MANNERHEIM CROSS Frame 1

[daddog]

Was it that bad? No AAR's?

I had a 'blue screen' just moments after Plisskin announced fields were closed.    Did not even bother to turn it back on. Just walked away. Was pretty angry.    Was looking forward to flying with you guys and having some fun since I have had very little of that in the past couple months. Gerrr.. still mad when I think about it.

Will be gone all day. Driving up north to Sacramento to drop my son off at my sisters. Will be on later tonight and hopefully some time in Sunday.

[Kansas2]

The IL's got attacked before I flashed the bases. I dove away from a 109G2 and hit the Vbase
then NOE'd outta there! Ran into rkanjl and we headed back to A14. A31 would flash every
once in awhile and then JU88's were reported north of the base. I finally caught up with
the JU88's as they were dropping and blew one up and tore up the other two in the formation.
There were at least 10 formations of JU88's at A31.

I wish I had been in a P39 with that big cannon when I intercepted the JU88's. They were
at 21k and I had to climb a little to get to them and was just 10 mph faster then them on
my film. The JU88 I attacked was peppering the heck out of me and finally got my engine,
pilot wound and then as I rolled over to dive away my wing came off. Sorry you blue screened
"General"    . Was Kind of fun for me. Glad rkanjl got a couple and landed. I think he was the only
one to land so there should be a medal somewhere for him.

 

[Drone]

Bummer daddog!  I wondered where you had gone.. normally you pop back in after a boot.. but I can understand completely.

From the logs:

332nd Flying Mongrels 
BigB
22:32:14 Departed from Field #31 in a P-40E
23:00:43 Helps Hopper shoot down MajQBall.
23:01:22 Was shot down by CANUKK (exploded).
daddog
22:32:20 Departed from Field #31 in a P-40E
22:49:24 Vanished without a trace.
Drone
22:32:09 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
23:02:38 Was shot down by Hopper.
DropTine
22:32:10 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
23:04:00 Was shot down by and captured.
Ghosth
22:32:10 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
23:09:48 Was shot down by Honcho (crashed).
Harppa
22:32:10 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
22:59:14 Was shot down by .
23:00:22 Departed from Field #31 in a Gunner-Observer
23:09:48 Arrived Safely at Field #31
JDog
22:32:10 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
22:59:18 Helps 49Grave shoot down Crazy8s.
23:00:08 Was shot down by Honcho.
kansas2
22:32:17 Departed from Field #31 in a P-40E
23:08:47 Destroyed a barracks at base #78 
23:31:37 Shot down a Ju 88A-4 flown by Hornet79.
23:34:11 Bravely Bailed from damaged plane.
MajQBall
22:32:18 Departed from Field #31 in a P-40E
23:00:43 Was shot down by Hopper (crashed).
RAYL49
22:32:10 Departed from Field #31 in a Il-2 Type 3
23:09:21 Was shot down by and captured.
rkanjl
22:32:13 Departed from Field #31 in a P-40E
23:04:25 Shot down a Bf 109G-14 flown by Wrek.
23:33:48 Shot down a Ju 88A-4 flown by DAKone.
23:36:21 Arrived Safely at Field #31   <-- Qualifies for Rin Tin Tin Ribbon.. WTG rkanjl!   

332nd Flying Mongrels stats:
Pilots: 11 Kills: 3 Assists: 2
Obj Destroyed: 1 Deaths: 6 Landed: 2
Bailed: 1 Captured: 2 Crashed: 0
Ditched: 0 Disco'd: 1
 
XO's report:

I take blame for the wholesale slaughter of the IL2s.  JDog had suggested we go NOE along the coast and I balked, considering that I don't remember the last time I was in an NOE mission in FSO that made it to the target. We flew a mission up the center of the water  @9k +/- and got jumped by III/JG11 in their 109G14s.

It's bad enough to be caught in something like the IL2 and P40s by the best aircraft in the frame.  It's pouring rubbing alcohol in the wounds ( slightly beyond salt ) when they're flown by a squad that is extremely adept in that airplane to start with.

It wasn't very pretty.

Couple that with the unforeseen range ( or lack thereof ) of the fully laden IL2 being only enough to get to the target given the path I laid out. ( Double D'oh!! on that one ). 

So.. combine a couple bone-headed calls and some good ol' bad luck, we can safely say this was a 'bug' mission.

( As opposed to a 'windshield' mission like our previous frame )

We fielded our minimum of 11 but we could have used the 6 more that we had room for.

Congrats to rkanjl for earning the Rin-Tin-Tin ribbon for being the sole Mongrel to return to base! <.S>

Special memory of GhostH who fought tooth and nail to deliver his ord to the target and being the sole IL2 to get in. 

And, for those who missed the announcement.. congrats to daddog for his promotion to GENERAL!    sir!  Job well done and deserved!


See you Sunday night!

 
Drone

[Flushed]

I wish I could've mad
e it. Congratulations rkangl for being the top killer and landing them. Congratulations daddog on the promotion

[daddog]

Couple that with the unforeseen range ( or lack thereof ) of the fully laden IL2 being only enough to get to the target given the path I laid out. ( Double D'oh!! on that one ).

Years ago we were on the Russian Front and flew LA5's. We all ran out out of gas before we got home due to my call on the fuel.  Shame too because it was a good mission. Lots of kills and only a couple deaths. I think about 12 of us ended up ditching a couple sectors away.

I feel your pain.

[rkanjl]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.  I believe this has to be my best FSO stats wise.  It was especially sweet as the JU88's knocked out my engine and I was able to glide back and land them dead stick.  I do admit to some feelings of "survivor guilt" for being happy for myself while it was such a trying mission for everyone else!  <S>

 
 rkanjl

[Flushed]

Congratulations guys! Doesn't rkanjl qualify for the purple heart also? For landing a badly damaged plane or with a pilot wound.

[JDog]

Looking into that one Flushed     Them HQ guys can be kinda asleep at the stick sometimes if ya know what I mean     LOL!!