by Brooke, GL, VVS10
VVS10 was planning on driving T-34's and M3's this frame but ended up being assigned to bomber duty as in frame 1. VVS10 consisted of me (Brooke) as GL, HB555 as FL, GypsyB, Monday, Rompa, Hawco, SkechCAF, OddCAF, and GrimmCAF.
At first, Command told us to put a few of our pilots in P-40E's and the rest in Boston III's, but as VVS09, our brother bomber squadron, was short on pilots, one of our guys (I think it was HB) suggested that I request VVS09 to be in P-40E's and VVS10 to be all in Bostons. I did request it, and command agreed.
We had a target list from Command prior to frame 2, and we took the first three of the list and went for them: A23, V25, and V26. Our missions, like in frame 1, were always to hit all vehicle hangars (VH's) at our targets, to close down the Finns' ability to launch Panzers. We took off at 14:06.
We launched and periodically announced our targets an location, so that VVS09 could escort. Unfortunately, the P-40E is too slow to keep up with Bostons. From here and throughout the frame, VVS09 (and our guys, when they were in P-40E's later) went as fast as they could, but generally VVS10 was without fighter escort. Usually, we thought it better to go top speed in our Bostons and have P-40's do what they could rather than slow down.
VVS10 split into three groups for the three targets. GB, Monday, and I went for V25; HB, Hawco, and Rompa went for V26; and Skech, Odd, and Grimm went for A23. As usual, our procedure is for people to spread out a bit so that, if the first two pilots in destroy VH's, the following pilots can retarget; or if any VH is still up, they can deliver final blows. Around 14:20, Monday and I destroyed the VH's at V25, Odd destroyed the VH at A23, and Rompa and Skech destroyed the VH's at V26.
Generally, I list the pilots who get the final kills on VH's, as those are our assigned targets. However, other pilots even if they don't get the kill on the VH usually participate in softening up VH's by doing some bomb damage to it, which makes it easier for another strike to destroy it, and destroying other objects at the bases.
With all of our assigned targets were destroyed, we headed back to base. Grimm, Hawco, Odd, and Rompa were shot down on our way back.
Our next targets were V46 and V47. After landing, VVS10 would launch with who it had at the time. We didn't always launch and land altogether. We were mostly on the same schedule, but some folks here and there would get a little out of synchronization, which is actually good. That way, we have smaller groups going for each target, and a few people here and there available to clean up targets that are still up or go for the next target on our list.
For this mission, we split up into two groups. I was in the group to go hit V47. As I neared V47, I started to pick up some radio chatter on the range channel, and I saw an explosion at the base. I hurriedly typed a message asking if I should abort hitting V47. I kept typing a message every 10 seconds or so and got a few of them out before it was time for me either to drop on target or abort. By that point, I hadn't gotten the call to abort, so I dropped my bombs. It was a well-aimed drop, and I took out the VH. A few seconds after that, I got the call to abort. It was too late for me, but I called on the VVS10 voice channel for all bombers to abort hitting V47. Unfortunately, I don't think the others heard me, as a little while later Hawco go the kill on the other VH there. Unknown to me before the drop, our ground forces had overrun V47 and were about to capture it, so destroying the VH's there just meant that our forces wouldn't be able to use the VH's.
Also, the other group took out V46, with Monday and Odd getting the two VH kills. After that, I also saw something on the radio about not hitting V46. I'm not sure if V46 was a similar situation to V47 - radio traffic is sometimes hard to interpret, and you can get contradictory information to inquiries. I think probably it was still a valid target, as we were ordered to hit it again later in the frame.
At any rate, I feel very badly about V47. From here on out in frame 2, I got very paranoid about targets and would pester Command until I got a very clear statement of target. Also, I would announce Boston targets frequently and periodically as we travelled to target, so that if anyone had an objection, they'd have plenty of time to respond. The above is not at all a failure on Command's part - they are very, very busy coordinating a million things. My new procedure will be to continue the frequent announcements of target on channel 2 and also, once very close to the target area, announce on range mic that bombs are about 10 seconds from dropping and ask if those on ground want us to abort. I think these two things (frequent channel 2 target statements and announcement on range mic prior to drop) will cut down such incidents enormously.
