Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Anything to do with the Desert Campaign goes in here. Please post your flight reports into this forum.

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Gromic
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Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Gromic » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:10 pm

Post your form 540 reports for the desert campaign flown on 6 October 2012 here
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Re: Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Dickie » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:23 pm

Date: 6th April 1941
Location: Tobruk airfield
A/C: Hurricane Ia D for Don

The squadron was ordered to scramble to meet incoming eyeties from the east. The squadron was separated due to cloud and missed the rendezvous, some chaps got lost. PO Robo spotted the enemy out to sea at angels 14 first and I met him just as he started his attack from angels 17. We had a surprise because the escort was Hun, E models and not the wops we've been handing a beating to for the past two months - cowards. I witnessed Robo fill their leader with lead and break off, I went in for an attack on him but he performed a split S and dive away and had to I let him go. Unfortunately that was just the advanced party and then the main raid arrived complete with a further 12+ 109's. In the fight I gave one a squirt from 150 yards but seemed to do no damage. I was then chased by 4 109's who forced me to the deck where I sustained critical damage.

Claims
none

Lost
1 Hurricane Ia

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Re: Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Gromic » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:35 pm

Date: 6th April 1941
Location: Tobruk airfield
A/C: Hurricane Ia Q for Quebec
Weather: Spartial overcast from 2000 ft to approx. 15,000 ft.


No. 64 Squadron took off with 501 from Tobruk after recieving reports of incoming aircraft that were coming south from over the med. After climbing hard towards the rendevous point, I lost sight of the rest of the flight. R/C was working properly and S/L Osprey continued to try to vector me back. My map case was locked for some strange reason and I couldn't plot my course towards the other allied units. After having flown west for some 10 minutes or so, I realized my error and doubled back towards the target area. After another 10 minutes airborne, I noticed tracers to my 10 low and vectored to investigate. P/O No. 501 Robo confirmed that he was firing on an aircraft and I therefore concluded that the tracers came from him. As I neared the area, I saw a large furball taking place within it and promptly engaged the first a/c that was closest to me. Fortunately, this bandit was also the one that had latched onto P/O Robo's (unconfirmed) six. A few short bursts from my guns prompted fritz to disengage the engagement with P/O Robo. I did not inflict any damage on this particular 109 but that wasn't the intended plan.

After turning and weaving with a large number of enemy fighters that were consistently diving and extending away from our group, I managed to turn the tables in my favor and score a deflection shot on a 109 the crossed my piper in a high right hand climb. I observed smoke pouring from his engine but the bloody hun still continued to try and gain advantage. During the dogfight, I managed to hit him numerous times, although only causing slight damage with each attack.

Fritz wasn't alone and another of his flight managed to bounce me while I was pushing my attack on the said 109. A bullet crashed through my cockpit siding, sending shards of debris and glass into my right shoulder and almost knocking me unconsious. I broke my attack immediately, dove hard and barely made it back over the beach where I managed to belly in on the sand and roll out of the cockpit with my aircraft smoldering like a beached whale at the town barby.

I claim 1 109 damaged. But more importantly, I confirm having survived the sortie.

F/L Gromic
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Re: Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Urizen » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:39 pm

Date: 6th April 1941
Location: Tobruk airfield
A/C: Hurricane Mk.Ia U for Uncle

We were ordered to defend the Tobruk area from incoming Hostiles. After Takeoff i quickly became separated from the Rest of the Squad and spend the next 30 Minutes trying to make rendezvous. On approaching Tobruk from the east, i witnessed flak in the area, but couldn´t make out any targets.
On descending a 109 tried to get on my six, but was quickly scared away by a fellow Hurricane. I then tried to get on his six by myself but he outran me heading NE out to sea, at which point i broke off the pursuit. I circled the area for 5 more minutes, before coming in to land.

Claims
none

Plane Hurricane Mk.Ia OK
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Re: Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Bounder » Sun Oct 07, 2012 9:37 am

Date: 6th April 1941
Location: Tobruk airfield
A/C: Hurricane Mk.Ia M for MotherfunkingHurricane

Got woken rudely by command with a scramble order, bloody Jerry disturbing my morning session with the WAFS. Gave them all one last seeing too before strapping myself in the Hurricane. It stinks, in every sense - fairly sure one of those 501 chaps has taken a crap in this rust bucket, what I'd give for my trusty Spitfire!

