PWCG P-38 Lightning Strikes Co-op Campaign

[Reggie]

I shall be present for this evening's mission - reporting for duty

[Painless]

Reporting for duty skipper...

[Crash]

I will be there

[Jabo]

signing in...

[BluBear]

I'll be there 

[FoolTrottel]

Me was Red 4 on my first 402nd mission.

Red 3 gifted me a 262 kill (Thanks Jabo!), and later dropped bombs on the ground where enemy stuff (artillery guns) was at. BOOM.  

Cools.

Thanks Chris, good show leading our pack!

[BluBear]

1st December 1944 - 402nd Mission debrief

Upon ingress to the patrol area at angels 12, Red 3 spotted four bandits below us still within the frontline, N/W of Nettersheim.
Red flight immediately dropped down to trail the E/A, now confirmed as 262s, with White flight providing top cover. 
Whilst the four 262s were duly dispatched by Red flight, White flight spotted and engaged a formation of six Ju 88s higher and to the North of Nettersheim.
Red flight re-grouped with White flight who had already got plenty stuck in to jerry and assisted in bringing down all E/A.

With the squadron reformed, we headed North to continue our patrol of the front-line, checking in with Snowdrop along the way.
On the return leg heading 160', bogies were spotted to the East near the 410th target area of Zülpich, although upon closer inspection these turned out to be escort P-38s so we headed back to the Southern patrol point.

Eagle-eyed Red 3 once again spotted a pair of low flying 262s N/E of Nettersheim that were duly taken care of by Red flight.
With the squadron now brought down low, we looked for ground targets of opportunity to attack (Red 3 and 4 still had their bombs).

After a number of successful attacks on Howitzers and AAA, with ammo running low, we headed 250' to recover at Florennes.

Well flown gents, good teamwork all round and a decent tally of E/A destroyed, crucially to no losses on our side.

 

 

[rox]

Well, my precious staying alive streak ended last mission, due to a dumb lazy mistake of course. So, say hello to our new recruit, [what ever rank] Lucas Rockwell!

I'd prefer to keep the W skin.

[Painless]

Well done 485th, in the face of ridiculous amounts of AAA we managed to bag a very respectable haul of ground targets in Koln.

Unfortunately we lost 1st Lt Luke Rox due to both engines being hit by AAA. His replacement will be with us forthwith.

Sadly we also lost Funflak to high speed topsoil contamination. 
Congratulations to Capt Fenton Rea for a huge individual haul of 10+ AAA batteries, enough to keep any “intruder” running for some time.

No enemy aircraft spotted which was just as well given the amount of lead in the air over the target. 
I would like to work on improving our coordination when attacking such a well defended target in an effort to avoid further losses chaps. A more thorough briefing and attack plan would help, coupled with better situational comms between pairs. This is something all of us need to work on, not least of all myself.

A big thank you to our P51 escort for taking at least some of the AAA heat from us.

[rox]

3 hours ago, Painless said:

Unfortunately we lost 1st Lt Luke Rox due to both engines being hit by AAA.

Officially. Unofficially, rumor has it that he might have wanted to shoot two AA guns in a row without a proper approach to the second gun, but rather just doing a quick 180 turn towards it right after shooting at the first gun, with three bombs on board, bleeding all of his speed and being unable to pull out of the dive, therefore shallowly smacking against the ground, bending both props, climbing back up too steeply with the remaining energy, getting super slow and falling out of the sky for a few hundred meters almost vertically into the ground. That moment when "damn I'm behind enemy lines" turns into "damn that's the least of my problems" in five seconds 😕

[DD_Fenrir]

Mission Date 01/12/44

402nd FS - Fighter Sweep, Zulpich Sector

485th FS - Road & Rail Strike, Cologne

410th BG - Road & Rail Strike, Zulpich

 

Debrief:

370th FG

 

402nd FS: (Courtesy of Capt. Sean O'Sullivan) Upon ingress to the patrol area at angels 12, Red 3 spotted four bandits below us still within the frontline, N/W of Nettersheim.
Red flight immediately dropped down to trail the E/A, now confirmed as 262s, with White flight providing top cover. 
Whilst the four 262s were duly dispatched by Red flight, White flight spotted and engaged a formation of six Ju 88s higher and to the North of Nettersheim.
Red flight re-grouped with White flight who had already got plenty stuck in to jerry and assisted in bringing down all E/A.

