06 January 2009

Alpha 231- Operation Carpet Bomb

 

Film 1

Film 1 - Mission launch through the first 7 minutes of the mission.

Tuesday night we flew a buff mission with heavy escorts to start off another year of flying together and flew together we did!

Seal lead us on a buff run to Alpha 231 in Lancasters.

< yes u hear right , Lancasters>

 

The entire flight was rather non-eventful in terms of no enemy fighters. Nobody bothered our Lancasters. Our takeoff was a little hairy. Aren't they always in a Lancaster? Even though we only took 25% fuel for this short hop into enemy territory, the Lancs engines slowy revved up to full power and the heavy behemoths slowly began moving forward. 30 knots, 40 knots, 60 knots and half the runway had already receded behind us.

 

With flaps set at two notches the heavy machines slowly gained speed until, with just a little runway left, they began to lift off the runway. The engines were at full power and a very light hand was needed on the controls to make sure they remained above the trees so close below.

Once the aircraft were airborne and at flight speed, 180 knots, everything settled down and Seal plotted a course to the target.

   Fuze, Luft and Seal piloted the heavy buffs. The Lancs were loaded down with fourteen 1000 pound bombs. That mean’t we had a total of 126,000 pounds of TNT available for our offensive run (3 buffs each [includes 2 drones/pilot ] X 3 pilots = 9 aircraft X 14 eggs at 1000 pounds each). The objective was to carpet bomb the town at airfield 231 while leaving the field intact. The elimination of all buildings would be followed by an immediate drop of troops  that would capture the field.  On Seals tail in the gooney was Joker.

Film 2

Enroute to target, minutes 7 through 14 of the mission.

 

The fighter group was led by SK. The pilots were Skunk, RTS, Ditto, Milt, and Swoose. These fighters were also heavy in case we missed and there were buildings still standing.

 

A nice and tight formation on the Lancasters was maintained until the target was reached. drop delay was set for 0.50 seconds (half-a-second) and airspeed was established at 180 knots. Luft was assigned the right side, Seal the middle, and Fuze the left hand side.

 

Lufts eggs were the first to hit but it became immediately obvious that his aircraft had either suffered a mechanical failure or his bombardier, Luft Jr, set the wrong delay time (0.05 seconds instead of 0.50 seconds). All of his eggs landed in a pile and blew a crater the size of Rhode Island. Seal dropped a few seconds later followed by Fuzeman.

 

Both Seal and Fuze laid a trail of destruction that was a beautiful sight to behold. The effect was a complete destruction of all buildings from one side of the town to the other by both of them.

Film 3

The carpet bombing of the town

 

Film 4

 Joker is ready to drop troops on the town but two IL2's are trying to get him.
Swoose and RTS are on the way.

Joker almost gets the troops in but is attacked while over the city by an IL-2.
Swoose and RTS respond and dispatch the bogey back to his hangar for another aircraft.

It was a valiant attempt and very close but just a second too late.

 

Photo - click to enlarge. Swoose and Rts in on an IL2 that was quickly sent back
to the hangar.

(remaining mission write-up in progress and to follow shortly. please check back)
The Port Attack

 Aces High II
Films of the Mission (.AHF file extension)


IL2 attack - (501kb by Swoose)

    
Bomb Run (lanydrop.ahf - 1.22mb by Seal)

 
      B24 Carrier landing (lanylanding.ahf - 1.23mb - by Seal)

Luft's Films (contiguous films of the mission)
06jan09warmup.ahf
06jan0901.ahf

06jan0902.ahf

06jan0903.ahf

06jan0905.ahf -(Lancaster carrier landing)

06jan0906.ahf (town cap)

06jan0907.ahf (the port)

06jan0908.ahf

 Screenshots