We scrambled from Tobruk with those rotters from 501, had trouble forming up due to a/c control malfunction: flaps could not be raised following takeoff, seems some bright spark cleared the controls. By the time I had found and 'repaired' the flaps up command I had lost sight of the rest of the flight. After a couple of minutes scanning I found a flight of Hurricanes but they turned out to be these new 'AI' fellows flying round in circles. I then proceeded to head out across the desert in search of the rest of the flight before vectoring back to Tobruk, arriving late with the chaps very much engaged with Jerry. Dove down from 17,000 feet and gave a 109 a jolly good trashing, getting a 2-3 second burst into him on the first past from above and behind, then scissored to get another burst into his canopy and engine. His engine appeared to give out, with his prop stopping low over Tobruk airfield - Jerry made an emergency landing on our airfield - hope the ground crews caught the bugger. I took hits from a 109 at six O'clock, maneuvering became difficult so I put down on the airfield and swiftly made my way back to my bunk with the WAFS.

Claims
109 damaged and forced to land at Tobruk.

Plane Hurricane Mk.Ia damaged, returned to base.
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Re: Form 540 Reports for Desert Campaign - 6 October 2012

Post by Robo » Sun Oct 07, 2012 11:28 am

Date: 6th April 1941
Location: Tobruk airfield
A/C: Hurricane Mk.Ia R for Radiometeorograph

Got woken gently by two naked WAAFs and was about to make my way to the briefing room. 'You Hurricane pilots are so much better than the Spitfire jockeys, one of them said, as I was looking for my cap. 'I know,' I said.

Scramble call came soon enough, I took off swiftly and pushed the old horse to climb as fast as possible to the altitude over the southern hills. There seemed to be some confusion about navigation as I failed to find anybody in the designated sector, only S/L Osprey seemed to be around. I climbed to 16.000 feet and flew north, climbing further. Over the coast I spotted 3 contacts in vic formation and tracked them from the sun. Reporting their position to the rest of the squadron, I decided to attack on my own in order not to spoil my advantageous position. The three bandits were definitely 109s as they flew fairly fast and climbed quickly. I checked the area around me and below them, I assumed they were flying a sweep before the main force arrives. There was no time to waste. I pushed the throttle of my trusty Hurricane all the way to the front and as I slowly gained speed in the dive, I picked my target - one 109 was busy changing position, perhaps he won't have time to check his six. I am slowly sliding underneath him, closing in for a kill. They don't know yet, Hurrcane shaking with exceed speed, then smell of cordite, I am focused, he is dead. Pieces falling off of his tail, leaking fuel, trying to pull, but it's too late. This 109 is no more a threat, I am climbing up after attack. Two remaining Germans breaking hastily, but they didn't know where the hit came from. I am above them, still having a chance to survive this daring attack. One tries to climb below he, he must have spotted me at least, but I am still climbing, temps are alright, but there is no one around to help me when they otclimb me eventually. I am going after the leader this time. My thumb is ready. He's making a mistake, realising it too late. My burst strikes him hard from the nose to the tail, I see my rounds entering his fuselage, he doesn't move at all, his plane seems to have stopped mid air, wings in a weird cramp. I know this 109 is fatally wounded - controls shoot off, glycol streaming. This German will be lucky to make it back to the ground alive. Last 109 is divin away to the safety. I know he is flying towards the main group so I follow his heading climbing further. And there they are - 12 bombers in neat formation of fours. S/L Osprey is with me at least, but the rest of the squadron is still scattered all around the place. We attack anyway. We have to. Happy with the lesson I gave to the three Germans I placed myself into position above the group, reporting their location and altitude to everybody, then I dived in. My Merlin whined as I forced it to fly at full power yet again, another 109s climbing - attacking the bombers now would be unwise, I need to push the escort down first, hoping for the other lads to take care of the bombers. I am attacking, 109 breaks hard, but I see strikes on the wings and the tail, I have no time to watch what's happening with him, I damage another fighter and I climb up again. S/L Osprey reports several 109s on his tail, I locate him slightly above me on my 4 o'clock, I turn in to help him out, he's being shot at, I might be in there a bit too late, but I will try. I am closing in from below and fire a long burst to force the attacker to break. Too far away I guess, but it works, few bullets hit in the ugly blue belly and he breaks away rather swiftly. Tracers! I am being shot at, break left and drag him down. F/L Gromic sees me and shouts instructions when to break as I was in serious trouble. With his massive help I managed to extend from the uneven fight and return to base. My Hurricane took some hits and the engine didn't sound too good. I don't know if it was the strain or the battle damage, I kept my power (and profile) very low in any case. On my way back, I've seen several small dogfights right above the airfield and returning Italian bombers passed me overhead. I landed safely and made my way to the cover. Unfortunately, the WAAFs were not naked anymore. My Hurricane has been strafed one more time as there was no time to park it safely. I finished my cigar and was very happy with the outcome of this crazy sortie. My hands were shaking though.

Claims:
1 109 destroyed
1 109 probable
2 109 damaged

Pilot OK
Plane damaged, returned to base

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