PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

[Patricks]

15 hours ago, Jabo said:

21:00 is the start time so if you're BST +1 then that would be 22:00 for you?

Sorry, just saw this. Yes, 21:00 BST is 22:00 for me. I was going by the calendar, which is below.. with my notes added. Maybe i'll try DCS as those times are at least within the realm of possibility for me. Is there any reason (i'm sure there is) you start so late on a weeknight?

 

[Crash]

I think the start time is more of "it happened" than planned. Fen is running it so maybe it be a rush for him to start earlier. I wouldnt mind it starting earlier and Sweper might join in

[Patricks]

Love to join in but i'm being realistic, by 10:00 i'm ready to wrap it up if not already wound up by flying already on weeknights.. Before Covid I had dinner at 10:00, this last year has ruined me..

[fruitbat]

2 hours ago, GPatricks said:

Sorry, just saw this. Yes, 21:00 BST is 22:00 for me. I was going by the calendar, which is below.. with my notes added. Maybe i'll try DCS as those times are at least within the realm of possibility for me. Is there any reason (i'm sure there is) you start so late on a weeknight?

 

It's to give the N Americans a chance to fly 

[Patricks]

2 hours ago, fruitbat said:

It's to give the N Americans a chance to fly 

Whatever works, just doesn't work for me.. my tough luck. Funny, I looked for a UK group because all the North Americans were 6 hours behind me here! 

[Friar]

Its only the P38 campaign that starts at 21:00 UK time.

All our other nights tend to get going an hour earlier

[Painless]

1 hour ago, GPatricks said:

Whatever works, just doesn't work for me.. my tough luck. Funny, I looked for a UK group because all the North Americans were 6 hours behind me here! 

That is a shame GPatricks, it would be great to have you join us.

As Friar has said we can start our regular GBS coops every other Tuesday and Sunday at 20.00 BST so 21.00 for you. Maybe fly an hour or so, then 😴 ?
Fooltrottle (Netherlands) and Sweper (Sweden) are also BST+1 but our Canadian and American guys vary from BST -5 to -8 depending. Fine if you are retired but not so easy when you are working of course. 
Hopefully you will enjoy flying with us enough so that you won’t mind the time compromise required ?

[Patricks]

Thx Painless - Let's see next gathering, 21:00 is fine. Hanging around until 23:00, not so much..  

 Any consolation, I was just trying the P47D on the DCS Storm of War server and couldn't get a heavy plane (600# under max. weight) off the ground! 

[DD_Fenrir]

Hey Patrick,

The start time is based on a variety of factors; on a normal co-op evening people turn up and drop out for the night/evening/afternoon generally at their leisure. Even if you joined a bit later than the majority, generally you would only have to wait 5-15 minutes till the next coop mission started, there being somtimes3-5 run in the course of the session.

However, with a single 1-1.5 hour coop it vastly complicates attendance: everyone who wants in has to be there prior to my generating the mission (I can't generate slots for every possible attendee and just leave the AI to fly those who don't show, in case the AI does something dumb and kills off your persona!) so we had to set a cut-off time to have everyone who wants to fly be there...

We have American continent guys joining in their afternoon, with Brits just after supper time and the Euro guys worrying about needing to hit the sack before the mission ends. Ultimately we tested out a few times and eventually it settled on 2100 as a good compromise for everyone.

Everyone is generally landed by by 2230/2300 BST, and some duck out early if necessary (without penalty) so there is that option for you.

[DD_Fenrir]

Mission Date 19/12/44

402nd FS - Reconnaissance, Nettersheim-Gerolstein

485th FS - Fighter Sweep, Prum-Zulpich

 

Debrief:

370th FG

402nd FS:

 

485th FS:

6 a/c of Zenith Squadron took off uneventfully and proceeded to the patrol area, climbing to Angels 19 en-route. Just after our turn onto the Northern leg of our patrol route 2ndLt. Artage called out a formation of unidentified aircraft closing from our 10 o'clock low, approximately Angels 15. These resolved into enemy short-nosed Fw 190s, 5-6 in all and after calling to jettison our bombs, I led Red 2, Lt. Nailed, in a wheeling dive down onto the rear of their formation which began to break up. The dogfight lasted a good few minutes until all the e/a were eventually dispatched, with claims for myself, Capt. Payne, Lt. Nailed and 2nd Lt. Snocker. 2nd Lt. Bayles also made a claim but for some reason this has been denied by Wing HQ; apparently an AAA battery in the area is making a claim and they've been awarded it. There was plenty of AAA - both enemy and friendly - in the area as the dogfight occurred directly over the front lines.

