mission No.13 (16.12.2012)
Date: 16th August 1940
Location: Kenley
A/C: Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct) - SD-T
I took off with the rest of the squadron and I led Blue section over the Southhampton sector. As we reached the target area we got some reports over the R/T that our fellow fighters were engaged with bombers.
S/L Osprey then called out contacts over the Solent. As I was slightly behind Red Section I couldn't see them at first. I was ordered to keep my section high to protect Red section as they went in on the bombers. As I was circling trying to keep eyes on S/L Osprey and then was jumped by some 109s.
I called out the break and was unable to lose a 109 that latched onto me. I dropped down to Angels 6 and tried to fly towards the bombers to the S/E, but I was followed by a 109. He kept close on me and got a good shot through my windscreen and I had to put my plane down due to an overheated engine.
I landed at the end of a Farm's garden and was greeted by a young off duty WAAF. She gave me a hot sweet cup of tea, I don't know where she got the sugar, and some jam and toast.
After several wonderful hours I managed to get back to Ford airfield and then from there back to Gravesend.
I claim:
nothing
Campaign tally:
2 JU 87 destroyed
2 JU 87 as a probable
2 JU 87s as damaged
1 Bf 109 destroyed (confirmed)
2 BF 109 Probable
2 Dornier 17 destroyed
3 Dornier 17 damaged
2 damaged JU 88 destroyed
3 JU 88 probable destroyed
1 JU88 shared destroyed
Mission 13: 16th August 1940
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Dickie
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Re: Mission 13: 16th August 1940
Mission No.13 (16.12.2012)
Date: 16th August 1940
Location: Kenley
A/C: Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct) - SD-K for King
Still bruised from yesterday from the mid air collision with a large bomber at high speed and despite a post mortem revealing that I was dead from the impact I wasn't going to let that put me off. I knew that my country needed me more than ever before, and my King needed me too. Hun were about and Goering needed a black eye and kick in the shin.
I set off down to Kenley where the chaps from 501 were stationed and found them all drunk in the bar with moral at a low ebb, whining about the loss of their squadron leader from the previous day. Alarmingly the buggers had already raided my personal belongings had pinched my collection of Noel Coward records (which I later found out was following a fight with my faithful Bat Man, Sgt. Botham, who was thankfully quite a keen cricketer and useful with the willow). I wasn't having any of it and tore into them. "We were told you were dead Sir" exclaimed Hawes. "I am" was the reply. "But there's no point grumbling about it, there's a war on".
We were then scrambled down to the South again, I was really getting quite cross with No.1 squadron down there who can't appear to contain a few Germans and needed our help to defend their bloody aerodromes, not that they are worth saving anyway, the beer is awful. The chaps formed up and we headed out, oxygen on sorts out those alcoholic problems and we were ready to face Jerry. No.64 squadron were ahead of us and frankly I was surprised this time that they flew in the right direction. They met a pack of 109's overhead trying to clear a path for us onto the enemy. In they came in a large gaggle 20 miles south of Beachy Head, must've been 70+ Stuka heading right for Tangmere - Tally Ho and in we went. I fired on one head on, he didn't have much nerve as I shattered his canopy. Rolling about I approached a second and rupture his port side from 250 yard closing fast. He developed several leaks before rolling down into a dive to the sea. I claim this Stuka as destroyed. I took a look about and by now the escort were bearing down on us, one of them was lining up P/O Teepee, I called for him to break which he duly did. I followed this Hun and fired on him in a climbing steep right hander at 400 yards, a long shot with plenty of deflection. I witnessed several strikes one of which produced a sizable leak of fuel. I claim this Bf109 as damaged. We were outnumbered and embroiled in the fight with the 109's now, I ordered Blue section to press on with the Stukas whilst Red section tied up the escort. I had 4 of the bastards to fight so it was evasion all the way for me. One of them was in a Bf110, had he been alone I'd have shown him a thing or two, the blasted bully! I managed to get a few squirts away but nothing convincing. Incredibly the Fritz I damaged was still hanging in there even though he'd run out of fuel for the home trip - we were 100 miles from the nearest French 'drome. I guess he just didn't know. I tried a coupld of times to dive away but was followed and simply lost height from this. After receiving some blows to my machine in the engine I lost power and thought about jumping out. Too low for sure, this one would be a pancake job in the flattest field I could see of which there weren't many. It was a rough bump and I clouted my nose on the gunsight, that's another bruise a Bosh has given me. Bastards, they'll lose this war, my fighting spirit has moved on to a bitter level now.
Claims
1x Ju87 destroyed
1x Bf109 damaged
Losses
1x Hurricane I
Date: 16th August 1940
Location: Kenley
A/C: Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct) - SD-K for King
Still bruised from yesterday from the mid air collision with a large bomber at high speed and despite a post mortem revealing that I was dead from the impact I wasn't going to let that put me off. I knew that my country needed me more than ever before, and my King needed me too. Hun were about and Goering needed a black eye and kick in the shin.
