Second Class
ygsMilo-Iron Cross Second Class
Bigjim -Iron Cross Second Class
Sox-Iron Cross First class
Ready for orders.
I wish I had a squad like this in the MA...
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