Painless

Reporting for duty skipper ...

Sorry Col, it’s been a flat out weekend collecting our new DangerDog from Bury near Manchester. Should be on tonight if he settles down enough.

Small is OK as long as it’s busy ! 🤣👍🏻

Looking forward to hearing you sing that little ditty live at Legends Sidly ? Maybe with Tom on backing vocals and geeetarrrrr. 🤣

Must be 2020, they are all wearing masks ?

Dam right Thomas !!! 😁

PS: I lied on TS about not caring about medals..... it really hurts ! 😭

485th debrief: Six ship flight to patrol around an 8x8km area well behind enemy lines for air targets. Uneventful transition to our patrol area followed by a staggered altitude sweep for around 20 minutes with no joy on EA. Rox and myself descended to attack ground convoy with some success however Rox chopped the end off of a AAA gun barrel with his prop. Top marks for using every part of his aircraft to inflict harm on the Bosh ! This meant escorting Rox to friendly lines so he could return safely to home base which he did admirably. The remainder of 485th continued patrol with no joy. Rejoined Sqn and sent white flight down to attack ground targets. Received call to intercept air targets from 402nd but the location was some 80km away so declined invitation. Decided to head back to front lines to find more ground targets which we did with some success. Received another call, this time from Jabo stating 5x Bf 110 heading East approx 40km away. Set interception course and headed full speed with 5 remaining 485th aircraft. Found 5x Bf110 EA where expected so thanks to Nick for heads up ! Engaged and shot down 4 EA for the loss of Funflak to rear gunner return fire (we think). Remaining Bf110 was reserved for Friar as he hadn’t got a kill yet but unfortunately he had the smallest of brain farts causing a collision resulting in the destruction of both aircraft. Bloody shame as he had done a great job of leading White Flight for some weeks. Expecting a replacement flight leader ASAP! Returned home as a three ship flight without incident. Great job by both Artie and Reggie and I will be recommending promotion for both.

Tom, having a high pressure job, a young family, putting all the hours you do into running this campaign and dealing with most of the DCS issues in the squad week in and week out is NO EXCUSE for such a catastrophic mistake !

I am impressed by the incorporation of a coil spring seat, you don’t see that every day mate ! 👍🏻

Reporting for duty skipper...

A mixed bag for 485th again.... We reached the front lines on waypoints with White Flight above the cloud and Red just below. Turned south into patrol area and saw air to air tracer far off at our 12o’clock and a flamer trailing smoke towards the ground. Artie and Kimo also called air to air tracer at their 3o’clock. With so much air activity I called for 485th to jettison bombs and head towards the action. My wingman Rox and I saw only one enemy aircraft which did not appear to be damaged or streaming and was in a fight with a P38. Rox saw two other friendlies above but not involved in the fight. At this point the FW banked and turned right across our noses, so I slotted in behind and shot a quick lead burst and broke off. Rox said he had a shot so I told him to take it . I looked down and to my right to see the EA spinning towards the ground and confirmed Rox’s kill. Turns out in the debrief after the mission that Jabo had been chasing that particular FW around for some time and we stole it. Sorry about that Nick, it was the only enemy aircraft anyone from 485th saw all mission, it was in our southern patrol area and we were not warned off on whisper. I now know it was the last of five FWs four of which had already been shot down by 402nd. Artie was hit by flak and then the by the internet and we lost him. Pooka was also damaged by flak but was escorted home by Friar and eventually one lonely Kimo. Rox and myself continued with ground staffing and got a reasonable haul. Excellent wingman work Rox ! Happy to apologies to Nick for the rude interruption but not inclined to apologise for going for that EA in the first place given the circumstances.

Reporting for duty skipper...

Great way to build the suspense BB, sign of a remarkable film maker..... “will he hit him 😳 ?.... go on go on......... nearly.............. YEEEEESSS !” 🤗 All done on purpose for the cameras, obviously !

It’s all Google translates fault ! It says “German *** ****” 😉

Thanks Sidly, what a fine slogan to have on one’s tank 👍🏻

Allied 👍🏻🤓

Sorry number one ! Will be there this evening for some more practice sir 🤓

“Sticky Bum Prancing” = Strictly Come Dancing 🤫🤓

@Tbone.. Siobhan can watch stuff like “Sticky Bum Prancing” on the TV without being able to hear my eyes roll ! 😳

Siobhan, (my good lady), gives me a hard time if I don’t fly !

Good session last night Sidly, thanks for the info 👍🏻

Yes there was indeed AAAA, “Ample Anti Aircraft Artillery “. Bad luck this time 485th, absolutely no sign of enemy aircraft from beginning to end. Even though we were supposed to be selective when it came to ground attack, ie not attacking massed AAA for the sake of it or alone, we still sustained damaged and lost airframes either through direct AAA hits or aggressive scenery. 2nd Lt John Mayer was injured and now has the full attention of several nursing personnel which I’m told he insists is “no more than a necessary evil” 2nd Lt Funflaque was also injured but we expect him back on Sqn as soon as stocks of formadehyde are replenished. Unfortunately I believe we lost 2nd Lt Dave Scott, waiting for absolute conformation from HQ..... Good job 2nd Lt Kieth Mow who nursed his damaged and leaking airframe back to home base without incident ! Capt Frank Priory also deserves a mention for not only surviving such an “eventful” mission, but for contributing to a number of artillery ground kills for 485th.

For immersion I intend to have the doors wide open beside me and wear a fetching winter hat and gloves, anyone else ? 🤔😳

Get well bloody quick Reggie !