We turned back toward Zulpich, aiming to get back to altitude when I spotted 2 contrails to our NW. We closed climbing hard all the way with 2nd Lt. Bayles the first to ID and engage the bogeys; turns out they were Ju 52s! Also turns out that Bayles is a damn find marksman as he downed the no.2 a/c in his first pass, in a 45 degree climb from head-on! Nice work that man.

The lead aircraft then reversed course and I approached with Red 2 from it's low 5 position, putting an accurate and heavy burst into the right wing root and walking the fire across the under fuselage and into the left wing; it lost control and crashed shortly thereafter.

Regrouping, 2nd Lt Artage spotted another bogey skimming the treetops just SW of Kelz airfield. Sending his section down and keeping the rest above Angels 10, we watched as Artie ID'd the a/c as another enemy Ju 52, and clinically dispatched it with a controlled burst. This e/a crashed just North of Kelz airfield.

At this point I was having fuel feed issues and elected to RTB, but directed Reds 3 & 4 to join with White flight and for Capt. Payne to search for targets at his discretion. Despite being given clearance to join them Red 2 kindly stayed on my wing and we had an uneventful flight home and landing. Capt. Payne took the remainder down to search for possible strafing opportunities but found slim pickings as it looked like the 402nd had already been through the area and picked off the majority of the targets. There were a few however and these were duly liquidated. With ammo running low and targets sparse Capt. Payne wisely decided to make the best of it and called RTB, landing some 10 minutes after Zenith leader and Red 2.

Good mission chaps, well done all.

 

 

[Patricks]

1 hour ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Hey Patrick,

The start time is based on a variety of factors; on a normal co-op evening people turn up and drop out for the night/evening/afternoon generally at their leisure. Even if you joined a bit later than the majority, generally you would only have to wait 5-15 minutes till the next coop mission started, there being somtimes3-5 run in the course of the session.

However, with a single 1-1.5 hour coop it vastly complicates attendance: everyone who wants in has to be there prior to my generating the mission (I can't generate slots for every possible attendee and just leave the AI to fly those who don't show, in case the AI does something dumb and kills off your persona!) so we had to set a cut-off time to have everyone who wants to fly be there...

We have American continent guys joining in their afternoon, with Brits just after supper time and the Euro guys worrying about needing to hit the sack before the mission ends. Ultimately we tested out a few times and eventually it settled on 2100 as a good compromise for everyone.

Everyone is generally landed by by 2230/2300 BST, and some duck out early if necessary (without penalty) so there is that option for you.

Thx for the clear explanation Fenrir, I was spooked by the calendar and will give it a go next time. The AI are not all that bright, I had my wingman, 10 miles from base after a mission, pancake down on top of me in level flight in formation. I just happened to look up and saw him coming down like an out of gas UFO.. 

[Crash]

We have DangerDogz that do that

[Bob]

Thanks to all for nursemaiding the newbie yesterday, comms and advice were spot on and helped make the flight.  Till next time.

Bob

[DD_Fenrir]

Next mission is hosted Sunday 13th June (Campaign date 20/12/44).

Scoreboards (as of the morning of the 20th December 1944):

370th FG:

 

 

Pilot Rosters:

370th FG:

402nd FS

 

485th FS:

[Painless]

Apologies, I will not be able to fly on Sunday (13th). We have a belated anniversary meal booked at the Winchester Ivy restaurant.

Good luck chaps, give them hell !

