A map of the battle area for us. Our home base was a9 in sector 12.13. This map shows enemy positions during their first incursion.
After-Action Report
3/19/2011
by Brooke, GL, III/JG1
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was the Group Leader (GL) of III/JG1, a Luftwaffe fighter group. We were flying Bf 109K-4's. Today, III/JG1 consisted of me (Brooke), beigarth, Cheese, Chem, Mako26, SEAv8tor, SNIPER30, Snpshot, Strah, tudza, and Wedge.
A map of the battle area for us. Our home base was a9 in sector 12.13. This map shows enemy positions during their first incursion.
Our mission was to join up with everyone else in sector 12.15, then to be vectored into the enemy formation. We were first assigned to fly with Subway's FW 190D-9 group to keep them safe.
III/JG1 getting ready to roll at a9 in our glorious Bf 109K-4's. From left to right: Chem, Cheese, Snpshot, beigarth, Mako26, tudza, Strah, me (Brooke), SNIPER30, SEAv8tor, and Wedge. t=0:00
Once airborn, I asked for volunteers to be a scout. SEAv8tor bravely volunteered, and off he went toward the 10.18 area to scout for bombers.
Joining up with everyone in 12.15. This pic shows another group off to our right, but there were many Luftwaffe groups in this sector. From left to right: Celnikr, r8pghost, shukes, DerJude, bernd66, (can't make out), jordan61, (can't make out), warhed, me, Snpshot, beigarth, Chem, Mako26, Cheese, Wedge, tudza, Strah, and SNIPER30. t=0:22
It was hard for us to stick with Subway's group, as we were at nearly 34k altitude, and a 180 degree turn up there takes many miles in radius and quite a while to execute. Fortunately, there were several other groups that were near Subway's group. He released us to fly solo. SEAv8tor found first a bunch of fighters up north, then a group of bombers. I relayed the info on the country channel. Unfortunately, he got jumped by a bunch of enemy fighters eventually and shot down. Thank you, SEAv8tor, for doing that dangerous duty and finding bombers. Our CO ordered all units north for an intercept position. With the loss of SEAv8tor, it didn't seem that we had any more bomber location reports coming in. Given that we were released by Subway, I had III/JG1 go in as a reconaissance in force to re-establish contact with the bombers.
Skirting what I guessed to be a forward fighter sweep, III/JG1 navigates to a position right over the bombers. There is one lonely P-51 in the area down lower. I call out location, number of bombers, and that there is no enemy escort. t=0:33
I had III/JG1 stay over the bombers for a while, not engaging. I expected enemy sweeps to come back to protect the bombers soon, and I wanted us to be in position to oppose the enemy fighters so that our bomber killers could get in there. We waited for about 10 minutes (seemed like forever), calling out position reports, until we saw lots of bogies. If they were enemy fighters, we would engage them. If they were friendlies, we'd join the attack on the bombers. They were . . .
A swarm of friendlies descends on the hapless bombers. I call for III/JG1 to join the attack -- might as well kill all of the bombers as quickly as possible, then get some alt back, rather than just hang out over top. t=0:49
I make cautious pass on the bombers from high left, and totally miss my line up. SubwayCH looks like he will get some rounds into a B-17. Kumori probably has worked at least one over, but got what looks like an oil hit. Mako26 and Wedge are lining up or positioning after a pass.
I make a pass and get some hits on a B-17 or two. From left to right: kumori, Cheese, and xPINGx.
I make another pass on another B-17 and put some rounds into its fuselage and tail. tuk151 is making a pass, too.
The B-17 I hit starts to trail flame. The lead bomber in the group has lost its tail, and stayed going straight for an unusually long time for that circumstance, but is starting to go out of control. Also in the pic: Zman and wagger.
I reverse back in and put some poorly aimed shots into another B-17.
While we were attacking this B-17 group, a big enemy attack group showed up on radar very well south. All of the B-17's were down quickly (and no enemy fighters showed up), but most of the Luftwaffe was way up here in the north, well out of position for the southern attack. We raced south. We couldn't do much against an attack on Magdeburg, but there seemed an attack toward Berlin as well, and that one we could just barely get to.
