S3 Series

Trigr=, Rock, Timos, Crommm and Gflyer with Pipe and Hammyg of Checkmates took off from from F68 in 190D9s at T + 28 and grabbed north behind American Eagles in 109K4 151s and JG 127 in Doras as Luftflotte 16. We vectored around, Gflyer got disco'd at T + 60 and Phenix logged in at T + 75 and served as GCI. The Allies had an excellent plan, waiting until we were a little short of fuel, taking an ambiguous route due east down the line threatening two targets and then executing a turn to the north to strike F88. We had been unable to mount a effective strip due to the sheer numbers of Allied fighters and the fact that only 4 of our strippers were in the 109K4 151s. We executed an HO pass on the buff formation just south of F88 under at least 20 enemy fighters, got some hits on buffs that turned into pieces later and were promptly driven down and away from the buffs by the escorts. With 10 minutes of fuel remaining we attempted to rtb to F68 only to discover that it was being vulched by low P38s and P51s. Sandwiched between the escorts behind us and the vulchers in front of us we fought and lost Trigr=, Timos and Crommm. Rock managed to ditch on the runway at F68 at T + 115.

Phenix managed to sneak out of F68 and grabbed to the west where he engaged and dispatched a single P51. He then harassed Allied fighter formations covering buff strikes on 3 of our LAFs until he rtb'd to F68 at T + 165 and we stood down.

Results: 3 LAFs closed, minimal losses to the enemy buffs.

Kills: 1 (Phenix.)

Losses: 3 (Trigr=, Timos and Crommm.)

Thanks to Beaver, the LW CO and Jabo and Roan, the S3 guys, for a fun frame.

Comments: Our best high altitude performer is the BF109K4 with the 151 20mm loadout. It doesn't look like the FW190A8s are going to be viable given the numbers of enemy escorts so we will probably have to go with the FW190D9s as the shooters. One tactic that we could use would be to split up a small squad, put them in the BF109K4s with the 151 20mm loadout and send them over the lines to scout for enemy buff formations, especially the 5 8 radar gap. We need to know whether they are coming from the north through that gap or up the middle in order to set up in time for the strippers to be successful. The buff Time On Target was T + 100 and their Target Altitude was 26,500 feet. Even with drop tanks we can only fly for 80 minutes in the K4 and 84 minutes in the D9 with the .85 fuel modifier so it looks like we will need to consider holding longer than the 25 minutes that we held in this frame. We had 5 K4 strippers, 7 Dora strippers and 7 Dora shooters this frame for a total of 19 and we were pretty heavily outnumbered by the escorts. My suggestion would be that we allocate more fighters to the buff interception role, that the strippers be K4s and the shooters be D9s with about twice as many strippers as shooters in future frames. The Haze volunteers to fly the stripper role.

We lost at least two and maybe three of our 262 bases in this single frame. I suspect that the Allies will vulch the remaining base(s) rather than closing them in the next 3 frames because dead 262s are worth 4 points (compare that to 5 points for us if we shoot down a B24 or 15 points for the Allies if they close another LAF). The alternative would be to allocate a large part of our fighter force to capping the 262 airfield(s), our aircraft just aren't a good matchup in low and slow turnfights and the field ack is useless. My suggestion would be that we abandon the 262s temporarily, assign those pilots to other aircraft and avoid digging the score hole deeper in Frame 2. Let them spend assets for at least one frame capping empty 262 fields while we beef up our bomber interception force and chip away at targets with NOE jabos.

The 262's are most important asset as they can strike anywhere at anytime and have the speed to just fly away. If we keep at least 1 262 base open, we know where the Allies will put their efforts for attacking.

Dobs posted a very interesting video on the Warbirds facebook website of the 352nd ruining the Haze's day at F68 in frame 1. Happens at the end of the video.

In the very same video, they ruined LF6's day.......

What I noticed in that video is they weren't very interested in protecting the bombers. I heard several times when they called out a fighter in the Buff group, but I didn't hear anyone responding

Keep in mind they operate 3 distinct squadrons, sounds like they had at least one with the buff group, not to mention on bouncing their return, I saw the 4th in close escort (crazy camo mustangs). The background chatter is top down whisper for probably just SA purposes. I don't think they put all 20 of their guys in one room. Just take a look at the 4th TS layout when they are on. NO doubt a plan of action going through the sub channels was happening.