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BluBear

3. Danger Dogz
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Posts posted by BluBear

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

    in IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles Series

    Posted

    402nd FS Mission report (yes, really!) - 27th December 1944

    Woke up from a nightmare this morning that it was perpetually the morning of the 27th December, how strange!

    Perhaps it was something to do with the 5.30am mission start, we were all a little groggy and irritable having to start so early in this god-forsaken freezing country.
    That said; Ophoven looked deceptively peaceful this time of day, they even managed to put the fire out that was blanketing the runway in dense smoke.

    Our mission for the day was to intercept enemy aircraft in the area of Zwolle, giving cover to the 193rd Typhoon boys who were slamming bridges and such.
    We took off as a reduced force of four aircraft (many pilots on leave / awaiting replacements / didn't read the mission brief yada yada) and headed roughly due North with a pair of precautionary 500s in case Jerry didn't come out to play in the skies. 

    There must have been some miscommunication between the yanks and the limeys because they'd already hit their target by the time we got to the front line.
    However, at this point somewhere near Nijmegen, Jabo flying as Red 3 duly spotted four bandits co-alt to our 2 o'clock. Four 190A8s - They hadn't seen us. We crept up behind in a sneak attack and let them have it. Both FT (Red 2) and I knocked one down each in the first pass, Red 2 subsequently destroying a second in the short melee that followed. I maintained top cover as Red 3 and Wingflyer flying as Red 4 chased after the remaining Focke, with Red 3 landing a number of crucial blows.
    With the limeys calling for help with a possible formation of bombers sighted further North, we let it go as a probable and regrouped on a climbing heading for Apeldoorn. Shortly thereafter we spotted what appeared to be a pair of enemy aircraft in the circuit to land at the airfield near Arnhem. After some confusion it turned out to be the 193rd on their way back attacking the heavily defended airfield. I spotted a third contact trailing them high - another 190 it became apparent - with the hots for Crash. Firewalling it, Red 2 and I closed on the bastard as it was lining up for the attack. A lucky highly skilful deflection shot on the first pass from yours truly sent him to the forest in a fireball, momentarily yet satisfyingly spreading light on the dark fields below.

    Meanwhile, Red 3 and 4 had made a run on the airfield, damaging a landed aircraft but upon discovering the level of resistance, thought better of any further attacks.
    On the recommendation of the Typhoon boys we headed North East to look for ground targets around the IJssel river; a significant number of initially silent AAA were encountered and our bombs finally found their targets of opportunity. A successful period of strafing ensued but not without some damage to us. Red 3 had his rudder controls knocked out from the waking AAA and with a pair of hot engines headed South for a precautionary early landing at Volkel. The remaining three of us briefly encountered another collection of angry AAA near Doesburg on our egress, word must have got around of our presence, so we dodged and made for friendly lines without further ado.

    Flight home was unremarkable except for the slowly rising sun, casting it's crisp bright wintry rays upon the brilliant white canvas of Western Europe below us.
    A brief moment of apricity in the cockpit. Peaceful again, for now.

    Well done chaps, great team work and a decent haul all things considered. Hopefully, it's the 28th when we wake tomorrow...
     

     

    • Thanks 1
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  6. Duxford Flying Day October 9th

    in Jim's Place

    Posted

    Hey chaps,

    Does anyone else fancy meeting up at this event?

    https://www.iwm.org.uk/airshows/events/october-flying-day-one/flying-list

    It's one of their flying days, so not a full blown air show but still a very decent line-up of displays. The Ultimate Fighters display team did it for me.

    Also, if you so wish you could get in for free if you sign up as an IWM member (which I have done for £5/month). https://www.iwm.org.uk/membership

    S~

     

  8. DCS Mosquito - Pre-order Available

    in DCS Series

    Posted

    8 hours ago, BluBear said:

    although I haven't checked if any aids were on, must do that.

    Just checked, take off assistance was indeed on. However, I turned it off and took off again no problem; didn't even seem to make a difference!
    Either years of DCS Spitfire have paid off preparing me for hair-raising take offs, or the Mosquito is a lot tamer than expected.

     

  9. DCS Mosquito - Pre-order Available

    in DCS Series

    Posted

    Great stuff!

    I finally took the Mossie up for a spin yesterday afternoon, after spending some time adjusting throttle curves etc. to get both axis working more or less in unison (no asymmetric thrust please).

    Managed to keep her straight-ish down the runway and took off nicely enough - although I haven't checked if any aids were on, must do that.
    Flew around for a bit, did some aeros, some low flying and landed surprisingly well first time. Then a bit of instant action on the Channel map, shooting at trains and dogfighting an A8 with my port engine on the blink. First impressions, she dogfights better than I expected, like a heavy Spitfire and a real stick and rudder experience - quite a contrast to dogfighting in the P-38, but then these are different sims so perhaps not an entirely fair comparison. This aircraft will prove to be a very enjoyable addition to the sim for sure.

    Going to try a cold start next for the immersions, then swat up on weapons and systems.

    PS. thanks @DD_Fenrir for the tip on curves, I've basically copied over my (your) Spitfire curves and it feels natural already.

    PPS. Everyone should get the Mossie 😁

     

    • Like 2

  10. DCS Mosquito - Pre-order Available

    in DCS Series

    Posted

    12 hours ago, Bremspropeller said:

    Screen_210919_151124.thumb.jpg.eabc53686bd3783d35b22d6bea603d49.jpg

     

    Has anybody been successful in feathering a prop yet? I shut down the port engine and pressed the feather-button. This would get the engine down to 0 RPM for an instant, but it would spin up again. Seems like the prop is unfeathering by itself, despite the button being pushed.

    Are you sure there's not an additional 'TIT' you have to pull Brems? 

    • Haha 1

  13. Dogz new member

    in Recruitment

    Posted

    Welcome to the pound Beagle / Roy, make yourself at home. Look forward to sharing the virtual skies with you sir! :salute:

    @Painless Didn't you say it was somewhere in Fife where you sourced those armoured underpants with the decorative frills, high tensile elastic and waterproof zipper flaps? Something about the favourable legal implications of purchasing said items north of the border wasn't it? I'm sure your secret is safe with Roy.

     

    • Haha 1
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  14. AAIB report released: Sea Fury forced landing Aug 2020

    in Jim's Place

    Posted

    Mentioned this to those of you online last night, makes for some interesting reading!

    They did very well to get away with it all things considered:

    Quote

    The engine and propeller then stopped rotating. The pilot lowered the aircraft’s nose and found that it required an attitude of approximately 45° nose-down to maintain airspeed.

    😲

    https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-hawker-sea-fury-t-mk-dot-20-g-invn

     

    sea fury crash 5.jpg

    sea fury crash 10.jpg

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 2
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