The Group took off from our assigned fields of F-53 and F-54 to do a forward sweep of the buffs' target area to the NE. In Frame 3, the limited range of the F4F-4 would come into play. Just as most elements were reporting "Bingo" fuel, bandits were spotted and engaged over the target area. Fortunately most of the engagement was at some altitude. Many of our aircraft were forced to RTB back to F-53 and F-54 at an RPM that would not support level flight. Many of our pilots landed their aircraft with less than 5 minutes of fuel remaining in their tanks. This engagement and several subsequent fights found that the Zeros had slightly modified their tactics with their aircraft staged in "levels". Once the initial elements were engaged, there always seemed to be another that would be diving in from an altitude higher than the engagement. Again in this Frame, some high bandits were observed who did not seem to wish to descend in to the fight.
Several of our pilots were called upon, once again, to become airborne "combat engineers" by taking out the plam trees left remaining in the close proximity to our runways by the Sea Bees. One of our pilots was a "double ace" in palm tree removal. Anyone who knows which hotel VF-17 is staying in on R&R in Hawaii should advise them that their crew chiefs should move their corsairs that were parked so close to the runway that their noses project over the apron. (We would remove those also, but it would actually score points for the enemy.)
See parts of our engagement while outbound to cover assignments on our second sortie when inbound bandits were spotted headed for our base on DobsFilms:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPI_JB_ebQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryioIq9WkQA
Palm trees located very close to the runways at F-53 and F-54.
Attending
Todzla
Juice=
=Jman=
Vulche
=Dobs=
JlordJ
-Epic-
Hogjaw
Parson
Caruso
Skuzzr
Fencer
-Guns-
MadCat
Chicdg
RedSgt
SASpin
-Grip-
Yobtee
DeWolf
Claims
The Command Staff of the 352nd FG is pleased to announce that the following pilots have operated their F4F-4 aircraft skillfully enough through the first three Frames of the Series to become Series Aces:
Frame 3
Vulche: Kills (3). A6M3 (3). Assist: (3).
=Dobs=: Kills (3). A6M3 (3). Assist: (1). Ground Target (2).
SASpin: Kills (2). A6M3 (2). Assist: (3).
Juice=: Kills (2). A6M3 (2). Assist: (2).
-Epic-: Kills (2). A6M3 (2). Assist: (2).
Hogjaw: Kills (1). A6M3 (1). Assist: (2). Ground Target: (2).
Chicdg: Kills (1). A6M3 (1). Assist: (1).
=JMan=: Kills (1). A6M3 (1). Assist: (1).
-Guns-: Kills (1). A6M3 (1). Ground Target: (2).
Fencer: Assist: (2).
RedSgt: Assist: (1).
Skuzzr: Assist: (1).
JlordJ: Ground Target: (10 )
Todzla: Ground Target: (2).
Summary
•20 pilots
•80 sorties
•72 safe landing(s)
•8 airframe(s) lost ( 8 x F4F-4 *)
•2 pilot(s) KIA
•2 taken POW
•16 victories
•19 assist(s)
•20 ground objects and/or AI destroyed
Thanks to Mr. =Weis= of the 4th FG for putting together yet another Frame, and to our Janitors.
<S>
