229 IAD taking off in its La-5FN's from its home base (a22). From left to right: sevnty, Gunhog, 1olo, Saantana, prono, schu, Baumer, Klingan, me (Brooke), 4brkfast, TexMurph, and 100Chewi. t=0:00
After-Action Report
11/14/2009
by Brooke, GL, 229 IAD
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was the Group Leader (GL) of 229 IAD, a fighter squadron for the VVS. We were flying La-5FN's. Today, 229 IAD consisted of me (Brooke), Klingan, 100Chewi, 4brkfast, sevnty, Saantana, Baumer, Gunhog, 1olo, TexMurph, schu, and prono.
229 IAD taking off in its La-5FN's from its home base (a22). From left to right: sevnty, Gunhog, 1olo, Saantana, prono, schu, Baumer, Klingan, me (Brooke), 4brkfast, TexMurph, and 100Chewi. t=0:00
Our mission today was to split into two sections. One section (led by Klingan) was to protect our northern strategic locations (Frankfurt city and and the fuel refinery near Weisbaden). The other section (led by me) was to protect the southern strategic locations (the city near v47, the fuel refinery near v47, and the troop facility near v38). The P-39Q's from 100 GIAP joined the northern group, and those of 212 GvIAP joined the southern group.
We rendezvous with P-39's on our way to the southern patrol. A view from below Crum's P-39Q up at me and Baumer in our La-5's. t=0:18
In the north, the two strategic targets were close to each other and close to the home field, which was good for capping. In the south, two of the strategic targets were close to each other (near v47) and one was about 25 miles away (near v38). I decided to have myself and Baumer patrol near v38, leaving the rest of the southern group over v47 (since that altogether contained more targets). I was nervous about this, but we didn't have unlimited resources to comfortably cover everything and needed to make due. Lots of our other forces were committed to base capture and were fighting ferociously toward that goal.
Me (left) and Baumer (right) on our patrol up and down the river near v38. t=0:31
A minute after the picture above, the call came out that Russian forces had captured v23. There was much rejoicing on the radio!
Baumer and I patrolled back and forth along the river by v38, keeping watch for low-level raids by Ju 88's and for enemy fighter sweeps. We watched the radar for signs of any big, escorted raids to any of our southern targets. We saw a couple situations that looked like they could be raids on the v47 area, and got ready for it, but they didn't develop further. Once that threat dissipated, we had the 229 IAD fighters near v47 come west by about 20 miles and a bit south so that they could screen most of the approach to the v47 area but still get to the v38 area if Baumer and I spotted anything coming in.
At t=0:47 our forces captured v68. More good news for us!
A few minutes after that, Baumer and I were discussing that the Russian airfield a40 (about 15 miles west of v38) was flashing. We went to check it out, and Baumer spotted Ju 88's down low.
A view forward right out of my cockpit as I see the Ju 88 formations down low. There is no enemy fighter escort. t=0:51
I fly over the forward formation of Ju 88's and call out location and altitude on the radio. I am impressed by how tight this forward group is and don't relish the idea of attacking it. t=0:51
After I called out location and did a couple of half-assed passes (not getting any hits), our other La-5's (from the southern group) showed up. We started to chew away at the Ju 88's, and a Yak squadron showed up about that time as well.
I dive on and shoot up a pair of Ju 88's. Ahead is the troop facility near v38, which is their target. A lot of the Ju 88's are down, but there are still many of them up and pushing to target. From left to right: Jarski, schu (who has just flamed a Ju 88 and is under fire from the gunners), and me. t=0:53
The trailing Ju 88 explodes as both I and another VVS fighter behind me pour shells into it. The gunner in the forward Ju 88 is firing at us. t=0:53
I pulled up after the above explosion to avoid the leading bomber. Before I came back down for another attack, another VVS fighter shot it down. I then pressed forward to try to get to some of the bombers in front that were nearing their bomb-drop location. About three Ju 88 aircraft survive long enough to release their bombs.
A view forward out of my plane as I chase a pair of Ju 88's that dove and made a run for the target. Two bombs dropped from a Ju 88 above me flash past about 100 feet in front of my plane (see bombs upper middle of picture). From left to right (also chasing this Ju 88): Gunhog, 4brkfast, Baumer, and Jarski. t=0:54
A view out of the back of my cockpit as two more bombs from that Ju 88's salvo pass close behind my plane. t=0:54
All of the bombers are down shortly after this. Our group of 229 IAD is low on fuel, so we go refuel at nearby a39.
Gunhog (left) and I (right) refueling and rearming at a39 as TexMurph taxiis in for the same. t=1:02
Once up from a39, we decided to have southern 229 IAD cover west and NW of v38 like just previously. We figured that the v38 area might be still appealling to the Germans (as it was easier for them to get to) for an NOE "under the radar" raid but that we could get northwest to protect the v47 area if they sent a larger escorted raid that way. We wouldn't be able to protect the v47 area from an NOE raid, but the P-39's could still possibly do that -- and again, we couldn't protect every possibility. So, we had to make our best guesses.
We patrolled for about half an hour, and then a call came in on the radio of Ju 88's in sector 10.8. I asked for and we got confirmation of it. I vectored 229 IAD to the north a bit (to make sure nothing was sneaking past), then west.
