RAF 73 sqd campaign - Announcements

[delta7]

Yes I send them a copy 

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2^nd June 1940

Gentlemen

Despite our gallant efforts, including making the enemy air force scared to tackle us, the enemy ground troops have broken through on all fronts, France and Belgium have fallen.

Our troops have set up a rear-guard at Dunkirk. There is a massive evacuation operation underway, to get as many of our chaps home as is possible. A flotilla of small boats escorted by the Royal Navy are heading across the channel as we speak.

The enemy having paused are now moving artillery and transports forward to try to catch us on the beaches.

 

Our tasks are twofold.

 

First the hurricanes must stop the enemy dive-bombers from harassing the shipping used for the evacuation

Secondly the battles will try to take out the enemy guns (kp 0521) and transports (KP 0630 and 0631) We have also abandoned a lot of equipment at the port in KP 0529 and don’t want this to fall into enemy hands.

Other targets on the map are secondary.

 

Good Luck

 

The next mission is planned for 21:00 hrs on Sunday the 23^rd

 

Hurricanes

Air start in 0228

Land in England or neutral airfield at Dunkirk

First flight 0.303 only

Next flights 2* 20mm ShVAK (option 18) is permitted

 

Enemy planes are at 7000ft attacking shipping mid channel. Patrol Sector A

Do not attack from the rear as they have heavy defence and escort

 

Battles (il2)

 

Air start 0229

 Land in England or neutral airfield at Dunkirk

Bombs and cannon only no rockets

[Crash]

sorry Delta, cant make this as I am off on holidays and when I get back I will have to wait for my card to come back from Gigabyte and for a new PSU.

[delta7]

Hope you get it sorted out soon mate

 

[delta7]

Congratulations 73rd

Due to your sterling efforts we have managed to evacuate the bulk of the BEF back home.

You will be relocated to air bases in England as we prepare for an invasion attempt by the enemy.

 

 

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For the next mission we will have option of altitude bombing in A 20

If you have not done this then here are some tips

 

Hardest part is inputting the wind angle so see here

Wind Angle Calculations

The calculation for setting the instrument is this:

 

 (WIND DIRECTION) minus (PLANE COURSE)

 

 

 A. For results from 0 to 180 we set the number as is to the right side of instrument.

 B. For results from 0 to -180 we set the number as is to the left side of instrument.

 (RIGHT SIDE: from 0 to 180 clockwise // LEFT SIDE: from 0 to 180 anti-clockwise)

 1.For results greater than 180 we DEDUCT from the result 360 and set according to A or B.

 2.For results greater than -180 we ADD to the result 360 and set according to A or B.

 Examples:

 

 Wind course 130, Plane course 80:
 130-80=50 , Set 50 deg on right side.

 

 Wind course 60, Plane course 130:
 60-130= -70 , Set 70 deg on left side.

 

 Wind course 290, Plane course 40:
 290-40=250 // 250-360= -110, Set 110 deg on left side.

 

 Wind course 20, Plane course 260:
 20-260= -240 // -240+360=120, Set 120 deg on right side.

[delta7]

Gentlemen

 

The battle of France is over and the battle of Britain is about to commence.

 

The enemy are preparing an invasion fleet to cross the channel.

 

The RAF is targeted to destroy the ports, train depots and invasion craft.

 

Primary target is the train depot at Cherbourg shown on map below

We will altitude bomb at 3000m. We will be flying the A20 as substitute for Wellington. I can be master bomber so other bombers just have to formate on myself and drop on my command.

 

If you wish to use bombsight then the following parameters apply

 

Height 3000m

Speed 350-400kmph

Heading 225

Wind 4ms at 272

Wind correction 48 right.

 

We will have an escort of hurricanes.

 

The secondary targets are the boats and train station at Le Havre shown below

This will be a low level run along the line of the barges

We will start in the air at correct heading for primary target

There are no close airfields so option is to return to England or ditch once over the lines

 

A20 will take 16 100lb bombs full fuel

Hurricanes 0.303 only for first flight then 2 20mm shvak if you wish

 

 

 

 

[delta7]

If you wish to join me altitude bombing then please have keys bound for bombing

the minimum you will need is 

Level flight

bomb bay doors open

drop bombs

you may also wish to set bomb fuse and set number of bombs dropped at a time

 

regards

delta

[delta7]

Gentlemen

We have successfully disrupted the enemy's invasion plans, however he is building an air fleet to target our Island.

Early indications are that his primary targets are airfields near the south coast.

You have been scrambled to intercept one such raid, planes will show up on radar.

The observation corp have seen other planes forming up across the channel in grid 1220. 

Once the initial raid is destroyed we will target this group

If we have the resources then intel has spotted barges in Dieppe and Calaise , we will arm your fighters with bombs to see what we can destroy here.

 

 

We will be flying hurricanes. There are airstart available. First flight 0.303 ammo , thereafter free to take 2*20mm

[delta7]

The next mission will be a level bombing with escort so if you want ybomb I will master bomb or you can follow tutorial above

 

 

[delta7]

Gentlemen

We would like to congratulate you all on a heroic performance in stemming the bombers attacking our airfields.

The enemy have resorted to targeting our civilian population, Last night bombs fell on London and the prime minister Mr Winston Churchill has ordered us to reply in kind.

 We will be attacking Dusseldorf , a vital communications hub. We will be flying through the night  and arriving at dawn to give the bombers the best chance of hitting target and returning.
There will be secondary targets at munchen gladbach.

