After-Action Report
5/2/2009
by Brooke, pilot, I/LG 1
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was a pilot in I/LG 1, a squadron of Ju 88A-4 bombers. Today, I/LG 1 and III/LG 1 were flying together. The groups consisted of 4440 (the Group Leader), me (Brooke), Newman, Tudza, SheGotYa, Flossy, Curnutte, dtis30, Marshal, whiskers, badger8, Angel, onedrive, and Furzy.
LG 1 taking off from Sfax (a64). We are in Ju 88A-4's with four 500 kg bombs externally and twenty 50 kg bombs internally. The three close-up planes are, from left to right, Newman, Flossy, and me. Ahead from left to right are: Furzy, Angel, onedrive, and tudza. t=0:00
LG 1 down low on the water, on our way to hit strategic targets near Tripoli. Nice formation, folks! From left to right in front group: Furzy, whiskers, dtis30, 4440, onedrive, and me. From left to right in back group: Curnutte, tudza, Angel, badger8, Marshal, SheGotYa, and Newman. t=0:20
A view left rear out of my cockpit at our C.202 escorts. From left to right above: Busher, brogy, SLAMMER, Grusome, Count, Twizzty, and Krusty. t=0:20
A bit after this, we got reports that enemy ships were potentially in our planned flight path. We turned straight south just a little early and completely skirted them on our way to the Tripoli area from its north. LG 1 was divided into two groups: one to go hit the city and one to go hit the refinery. I was assigned to the refinery group, led by whiskers. I was assigned to lay down bombs down the midline of the refinery. Others were assigned left and right of middle and far left and right.
Bombs away down the middle of the refinery! I'm using my 500 kg externals, set to salvo 1 (so that I can pick individual targets). t=0:43
The aftermath of my bombs, including the moment of the last buildings exploding (bottom of picture).
A zoomed view out my rear gunsight at the state of the refinery after LG 1 completed its pass. Visible behind me are badger8 and SheGotYa.
After this, those of us still with bombs were assigned to go hit the HQ complex south of Tripoli.
A view as I approach the HQ complex. Just before we get there, it is getting worked over by the group that attacked the city. You can see the explosions in among the buildings from Marshal, and Angel is on his run. t=0:47
My bombs away on whatever I can find left to hit (the building bottom left in the picture, and the cluster up from that).
I take the two targets I aimed at, here showing the building cluster at the edge of town exploding.
After this, we headed west toward v113, one of the Mereth bases. A lot of the way was clear, but then Spitfires started to show up.
A view back from my gunner positions as one of the Spitfire V's attacks me. I'm evading. That also will slow me way down and more quickly put me back among the bombers I'm ahead of. Behind me from left to right: ESU, Vasco, Shamus, (can't tell), SunsFan, Curnutte, Newman, tudza, and 4440. t=0:53
The Spitfire blows the wing off one of my Ju 88's. I'm yelling for help on the radio, and the fighter escort tells me to quit yelling like a little girl. Actually, they don't say that -- they say they'll be right there. Behind me from left to right: Curnutte, tudza, Newman, and 4440.
I keep up my evasives. Some escorts are now almost on the Spitfire near me, and the bombers that were behind me are rapidly closing on my position. From left to right: SunsFan, whiskers, Newman, dtis30, (can't tell), Curnutte, Vasco, and me.
The escort drives off the Spitfire. Thank you, escort! Unfortunately after that, one more Spitfire comes in from the south of our formation to attack.
