http://www.squadselectseries.com - new map and summary up
In the first frame of Big Week the Allies sent their B17s with heavy fighter escort to several western German aircraft targets. The targets were two ball-bearing plants at Herford(F72) and Rheine(F55) as well as an aluminium plant in Koln(C57) and an avionics plant in Hannover(C78). Electronic counter-measures kept flak relatively light at higher altitudes but the Luftwaffe was ready after the initial Allied success at F55 which was destroyed(18 of 19 buildings). The aluminium plant at Koln was lightly damaged(1 of 20 buildings) but the airfield and some targets in Essen were attacked by mistake as well. Cloud cover kept the Allies from fixing the important aircraft industry targets but as they moved to hit the F72 and F78 areas the Luftwaffe was ready. In a series of small unit actions German interceptors swept in on the B17s and shot down 19 Allied heavies. USAAF escorts were busy as attacks came in at all angles and directions. 17 Luftwaffe fighters were shot down by the escort and 4 by defending Fortress gunners. But the escort did not get off easy with 12 going down to defending fighters during the day. Damage to the second ball-bearing plant at Herford was substantial(18 of 19 structures) and it is closed. The key avionics plant north of Hannover was damaged as well( 7 of 13 buildings) but continues in operation.
Heavy losses to defending fighters hurt the Luftwaffe's chance of victory but Allied failure to close two of their aircraft targets was equally damaging. Waiting on the S6 pilot loss results but the frame looks to be a tie.
Ball-bearing plants(map#50,54) at L55 and L72 are closed and cannot be attacked again during the series.
Good Luck in Frame 2
Notes
1. Allies need to do more homework and study the proper targets in the planning map. Several bombers wasted ord on targets that did nothing for their side. I am sure frame 2 will see a more unified command structure once everyone shakes off the holiday inebriation.
2. AI flak was all over the place but only seemed to hit targets below 20,000ft. Not sure why but will test to correct. It would be great if the Allied bombers could float along the flak bursts to their targets.
jabo
