S3 Series

~S~ Gentlemen.

Well done! While the Allies did close two villages, we managed to take down at least thirteen (13) B-29s. Their attack came at too high a price for the targets they chose.

Our positioning for the bombers was nearly perfect allowing our fighter groups to make multiple sustained attacks. I am looking forward to reading your AARs OR replies and comments on how our fighters performed against the bombers.

~S~


EDIT #1 - I also spoke with Robert - the Allied CO...they were waiting for attacks on the Carrier group. Prudence dictated that the Allies have some cover over their CV, thus reducing the number of fighters available for bomber escort. We capitalized on the fact that their force had split duties.

EDIT #2 - First posted on General Forum As Frame 5 CO, Let it be known, first and foremost, that I am not 'calling out' Satan's Angels with what I post below.

While watching radar to pinpoint the location of Allied Carrier Groups, I lost track of where the 475th were positioned. I requested the 475 to RP at a location closer to the main-land, but they missed the transmission and I did not follow up. It wasn't until they were too far south that I asked for grid location. I saw on dar they were entering an airspace that contained many unidentified contacts and we had ZERO assets to send in support.

Our main focus for the frame was to destroy the B29s. I had no intention of sending the Knights or another squad to attack the Carriers. We planned to neutralize the allied fighter group assigned to CV CAP by avoiding contact with them and focus all forces on the Superforts. I positioned Lf6, KoN, AE/8 and RCAF close to shore for bomber intercept. Though I did expect the attack to come to Tokyo Bay which contained exponentially more targets than the bay in the west. When the bomber stream appeared at the 7.6x, I vectored Lf6 to the west bay, had KoN refuel and the AE/8 and RCAF moved over to the west.

While having the 475th in the west for bomber interdiction would have been icing on the cake, their autonomous engagement with the Allies over the CV area (due west of F175 and slightly SW of 145) forced the Allies to remain on station over their CV. Again, reducing the total number of fighters we had to deal with escorting the bombers. Its not a 'Sakai Frame' unless at least one squad is decimated. I hated that it happened, but I believe their death was not in vain. We managed to down at least thirteen (13) B-29s. That is a good night's work.

Now regarding the plane matchups. We were out-classed plane wise. But guess what...that is historically accurate. I hate it, but it is my destiny - I fly Axis. And I would not have it any other way.

Well done all <{S}> after logging for the night I sat there and thought the "what if" as in what if we had half our fighters greet them as they were inbound and have half of them sitting of the coast waiting for them to egress with hardly any fighter cover for the retreating B29s. Oh well we done good

The night was not so good for 475 and RCAF. We headed for 6.8.8 as the rest of the fighters were also supposed to be heading that way, but we arrived alone and were outnumbered about 2.5 to 1 (It was even for 30 seconds then their reinforcements arrived) All shot down except Deak (arrived too late) and Odee (had to rtb before fight for a broken engine) and we didn't even manage a kill

<S> Sakai-

KoN AAR:

7 KoN fighters rolled F80 in J2ms and orbited south of there until we were to hear of bomber location.
We were running low on fuel and had to rtb. Low and behold about that time the callout came with location of the bombers.
If we went southwest to intercept we would have run out of fuel.
Sakai called our RTB and we refueled and upped as fast as possible.
We had one fighter disco earlier in the frame (docgxx), and he re upped with enough fuel to engage them south of their target. I believe he got one on his initial engagement.
The rest of us were able to intercept the B29s just as they approached their targets but were slightly lower than them.

We were able to pick off a few that had separated from the group and had dipped in alt.

Guns on J2M seemed to be quite effective.

Kills: (roughly estimated from radio chatter and buffer)
- 3-4 Bombers
- 1 Fighter

Losses:
- 2 pilots to B29 guns
- 2 pilots to over stressing the j2m
- 1 pilot to collision
- 2 pilots to enemy fighters.



<S> all

Swanee, did a great job leading the Knights into battle. It was smart not having us hit the CV. I was hoping the 352nd was waiting for us over the CV and they were.

Good job Sakai! <S>

I did post a video of my demise while trying to attack the Allie bombers.

<S> to Swanee again for leading us and for trying to make this buff pilot a bomber pilot.. LOL

Semper Gumby - you guys did a great job!

~S~ Knights of Ni!



~~~~~~~~~~

Added Edit #2 above.

The 475th arrived outnumbered because Odee had an engine go south and I continued to disco at inopportune times during the first 90+ minutes until I came across the bombers later. Because it was Valentine's Day we started off light in numbers and then two of us were not present for the first engagement. With only Odee and I remaining I had taken off on the east side of the bay across from 78 and went east to pick up Odee when he was coming back up out of 78. We both continued straight west and made a couple variations based on reports of the bomber stream. I had climbed to 32K+ and Odee had stayed lower around 22-24K I believe and that was when I saw the bomber stream with a mess of allied and axis fighters in a huge furball around the bombers. There were fighters about 10K above me at this point and friendlies and bandits co-alt so I spotted a lone group of six B-29s several thousand feet below headed NE and I dove on them. I came in at their 5 o'clock position and closed on the tail-end bomber on the right and began chewing on his fuselage above the wing root. He started to break up and I rolled right to dive away and hit his wing. I managed to bail safely and I am not sure what happened to Odee. Another Axis pilot received credit for the kill of the B-29.

It would be nice, IMO, to have a tact channel for the COs of groups because in the heat of battle and navigation it is difficult to notice the text messages sometimes. Maybe the important directives could be another color and in capital letters to draw attention to them. Additionally, the 475th uses a radial map that is put together for us before the frame and that is how we are to report positions. I turn off the grid lines so it is very difficult when text buffer reports are in grid coordinates and the 475th is looking at radials and mile markings. Just a thought. <S>

Thanks to all the guys that put the time and work into planning the frames - I enjoy being able to come into the S3 and fly.

~S~ Fepper. Good write up.

For my next frame, I will make sure I have a point of contact with one from each squad. Doesn't necessarily have to be the CO since most times they are flight lead, but at the very least someone who has voice come with flight lead.

And for the record, I was using the radial system in conjunction with regular grids. Did it the entire frame. I like it and find it useful.

And welcome to the S3s. They are a terror at times.

~S~

I think (hope) you realize I was not being critical of the frame Sakai, just adding my two-cents of what I saw happening. I always enjoy the S3 and do appreciate the work that is put into planning such an event. Squad operations really get me revved up and excited, whether it is practicing or the S3 event. I can understand that using the radial and grid system of navigation reports covers all the bases. I will be looking forward to your next frame and all the S3 events. Thanks again. <S>

Just a note, the RCAF operated with the 475th every frame. While we only had 3-5 fighters at any given frame we stuck with them through thick and thin.