The plan for the night was executed near to perfection that we could do. All Axis pilots deserve a well pat on the back.
On the defensive side, we kept the enemy from totally destroying 5 out of 6 airfields. A4, A43, A45, A111, and A49 only sustained minimal damage with the loss of a few hangars and some strats. Well done!!!
A54 took the brunt of the Allied attack from several waves of enemy attack virtually leveling the field. A big
to The Unforgiven with 5 pilots who valiantily defended A54.
On the offensive side, we leveled 3 enemy airfields and moderate damage to 3 others. A111 and A115 were two seperate strikes with large squads flying both Ju-88's and Me-110C's succeeding with moderate damage to both airfields. A58 received 2 seperate strikes from 2 different squads and received moderate damage also. A38, A31, and A34 wee completely leveled. A big
to those squads.
I would like to thank the squads who flew I-16's for both defense and offense. You guys had the toughest jobs to do with them short legs. A big salute to I-16 squads that were wiped out performing their duties to the bitter end.
I would like to thank the squads or pilots that flew the Ju-88's and Stukas. Air Raiders did an outstanding job with their Stukas at A38.
The Ju-88 squads did a great job with hitting 2 targets also.
Except for LCA and VF-15 who flew their own missions by themselves, I would like to thank the squads who worked together in executing a series of complex plans to take the fight to the enemy. I wrote the mission orders in a way to allow most of the squads plenty of wiggle room in making tactical decisions over enemy airfields. The plan had a high degree of risk in many ways and I'm completely satisfied with the squads following them and achieving that level of success we did.
From Ghostdancer's earlier post,
Will ask them to post it. I have already made my pass through the raw logs and the air to air war was exceedingly close (allied 760 pts to Axis 745pt). However the Axis were much more successful or consistent in bombing their targets (1557 pt to 1325pts). Complete break downs later.
As for the front the Yugoslavs stopped the German advance out of Bulgaria and Albania. So the Prilep pocket continues to hold out. The allies in the east have decided to abandon the Aliakmon line and to withdraw toward Larissa (central Greece) but have not withdraw from Florina yet (A39). Leaving a corridor for the Yugoslavs to retreat through.
The Italians have made gains in the west.
Overall the British and Greeks are making an orderly withdrawal. The rest of Yugoslavia has fallen except for Belgrade that is under siege. The Brits and Greeks expect the Yugoslav government to surrender any time now but are trying to entice Yugoslav military units in the south to fight and to possibly withdraw back into Greece itself and bolster the new defense lines they are trying to establish from Arta in the west, Trikala in middle, and Larissa in the east (V72, A31, A33). we held our own in the air and dominated the airfield destruction. This chalks one up for the Axis.
Great job everyone!!!!
AKKuya
Frame 2 CIC
