Breaking the Line AAR Frame 1

[daddog]

332nd Flying Mongrels were slotted to protect the city in 12.10 sector. Most of our squad was up high in P-47’s and the rest were down lower in P-38’s. Also flying in the area protecting the city was the 325th Checkertails, CUTT, Swoop73 and crew.
We were on station about 20 minutes when I had forHIM and Maddog head north west on a hunch and patrol between V70 and A66. Sure enough they spotted Ju-88’s with some 109 escorts heading toward the city. The 332nd and the 325th intercepted them and attacked. During the heat of the engagement I was shot up and lost radio communications (lost vox for some reason). Many of the Ju-88’s were shot down. We lost a few in our squad. I had to rtb due to a lost engine on my P-38. Some Stukas were spotted down low and I believe were shot down.

I exited Aces High and tried to come back in and received a Microsoft error. I then rebooted and experienced the same thing. I then began to play with my sound drivers which solved the problem, but the frame was about over then.

I noted from the logs the 325th Checkertails had 8 pilots, 7 kills and only one death. Well done!

How did it go for everyone else?

[FiLtH]

We had fun. I think I could have used less variety in planes, and we were short a few squads, but all things considered, our guys did well. I guess in hindsight, if I could do it over Id be just 109G2,109G6,190s,C205,and a few 110s.  And be strictly defense.

        But like some general once said.."Attack,attack,attack!". I used the whole kit'n kaboodle and came up short.  All the pilots that showed did extremely well though, considering I screwed up the email from the git go (probably me and my hotmail).  We got 2.75 of our objectives out of 3.

        At 1 hr in, I heard screams for help from my vanguard of the Unforgiven, 347th and then the Damned and 9GIAP. They were overloaded at 66 area, and I was afraid they would be. At that point I had little hope anything would work. Then I saw "wtgs" for guys getting kills, then I asked IIIJabo how their strike went. "Its a smoking crater" said JB42. Thanks to escort from the 327th and skillful attacking, they waxed the V base.

        I started to feel better. Then the Nightmares found and attacked the CV. P47s butchered us in the end, but due to the gallant escort by the Fate squad, we actually made it to target. They did great. They went back and ended up sinking it.

         Our JU-88 force was originally intended to be much larger. Unfortuately only 1/3 of it showed up. Again, probably due to orders problem. But Sick Puppies pulled through and hit the city, destroying most of it. Just a couple more pups in that litter would have leveled it!  Thanks to CAF, and a few of the Damned I diverted to assist escort, for getting them in there.

          One squad I lost contact with during the heat of battle was my city CAP in the Bad Company Clan. I was in contact with Slowdog during the last hour but I dont know what happened up there.  

          It was exciting and challenging. Congrats to the Allies, well played. Congrats to the Axis, if you did this good with Curly leading the parade, you are good! "Whoop whoop whoop!"

[Casper1]

Originally posted by FiLtH

     One squad I lost contact with during the heat of battle was my city CAP in the Bad Company Clan. I was in contact with Slowdog during the last hour but I dont know what happened up there.  

I think Bad Company had the misfortune of running into superior numbers.  From the Logs, it looks like they were the first group of interceptors who came into our bomber/escort group.  JG44, AK, and CH were all in the same area and I think we had 3 times the numbers fighters as Bad Company had at the time.

They did get a few of us though!  

[96Delta]

Loose Cannons After Action Report (AAR)
(FSO58A-AAR)

PERSONNEL & LOSSES

Pilots Launched: 17
===================
Disco:           1
Enemy Action:      10
Damaged (unable to RTB):   2   
Returned to Base:      4
Damaged on Landing:   2

Second Strike Aircraft:   2

OBJECTIVE
destroy everything at A66, a small airfield.

BOMB DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: A66
All strat elements at our objective were successfully destroyed except for fuel bunkers and anti-aircraft artillery batteries.  FH-BH-VH-RADAR-BARRACKS-ORD all destroyed.

SUMMARY
The launch was uneventful and the group proceeded to target.  We linked up with our first fighter escort, the 56th FG in their P-47s a brief time later.  They assumed station high above and in front of us.  Unfortunately, they were only able to field 4 aircraft.  We did not make contact with our second escort, 880 Squadron.

