S3 Series

JG77 lifted from LAF56 with 4 pilots in 109K4s along with JG51 in 190s and TK in 109K4s. We held our grid of 5,6 until DTs ran dry and awaited GCI. Upon RTB for refuel we were directed to intercept hostiles southwest of our grid. We held and waited as they retreated west, then we RTBd for fuel. Second sortie we climbed north with 5 P38s over head. Once at altitude and no p38s to be seen, we counter marched south to intercept bombers and fighters. Our K4s barely flying at 10.6K we engaged P-38s. A slow and painful fight ensued for 77. I was the first to die followed by zinhwk. The rest RTBed to rearm to catch the egressing bombers and fighters. Zikker got some rounds into a Liberator and mcpot got rounds in a P-51. With the 20mm mittens on it was not enough to down either aircraft. -jr-- was chased to his death by marauding P-51s on his way back to base.

JG77

5 pilots (looboy,zinhwk,zikker, mcpot-,-jr--)

3 109ks lost (looboy, -jr-- killed, Zinhwk bailed)

no kills

no assists

I agree with LTF 16, we need scouts to get the direction/alt of the bombers. Once we have a good vector on the strike package we can aim our fighters correctly. Maybe meet them before they are feet dry. LFT6 is gong to scrap the idea of using 190s as they did not perform as advertised. We will all be in G6s and K4s next frame. Those models seem to perform better at these ridiculous altitudes.

Thanks for COing Beaver, well done sir.

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The 109 K is really great now with all the different variants. The 30mm cannon is difficult to get hits with but it can work to shoot HO b24s. The 20mm K4 variant should be our best fighter at altitude, with the k4/r6 having 3, 20 mm it has firepower but more drag, less speed.
The 190s maybe can be used if we do jabo.
Hardest part of this is delaying takeoff for first 30 mins of frame, but thats only way to have enough fuel for when the buffs arrive. I think We should think about LF6 and LF16 trying to stagger refuel/rearming so that we dont get vulched and capped down, after first sortie. The blue nosers will be hanging low at our forward fields.

Me and Trigr tested the 109K4 w 20mm at 35k against the p-38 and the p-51 Monday night. The 109 is faster than both (not by much) with the p-38 being faster than the p-51. DO NOT TRY to turn against these planes at alt. We were able to out dive the p-51; the p-38 was iffy trying to out dive. Be aware other factors could change what happens such as fuel load and starting speed at time of engagement. Rock.

JG51 was operating with JG77 as part of LF6 so I am adding our stats in this thread.

JG51 flew FW190Ds for this frame and found it difficult to get to the same operating altitude as the 109K4s so we entered the engagements lower than the 109s.

First sortie rolled at T+0'ish and formed with LF lead of JG-77. We circled the 5.6 grid while climbing and then were vectored toward what was called out as cons in the nearby grid. We had then questioned our fuel load and decided to refuel while we were near a home field.

Rolled sortie 2 without tanks so we could get to altitude much faster. We were vectored to field 88 where there was a forward sweep of P-38's ahead of the bomber group. We got into a mix with them and then RTB because we were low fuel.

Last sortie we rolled with rockets for the buff group and our GCI got us on an HO pass but we were about 500 to 1000 meters too low by the time we got to them. We tried to climb to the buffs in an attempt to get a shot with our rockets but we were engaged by the escorts and the fight went to the deck around F71 and F72.

Summary:
10 pilots
32 sorties
23 safe landing(s)
9 airframe(s) lost ( 9 x FW-190D9 *)
6 pilot(s) KIA
0 taken POW
1 victories
1 assist

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