I/JG 53 and III/JG 53 rolling in our wonderful Bf 109K-4's from a81. From left to right: me (Brooke), flounder, surfinn, HOVER09, JunkyII, Nemesis, Voudou, YarDude, WURGER, Wedge, ROC, and Barkhorn. t=0:00
After-Action Report
3/27/2010
by Brooke, GL, I/JG53
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was the Group Leader (GL) of I/JG53, a fighter squadron for the Luftwaffe. We were flying Bf 109K-4's. Today, I/JG53 consisted of me (Brooke), ROC, Voudou, Barkhorn, HOVER09, surfinn, flounder, and JunkyII. III/JG 53 joined up with us today, as they were shorthanded. They consisted of Nemesis (the GL), YarDude, WURGER, and Wedge, also in Bf 109K-4's.
I/JG 53 and III/JG 53 rolling in our wonderful Bf 109K-4's from a81. From left to right: me (Brooke), flounder, surfinn, HOVER09, JunkyII, Nemesis, Voudou, YarDude, WURGER, Wedge, ROC, and Barkhorn. t=0:00
Our mission was to fly north and protect the city near a70. I had us head that way and engage war-emergency power (WEP) during climbing to get there more quickly. We turned off WEP once at 29k, and there was plenty of time for it to recharge prior to combat.
Part of the way to a70, a large group of enemies pushed into Denmark, and the CO (4440) ordered us (JG 53) first to hold where we were and then to head toward a93 (a city nearby being a target for the allies). We got underway, but we were about 150 miles out, so it was going to take us a while. There were calls of Mossies for a bit. I figured the enemy would get to a93 before us and that Lancasters might be inbound toward the original city near a70. However, the enemy seemed to be progressing slowly, and we were going flat out, so we arrived at a93 about the same time as enemies. There weren't any radio reports that I saw that mentioned what the large assortment of enemies was, so we didn't know if they were Spitfires and Tempests, or P-51's and Lancasters, or what. When we spotted bogies, I had us drop our tanks, put on WEP, and climb hard in their direction.
We come across lead elements of the enemy formation -- P-51's. I have us turn into them and blow through, to get at what is behind them. As we blow through, we can see many bogies down lower, which we suspect are bombers. 4440's call to bring us south was a great one and spot on. From left to right: me, JunkyII, and Nemesis. t=0:45
Closing in, I see bombers and call it out on the radio. At least 8 formations worth. t=0:45
I dive in on the bombers. The area directly over them, from about 30k down to about 25k or so, is clear of enemy fighters, but there are a fair number in the general area. From left to right: Voudou, Barkhorn, me, HOVER09, surfinn, WURGER, and Nemesis. t=0:46
As I dove, I initially chopped throttle to keep from getting too fast to handle well. However, a P-51 was able to close in on me, so I went back to full throttle and WEP and dove down to a level a bit below the bombers before going back in toward them to get back to quite a high speed (hoping to make it harder for the P-51 to saddle up).
I close in on the bombers at high speed. Twizzty has just flamed one of them. And WURGER and Nemesis are in their runs. t=0:47
I initially wanted to target one of the two remaining bombers in the formation where Twizzty flamed one, but I was too fast to get my shot lined up well, and retargeted for one of the couple leading formations. I didn't want to go through the densely packed several formations to the left of the picture.
I move in and begin firing my 30 mm cannon. The bombers' gunners are starting to fire back at me. Someone's fighter is going down in pieces, trailing black smoke. t=0:47
I push in very close, pummelling the Lancaster with 30 mm shells. I start on the left wing (ROC's good suggestion for all of us to target left wings), but in my approach (as I didn't come in exactly dead astern), my fire sweeps over to the right wing, where I get more shots in. The right wing breaks off, and I yank my stick back hoping to avoid a collision. t=0:47
My pull out. I don't have a lot of room to spare. The problem for me in the 109K-4 is that I can't manage to hit well with the cannon at longer ranges because the ballistics and rate of fire aren't that great. I'm much better with gun packages like 6 0.50 cal MG's or 4 20 mm cannon. So, for me, I seem to have to get in close to land those shots, but when you are closing fast, that makes collisions greatly more probable.
A look behind me as I dive out to escape from the P-51's in trail. There is one P-51B at 400 yards and two P-51's at 1000 yards. So far, I have taken some bullet hits, but nothing is broken on my plane. WURGER is up there trailing smoke, and HOVER09 looks to be making a run. t=0:47
The P-51's broke off of me rather than follow me down to much lower altitude and away from the bombers. I was surprised and happy to be alive after my pass.