I fire on the Spitfire, and it breaks off. It's interesting because whiskers and dtis30 looked like they were coming in for an attack with forward guns. With all of that and escorts in the area, I don't think the Spitfire liked the situation much. From left to right: onedrive, ESU, JB42, dtis30, whiskers, me, and Vasco. t=0:56
Coming in for a landing at desert base v113 (on of the Mereth bases). Angel is already down and parked. Good work, escorts! Most of the bombers made it back. t=1:18
LG 1 taking off on its second mission. Here, Flossy and I are rumbling down the runway in our Ju 88's. Newman is behind us. Ahead of us are (from top to bottom): tudza, whiskers, and Angel. There is a group of bombers ahead of them. Our mission is to take off in waves and go attack v46 near Kasserine. t=1:25
A zoomed in view through my forward gunsight of v46 just after a previous wave destroyed the remaining vehicle hangars. I tell our group that I verify that all VH's are down and ask for instructions. I'm told to attack enemy ground vehicles. t=1:39
I did a pass over the base, looking for enemy tanks to attack. Unless others tell us Ju 88's fairly closely where a tank is, by the time we see it, we often don't have enough time to adjust to hit it with bombs. So, we either get vectored in, or we do a pass to look, remember where a tank is, then come back around to get it. I found several tanks, and then came back around to hit one.
I toggle off two 500 kg bombs on an enemy tank. Through luck, one of my 500 kg bombs lands almost on top of the tank. It is destroyed. t=1:43
I make another pass over the base, making sure VH's are still down, and looking for enemy tanks. Here, the VH's are still all on fire, and there are not many enemies on base itself. In the picture ahead of me from left to right: JB42, Joker1, SIRVLAD, ESU, Furzy, Drano, and 4440. t=1:46
I look for enemy tanks for a bit, but then it is reported that the VH's are back up. I turn back around and go for a run.
Bombs away on the off-pad VH. I use my remaining two 500 kg bombs. t=1:53
A view back behind me. I destroyed the off-pad VH (fire on right side of picture). There are a couple enemy tanks and a couple enemy M16's up. I have internal bombs still and will come around to destroy another VH.
A view left side and back toward the base from my gunner's position. Before I get away from the base and turned around for a second run, others have already destroyed the other two VH's. This picture is of the moment the main-pad VH was destroyed (middle left fire), and the map-room VH was destroyed just moments before this (leftmost fire). t=1:54
I start to look for enemy ground vehicles to kill again. I check the area around the map room, and it is clear. There is an enemy tank near the off-pad VH, and I call it out on the radio, as well as tanks here or there approaching the base. But shortly, there are reports of enemy fighters converging on v46. I see some P-40's coming in, and two head in my direction. I don't see anyone around me at this point, so I run toward v105 as they give chase. I ask for help on the radio, and Fudgums says he is nearby and will try to come help.
A view from my belly position as I get into a running gunfight with a pursuing P-40E. He's putting hits into me; I'm putting hits into him. t=2:03
I blow off the wing of the previous P-40E just as he destroys one of my Ju 88's. The Ju 88 I'm in is also heavily damaged (leaking fuel, losing its right engine) as a result of attacks from that P-40 and from the second P-40E, which is now close enough to attack. Fudgums is racing in, almost in range.
The second P-40E blows the wing off my 2nd Ju 88 as I work to give him a faceful of lead. Fudgums is almost in firing range. Another P-40 is approaching in the distance. t=2:04
Fudgums does get in there and drives off the P-40. I race for v105 to land. Thank you, Fudgums!
A view back and up out of my cockpit as two Spitfire V's jump me over v105. I am trying a hard break turn to stay out of his line of fire and to bleed off speed for a landing. t=2:05
Flaps out and steep turn onto a very, very short final. I'm trying to make it to the concrete pad right side of picture. The previous Spit got some hits on me, but not enough to put me down.
I'm down, stomping the brakes, about 100 feet from the concrete pad when the 2nd Spitfire blows me apart with cannon rounds. So very close, alas! t=2:05
I destroyed 22 buildings at the refinery and HQ complex, destroyed a VH, destroyed an enemy Panzer IV and a P-40E, and died before I could make a safe landing at v105.
LG 1 overall seemed to do quite well. It destroyed the strategic targets it was sent to attack, and it shut down v46 twice in succession. I had a great time flying with the LG 1 folks -- thanks, guys! Thanks also to our escorts and fighters for working to keep us alive.
-- Brooke, I/LG 1