[Crash]

I will be there Il-2 looks very nice

[Squawk]

Squawks in for today

 

[Reggie]

Reporting for boobies. 

Umm, I mean reporting for duty 😲

[Bob]

swill be there this evening

 

[BluBear]

Going to have to give this one a miss gents, sorry. Heading to Ireland first thing in the morning so will need my beauty sleep. Give em hell!

[DD_Fenrir]

Sad for us but happy for you Chris - hope you have a great time. Love to the family.

So who's leading 402 in Chris' absence? 

Don't all rush at once..! 😉

[Jabo]

Sorry guys, wasn't able to get back online in time - hope you have a good mission.

[DD_Fenrir]

Mission Date 20/12/44

402nd FS - Attack Armour, Spa

485th FS - Fighter Patrol, Spa

 

Debrief:

370th FG

402nd FS:

 

485th FS:

Seconded Lts. Artage and Mayer to the 402nd FS to bolster their numbers as they were wanting for aircrew. Led a formation of 6 a/c, took 2 x 500lb bombs in case of no-show by the Lufties. Take-off and form up uneventful. Climbed to Angels 10 for transit to patrol area. 10km short of the lines Red 2 (2nd Lt. Bayles) called bogeys 1 o'clock, slightly lower; called for a climb to the right to try and put us up sun. The a/c resolved into 5-6 number long nosed Fw 190s. I directed White Leader (Lt. Nailed) to attack the lead e/a whilst Red flight dropped in on the trailing flights from above. After a brisk action that took us over the frontlines and practically down to tree-top height all the bandits were downed; there was much AAA, both friendly and enemy, plus a group of P-47s got involved which complicated matters, but the 485th counted for 5 of the e/a, though the unfortunate 2nd Lt. Bayles got clobbered by AAA whilst lining up a 190 and was forced to withdraw - thankfully he made it home, though experienced further drama when a damaged engine failed on short final; he got it down and is shaken but unhurt. The a/c, however, is somewhat worse for wear... I strafed two of the potentially offending guns and took them out.

The rest of 485th remained in the area to cover the 402nd until they had completed their attacks. Whilst in the SE corner of the patrol area we spotted a gun in a field and were northbound and descending, setting up for an attack run when I spotted 5-6 bogeys to the NE, slightly lower and coming in our direction; initial assumption was they were the 402nd and their escorts but we then realised they should be SW of us; it was then that I ordered the squad to break off the ground attack and investigate and potentially engage the coming contacts. They turned out to be a squadron of Bf 110s and we promptly set to, eventually downing 5, but not without some casualties; Lt. Nailed got badly clobbered by the rear gunner of one of the bandits and was obliged to break off and RTB badly wounded and with an ailing aircraft. His wingman, 2nd Lt Badame was able to exact retribution and flamed the e/a, before escorting his flight lead home. Similarly, Lt. Johnson was also tagged by rear gunner fire, but doggedly stuck to his target until exhausted of ammunition. He too was obliged to make for home. Both Johnson and Nailed RTB'd safely.

2nd Lt. Gannet finished off the 110 damaged by Johnson in spectacular style, the e/a exploding in mid-air about 200 yards in front of his airplane! This was the apex of a rather exciting and productive sortie for the young Lieutenant: having downed a 190 in the first engagement, he then went on to claim two further 110s on top of the one that caused Lt. Johnson such frustration! He had a close brush with Grim Reaper however; as a result of his heavy manoeuvrings he lost consciousness, came to pointed at the ground and in his efforts to recover blacked himself out for 2nd time!

That said, he managed to recover safely and regained his composure sufficiently to shoot down his final victim before making for home.

10 air kills in one mission gents is a fantastic score; well done gents, solid cross cover, good comms and well done flight and section leads for giving your wingmen a crack at the targets and especially well done to 2nd Lt. Norman Gannet for the haul of 4! Great job gentlemen.

[Crash]

I think I have sorted my bouncy landings by means of full up nose trim. Seems to work fine

[Painless]

Bloody good show chaps, sounds like you had an OK mission, not at all upset that I missed it ! 😏