Saturday's Snapshot AAR (LW)

[Hamish]

First things, thanks to all the LW pilots that flew, and sorry for any confusions/mistakes i made.This was my first time as LW CO, and i had a blast thanks to all of you  

The LW had a rough time of it, we upped in  3 flights of 4 to patrol different possible enemy routes. 10bears led one flight, Regurge led another, and i led one.

We climbed to our patrol altitude of 25k, and began our search for the enemy. off in the distance i see some aircraft. I call out contact and gave coordinates (forgetting altitude like an idjit) I order my flight to full MP, and turn toward the contacts.

It's made up of 2 flights it seems. Many low cons, and a few very high. I finally get close enough to visually ID them, and it's B17's with escorts of P-51's and P-47's. I order my flight to make a pass at the B-17's, and line up

I manage to zoom down and make some pings on one of the bombers, but i pick up a P-51 as soon as i begin to climb out. I knew he had more speed than i as he was higher than me when i started my run, so i did all i could and tried to drag him low. I zoomed back through making another pass on the bombers, ping another, and head low. I order my flight to do the same, trying to help set up the other 2 flights for when they arrive. I get into long drawn out turn/roll/extend/god knows what else battle with the P-51 on the deck. I manage to reverse on him, and within a few turns of snapshots, i hit is fuel tanks, and he's leaking. Over the radio comes a six call, and sure enough a P-47D-11 has followed us down and is on my 6. I continue doing high and low yo-yo's to improve my position on the enemy. I blow a killing shot trying to avoid the shots of the P-47 behind me, until finally, after many small pings, i lose my stab and begin to plummet to the earth in a flat spin. I am dead, and just as i bail out, Nibbio kills the P-47. <S!> Nibbio thansk for trying. I am now dead, but I managed to drag a few down with me.

P.s. Unfortunately 10bears had mechanical probs, and was unable to fly, I got too distracted from my job and failed to assign a new flight leader. my apologies gents, wonderful job out there tho  

The rest of the LW pilots results are: (these i was able to get info from, if i missed you i apologize, let me know and i'll edit to reflect)

Kappa:       2 B-17 kills
ygsmilo:     1 B-17 Kill
Arcon        1 unknown aircraft shot down
nibbio       1 P-47 Kill
Regurge      killed 3 engines on a B-17 ( i think he didn't make it back)
Jogee        dmg'd 2 B-17's
Milenko      dmdg'd 1 B-17
Hamish       dmg'd 2- B-17's, 1- P-47

I did have a fun time, even if i did lead my team to staggering losses, <S!> to all

Hamish

[ 07-21-2001: Message edited by: Hamish ]

[Sancho]

P-47 AAR for Saturday's SnapShot:

P-47 escort pilots:
Sancho (2)
Thunder (0.5)
Kronos
saber
Acid (0.5)
bumwpe (1)

plus
16 total B-17 bombers

vs
13 FW-190D

Film here: http://www.jump.net/~cs3/films/firststrike-sancho.zip  (928kb)

56th FG escorted B-17s in a recreation of the first raid on Berlin (simulated by A24/P61 Rotterdam).  We had to take P-47D-25s, since with the fuel modifier used the -11 lacks the fuel capacity to make this long of a trip and stay with the bombers for any meaningful period of time.  Actual aircraft used during this period would have been -5s, -11s up to -15s.  Of these only the newest -15s could mount wing tanks, but these jugs had 108, 150, and some 200 gallon drop tanks available.  The -25 "Superbolt" first used in combat 23 May by 56th FG.  One prototype P-51D was flown by Betown, the CM.    

The first opposition was encountered while over the channel still 50 miles to target.  They were long nose 190s and they were much faster than us.  THey simply flew through the P-47s to the bombers.  

This first attack smoked a few bombers and dragged some of our escorts low. Unfortunately, one of our escorts, Bumwpe, didn't understand my orders--he only understood Polish.  Bum stayed with his 190 and followed him down after I gave the order to climb (shades of Mike Gladych).  Soon another wave of 5 190s appeared.

The 190s continued to press the attack on the B-17s.  I managed to nail one extending from an attack run and going vertical.  Next I spotted Kappa in his 190; he had just killed 2 B-17s.  I fired a short burst at him and a few rounds connected but there was no apparent damage.  He lucked out and had a cloud to fly through, and I lost him for a couple critical seconds where he was in gun range.  Once I reacquired him, he was already diving away and I had no choice but to climb back up to the bombers.

At this point Kappa zoomed back up and I attempted to catch him in the vertical.  He had a lot of E though.  I was unable to close for a shot while he hung on his prop for the longest time.  I realized I was being roped skillfully--I had to dive away.  I saw him converting to my six o'clock 5 or 6 hundred yards back and then saw the most beautiful thing ever.  2 P-47s charging down from above onto the enemy who was on my tail.  First Acid and then Thunder made firing passes on the German cutting off his vertical stabilizer and sending him into an uncontrollable spin!

The last German wave of 3 FW came in just over the target area, but we still had all but one of our P-47s (bumwpe).  I saw one below me setting up a head on pass on a lone B-17 and dove on him.  I caught him just before he was able to fire and cut off his left wing--it was Guiness.  The bombers were over the target area now and got really straggled out.  Fortunately, the last of the Germans had been defeated and we turned for home after a tense few minutes over the target area.  At 50% main tank, I called for escorts to RTB and all 56th jugs landed back at Boxted with just over 1/8 of a tank.

<S> to the LW opposition!  This scenario was a blast!    
--
Sancho
http://www.jump.net/~cs3" TARGET=_blank>63rd FS, 56th FG
"Zemke's Wolfpack"
     
Hell hath no fury like 8 50 cals and 18 fire breathing cylinders.

[ 07-22-2001: Message edited by: Sancho ]