25jan05

25 Jan 05

"Sunrise Sortie"

Webmaster note: This was a very fine mission that ran slightly over 45 minutes from takeoff until landing. The arenas in Aces High are very dynamic with frequent changes is cloud cover, winds aloft, and time of day. It was our pleasure to find that at our launch time of 9PM Tuesday night, the time of day in the virtual arenas of Aces High was dawn. The Sun had not yet risen as we waited on the runway for the launch command. As we gained alt, the Sun slowly rose until we flew towards the enemy base. On return we were in full sunlight and safely returned to land at our originating base (Luft)

Official De-brief follows:

Squad Night Report for 25-January-2005

Pilots in Attendance:
   Lees
   Luft
   Seal
   RTS
   Skeksis
   SKunk

Field of Departure:
   A44

Target Field:
   A94

The evening started out early with Lees, Seal, and RTS already on-line when I came in to the MA somewhere around 20:15 (some of our dinner guests were quite interested in the sounds and bad language coming from my office and kept popping in to find out what was going on). Very shortly we all wound up taking part in a huge hairy furball around A94 and were flying a variety of aircraft against many, many enemies all determined to keep us from ruining their fun.

The short version was that I got shot down once, made a successful landing in the darkness, and got shot down/crashed again before coming to the realization that this furball was just too intense for my faltering skills but during the fights I got to see a lot of excellent piloting on both sides of the battle and it was fun in a way. Well, at least the part about getting in and out in one piece was fun but that is a story in itself.

When I left A44 the plan was for RTS and I to go to a closer field so I did not select any drop tanks. Well by the time we got there the fun was over and the Knight had taken the field so RTS said he was going to head over to A94 and I decided to go along rather than let a squad mate go it alone. The problem was that it was a long haul to A94 but I got there (way behind RTS as I was trying to conserve fuel) and had some time to mix it up. I made some passes and some 6 calls and I think I got an assist on a Corsair driver before I felt it was time to go back home (planning to go back to 44). On the way Seal suggested using the nearby carrier which was fine except for a couple of small objections I had.

A - I am not very good at carrier landings even in broad daylight
B - The Spit IX does not have a hook

Seal and RTS gave me some useful suggestions and since I was now clear of the fight I gave it a try. Fortunately for me the carrier was easy to spot...it was on fire...and once I found it I kept on eye on it as I flew by and turned back and lined up right on the deck. With flaps and gear down I came in a bit too high and missed all the wires *and* bent the prop so there was no going around as I originally had planned. Seal was watching this and let me know I missed but I recall saying that I hadn't missed yet as I leaned on the brakes hard and did come to a stop with a few feet to spare. My next flight lead to the crash and then it was time for squad night.

Seal came up with a good plan, we would leave A44 in B24's carrying 8 bombs and 50% fuel. Takeoff was on the northwest runway and we turned west for most of the sector before turning due north and as we went we worked our way up to our planned altitude of 15,000 feet (I never quite made it that high). RTS was in the lead with Luft, Seal, and Skeksis as the main group and as we got closer we start to attract the wrong kind of attention. We also had Lees and Skunk as escorts and in the first encounter Lees mixed it up with two pursuing P51s and kept them from reaching the bomber group.

As we got to the coastline everyone calibrated...except for yours truly because I forgot how (it has been a while since I flew a bomber). Bomb bay doors were opened, eggs were switched to hot and it was pickles away. The rest of the group made an excellent drop and RTS gave them a direct hit on a fighter hanger and a bomber hanger. Seal commented on the good drops but when asked later stated that he had scared the enemy sheep. My bombs punched a few holes in the swamp to the north of the field. Luft then scored a direct hit on the other fighter hangar and bomber hangar. The field was burning!

As we were leaving the enemy started to come at us again and in the chaos Luft scored a 51 kill and I took down a 109 and 51 but at the cost of both of my drones. We all started back towards A44 as A39 was too hotly contested to make landing there advisable and again the enemy tried to exact a toll. Seal took down a 51 and then ran into some kind of trouble while I committed a pilot error and lost my last 24 to a pilot error; I tried to descend too fast and tore off both wings. From his later comments it sounds like Seal had taken damage that lead to a fire that destroyed his last bomber.

Both Lees and Skunk gave all of us excellent escorts both going and on the return flight. They regularly dragged the enemy away from our buffs. Lees Managed to land right behind Luft with one dead engine.

We both came up from A44 in 109s as we still had squad mates heading back in and before too long Plus had rendezvoused with Luft. The problem was that Luft was still pretty high but he and Lees, with an oil hit and trailing smoke, made it down safely. Before Luft made his landing Plus came in and logged for the night followed by RTS who not only had caused outstanding damage to A94 but also returned with all drones. Before he too called it a night RTS commented that his drones had touched down on the runway ahead of him. I landed between RTS and Luft and broke another prop and watched Luft and Lees land from the tower. After Lees and Luft made it in they took off to put some hurt on a formation of enemy Lancasters and followed suit although I never got close enough to fire around and upon landing broke yet another prop. I guess it is time to buy stock in this company. ;-)

Unfortunately I have no idea what opposition SKu faced or what kills he got but I am sure that he flew and fought very well. He always does. :-)

All in all this was one fun evening! :-) We did something we haven't done in a while and as a squad did well and as individual pilots had our shinning moments as well. Plus put together a great mission and did a great job of leading us in and out. Salute to both gentlemen! Also Salutes to everyone who participated, it was a great evening!

Skeksis
Pleading with a tank is futile