A view left out of my cockpit as I climb parallel to, but some distance from, the bombers (dark spots middle picture). I'm working to get back up to altitude to come back in for another attack. t=0:48
Several of I/JG 53 got shot down but in turn shot down several P-51's and Lancasters. I checked my 30 mm cannon ammo and saw (I thought) that it was at zero. I thought that odd, as I had only done one firing pass, but it was an extended time of firing, and we only get 65 shells. Oh well, I could harass P-51's with my two 50's, I figured; and I could keep everyone informed of bombers' location and heading.
I come back in to harass the highest of the P-51's once I am done climbing back up to 29k or so. t=0:58
At this point, I had in my head that I was out of 30 mm cannon. Note five pictures up (cockpit view) that in a lot of normal flying, a portion of the stick covers the display of how much cannon is left. However --
Note that in this picture, it clearly shows that I have 11 cannon rounds left. One cannon round landed is generally plenty to destroy a fighter.
I spend my time harassing P-51's. I get them turning hard and moving out of my way (and thus losing altitude or position over the bombers or both). I do several such passes.
I go for a perfect firing pass on one P-51D that might not have seen me and doesn't move as I close on him. But I'm using only my two 50 cal MG's. If I had not stupidly thought I had no 30 mm left, I would have landed one right in this guy's tail. Once I'm working him over with 50's, he starts turning hard, and I let him go, looking for another high escort. t=1:01
I get chased out for a bit by a couple of P-51's, but I outdistance them, then come back in once they turn back. t=1:02
I get another perfect setup on a P-51D that doesn't notice me closing. Again, I'm using only my 50's. t=1:12
He stays flying straight, so I keep firing and pushing in. He's smoking, and parts are coming off. I should have been happy with that (as he wouldn't make it back) -- but I want the definite kill. I'm hoping he'll blow up, start on fire, lose a tail or wing any moment now as I continue to land the hits. I'm starting to lose sight of him in the smoke, and I'm hoping that I'll catch a glipse giving me enough time to avoid a collision if he doesn't break up. I'm wishing I had even just 1-2 30 mm shells left (which, infuriatingly, I did). t=1:02
I pull hard at what I hope is the last instant, but --
I am too late, collide, and down I go amid much wreckage and swearing. t=1:12
I came back up from a81 and noticed a bit after takeoff that a124 and the city NE of it were flashing. I headed in that direction and asked the CO if he wanted me to investigate, which he did. Along the way, ROC (I think it was ROC) was in a ground gun at a124 and saw that it was a single formation of Lancasters, about 2-3k in altitude, heading in a direction that could take him to one of our fleets. I headed for an intercept and spotted them near v84.
I try a side run on the Lancs and miss. t=1:26
I go for another pass, putting rounds into the left wing. I press it close, close, close to get that wing off, and again it is too close, and I clip my wing on him. Fortunately for me, I lose only an aileron. t=1:28
At this point, I'm wondering how I should attack. This guy is a good gunner, and it is just me on him right now. Just me between these Lancs and our ships. I know how I'd do it if I had 6 50's or 4 20 mm cannon with good rate of fire and balistics or even with my 30 mm vs. a fighter (where I only have to land one hit). But for Lancs, even with 30 mm, I find that you have to land a bunch of hits in the same place, and I can't do that well while coming in on a curving flight path. I have to come in somewhat straight and get in very, very close to hit with this thing.
I try various other curving passes, but can tell I don't even have a chance at landing some 30 mm's, and so mostly am just keeping the gunner's attention. I'm stooging around, feeling lame. I am continuing to call out positions.
Then I look left and see surfinn coming in. Yes! Two of us gives me a much better chance to get in there. I go straight in from here. t=1:31
I land 30 mm hits on his left wing, run out of 30 mm part way through the firing pass, and immediately switch to 50's. I'm hitting with 50's, and pieces are coming off of the Lancaster, but he's raking me over, too. I get an oil and a fuel leak followed quickly by a bullet through my stupid pilot's head. I don't even get a chance to collide this time, and I'm done for the day. t=1:32
I got two kills (two Lancasters), bailed once, and died once. The smoking P-51D wouldn't make it back, but no kill in the logs for me for that one.
I/JG 53 got 16 kills but was pretty much wiped out by about half way through the frame.
For me, it was one of the most-frustrating frames ever. Frustrating because I did so many infuriatingly stupid things (not because of what anyone else did). Arg. Maybe it's karma because I said before the scenario that I hated the damnable 30 mm gun on the 109K-4 with its crappy ballistics and meager 65 shells. OK, 30 mm gun. I apologize. You don't suck -- it's my technique that sucks. There, I admit it. How about a truce and a good frame 3 and 4? What do you say?
-- Brooke, GL, I/JG 53