Approaching Berlin (the white patch on ground ahead of my plane). The sky is full of bogies. I have never seen so many planes in one place before. III/JG1 pressed forward. t=1:16
We push through a lot of P-51's. I ask for III/JG1 to attack if it's convenient, but to push forward to the bombers if not engaged. There is a very large-area fight stretching across many miles behind the bomber formation. It looks to me that many Luftwaffe planes are tied up in the fight well behind the bombers. I want III/JG1 to get to the bombers, then to attack P-51's over them if possible.
As I push forward to the bombers, I make the higher P-51's I come across either evade or get shot (like here with the one 400 yards out). If they evade enough (split s or veering well away from course of the bombers), I don't pursue. Below, tuk151 or Chem have set a B-24 on fire.DanielTS and potNpans are getting ready to attack. t=1:24
I land a few 30 mm cannon rounds on a P-51D that was going after Vasco's FW 190D-9. (One 30 mm didn't knock him down, and I put in 2 more -- the P-51 can be a tough bird sometimes!) His tail snaps off afterward. STREGA is in the picture, trailing smoke. t=1:29
At this point, there are no enemy escorts over the B-24's. There are some trailing here and there, but mainly they have been stripped away by the continuous Luftwaffe attacks. After shooting down the P-51, I was getting ready to go back over the bombers when I heard STEALTH call on the range channel that he needed help. I looked down and saw him being pursued by two P-51's down low.
I dive in on the P-51's chasing STEALTH. t=1:30
One of the P-51's maneuvers hard and makes me overshoot, then tries to shoot me as I go by. I pull lots of g's in a climbing spiral and manage to evade his shots, then get back on him. Mako26 joins in a bit, then another P-51 comes in.
I put a couple of 30 mm rounds into the P-51 I was fighting. The one on the nose doesn't seem to do any damage, but the one on the right wing snaps off his wingtip. Unfortunately, I am now out of cannon, and he is able to gain control and try to run for it.
I chase him down, though, and put machinegun rounds into his damaged right wing, and it breaks off entirely this time. Down he goes.
The other P-51's are also down or gone. Mako26 and I are out of cannon and short on fuel, so we head to a16 to rearm.
Me and Mako26, taking off from a16. t=1:49
Mako26 and I climb out of a16 and head toward v70 then a69, as fights with enemy fighters are first reported around v70 then a69. In the a69 area, we came across a fight down lower with P-51's, but it seemed our guys had enough to handle it, while there were reports of a flight of high P-47's coming in from the SW. Mako26 and I positioned ourselves to go after the P-47's if they showed up. They did. 3-4 P-47M's came past, and we turned to get on them. I ended up chasing one that outran me, so after chasing him for a bit, once he was 3000 yards out, I reversed back to the fight with the other P-47's.
I work to get on one of the P-47M's. I'm overtaking this one, but we are both going very fast, and I can't maneuver as well as he can at this speed. Mako26 and BigRat are in the fight, too.
At one point, the P-47, now outnumbered, tries to disengage, but I have the energy to chase him down and get him turning.
Mako26 gets on him and blows both his wings off. Good shooting, Mako26 -- the film viewer shows it to be DrBone, one of the US top aces. t=2:20
That was the last action we found.
Going back to base, Krusty and XPSteve (in their Me 262's) along with Mako26 joined up on me in formation. Nice flying, guys!
A group picture back at base. From bottom to top: me, SNIPER30 (in Bf 109K-4's), Sukov (in a Ta 152), Vasco, Wldweasl, Chance, chris3, KKEN, Stampf, ramse888, HotRod1, ArchieD, SubwayCH, gosthntr (in FW 190D-9's), Krusty (in Me 262), Thud, kumori, sevnty, 1ijac, pervert, 4brkfast, xPINGx (in FW 190D-9's), and SIK1 (in Bf 109K-4).
I got two kills (two P-51D's). I didn't get any assists on the B-17's, as there were probably too many other people who did more damage to them than I did. I landed my original plane.
Overall, III/JG1 killed 19 aircraft and got 14 assists. I think it was our best frame, even if it wasn't the best frame for our side overall.
Thank you, pilots of III/JG1, for flying in the scenario. It was great flying with you, and I hope that you had fun. I hope that I get to fly with you in scenarios to come. <S>
-- Brooke, GL, III/JG1