Tonight's FSO was a great example of all things outstanding for me in this game. I signed in to the SEA Arena and had 20 mates to fly with. 20 guys who want to stay up late, or get up early in Swoops case, too fly with me. Triton of AoM was Axis CiC and he had given me a tough assignment tonight. 3 1/2 sectors - 85 miles down the Bougainville slot in A6M5's with a single centerline 250 kg bomb. My mission - Destroy the US air base there and all the air wing assigned. Had 10 lads from the 162nd FG in A6m2's for company.
Hairy doesn't come close to what we saw tonight. It was 'The Slot' from Papy Boyington and Ba Ba Black Sheep, only in reverse. My boys were to be the flaming zekes getting painted onto the sides of those big arse Corsair's. No, not this time. I took the flight on an end around and came into the target unmolested. We delivered our ordinance onto the target...didn't hit a damn thing...never said we were bomber pilots, then set about engaging the F4u's, P-39's and P-40's that appeared on the scene with bad intent on their mind. Out gunned, out classed and fighting from an altitude disadvantage after our attack, I encouraged to the boys to...own the fight...to fight it on their terms and simply take the initiative and never give it back. And so it was...we destroyed the entire CAP, 18 souls in all, for the loss of 10 men KIA. I'll take that every time in an attack mission in the pacific.
We even rearmed and made a second strike which resulted in a Hanger destroyed, and a few more scalps granted from the hapless foemen. All I could think all night was...'Where else can I see this'...
With all the game and tech available today...we can play or be anything we want. Here, in the Halls of AH...We play WWII Fighter Pilot.