AAR Friday 10/25 TOD

[daddog]

The 332nd Mongrels were slotted with taking out the fuel and ammo supplies at D44. Our escorts were the FDB's who flew a head and kept the 109's engaged and south of the target while we flew north of D44 along the 11 line thinking we were safe.


All went well till about ½ way to our target when ghosth called out a 190 might have seen him. We were just skimming the top of the clouds and began to scan the skies for other enemy fighters. Soon other dots began to appear through the bleak and gray sky. We finally had to dive into the clouds and turn south hoping to shake our pursuers. We flew by instrument in the clouds for about 3 minutes level at 13,500. Then we dove just below the cloud layer only to find several 190's south and west of us.


By then we were committed and dove for our target. 190's began to latch onto those in the back of our squad. Cries of "Going down!" began to fill the radio.  My gunner called out 4 190's on our long six and I hit the deck skimming the tree tops.


Our target loomed a head, but trails of smoke and fire were behind me as several in our squad were going down under the guns of the 190's. It was a slaughter. Two of us were to straff ack at D44 and I was one. My first pass took out one ack but a 190's was right on me. He fired and or it was the remaining ack that tore into my tail as my gunner screamed we lost our elevator's! With no time to bail we hit the snow and ice at 250mph.  

Sour was the only other dog to reach the target because he rolled about 10 min after we did.

Still had fun but I don't think we did anything to aid the war effort.

[Wotan]

Wow

The Flying Zoo, the 56th and JG2 engaged la5s east of 44.

JG2 was to get to 18 for cap when we spotted 10-12 la5s east of 44 at 20k. We called in the 56th who were ib in hvy 190a8s to hit a train station in stalingrad. We only had 4 pilots. We also called in The Flying Zoo who were cap at d44.

After a good fight with the la5s (thank god the 56th showed up) JG2 and a few Flying Zoo stragglers were regrabbing when Drunky and Heinkel spotted the il2s. However they soon lost them in the clouds.

We flew around for about 5 min wondering wtf you all were.

The 56th decided to rearm and head to rail station. Suddenly Brady comes over AHV

"IL2S!!!!"

We called out the location and converged. I got 2. I was lucky to get the wing tip on the last one with my last 5 20mm rounds (I had killed 1 la5 and damaged 2 others). I thought he was done for but I then saw him get control and turn to target again. I made several mg passes and finally he went in.

Checking strat later it was apparent we didnt get umm all.

S! was fun trying locate you guys in the clouds.