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BluBear

3. Danger Dogz
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Posts posted by BluBear

  8. Background on the TBM Avenger that crashed in Florida a week or so ago

    in Jim's Place

    Posted

    I totally understand and heartily respect your opinion sir. I don't have anywhere near the experiences you have in that regard, in fact it's likely I'm more risk averse! Parachutes? No thanks!
    I suppose really, whilst I agree on the whole with what you're saying, I just mildly object at Mr Hanna being regarded as an idiot. I'd posit that the reason we don't see anyone perform such a low take off in a Spitfire now, isn't a case of not being allowed, but because there simply isn't anyone with that degree of low-level experience or skill on type anymore. He was an outlier. As reads on his grave stone, "Incomparable".
    However, I do also recognise and appreciate that performing such manoeuvres could and probably have encouraged actual idiots to imitate, with disastrous results.

    • Like 1

  9. Background on the TBM Avenger that crashed in Florida a week or so ago

    in Jim's Place

    Posted

    I do agree for the most part Sidly and I was also shocked to hear about the background of this particular incident the other day. @Jabo this is what I was talking about. The US in particular are in a tricky situation at the moment with so many high profile warbird incidents and losses of life due to negligence etc. 

    One thing though, I wouldn't lump the late Ray Hanna (the pilot of that now famous video clip you refer to) into the same category. Far from it, that chap was no idiot. There's enough info out there on his personal history (former Reds leader, low level RAF expert etc), his capabilities and the general high regard in which he was held in the aviation world, specifically historic aviation and what he did for it. In addition, it's important to understand the context of the video. That wasn't a low pass, it was a take off and a trademark of his display in MH434. The filming took place at the end of Duxford's runway and was timed with spotting from the control tower.

    If you read about the Old flying machine company and their involvement in films such as Memphis Belle, Empire of the sun and Goldeneye to name a few, you'll see just how well planned they were and how they managed risk in order to offer spectacle. 

    I'm not saying that there aren't risk taking idiots in the UK warbird scene, I was at Shoreham in 2015 with Mr P. What happened that day was horrendous and totally avoidable.

    Just trying to offer context old bean as I think there's a marked difference between the Avenger incident, Shoreham, Reno and that of Ray Hanna. My rant over :)

    • Thanks 1

  11. PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    402nd FS Combat Report - 10/12 - Recce in the Jülich area

    Firstly, it was a shame to have such a reduced force today; some kind of clap-induced vertigo apparently according to Doc Daneeka, or was it something to do with the liver?
    Anyway, flying as a mere three ship today, this was regretfully another mission of ups and downs.

    Each aircraft took a couple of 1000 pounders as intel suggested there was an enemy advance in our target area.
    Once there and with our patrol complete, we headed down to drop on targets of opportunity. Vehicles, artillery and AAA were all spotted to the South of Jülich as Red leader made an attack followed by Red two. On egress from the attack, Red two was observed to take an 88 shell in the back of the head. This is the second day running the 402 have been struck down in such a way and we mourn the loss of newbie Doug Grabowski. In the meantime, Red three had spotted possible enemy aircraft and had remained high to investigate along with our P-47 escorts.
    With Red leader joining in, a short scrap ensued which resulted in one Fw190-A8 destroyed by Red three in a precision sniper attack and a further A8 damaged by Red leader. As the P-47s were keen to get involved, the now two-ship 402 decided that was enough for one day and headed home.

    If pilot availability continues to be an issue, we may need to consider our options.

    • Thanks 2

  12. PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    Some of you chaps might recall, a couple of weeks ago, whilst warming up before a Lightning Strikes mission I had a little tree-felling incident.
    After a forced landing somewhere in the winter Rhineland map, I ended up skidding into some trees, ripping my wing off in the process.
    What I didn't expect was to hear the sound of a falling tree, then looking behind and seeing it slowly crash to the ground.

    I had no idea this was modelled in this sim, pretty cool!

     

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    • Like 1
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  15. PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    402nd FS Combat Report - 9/12 - Engage enemy aircraft in the Utrecht area

    Flying as a four ship, the squadron flew the long way North to the interception area, orbited the patrol point for circa 10 minutes and soon realised that the Luftwaffe were not coming out to play.
    With the hunch that this could be a distinct possibility based on previous experiences, the squadron had equipped with 2x 500lb bombs for targets of opportunity. Working as pairs, at first with Red 1 and 2 flying top cover, with 3 and 4 dropping down to attack and then the reverse, all that was encountered amounted to a great deal of flak batteries with the hots for our behinds, protecting remarkably little in the way of juicy targets.

    With 3 and 4 still up top, Red 1 and 2 were flying low weaving around the trees trying to shake the barrage when leader took a clattering of lead and shrapnel to the right boom of his aircraft damaging engine #2 and causing a fuel leak. Deciding this was all now a trifle on the risky side, it was decided to knock off and head for home. Heading South for the frontline still at low altitude trying to find an opportunity to climb, a column of trucks were spotted approaching a bridge by Red 2 that were flanked by AAA. With a bomb still hanging from his racks, Red 2 decided to drop on his way through. Sadly on the route out, with the AAA now very much awake he was seen to take burst to the back of the head and that was that. RIP 2nd Lt Aaron Massengill. We will certainly miss having the only pilot on strength able to decipher these difficult to pronounce European towns and cities!

