Aces High Bulletin Board
Special Events Forums => Friday Squad Operations => Topic started by: humble on July 18, 2009, 12:45:13 AM
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We got tasked with SBDs and the long run to the farthest carrier group. As usual the guy in charge (tracerX) did a fine job of guiding us thru to the target unscathed (except of course when he doesn't but thats a different AAR). Due to the distance and inevitable ebb and flow we approached the target area with minimal 411 and had begun to disperse a bit to scout as we went. Just as we hit the spread the CV group was sighted. I had been in the far north but in re vectoring cut across the formation and ended up in trail to the south west.
The CV had already been hit by the 1st attackers on scene but all ships were up and an apparent furball was low over the task group. I came in at about 17k in one of those strange instances where your in the middle of everything but totally alone. The main group had already dropped and our "insurance" wing (Solar & bombsaway) {the guys who can actually hit something besides H20) were lagging me by 20 seconds or so. The reality is that I truly suck at bombing, I'm the guy who doesn't miss the VH....I miss the whole stinking V base :furious :furious
I'm in that split concentration zone where I "hear" the action but dont register anything. I know I can furball the SBD and help out but I don't know for sure if the guys behind are clear to target or how much damage has really been done. So I dirty up and roll in trying to remember the check list the guys gave me...manifold 0, air brakes out, 45 degree dive angle....line up on the nose....over I go....
and go............
and go.........
at what feels like 35 stinking miles an hour. The damm boat feels like its pulling ahead. I push the nose down and trundle even lower into the ack...realizing i'm gonna need to pitch the eggs a bit. The ack starts registering and I give it a second or two and pull the nose thru and let em go......
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD1.JPG)
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD2.JPG)
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD3.JPG)
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD4.JPG)
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD5.JPG)
I know for a lot of you guys something like this is old hat and expected. For me it was truly a combination of luck and fortitude. In an odd way it sums up everything that makes FSO so special. Every once in awhile the weakest link in the chain manages to squeeze one across the goal line.
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Hmmm after missing the turn where my squad went back to pick up the SBD's you were flying I went ahead and scouted around. Was literally over the cv when the ack started firing. Then I seperated out of range and started to keep tabs on it. No enemies in sight until 68LU1 and 67Gaidin showed up. They were bounced by zeroes. I egressed just as your squadron was coming on station. Flew home on cruise settings and made it with a few minutes of fuel to spare. Didn't see a single enemy icon or fire a shot in anger but it was still fun.
Kind Regards FBClaw
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The Dauntless is a beautiful attack platform. She's slow and rather vulnerable, and her ordinance load just doesn't hold a candle to late-war American fighters, but those dive brakes make her rock-steady in the dive. Although I usual go for a 70-degree or greater dive. 45 is a bit too shallow.
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I think i see ET's face in the blast!
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I know for a lot of you guys something like this is old hat and expected. For me it was truly a combination of luck and fortitude. In an odd way it sums up everything that makes FSO so special. Every once in awhile the weakest link in the chain manages to squeeze one across the goal line.
That's why FSO is great. Everyone does their part every week with or w/o glory. You may get lucky and destroy the opposition, die in a great confrontation, or get slaughtered in an impossible assignment. You may even defend a base that doesn't get attacked. If you go into the event expecting something you may be disappointed. However, if you go in ready to do your assignment, you know why its a great event, and you also realise that the golden nugget of an epic battle may be over the horizon.
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Talon we got your location calls just after we entered the active grids :salute By the time I got to the target a furball had evolved down low. Enough constant vox to know we had a squad or more of zekes up and active. Our guess is they were the 2nd life B5N's. I had no planes, friendly or foe in sight until I rolled in, the scrum was low to my left as I made my run....
Sax I just don't carry mail enough to have much clue, this shot shows both my initial dive and the zekes...certainly seems much closer to your steeper angles but by the time I got down low I'd flattened out a bit for whatever reason....
(http://www.az-dsl.com/snaphook/SBD6.JPG)
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You may even defend a base that doesn't get attacked.
The only way that should happen is if a strike group runs into another strike group and at least one tries to force an engagement. It's part of the rules of FSO that every target is attacked.
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The only way that should happen is if a strike group runs into another strike group and at least one tries to force an engagement. It's part of the rules of FSO that every target is attacked.
I understand. :aok Everything planned is an attempt to ensure action for all. Disco's and effective scouts/strike groups sometimes eliminate those attack forces. I'm just saying I accept that in one frame we may see little action while the next frame may be Ho Hum or great too.
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Nice humble. :)
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sbd's at 17k? i dont remember making those orders? in fact im shure you all were supposed to be at 3k?
we clearly won the fight so it doesnt matter but...if squad leaders make thier own plans against the cic orders...the whole plan is kinda pointless. Im the first one to stretch orders given but, a 14k difference has a huge effect on timing and should be discouraged.
But good job to all axis :aok
hope it was fun
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sbd's at 17k? i dont remember making those orders? in fact im shure you all were supposed to be at 3k?
we clearly won the fight so it doesnt matter but...if squad leaders make thier own plans against the cic orders...the whole plan is kinda pointless. Im the first one to stretch orders given but, a 14k difference has a huge effect on timing and should be discouraged.
Which begs the question....
Why the heck would you have a dive bomber at 3,000 feet?
Only two reasons I can think of are...
A. The SBD's are bait...which is not fair to the squad(s).
or
B. The the CiC made a bad attack plan...also not fair to the squad(s).
Either way its smells like poop. Some orders ask (in this case beg) to be broken....
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Nice humble. :)
Got a big kick out of it for sure. An unusual occurrence for me, only the 2nd time I can recall actually hitting anything with a bomb in FSO....
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nevermind....sometimes im real stupid...we were axis :rofl