While Team Gold (LW) got airborne early to greet attacking bombers, but had a long wait as Team Green (Allies) changed their tactics. B-24Js were forward deployed to F17 (Staplehurst) an initially launched a large, unescorted, B-24J raid or 28 aircraft (7 players and 3 AI each) that slowly headed SSW towards France. This large group had some challenges forming up. One B-24 landed back at F17 and the pilot re-upped from F31 (Newchurch) with another player, both flying P-47Ds. These fighters were far behind the well organized formation of 24 B-24Js.
LW fighters were out of postion to the north east when the bombers were first detected by radar
about 40 mile due north of Le Havre. Racing to the south west, the Jagerfleigers were spread out and met the Allied armada just off the French coast near Fecamp. Seeing no supporting Allied fighters, the Jadgfliegers hope the buffs would be easy meat, but this was not the case. The tight formation of the bombers made the risk of collision severe and heavy defensive fire was murderous. Some damage was inflicted, but it was not apparent to the Jagfleiger. Several LW pilots were forced to bail out of their crippled aircraft, but all survived to fight another day.
It became apparent that the B-24's target was the rail yard at Rouen (F143) and the LW were unable to stop their advance. One hundred and ninety two 1000lb bombs were dropped on the target area, causing heavy damage and destroying over half of the structures at the rail yard.
Just after the bombs struck the target one B-24 was lost after a Fw 190 misjudged his head-on attack and smashed into the bomber's wing.
As the buffs started their egress to England, the trailing P-47s joined the formation and successfully kept the LW at bay.
Team Green8 Pilots
352nd: juice=, =wilz=, crhtwo, redsgt
Other: WLDBIL, bombr-, nookyb, okdoc-
B-24J - 8 sorties, shot down 6 Fw 190A-8 (1 a collision), 2 Bf 109G6/R6. Destroyed 22 ground objects. Three AI wingman lost (two were damaged and crashed on landing).
P-47D - 3 sorties, no kills, 1 aircraft lost.
Team Gold6 pilots
RCAF: muzz--, -deak-, yukone
23rd: -splt-, grmpy-
4th: jedijc
Fw 190A-8: 11 sorties, destroyed one B-24 in a collision and damaged 2 AI B-24J causing them to crash on landing, 7 aircraft lost.
Bf 109G6: 1 sortie, no kills, no losses
Bf 109G6/RVI: 5 sorties, no kills, 3 aircraft lost.
ScoringTeam Green scores 10 VPs for enemy fighters that were lost.
Team Gold scores 12 VPs for three 4-engine bombers that were lost.
After three frames, team Green is maintaining their lead:
Team Green 58 VPs
Team Gold 48 VPs
Frame 4 runs this Sunday, 23 April 2023.
Bomber target post to be updated
here
Muzz
