S3 Series

Does anyone have acam of the drop? I think we need to know how many did make it, including AI so Jabo can get a good count of TOT

I think we I took one, in between screaming... CONS!!!!

I don't have a cam but I was in gundoc's nose gun and could see the group.

hawk, chiper, hounddog, muskies, coolone, mt-dew, gums, gundoc were there. There was only 1 AIs in this group mt-dew's
I may be missing someone.

Salute!

We definitely do not need to waste time with orbits and such 20 minutes before the frame begins. We have a long way to go and long time to get there.

War is hell, and on the few missions that I flew Downtown (versus CAS in-country), the lites were there well before we pig iron buffs arrived. You can't use max power for the whole mission. Get to a reasonable alt and cruise climb, then cruise at a low power setting. Sheesh.

I cannot believe that our escorts can't sit "on the perch" at our high six and fail to keep the LW from making another pass at us. They are the best. The basic lite can easily climb with we buffs using 70 or 80% power. Think 500 feet per minute rate.

Gums opines...

<S> Bollok and thanks for taking the big chair.

My lessons learned in frame 2:

* From what I could see we had only P-51s (with droptanks still at 85+ gals) for close escort when the axis struck. The P-47s must instead be made the designated close escort initially, immediately dropping tanks to engage when the Axis show, until the P-51Bs have burnt their droptanks. Then the P-51s take over responsibility and the P-47s RTB ASAP and get back up for reception. Our P-51s were useless with tanks, couldn't get enough alt, catch cons or do anything but dying and desperately dodging 109-attacks from an obstructed rear-view.

* Deception is usually to strive for but with our fighters limited fuel range and the all covering Axis DAR, the only way to go is the fastest line from A to B, with only some tac-turns to confuse the enemy. No detours, no sneaking, or the buffs will be all alone after Berlin again. The remaining 4th-men who managed to keep their tanks until burnt out, still had to simply leave the buffs for dead after Berlin for critical fuel RTB this frame.

Cheers!
/Robert
4th FG

Well we have to Jan 11th to figure it out. I know there were lessons learned from Frame 2 and some even kept us alive.

Salute!

Look at DrDart videos and then think about what escorts can do.

Gums sends....

I agree, after viewing Drdarts video A I learn a lot from it. There tactics were to hit us from head to tail without slowing down. I even heard they were frustrated because of our TAC movements. Still with their slash and dash moves, we need to learn to try and avoid them when seeing them coming in.

What kept me alive in the ingress, was watching the cons coming and do some banking and turning. More to think about I guess for Jan 11's frame.

The BG performed well.
The planned turns and a few ad hoc ones thrown in made it hard for them to line up and did a lot to put off the HO attacks.
I saw more slash attacks as a result of LW not being able to get in position.

Watching a couple of their vids, they seemed to be able to saddle up on the buffs without too much fear of the gunners.

It may well be better just to fly 090 to target , do a u turn and fly 270 home. (with some 45 degrees tacs thrown in on the way)
Shorter distance, everybody is on the same track (either inbound or outbound)
Not very adventurous at all but what can you do.
Best way to bring the P47s into full effect.