Phew, what a gut wrencher late last night!
In case you missed the game last night, the Knights have been the whipping boy for the past 2 days. At 7pm EST we had most of the right side of the map. By midnight, we were down to 7 or 8 bases.
So, we are DESPERATELY trying to slow the bish down. Several bombers are enroute to bases all over the place, and I took an Arado up from 52 (far right corner of map) and slowly climbed and orbited to 20k, to assist Tachel in bombing 49. Once at altitude, I made my run and overtook Tachel in his B17...this worked good, his bombs would hit just a few moments after mine, so the timing was ok. Bombs away..and 49 is less a Fighter Hangar. Now the long ride home, we drop the nose a tad, accelerate to 400mph and make for A48. Just as I'm leveling, a 190 is 5k away at my 9oclock. Im not REALLY in danger, so I simply nose down a bit more and accelerate beyond him, so I no longer have an icon for him.
Well, the catch with this map is that the entire Northeast corner is full of large hills/mountains. I've alread bleed off some altitude for speed, and Im down to 13k. Terrain is at about 8k. I can really go lower.
As I approach 48 to land, that dot is STILL behind me (he's gotta be a Dora). I can visualize what's gonna happen if I try to slow this beast to land, he'll vulch me on final and get 70 perkies. So I scream/help for SOMEONE to roll from 48 and nail this guy. No one answers. I mean, I'm dragging this guy over an airbase and I cant lure anyone to assist me. On I go to our next airbase, 47, and STILL dragging this guy with me. Fuel is dropping below 25% and I'm running out of options. Finally, Whels, who just landed his Arado a few moments before, offers to assist. I'm already over 47 and he motions to fly south, to 39. That's the edge of my fuel/range, but its that or die. Whels rolls from 39, and I cut power to 60% and scream his way. Radar shows a red dot directly on my 6 the whole time, then fades away. Is my six clear?
10 miles north of a39, I descend to 4000 ft and see Whels departing 39. I make the usual long, sweeping turns to slow the Arado and land at 39. Fuel is a tad above E. Just made it.
I message Whels and ask if he got the bandit, because Im wondering if I made a big deal over a bandit that just gave up and augered in. Nope, he was out there, and they got him.
So to Whels, THANK YOU. As does my bullet-hole free Arado!
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Paul J. BusiereAces High Arena handle: BD5Pilot
http://bd5.checksix.net BD-5 "T" (TurboProp) 90% complete, first flight in 2001 (We hope!)