As we approached our target and began our bomb run the enemy appeared.  Fw190's and Bf109s in unknown numbers.  They were much higher than us and dove in to begin a spirited attack.  Our escorts did what they could but being outnumbered the bombers were sitting ducks.  Caught in our bomb sights we could only offer scant resistance until after bomb release.  Following our attack and now free of our bomb sights, many B-26 pilots reported kills of attacking aircraft.

The remainder of the strike force hobbled back to base.  Several aircraft were too badly damaged to return however and were forced to ditch.  Others landed but we so damaged that they were taken out of service.  Only 2 pilots managed to land with their aircraft still fit for battle.  These two brave warriors relaunched to finish killing the BH at the target base that was missed during our initial attack.  Two members of the 56th FG again escorted us on the second attack.  Fortunately, we did not meet any resistance and managed to kill the target, returning the base a short time later.

Respectfully submitted,

David "96Delta"
CO, LCA

Frame 1 Stats:
http://ahevents.org/site/index.php?option=com_staticxt&Itemid=112

[Jebus]

All I have to say is thank you for the great time last night.  Fighters Inc was one of the groups covering the CV from attack.  We ran across the JU87s and some 109s.  It was a tough fight considering we only had four plans in our group.  We managed to hold are own and take down all the 109s and just a few 87s.

These were my first kills in a FSO event.  It took me a year but I finally got some kills.  I will just say Thank God for my JUG.

all thanks for the fun time

[TheBug]

Originally posted by 96Delta
[B We did not make contact with our second escort, 880 Squadron.

 [/B]

I guess you meant you weren't aware you made contact with 880.  We met you SW of 66, were very high and only picked you up at dot range.  Was at that point I stated, clearly on buffer, that we were sweeping ahead to 66.  You did not object.  We became heavily engaged with multiple formations of 190s and 109s.  We fought at odds that were in the 3-1 range and tried to keep them tied up as best as we could.  But with such numbers and their obvious interest in pressing their attacks upon the buffs there wasn't much we could do.  We covered a couple buffs as they egressed, but they were so spread out all over the place we could only offer this service to a couple formations.

[daddog]

Excellent Jebus. Glad you guys had fun.  Hope you come to enjoy Squad Ops years to come.

Just a few screen shots I took. Might make good backgrounds.
http://www.332nd.org/screenshots.htm

[96Delta]

Originally posted by TheBug
I guess you meant you weren't aware you made contact with 880.  We met you SW of 66, were very high and only picked you up at dot range.  Was at that point I stated, clearly on buffer, that we were sweeping ahead to 66.  You did not object.  We became heavily engaged with multiple formations of 190s and 109s.  We fought at odds that were in the 3-1 range and tried to keep them tied up as best as we could.  But with such numbers and their obvious interest in pressing their attacks upon the buffs there wasn't much we could do.  We covered a couple buffs as they egressed, but they were so spread out all over the place we could only offer this service to a couple formations.

Not a problem Bug.  I didn't mean to imply that you were a no-show, only that I did not make contact with you.  For what its worth, I don't remember seeing the text message or hear you say you were forging ahead so naturally I wondered what became of you.

Interestingly, I just found out about 5 minutes ago on our own forum's AAR discussions that you were noted trying to get our position by one of our pilots.  Unfortunately, this information wasn't relayed to me.  My pilot reported in our forum that he wasn't sure if you were friendly or not and he was concerned that you were a spy trying to get us to reveal our coordinates so no reply was sent.  I guess we brought a few MA paranoia's with us last night.

The only suggestion I can make to improve communications of this sort down the road is to invite you jump on our vox channel and reach out to me directly, especially if I haven't acknowledged or replied to a message you have sent.  I believe I sent you a copy of our Operations Order and our vox frequency was included in it under the "communications" section (page 5).

Anyway, it looks like we were all heavily outnumbered over that target.  You guys and the 56th FG had your hands full for sure.  Regrettably, the enemy got through in force and whipped us but good.  Luckily, we are able to get the job done...but just barely.

