• 78th - The Duxford Eagles •

[Trukk]

Apr-11: On the first mission of the night, the group encountered two jets for the first time this campaign and took a beating from them, but Tango was able to shoot one of them down in his P-51 before being shot down himself. Luckily he as was able to bail out and was rescued by Trukk in a C-47 with Kten and Hawkeye flying escort. However, Hawkeye himself was shot down and had to be rescued as well. At the end of the day everyone made it home.


Apr-11: The second mission of the night was less dramatic for the bombers. The 78th was joined by the 484th, all had good drops and the target airfield was shut down. Tango however was lost, bailing out over enemy territory and was unable to be rescued.

[Arlo]

Excellent AAR! Looks like you guys know how to have fun. Like your website too (though it could use some music: http://www.playlist.com/standalone/28424278).

But ... on closer inspection of the picture where you're picking up Tango ... he seems to have his Colt leveled at you. Could he have been actually hijacking you? Havana was a hotter spot (party-wise) in `44 but not many hijackings then.

[Trukk]

Hehe, yeah he picked up some farm girl and didn't want to go home! 

[Trukk]

Apr-12:  The group flew two resupply missions with the C-47, both missions were successful in repairing the Allied facilities and no aircraft were lost.





Apr-12:  The group flew a NOE Mosquito raid on an enemy airfield.  Several ground vehicles were destroyed for the loss of one aircraft (the pilot survived by hiding in the hanger until the base was captured).

[Trukk]

Apr-13: The 78th escorted the 484th on a long range strategic bombing mission. As the target was near two Me-163 airfields the bombers took a beating and several of the escorts were lost as well, but Tango and Trukk made it home with six kills between them and a couple of CIs thrown in for good measure as well.

[blkmgc]

Great time man! The cons were crawling out of the woodwork, and you all gave definitely better than you got.

If anyone is looking for a well organized , effective fighter squadron, look no further. Week in and week out they get us to target and back.

<S>

[Trukk]

Apr-14: The 78th, 484th and friends launched eight B-17s with three P-47s as escort on a tactical mission against an enemy airfield. The group had an easy ride in to the target except for a single Fw-190 that made a head-on pass. The formation was tight though and tore him to pieces as he passed through the group. Over the target, about half a dozen bandits tried to intercept the bombers but between the escorts and defensive fire of the B-17s they were all beaten off. The drop was good knocking the field out of action.

[Arlo]

Trukk ... Reschke and I had dinner the other night and we were talking `bout ya. It was all good. Even the part about you.

[Trukk]

Trukk ... Reschke and I had dinner the other night and we were talking `bout ya. It was all good. Even the part about you.

Hehe, he must have been drinking!

[Tango]

You guys should hook up with us on a mission, Arlo. Be great to have you guys with us.

[Trukk]

Apr-16:  The 78th and friends launched an NOE mission but just about ten miles out from the field the group stumbled across an enemy bomber formation.  Bombs were jettisoned and the B-25s took off in pursuit.  Hawkeye took two of the bombers out with the big 75mm gun and the third with regular machine gun fire.

Apr-16: The 78th and friends again launched an NOE mission to the enemy factory, hitting the factory hard with a BDA of 70%. The group stayed a bit too long however and about fifteen miles out from the target bandits spotted the group and the B-15s were overwhelmed with no one making it home.

[Trukk]

Apr-20: To help clear the way for the 484th, the 78th launched strikes against the radar facilities at two airfields. Both radars were taken down but Tango was hit and had to ditch in the ocean.

Apr-20: The 78th re-launched and met up with the 484th on a L/R bomb run. The run into the target was quiet and only one the way out was the group engaged, but the escorts quite easily kept the bandits at bay and all the bombers made it home. Once released from the bombers the 78th went on the prowl and shot down several more bandits. Tango finished the day with five kills but not before getting shot down and bailing out in friendly territory. He was a bit late getting to the bar as he had to swim the last few miles to get ashore!

[Trukk]

Apr-22: The 78th and friends launched a long range NOE strike mission with Mosquitoes against an enemy radar factory. In route to the target one aircraft was lost when it struck the water and bandit flew right over the group and never spotted it. At the target the Mosquitoes hammered the factory bringing it down to 12% production, but another aircraft was lost when it got too low and clipped a building. Finally, on the way home another aircraft was lost to a control malfunction and it too augured. Such are the perils of low level flight!

[Kten]

fun missions