HB555 was shot down on our way back or over target.
Next up was A51 and V53. Monday and I went for A51, which has one VH, and the rest of the guys went for V53. This was into areas with more FAF fighter activity, so we knew it could be deadly.
Monday and I dropped on A51 and took it out. The others dropped on V53 -- Grimm and Odd got the VH kills. GB, Hawco, HB555, Odd, and Skech were shot down on this mission.
On our way back to base, Monday, Rompa, and I went through an area with enemy activity and were attacked. Monday dove for speed. Rompa was behind me, and I lost sight of what happened to him. One Bf 109 jumped me (Monday gave me a "check six" call - thanks, Monday) and commenced a series of yo-yo attacks, diving under me (where I couldn't see him or shoot him), shooting at my aircraft's belly, zooming back up, coming back down in a diving attack, going under me, and so on. It was hard to shoot at him as he was under me a lot, then would pop up quickly from under me where I couldn't see. I evaded, shot at him when I could (don't think I landed any hits), and when I had a little room, dove my Bostons then hopped back into the gunner position. To add to this, there was another 109 and a 190 trailing us.
Fortunately, two La-5 pilots Rifle12 and Picko, flew into the area. The first 109 kept attacking me, one of the 109's was trailing me, and the 190 was forced to veer off first by Picko and Rifle. Then Picko and Rifle managed to get in and tie up the 109 that was on me and the 109 that was trailing 1.5k back. Thank you, Picko and Rifle! You guys saved us!
Back at base, I saw Rompa land missing a wheel. Good work on the landing, Rompa!
Next up was V46, a base we had taken out earlier but was back up. Sometimes, as we got airborne, command would have only one target for us. We would go up toward target, asking periodically for more targets. Also, on this one GB was already airborne, so he went for V46 and took out one of the VH's there. About 15 minutes later, others of us got there, and I got the kill on the other VH. Grimm, Hawco, HB555, and Rompa were shot down on this sortie.
Next up was A56 and V55. I was in the group to go for A56, and others went for V55. While I was in bombsight, lining up for my drop, we captured A56, which I didn't notice because I was very close to drop making my final adjustments, calibrations, etc. (a busy time). When I was about three seconds from dropping my bombs, one of the VVS pilots - I think it was GB - announced on the radio to abort A56. I am so glad he did that!
I aborted just in time and redirected toward V55. It was tight, and I didn't have much time, but I got directed and lined up. I was heading west for my drop. Skech had already destroyed the easternmost VH there, and it was putting up fire and a large cloud of smoke. From my direction of approach, I couldn't see the other VH. I knew about where it was, though. Since we had other VVS10 up, I decided it would be better to take my best shot than go around, which takes so long and which can take me into a bunch of enemy fighters. I lined up, dropped, and watched my bombs through the bombsight. I partially missed, only damaging the VH, destroying a couple fuel bunkers and the bases radar. Two minutes later, Rompa destroyed the VH I had missed.
On my way back to base, I saw two formations of Ju 88's and called them out on channel 2. I was thinking of attacking them in my Bostons, but they were higher than I was, and I figured that on my approach, I'd get a cockpit full of bullets. About that time, Hawco (who was in a P-40E) showed up and attacked them. He killed five of them! Excellent!
I landed back at A16, and that was the end of this frame.
In the end, VVS10 had shut down 9 bases (including the one where an abort would have been better) -- 16 VH's worth. We accomplished every base closure we were sent on.
Our losses were heavy -- 15 Boston formations and two P-40's lost -- but we suspected from the start that we would have high casualties because many VVS fighter resources were devoted to ground action. In the beginning, four pilots from VVS09 in P-40E's helped protect us and later four of our guys (Hawco, HB555, GB, and Grimm) in P-40E's took over that role. However, it was a very difficult job because P-40's have a hard time keeping up with fast Bostons and because our P-40's would get outnumbered by Bf 109's and FW 190's, which are superior planes.
So, we knew the air battle would be deadly but would pay off if we captured a lot of territory. And the ground-assault guys did capture a lot!
Good work, all. It was very exciting and fun!
-- Brooke, GL, VVS10