Frame 3 after action and strategy for rearm / 2nd hits on target

[RedBeard]

Our orders were to fly JU88s to hit hangars at VH48, then rtb to rearm for another run.

Our escorts, JG54, did a great job of keeping the Yaks off of us on the first pass and we took out all but one hangar with everyone returning to base.  Thanks JG54, though they took a real beating doing it. 

Seven landed to hotpad, one dinged a prop and had to tower out.  I couldn't raise anyone to make the call to return to 48 so we just followed orders to rearm for round two.  One forgot to raise flaps on T/O and went into the trees and had to ditch.  That left 5 JU88s inbound without drones or escorts.

Perdweeb heard our call on command channel and was going to clear the airspace for us.  It appears his squad did just that with a diversion as our inbound leg was uncontested.  However, as soon as we started flashing the field, it appears a squad of Yaks responded.  We dove down to the deck after dropping the last hangar, but the Yaks caught us low and from behind and we lost all but one plane.

That second attack on 48 cost us 5 JU88s at 15 pts each (75 pts total) for the last VH (25 pts) and 5 other objects at 3 pts each (total of 40 pts).   

My question is shouldn't we be thinking more about return trip viability and who should be making those calls?

Thanks,
Red Beard

[Nathan60]

Way to go chawks, 54 took a beating but we ended up even, glad you boys  made it home then went and avenged us

[perdue3]

I initially headed that direction and ran into the 7-9 Yaks that eventually found you guys outbound. The only problem was, they blew through and ran back to Mommaland. We chased for 10 miles until I deemed it too much of a risk to chase. Unfortunately, Dantoo suspected something fishy and averted me while finding you 15 mins later. I do apologize for that as I was not as aggressive as I could have been. At the time of the decision there were 8 more Yaks rumored to be lurking in the airspace. There was a lot on my mind and it didnt work out exactly as I hoped but still worked out nonetheless. 3 of those Yaks paid dearly for it later.

[Dantoo]

Dweeb has called it pretty much.  There was a major factor in play that you might not have picked though.

On your first raid you came in high just after a group of 110s had made a low attack.  We dealt with them, and suspecting a high raid, got back up to alt in time to meet your group.  The problem was that we simply did not have enough fuel to position properly for an attack on the trios.  The settings in this FSO were simply near impossible for the Russian home-builts.  The flight from base to target consumed all our fuel.  If you didn't travel fast you didn't get there in time to defend.  If you did travel there fast, you didn't have enough fuel on arrival to fight and then survive.  (This with as conservative settings as were practical).

As a result, we simply couldn't enter a another fight over the target on the first raid.  We made a pass, turned inside and got to the radar circle in pursuit and then calls of 4 minutes and 3 minutes fuel were coming in.  Power back and glide descent to nearest field to refuel.  So here we are well under an hour, stooging around with power wound back, we are at the stall, out of fuel with the game in sight.

Refueled, we climbed back over the target and headed south to where Dweeb was making trouble by flashing a base a full sector and a half to the south of where we were defending.  I tried to bring the squad round into the sun and into their flank.  Now get this picture.  We have taken off full, climbed a bit over 2 sectors and were throttled back at high level.  On sighting the 109s we're back to 10 minutes fuel again on full. (YakT has to be on full to fight high or low).  We  were also 30 miles south of the target.  There was no way we could get in a fight so far from our fuel.  I led the guys right through the middle of the 109s "If they turn at you, shoot at their faces, they'll turn off" I chortled patting my huge 37mm.  "Jazus, these guys are up for it.  Holes in me wing" came the reply.  Somebody realised that the blasted light weight 109s had gondys and were perfectly happy with a squad face shoot!!  Curses!  

At this point, I had to get any possible fight back somewhere near to our fuel supply, no matter what.  It had to be short and fast whatever happened.  We pushed north and the 109s dropped off us, but tried to look innocently attractive like an old maid at a barn dance.  I'm thinking " that's Nowotny and they want us back there while something interesting is about to go down up here" and lo and behold the target is flashing.  Nose down for pace and there we found half a dozen Ju88s low and standing between us and our fuel.  We divided and shot and then let the last one or two go because now the fuel calls were "4 minutes" and "3 minutes".

We let those last buffs go and quickly idled back and headed low and slow for the fuel farm.  As we are about to touch down the base flashes.  "#%^# Dweeb has found us" I cry, sniffle sniffle blubber.  We had a choice of pancaking right there and then or stretching out and making the last 2 minutes fuel get us to the other nearby base 5 minutes away.

Gradually the guys either ran out of fuel and crashed, or got caught and shot by dweeb or both.  A couple of the guys with under a minute fuel turned back to slow him down and give us time (at 150mph) to get fuel.  Half did get to the base but another ran out as he hit the runway.  

Shows just how different the FSO game is to MA.  You can be in the right spot or the wrong spot at the right time.  It is a different battle with much to consider.

Oh yeah, give us at least enough fuel to fight with next time!