Great attack on CV76 last night. It was very fast and violent. Appeared to be a perfect plan.
We had set up a murder flight with the ACE tucked in it. Things started to happen so damned fast we couldn't keep control of our fight completely.
We believe our ACE scored 2 or 3 kills in that engagement. His wingman (Alpha81) got collided with protecting on our first merge. We had 2 bodyguards hovering them (Rodent57 & SlipKnoT) to counter any attempts to engage their fight. We had 2 pilots as bait (1Wolf & Jester13).
Everything was going to plan until a medium sized group of Ki84s showed up above the massive furball over the CV. Rodent57 lost a wing scrubbing our ACE. 1Wolf and Jester13 went from bait to hunters trying to set up kills and scrub our ACE. At one point, 4 Ki84s almost had him. We were able to break him free and get him out of there. I had drug a zeke and Ki84 away long enough to get him out. It was amazing the amount of red that appeared.
Our ACE and I survived that. We went to another CV to rearm. Our fleet was dead. We saw our base 43 was flashing and had heard our only other survivor (BLBIRD) was engaged trying to land his plane while being swarmed. We headed that way but were just too far out to help. BLBIRD eventually had to ditch and the enemy was gone when we arrived.
We started a climb and headed toward A53. Having a friendly CV hidden nearby we figured we should try to see what was there. As we got into DAR at about 26K we came across 7 Ki61s. This turned into a positioning chess match. The pursuit began. Them chasing us... We started a hidden energy climb and ended up at 34K. We secretly drug them into our CV puffy trying to get them to separate. There was a pair to the rear of the pursuit group smartly climbing and staying in a very tight formation. We were unable to get them to completely commit and separate completely. That pair climbing is what kept us from engaging the couple planes we saw separate. We figured they were trying to set a trap. They separated and that game was over.
48 started flashing again. We approached with caution and it was done before we arrived. But we did see 3 bases flashing to the west and some enemy fields were close to the west. We assumed that would be the final area for planes. We headed that way.
Based on how the fields were flashing, we knew at lease 3 planes were in the area. As we were nearing only 2 of the 3 bases were flashing. We saw town ack flashing one of the bases so we knew one was on the deck. As we flew into the center of the 3 bases I separated from our ACE to begin luring planes in for him. I dropped to about 26K and saw a plane a Ki84 about co-alt with me. I merged and started to do my job. The ACE began the pursuit. Once he was engaged I took an over-watch position. While he was in that fight he said he saw red on the deck but lost track. We were starting to get dragged to the west toward their base. We knew it wasn't going to end well. The ACE bagged another kill and we turned east. We were egressing to safety and beginning to climb wen the NOE plane turned up. A N1K!!! The ACE moved in and started his fight. I started to climb above when I noticed some dots starting to appear. RUH-ROH!!!
The ACE scored his 4th or 5th kill and was starting to climb out to the east to egress. At this point we only had 5 minutes of fuel left with full power. The Ki84s started to appear to me. At this point, the only option I had was to try to anchor while the ACE got the hell out of dodge. In the beginning, I had one where I wanted him when a second one was suddenly 600 out and closing fast. Had to break. At this point we are on the deck at a very high rate of speed. Every pull on the stick sent me into a blackout. That last pull I was about 300 ft AGL and slightly pointed down and rolled right. I hit my auto level and during black out flew into the ground.
At this point our Hero ACE is close to A48 radar with at least 3 in pursuit. He has 2 minutes fuel left. The closest plane (Ki84) was getting closure. It appeared our ACE mission was going to end on the runway with a vulch on a plane with no fuel and dead stick. I am in the tower watching the approach. His icon comes into range and the 3 dots were right there. Weaving through trees I am telling him how the runway is set up and how to approach to the nearest concrete. As he touches down and rolls to a stop, the first Ki84 comes into view. As he towers out the second into view.
The heart was pounding an a feeling of thrill floods the body...
Biggamer, our ACE, barely pulled it off... But he did. That was an intense ACE mission. We believe he will receive credit for 4 or 5 kills and landed successfully...
A great and exciting frame last night...
SlipKnoT
XO
G3-MF
