24/02/45
Maj. Ken Shear
Mission: Artillery Strike
Result:
The squadron proceeded to target area. As we approached the frontline but still someways from it, Red 1 sighted a bandit crossing his nose, slightly below, going North to South. ID'd as a 109. Squadron engaged with Red trying to draw bandits attention whilst White flight took him down. After much swirling Red 3 managed to damage the e/a when White 1 managed to saddle up and dispatched the bandit with a well aimed burst to the cockpit.
Squadron regrouped and continued to target area where as the target was sighted, though partially obscured by cloud. As Red 1 commenced a diving turn to Port to try and setup an attack run unencumbered by the cloud cover, Red 2 spotted a pair of bogeys to the East. Red flight set up their attack run as White flight attempted to move to intercept and ID the bogeys, which turned out to be 109s. The e/a avoided the intercept and bore in on Red flight.
Red flight made a succuessful attack run, destroying many field guns and AAA. However, Red 1 was attacked by e/a coming off target, he was wounded and set on fire, managing to just cross the river and over friendly lines before bailing out. White 2 was damaged by flak but both the e/a were dispatched by Red 3 and White 1 respectively.
The remainder of the squadron flew North to a secondary Fortification target where 2 further aircraft were observed covering the taget area. These turned out to be Me 262, White 1 flaming one in a fantastic high angle deflection shot, and the other being heavily damaged by White 2 and last seen leaving the area at high speed venting fluids.
Unfortunately Red 3 was hit by intense light flak during his attack run, and he too was only able to nurse his bird back to friendly lines before he was obliged to bail out. Red 4 was lost trying to neutralise the AAA guns, his aircaft seen to explode almost on top of a light flak gun site he had been attacking.
White 2, having suffered damage force landed at a friendly airfield, and White 1 and Red 2 retuned to base, Red 2 also having recieved some light damage to his aircraft.
3 friendly aircraft destroyed (2 pilots recovered safely by parachute, 1 KIA), 1 friendly aircraft force landed damaged near Cologne, 1 further friendly aircrafy landed at base damaged.
Personal tally:
Air:
-
Ground:
1 x Howitzer
1x Truck