With the squadron reformed, we headed North to continue our patrol of the front-line, checking in with Snowdrop along the way.
On the return leg heading 160', bogies were spotted to the East near the 410th target area of Zülpich, although upon closer inspection these turned out to be escort P-38s so we headed back to the Southern patrol point.

Eagle-eyed Red 3 once again spotted a pair of low flying 262s N/E of Nettersheim that were duly taken care of by Red flight.
With the squadron now brought down low, we looked for ground targets of opportunity to attack (Red 3 and 4 still had their bombs).

After a number of successful attacks on Howitzers and AAA, with ammo running low, we headed 250' to recover at Florennes.

Well flown gents, good teamwork all round and a decent tally of E/A destroyed, crucially to no losses on our side.

Group COs note: 11 kills total, no losses, an excellent result for both the squadron and the new Captain's debut. Also a fitting retort to the Luftwaffe should they have felt some satisfaction at the misfortune they caused us previously. Well done 402nd!

 

485th FS: (Courtesy of Maj. Mick Payne-Less)

Well done 485th, in the face of ridiculous amounts of AAA we managed to bag a very respectable haul of ground targets in Koln.

Unfortunately we lost 1st Lt Luke Rox due to both engines being hit by AAA. His replacement will be with us forthwith.

Sadly we also lost Funflak to high speed topsoil contamination. 
Congratulations to Capt Fenton Rea for a huge individual haul of 10+ AAA batteries, enough to keep any “intruder” running for some time.

No enemy aircraft spotted which was just as well given the amount of lead in the air over the target. 
I would like to work on improving our coordination when attacking such a well defended target in an effort to avoid further losses chaps. A more thorough briefing and attack plan would help, coupled with better situational comms between pairs. This is something all of us need to work on, not least of all myself.

A big thank you to our P51 escort for taking at least some of the AAA heat from us.

Group COs note: Well done indeed to cause such casualties amongst the enemy in the face of fierce resistance 485th; it's what we've come to expect from you hard charging bastards. The losses were unfortunately inevitable given the weight of fire brought against you, but Group HQ are glad to see that you are not resting on your laurels and are actively seeking out areas to improve and become even more lethal. We mourn the loss of the experienced 1st Lt. Rox, so recently promoted too and the new blood we held so much hope for, 2nd Lt. Lou Keyberstad.

 

410th BG 

TBC...

 

 

[Painless]

Reporting for duty skipper...

[Crash]

I should be there tonight. I have my second covid jab at 6:57 pm tonight so I might be late if they are a bit behind sticking needles in people.

[BluBear]

Reporting in

[Jabo]

I should be there too.

[Reggie]

I shall be inserting myself gently, but firmly into my cockpit tonight - in other words, reporting for duty

[FoolTrottel]

Well, looks like it's time for me to retire from this one.

[BluBear]

No, don't go FT!

[Painless]

It never happened ! Come back Arjenski!

[Painless]

No joy with the mission last night I know but thanks for showing up and giving it a whirl last night 485th !

[Crash]

I dont feel so bad about being 100 yards behind a FW190 who was flying straight and level, and having NO AMMO left

[Reggie]

I would like to report a new German wonder weapon - their scientists seem to have come up with a way of attaching a rubber band - or bungee rope to their aircraft, which can then be fired at yours, backwards if necessary, and on making contact it sticks to your aircraft and pulls their aircraft into yours to destroy you in one swoop via a collision. 

The German pilot goes down too with this weapon - but in a blaze of glory, and is posthumously awarded the Knights Cross with Cabbage Leaves and Broccoli for the successful destruction of an Allied Aircraft using the "rubber band" method. 

Other 485th pilots saw this amazing new wonder weapon in action last night - so be warned, either it is true, or we have all been at Artie's moonshine again and are suffering from hallucinations 😲

[Painless]

@Reggie... or........ we entered a place beyond sight and sound.... we entered the Twilight Zone....

 

[Painless]

Reported for poopy skipper...

[Crash]

Me too