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Both sides were again even in numbers and on the offensive. Unfortunately for the Allies a random rain storm grounded all their medium bombers out of Malta and they had to use local resources in Sicily itself. Italian marksmen again showed themselves excellent strafers taking down two airfields by guns alone. As the day progressed and the Axis were closing field after field the Allies were thrown on the defensive and quickly decided to hammer the key Axis supply depot F114 to the north. With Axis supply cut off in the east at F122 the only way for the Axis advance to move troops into the attack was from the north. Allied bombers and fighters repeatedly hammered this important location closing it to all reinforcements and supplies. But this still was a bleak day for the Allies. Not only did they loose 40 aircraft to the enemy while accounting for 27 but they were out bombed and gunned in ground support by the Axis as well. Axis fighters and jabos closed 6 fields and captured F103 in the northwest corner of the front. The Allies only closed two fields and if F114 had not been destroyed the Axis would be on the coast dividing the Allied advance in two.
Axis win the frame hands down 213 to 135 putting them in the lead going into the final frame 826 to 690.
With the numbers so low the failure of a squad to show up puts their side under a heavy disadvantage. The Allies did quite well considering some had to fly bombers and change the plan on the fly. Axis ground attack has been exemplary and remorseless almost the entire series.
Good Luck in the final frame of the season!
jabo