I see a group of bogies that must be Ju 88's. There are some other smaller bogies around them. I can't tell yet if they are enemy escort fighters. I call it out on the radio. In we go. t=1:36
A view from my cockpit as I roll over for an attack. The bombers are at about 15,000 ft, there is one German fighter escort (a Bf 109), and a couple VVS fighters have been mixing it up. From left to right: Dodger and phatzo. t=1:36
I dive in steeply and land some cannon shells on one of them. He is already missing his left flap and his right elevator and is leaking fuel. My hits don't yet put him down. t=1:37
I attack another and blow his wing off, then veer off to avoid enemy gunfire. t=1:37
I come zooming in on one and put rounds into his right engine and wing root. t=1:38
At this point, we were down to about five fighters. The bombers were giving a good accounting of themselves. Then, some P-39's entered the fight. I wasn't at all feeling like this task was a piece of cake, and I was glad to see the P-39's show up. I made more passes, setting up my position in between each pass and trying to make approaches that minimized enemy gunfire on me. I tried to focus on a particular bomber until it was down then move on to the next one, although I occasionally went for another bomber if it looked like a better target or if there were two or more VVS fighters on the bomber I had been attacking.
Crum zooms through in his P-39Q and blows the wing off a Ju 88 in a very fine kill from the side. t=1:42
A view through my gunsight as I blast a Ju 88 from close range behind. It is dangerous to attack a Ju 88 from behind, but I occasionally go for it if I can dart in quickly and get out or if it seems like the gunner is fixated upon another VVS fighter. t=1:43
Diving in steeply and putting some hits on a bomber's left wing. t=1:43
I put some hits into another bomber at very close range while in the process of breaking off (because of the gunfire from his gunners). t=1:44
Oldgit (in his P-39) finishes him off. Good work, Oldgit! t=1:45
I put the last of my cannon rounds into this Ju 88 and break off. I get many solid hits on him, but although I try to fly evasively coming in, I take some hits from him as well. Fortunately for me, there is no damage to anything critical on my plane. Crum is up there, stalking some more of the bombers. t=1:47
Although I was out of ammunition, I stayed in the fight for a while. I flew around close to bombers, made mock gunnery passes, etc. trying to distract their gunners. It was still a grinding fight at this point, with both bombers and fighters getting chewed up and shot down.
A view near the v47 city (which is the bombers' target). These Ju 88's have battled through to their drop point. The city is visible lower right. From left to right: me, Crum, and Baumer. t=1:49
Since these bombers dropped their bombs, there was no longer any hurry to get these bombers. I decided to go rearm (and the surviving 229 IAD guys had to rearm as well). We picked the nearby a46. I went there, rearmed, and climbed back toward v47 to help with any remaining Ju 88's.
As I climb to the v47 area, there are two Ju 88 aircraft left, dogfighting with the few remaining VVS fighters. The fight is a bit higher than I am, and before I can get up there, the Ju 88's are finally all down. My hat is off to those Ju 88 pilots. They put up one hell of an ongoing fight all the way in, with some of them surviving to drop. <S>! t=2:02
We were on patrol again when Klingan told us on the radio that the northern 229 IAD was ordered to go bomb a strategic target in Germany. I asked Klingan if Have (the CO) wanted all of 229 IAD to go, which Have did want. I asked Klingan if they (the northern group) were OK to wait 10 minutes for us southerners to get up to a22. They were OK with it, so what was left of the southern group raced north to a22.
229 IAD, now all together again, taking off from a22. We are carrying bombs with the mission to go deep into Germany to attack a troop factory. From left to right: TexMurph, Saantana, 1olo, sevnty, Klingan, me, Gunhog, and 100Chewi. t=2:20
Our primary mission was to take out the remainder of a troop facility that had been partically destroyed. I figured that, if we got engaged by enemies, we'd have to drop our bombs and fight. Although it put us at a disadvantage in a fight, being low minimized our chances of being seen, so I picked that. I plotted a course to take us just S of German base a76 (not under use by the Germans) and decently north of a75 (which was an active German airbase).
A view behind my plane as we pass the front lines. From left to right: Gunhog, me, 4brkfast, TexMurph, 1olo, prono, sevnty, 100Chewi, and Saantana.
As we left the a22 area, a German attack came in and hit the nearby fuel refinery. Klingan was most displeased at our unfortunate timing. We consoled him that he'd get to shoot many evil buildings if we survived to the target.
Along the way, we came across a lone bogie up at about 15,000 ft in the distance. We hoped that he either was a friendly or, if enemy, that he wouldn't see us down low on the deck. We pressed ahead, and he passed us without incident.
I pop up to get altitude for my divebomb run on the troop facility ahead. t=2:46
Bomb away! This also shows the status of the troop facility. It is about 40% destroyed, and we are to take out the rest. t=2:47
A view behind me as buildings explode from the bomb hits of various pilots. I have one bomb left. From left to right: sevntry and Gunhog (whose bombs are doing the damage), me (my bomb took out one of the buildings in that block), and TexMurph (who has just released bombs). t=2:47
Bomb away on the huts. t=2:47
I am strafing a building. From left to right: TexMurph, Gunhog, and Klingan. t=2:47
I strafed several buildings, as did the rest of 229 IAD.
A look back as I almost plow into that destroyed warehouse, barely pulling out on one of my strafing runs. Whew! t=2:49
A view off my right wing as we leave the area. The facility looks completely down. 100Chewi is visible out there. He shot up the train that was passing by. t=2:50
I'm landing back at home base (a22). The fuel refinery, across the river, is burning from the German attack that hit shortly after we left the area. t=3:15
I got 4 kills (all Ju 88A-4's), three assists (all Ju 88A-4's), and destroyed 6 ground objects. I made it back to base after each mission.
229 IAD did well. We didn't keep our protected targets 100% safe, but we kept them about half or more safe with limited resources; and we helped to destroy two full Ju 88 squadrons and one Bf 110 squadron (that the norther group fought). We also fully destroyed the rest of the northern German troop facility. Overall, 229 IAD got 23 kills and destroyed 47 ground objects for the loss (from all factors) of 6 aircraft.
That, gentlemen, is a fine performance!
-- Brooke, GL, 229 IAD