The USMC were short on pilots tonight, fielding only 8 C.202's, but we had a blast. We were tasked to defend the Gorizia Task Group along with JG44. Due to our speed advantage, we split up into pairs and tried to setup a picket fence scouting screen to the West of the Fleet. We encountered several pairs of enemy scouts. All of our groups were engaged around the same time in different locations. We dispatched a few of them, but our center scout section got close enough to Malta that they encountered the stiff defenses there. We fled the area to regroup, missing only Sled, who had a blind side collision with a Hurricane, and Hopper who had a few too many Hurricanes than he could handle I think.
It took us a while to get together, but by then, things had gotten very quiet. We knew the attack group had gotten past us to the south, but we were not certain if the scouts had spotted the Fleet. We decided to take up defensive positions to the South and South East of the Gorizia. After several minutes on max economy fuel settings, we found the bomber formations heading almost due west towards the Gorizia. We reported the location of the attack group, and engaged the fighters. There seemed to be two groups of fighters, one trailing the other at a higher altitude. Half our guys attacked the close support fighters, and the other half engaged the higher group. It was a difficult fight since we were outnumbered, but after a while, the attackers split up into more manageable groups that we could focus on.
The group that chased the close escorts disrupted them enough, that they were able to do follow-up attacks on the bombers. They found a few stray Bombers, and cleaned them up. They lost another pilot to enemy action, but otherwise were unhurt.
I hooked up with two other squaddies, Nosey and JRCCrow, and engaged a group of 3 Hurri 2c's. It took a while, but we managed to work the E fight into our favor, and then start scoring some hits. They were very good at avoiding our attacks, but once one went down, the tide had shifted too far for them to recover. The skies were cleared of enemy planes, and we went looking for fuel and ammo at A4.
A quick refuel and we were back in the air with the 5 surviving 202's and we picked up a 109 pilot, Freako, who returned from escort duties. We spent lots of time flying around waiting for a followup attack on the Gorizia, but never came, so we ventured closer to Malta again. We found a small group of 2 Hurries that eventually turned into 5. We managed to concentrate a few of our guys on a couple of Hurricanes, and again, as soon as one or two went down, the rest could not get away, and we moped up. JRCCrow took a radiator hit, but the 4 remaining C.202's and Freako in his 109 all landed safely at A4 just as time was expiring.
Attached are pictures of the final fight. We really had a great time as a squad, and it might have been pretty ugly had we not been in the C202's. they are very effective, even with a weak gun package. Have fun, who ever gets the C202's next. Use them well.
Final tally, 11 Kills, 6 bombers, 5 Hurricanes.
Shooting at Pounder first time.
Shooting at Pounder second time.
Shooting at tc3x first time.
Shooting at tc3x second time. There was not much he could do here. 3v1.