Lead squad will fly wellington( A20 s) and covered by hurricanes

 

This is an airstart mission. I will be lead bomber so others just need to formate on myself and bomb if they wish. Pathfinders have lit up area with incenduaries  so targets are easy to spot.

The area is heavily defended and german radar will have alerted fighters so hurricanes are to escort the bombers

Hurricanes to take 0.303s first mission then 2*20mm after that.

If time permits there are barracks at Munchen GLadbach to destroy.

 

[delta7]

[delta7]

November 1940

While the air battles over Britain have turned into night raids by enemy bombers, the situation in the middle east is perilous. Italy has entered the war and is seeking to expand across North Africa. We cannot afford a large reinforcement at this moment but 73 squadron will embark on HMAC Furious and, as it is too dangerous to use the Mediteranian, will sail south for Takoradi on the west coast of Africa.

From there it will follow the old Imperial Airways staging posts across Africa until it arrives in Cairo

Our initial task is to defend Cairo , a vital staging post for General Wavells planned offensive,

We will have the use of our hurricanes and some P-40s from the Desert Air Force.

You will require to download and use the desert war mod here

 the desertr war mod here

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/87488-desert-war-modpackv16/

 

It is a large mod so make sure that you give it time to load on the night.

 

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Chaps

We are tasked with defending Cairo ( Stalingrad on map) Take off and intercept italian bombers. There will be an escort.

There will be further waves over basergino airfield.

 

Due to game mechanics do not patrol west of Basergino airfiels 1123 on map

Do not use airstart in 1123 , it was only to test game.

Usual time tomorrow evening

regards

delta

[delta7]

Having successfully seen off the enemy air force out ground troops are ready to go on the offensive. Our task is to fly ahead of the troops to disrupt enemy reinforcement and act as observation for pockets of resistance.

There are no ammo restrictions 

 

[delta7]

Operation Pedestal was a British operation to carry supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942

Gentlemen after successfully pushing back the Italians , the Germans have been forced to send troops , armour and aircraft to shore up their Allies. They are supplied by ship across the Mediterranean. These convoys are harassed by submarines and aircraft from Malta.

We have been diverted to Malta to assist in the air cover for a vital supply convoy. If this convoy does not get through then the aircraft will not have fuel or ammunition and the islanders will starve. The island will be forced to surrender and we will lose a vital staging post for harassing Rommels shipping supply.

 

In order for the map to work we will be flying from German airfields on the map. We will have hurricanes and P-40s. If you have the desert mod on and use the skins then although the enemy are flying from Russian airfields they will have the correct markings.

 

The task is to fly to the south of the island and protect ships. A second wave of enemy bombers will be forming up to attack from the south. There may be other enemy aircraft active over the Island

Plan is to run this on Sunday 3nd November.

[delta7]

Gentlemen

November 1942

 

Congratulations on successfully defending the convoy. Malta is saved and will go from strength to strength until the axis are kicked out of the Mediterranean.

General Eisenhower is launching operation Torch, landing troops in North West Africa to assist us.

However, the general staff are worried that Italian warships, holed up at Taranto after our successful swordfish attack, might break through and disrupt these landings

 

Our task is to destroy the ships in and around Taranto. Leading the attack will be a squadron of A-20s

which, due to predicted heavy AA, will conduct a low-level raid. These will be escorted by P-51b fighters which will have the range to cover the bombers there and back.

 

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February 1943

Battle of Kasserine Pass

Gentlemen

 

The Allies have landed with no interference from the Italian Navy. Operation Torch is a success.

We are closing in on two sides  

To prevent this  enciclement Rommel has ordered the Afrika Korps Assault Group from Feriana to attack the Kasserine Pass.

The upcoming battle will be the first major engagement between U.S. and Axis forces in Africa.

To support our troops we must destroy a bridge to prevent the enemy from reinforcements and then destroy the armour columns in the area.

The attack groups will fly P-38s and cover will be from spitfire Vs

Plane limitations: P-38s on first spawn  will only carry 2*500lb bombs

                              on further spawns can take 6*500lb bombs

                             no rockets

[delta7]

Congratulations gents

Despite strong air cover resulting in some loses we managed to destroy a key bridge and harass the axis tanks. Due to our sterling efforts the axis have lost all control of North Africa and have retreated to italy or surrendered.

Our next mission is of vital importance to the war effort. The boffins have stated that if we can disrupt oil supplies to the axis forces this will cripple their war effort.

Due to us controlling Libya we are able to launch an attack on oil fields in Romania, our target is Poliesti  , a major oil refinery .

Due to air cover we will attack on the deck with A 20s. escort will be P-51 b 

Operation Tidal Wave was an air attack by bombers of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) based in Libya on nine oil refineries around Ploiești, Romania, on 1 August 1943, during World War II. It was a strategic bombing mission and part of the "oil campaign" to deny petroleum-based fuel to the Axis powers.

This operation was one of the costliest for the USAAF in the European Theater, with 53 aircraft and 500 aircrewmen lost. It was proportionally the most costly major Allied air raid of the war, and its date was later referred to as "Black Sunday". Five Medals of Honor and 56 Distinguished Service Crosses, along with numerous other awards, went to Operation Tidal Wave crew members. A 1999 research report prepared for the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama concluded that the bombing campaign in Ploiești was "one of the bloodiest and most heroic missions of all time".^[