S3 Series

Editied to add S6 summary.

Rolled from F11 with half of our squad carrying bombs for F208. The JABO flight went NOE while our light fighters grabbed and screened to their east. As we approached 208 our JABO flight called cons so our high flight dropped in to cover them. As soon as our JABO group tried to hit 208 they found that it was too dark to see the targets clearly so they tried to do what damage they could before being taken out by the defenders. In the initial attack at least one was lost to ack and others sustained damage. Our high flight got to the melee as the ack was nailing our JABOs and we started working the defenders. In the fight we took down at least 7 of the defenders but lost most of our aircraft. It is unclear how much damage was done to the target. I believe timing was the main problem with this sortie due to the light conditions along with running into the defenders just as we started our JABO run on the field. One pilot was able to escape and made it back to our home field only to experience having his plane explode due to a sticky runway. Jabo did clear him to re roll as it was a game issue.

Our last pilot made one more sortie then stood down for the night.

One observation, we hit field 208 very early in the frame and it was too dark to see the targets clearly in time to get a good drop. It also allowed the defending fighters to get to us as we were trying to sort out the targets. It might be in our best interests to hold off on hitting the closest targets until later in the frame for visibility reasons.

Summary
10 pilots
15 sorties
4 safe landing(s)
11 airframe(s) lost ( 11 x Bf-109G6 *) One due to sticky field
6 pilot(s) KIA
4 taken POW
8 victories
3 assist(s)
4 ground objects and/or AI destroyed

<S>

Sorry for the grim night. I did not consider twilight as a factor during the plan. Another note to take down for me. A solid defense though, 7 kills! I was hoping to get you guys up by the 352d and was surprised, as you were, with the contacts right off the bat. I flew you right into a angry bee's nest. We shall get some revenge next Sunday! Thanks for carrying that rough order out. <S> JG51.