325th AAR frame 2

[Viper61]

Kurt great job on the orders, sound plan and easy to exacute

  However for the 325th that is where the easy part stopped

  325th mission was to distroy ammo plant at 11 10 K6.  We are a 10 man squad so we elected to put 6 pilots in bombers and the others for close escort.

  Chicken Hawks provided the escorts for the mission.

  Air launch was about as bad as it could go.  Form up took 50 miles flying at stall speed and no climb.  In all 5 drones were lost in the process out of a total of 18 bombers available.

  Crossed the FEBA in a poor formation not at all as tight as it should have been.  Got attacked by a fair amount of 109's coming in from the front and rear and we lost 6 more bombers to poor station keeping.

  Chicken hawks had there hands full tangling with the 109's and got pulled off station from the bombers.  25 miles later down came the 110's and finished off the 325th bomber formation.

  No 325th bombers made it to target.

  Lessons learned last night in bombers:

  1.  Need more practice in the air launch with bombers.  325th does a good job in fighters but in the bombers from the air launch.

  2.  Need to get into and stay in a tight box formation as its your only hope of survival after the enemy has pasted through the escorts.

  3.  Route needs to allow for 75 miles of space to form up prior to crossing the FEBA.

  to the Chicken hawks.  You guys did a good job of escorting the 325th.  Your handling of the 109's early only allowed for one of them to make it to the bomber formation.  The 325th enjoys flying with you.

  to the enemy commander who planned the engagement.  Very skilful use of the 109's to attack the formation early on and pull off the fighter escort thus leaving the bombers undefended.  Great use of the 110's who dove in on our formation from 28K.  I believe they made about 2 pass's and downed the remaining unescorted bombers.

  Also like to point out that the enemy used a single very low 109 to shadow our formation and report its location which then allowed the enemy forces in the area to vector in.  I hate to say it but.... Nicely Done



  Recommendations for Next Frame:

  More fighter escorts vs. bombers
  Escorts need to watch for the enemy deception which pulls the fighters off station for the 110's.
  Need to quickly kill any enemy scouts you see before the reports bring in every enemy fighter from 100 miles!

  to the CM's  The 325th got distroyed to a man but these frames are the very best there is in the FSO.  We would rather get killed each and every frame in the "Mighty Eight" then fly 10 successful flights in the Med. or Burma fronts.  Please provide more of the Mighty Eight.

Viper 61
325th Operations Officer