    Now firmly in friendly territory, Red lead climbed to 20,000ft to give best possible chance of gliding home should fuel starvation occur, though it would turn out that engine number two would give out first. Red 3 and 4 headed home as a pair with only a brief interruption to ID a flight of P-51s and all three remaining 402nd aircraft landed safely at Florennes with five engines between them.

    Losing two pilots in successive missions is difficult to take especially when we are already at low strength, but this is war. And war is hell.

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  18. PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    402FS combat report - mission date 7/12

    Our target for today - seemingly with the rest of the 9th AF - was infantry in and around the town of Weeze. We transited to the frontline at Angels 14 and slightly North of the 485th to avoid conflict and offer additional top cover. Upon our descended entry to the target area from the West, Red 3 spotted a trio of Ju52 transports flying below 5000ft and on a reciprocal heading.
    Following an initial attack from Red 3 and 4, Red leader and his wingman also dropped down for a taste of the action and between the flight, all three enemy Iron Annie's were swiftly sent to earth in flames. Good job.

    Regrouping, we continued on to attack ground targets of opportunity to the South East of Weeze, where unfortunately we lost Red 4 from Red 3's bomb blast on the first attack run. 2nd Lt Luke Zander, a distinguished canal boat enthusiast, was a man of few words but well liked in the mess for his ability to draw the perfect mallard whilst blindfolded. He will be missed.
    Let this be a reminder though gentlemen to always observe strict spacing on bomb runs in order to avoid these unnecessary 'own goals'. Either go in close together or keep it distant.

    After dispatching a number of tricky tree covered targets and with the 485th now in the area we decided to push South to the town of Geldern to see what the craic was down there.
    With minimal juicy targets around, we took one final punt to the East to strafe and pickle off the remainder of our bombs on the airfield of Bonningshardt-sud. 
    Red leader strafed a lone parked Bf109 as well as blowing a few buildings to smithereens along with Red 2 who also took umbrage to some jerry storage tanks. 
    Calling it there, the trio headed South West for home, picking up a further couple of AAA along the frontline on the way through.

    Well done gents, some decent team work and a reasonable haul of targets destroyed, marred only by the loss of 2nd Lt Zander. RIP.

     

    • Thanks 2

  22. The Big Fat Aeroplane Video Thread!

    in Jim's Place

    Posted

    Great vid thanks mate! I do enjoy Hadfield's insights.

    One point I noticed, on his pre-flight checks he wheeled the elevator trim to one division up. I've always followed the manual with one division down.
    Could this be to compensate for the possible differing CofG / weight of a non-combat Spit?

  25. PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    402nd Debrief: 6th December 1944
    A reconnoitre of the Zülpich area armed with 2x500lb bombs

    A mixed mission for sure and not without incident sadly. We flew as white and blue flights to 485th's red flight, in a show of force to jerry.
    As we reached cruise altitude blue one was seen to nose down violently by blue two and despite his frantic calls, never recovered from the steep dive. Suspected catastrophic control failure and the subsequent extreme negative G the likely cause of pilot incapacitation. 2lt Roger Over joined 402 only a few missions ago, but he quickly became a favourite of all in the squadron, especially for 'that trick' in the mess hall involving a chalice, 20mm cannon shell and a pair of nylons. How he managed it, we will now sadly never know. Blue skies young man!

    Blue two formed up with white flight to resume as a fighting four. Shortly after 485 engaged with the Ju88 and whilst orbiting awaiting their new position, we answered the call to engage fighters to the South. A busy furball ensued, with our Tempest escort also getting stuck in. A number of 190 D9s were shot down or damaged in the engagement with no loss to our own. At this point white three reported possible control damage to his aircraft so opted to RTB; this later turned out to be a dodgy window causing buffeting - after giving it a bash he headed East again and joined the rest of 402.

    After a period of searching the sky and an aborted engagement on what turned out to be friendly aircraft, we looked for ground targets of opportunity along the frontline from Zülpich up to Jülich. Some AAA were dispatched, one of which caused damage to white four who, escorted by white three returned to Florennes as a precaution whilst lead and two continued the search.
    White two was the only pilot to still have bombs hanging from his -38 following the earlier dogfight, so we were keen to find somewhere meaningful that he could lay his eggs. Unfortunately, this was not to be as a well aimed AAA hit caused severe damage to both of his engines. White two immediately diverted due West to successfully recover at a forward airfield escorted by white leader, who then made the lonely flight home for a well earned cup of coffee.

    A slightly frantic mission with a decent tally of aircraft downed and a handful of ground kills, though sadly darkened by the loss of 2lt Over.

     

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