Its been my experience that escorts never succeed in stopping a determined and disiplined force from hitting the BUFs or any other target.   The best escorts can do is engage one enemy contact and deal with him.  The only exception is unless discipline breaks down and a bunch of attackers start to chase one escort.  So, to be completely successful, escorts need to at least match the number of attacking planes and preferably outnumber them.  When the attacking force outnumbers the escorts, the escort mission is pretty much compromised.  There really wasn't much that you or the 56th could do so next time we are gonna give you a hand.......with dedicated gunners.

I think we were the unlucky mission.  As we were landing the remnants of our strike force back at base we enountered the other BUF strike force and their escorts landing in force.  But still, if I had to pick a mission to be on it would have been ours.  It was more realistic and definitely WAS NOT a milk run! It mimiced the confusion, miscommunication and fighting ferver of World War II, just what the FSO is supposed to do!  It was an excellent evening!

High energy, high immersion..high fun!  Thank you!

Anyway, didn't mean to offend you Bug.  Like you said, I wasn't aware you had made contact with us.  Next time, I want you in the cockpit with me so I can feel safe!

[Drano]

The Damned were assigned CAP of 66. We had 8 show and sent 3 of those to supplement the short escort for the Ju88 strike so that left us with 5 along with the guys from the 9GIAP to guard our area.

We took up station at about 30K running a racetrack pattern SW to NE with the 9GIAP West of us. We were watching the holes in the radar coverage to the South and East of 66. On one of our NE circuits we ran into co alt dots coming from the East. They were high P-47s--about a group's worth. On closing we found lower P-38s--again about a group's worth. We engaged the P-38's figuring them to be heavy. We scattered them from behind and I found formations of B-26's--yet another group-- very low beneath them all and broke off the P-38s for them. Seems they were throwing the kitchen sink at 66!

I set one lead ship's engine afire on my first pass with a Jug on my tail. My next pass I pinged up another formation of B-26s but I was getting hammered from the gunners and prolly the Jug too.  I was killed at that point. The rest of our guys there were overwhelmed quickly and the attack got thru.

I then joined Four's Stuka in time for them to get jumped by a few high Jugs which our escort engaged. That let the Stukas thru to hit the CV. We took some damage from the Jugs(fuel leak/gear) and fled Southwest and then North. The CV was still up as it faded from view with some dots on our high 6. The dots turned out to be more Jugs which easily put us out of our misery.

End of frame for me.

Drano

[96Delta]

Screenshot Slide Show
http://david.tenifer.com/aceshigh/slideshow/FSO58A.html

Some pics of the Loose Cannons getting mauled!
But despite the ravaging we took, we did deliver our bombs
on target and complete our mission!

Enjoy.

[ronin44]

Originally posted by daddog
Just a few screen shots I took. Might make good backgrounds.
http://www.332nd.org/screenshots.htm

hey daddog, that's no doubt a smoking (burning) sick puppy in that third screenshot, any idea who?

[FiLtH]

Nice Delta!

[96Delta]

Thanks FiLth!

[Mystic2]

The unforgiven were also tasked at helping defend A66.  We took off with a total of 10 pilots... we climbed out to our patrol alt, and ran between V72 and A66.  We had a lone P51b flying around and basically did his job well of keeping us pre occupied.  I had dropped my dt's when I engaged the 51, so I was runnin low on fuel... I decided to rearm at 66.  After rearming, I took off NE, just as the base started flashing.... I made a wide turn to the south and saw what appeared to be a MASSIVE B26 raid.  I made the call on country channel and all of the defenses converged in.  From there it was as everyone said... quick and intense.... I took a few shots in my oil and then blew up... so I was directing from the tower.... In my humble opinon, I believe that this first frame was the best one that had been fought in the SEA in several months..... I know my squadies had a great time, and from what I have been reading, it appears that both sides did as well..... so to the CM's I put out a HUGE salute..... cant wait to see what this friday's event has to offer

[daddog]

Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it Mystic. Skernsk put a lot of time into it.

Really well done Delta! I really enjoyed your slide show. What was the music from?