A map of the battle area.
After-Action Report
1/31/2015
by Brooke, 1st FG
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
1st FG was to escort the 2nd BG (B-17's).
A map of
the battle area.
We have only 2 pilots in the 1st FG today, me (Brooke) and Soulyss, so we joined
in with the 82nd FG. Here, we are taking off in our shiny P-38J's amidst
the scrum of launching B-17's. From left to right: CorkyJr (GL of
the 82nd), Joker1, TwinBoom, SKfgALPO, NAVCAD (who was awesome in keeping us
appraised of B-17 positions last frame <S>!), me, ET37 (GL of the B-17's), and
gwurzel (a great guy I met originally in London -- howdy, Wurz!). t=0:00
Our path today was to be a circumnavigation of Italy (shown in red on the map above) -- about 600 miles. Even in our long-ranging P-38's, we started to become a bit concerned about fuel half way through when the B-17 pilots started talking about how they needed to fly at reduced throttle settings in order not to run out of fuel along the way.
I flew mostly at about 35k altitude, but it is tricky up there staying near the bombers. In order to stay in the air, a fighter's airspeed was higher than the bombers (as they weren't at full power), and you periodically needed to zig and zag or to range ahead, then turn back. Also, until you are nearly right over the bombers, you don't get icons, and they can be easy to miss. You can't hold a wing low to look for them for long without losing a lot of altitude that is hard to get back up here.
An image out the right of my P-38 as I turn in for a zag and look for the
bombers. You can just barely make them out in the middle right of the
picture, a couple of formations standing out against the clouds. t=0:44
Everything remained clear until a little inland of p69. Then, we got reports of enemies approaching the bomber stream from the south. I drifted over that way and saw first one 109, then another, then a 110. I positioned to follow and attack the 110, but then calls of "Christ! Look at all of 'em! Here they come!" started up. I turned left to check it out.
This is what I saw. t=1:50
In situations like this, it is hard to pick out one enemy to focus on and attack. It's why fish and birds congregate in large schools and flocks. I vectored in on the high rear portion of that leading swarm.
I take a shot at a 109 (off picture). He breaks hard back to the left and
back toward me. I continue on. t=1:51
I then come left to see what I can do (as this is what is left of me).
It's looking rather grim. I circle around and to a run up the tail end of
the attackers.
I put rounds into a Bf 109G-6 from 400 yards out. Lots of hits, but he
doesn't go down. He snaps into a split S, and I continue on toward the
bombers. t=1:51
I get a couple of 109's to break hard right and off their pursuit of bombers.
I press foward to the bombers I see ahead. t=1:52
Flushing a FW 190A-5 down and out of pursuit.
Near the forward group of bombers, I come across four enemy fighters pursuing
and chase them out and away. t=1:55
I chased them for about 5 miles. As I closed on the two leading 190's, they and the rest of the group turned back in toward the bombers. When I was in firing range, they evaded and dove a bit. When we came upon tunesV, the enemies went for him. I figured that he was doomed (sorry, tunes), and I continued past him to the largest collection of bombers I saw (Sg, APDrone, and Flossy) to discourage any enemies from going for more than tunes. Poor tunes got swarmed as a sacrifice, but these enemies didn't get to the other formations, which got out of the area.
I climbed over the top of them, periodically calling out position and requesting more escorts. F77 (in his B-24's) called out that he was trailing this group, about 25 miles back. We all made it another 75 miles or so when F77 called out that a Bf 110 was closing on him. I reversed, dove, and looked for him, and fortunately spotted him.
I set the Bf 110G on fire before he can shoot at F77. t=2:14
I escorted above F77 for a bit, but radar showed an ominous buildup of enemy aircraft a sector away from all of the bombers, so I informed F77 and pressed ahead to the leading bomber group. I kept position reports up and request for more escort. Soon, a couple more fighters showed up, then several more. It was clear that substantial enemy forces were working to cut off the retreating bombers.
F77 went low into the clouds and out to sea figuring that the enemies would go after the other, larger group. We fighters gathered over the other group.
Near a98, in they came. First, a c.205 came in to scout, then there were reports of a lot more coming in from the west.
Looking right as I ready a diving right turn onto the incoming enemies. My
old friend Rapier (from decades ago in Air Warrior) is out there in his P-47D.
Hello, Rapier, and <S>! t=2:32
I have great position on the attackers, but they are staying near my
compressibility limit. I sit there 1500 yards back, unable to close, going
in and out of compressiblity as I adjust the throttle.
I blast a FW 190A-5 as they stop diving and thus slow down. t=2:37
I roll left to fire on the 190 to my left while the one I just attacked goes
down without a wing.
Unfortunately, the 190 to my left still has plenty of smash and starts a rolling scissors with me, which puts me completely out of ability to get on either of the other two 190's attacking Sg.
Then more enemies arrive, and I dive out, figuring that, if they keep on me, at
least I'm pulling some out and away. Poor Sg is on fire -- done for so
close to home. :(
They did follow for a while, but then gave up as I raced south. Once they turned back, I climbed back above 20k and turned back north. I got out some radio reports of a big fight near a98. Heading north, the big fight near where the bombers were seemed gone. I could hear reports of fighting on the range chatter, but I couldn't see where it was. I joined up with some others looking around, and we came across four 109's a little under 30k. We chased and they ran northwest. By radar, there seemed a growing enemy presence to our west, so while guys in P-51B's closed on and started tangling with the 109's, I climbed west to see what was coming. I didn't see anything. I asked Tilt (who was down below fighting a 109) if he needed any help, and he called for folks to come down and cut off fleeing 109's. A few folks responded that they were coming in.
I dove down, then looked at my fuel. 5 minutes of fuel left. Yikes! I called on the radio and said that I had to leave. I got to a97, refueled, and headed best speed toward a113 with WEP engaged. I landed at a113 with about a minute left to land.
Coming in to refuel at the cloud-shrouded, mountain-ringed a97.
2 kills (Bf 110G-2 and FW 190A-5) and landed.
-- Brooke, 1st FG