I set off down to Kenley where the chaps from 501 were stationed and found them all drunk in the bar with moral at a low ebb, whining about the loss of their squadron leader from the previous day. Alarmingly the buggers had already raided my personal belongings had pinched my collection of Noel Coward records (which I later found out was following a fight with my faithful Bat Man, Sgt. Botham, who was thankfully quite a keen cricketer and useful with the willow). I wasn't having any of it and tore into them. "We were told you were dead Sir" exclaimed Hawes. "I am" was the reply. "But there's no point grumbling about it, there's a war on".
We were then scrambled down to the South again, I was really getting quite cross with No.1 squadron down there who can't appear to contain a few Germans and needed our help to defend their bloody aerodromes, not that they are worth saving anyway, the beer is awful. The chaps formed up and we headed out, oxygen on sorts out those alcoholic problems and we were ready to face Jerry. No.64 squadron were ahead of us and frankly I was surprised this time that they flew in the right direction. They met a pack of 109's overhead trying to clear a path for us onto the enemy. In they came in a large gaggle 20 miles south of Beachy Head, must've been 70+ Stuka heading right for Tangmere - Tally Ho and in we went. I fired on one head on, he didn't have much nerve as I shattered his canopy. Rolling about I approached a second and rupture his port side from 250 yard closing fast. He developed several leaks before rolling down into a dive to the sea. I claim this Stuka as destroyed. I took a look about and by now the escort were bearing down on us, one of them was lining up P/O Teepee, I called for him to break which he duly did. I followed this Hun and fired on him in a climbing steep right hander at 400 yards, a long shot with plenty of deflection. I witnessed several strikes one of which produced a sizable leak of fuel. I claim this Bf109 as damaged. We were outnumbered and embroiled in the fight with the 109's now, I ordered Blue section to press on with the Stukas whilst Red section tied up the escort. I had 4 of the bastards to fight so it was evasion all the way for me. One of them was in a Bf110, had he been alone I'd have shown him a thing or two, the blasted bully! I managed to get a few squirts away but nothing convincing. Incredibly the Fritz I damaged was still hanging in there even though he'd run out of fuel for the home trip - we were 100 miles from the nearest French 'drome. I guess he just didn't know. I tried a coupld of times to dive away but was followed and simply lost height from this. After receiving some blows to my machine in the engine I lost power and thought about jumping out. Too low for sure, this one would be a pancake job in the flattest field I could see of which there weren't many. It was a rough bump and I clouted my nose on the gunsight, that's another bruise a Bosh has given me. Bastards, they'll lose this war, my fighting spirit has moved on to a bitter level now.
Claims
1x Ju87 destroyed
1x Bf109 damaged
Losses
1x Hurricane I
Re: Mission 13: 16th August 1940
Mission No.13 (16.12.2012)
Date: 16th August 1940
Location: Kenley
A/C: Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct) - SD-A
I took off as Blue 3, with Tech Hawes as Blue Leader, P/O Teepee as Blue 2 and Hawk, an Aussie pilot on loan from another squadron, as my wingman, Blue 4. We scrambled up and headed south towards the Isle of Wight. As we were patrolling down there we got bounced by some 109s. Red Section dove in on them and S/Ldr Osprey managed to keep them busy whilst the rest of us hunted for bombers. The bombers eventually showed up as an absolute arse load of Stukas. Me and my wingman broke and I lined myself up for one and got some rounds in to him, then saw F/Sgt Bunny and my wingman attacking another group and moved in to assist. I hammered some rounds into another Stuka and broke away again. As I did, I saw one Stuka that Bunny and me had been hitting go in. I then got ready to line myself up for a third run when Hawk called out that I had a contact on my 6. I broke hard and twisted and turned but could not get rid of him. I then saw another one coming in on me as well. I thought I’d had it. Bunny, who by that point was Winchester from hitting the Stukas, offered to come and help drag them away, but it wasn’t worth the risk, so I turned him down. I thought it’d be better to lose one pilot that to risk two.
The fight went on for a while longer and I couldn’t see any way out. Preparing for the end, I was making my peace when suddenly, as one of the 109’s shot past me after making a pass, I saw a Hurricane right on his six. It turned out to be Hawk, who had come out of nowhere and saved me. He distracted both 109s, which gave me the precious seconds I needed to get in to position to force my way out. I turned hard to get on the 109's to make sure Hawk could get away too, and saw him in a slight climb with a 109 chasing him. As he reached the apex, I pulled the trigger. I immediately noticed something was wrong. Only my left guns were firing, and they only fired for a split second, then fell silent. Bugger. I had wasted all my ammo on the Stukas. I started to apologise to Hawk, as there was nothing I could do, then noticed flames pouring out the bottom of the 109. I’d bloody hit him, and not only that, with what was probably only a handful of bullets, lit him up like a Christmas tree! Hawk confirmed the kill before seconds later I saw, with horror, the flaming 109 diving back on to him for a last ditch kill. Rounds pummelled the cockpit and the RT went silent, and I saw Hawk’s Hurricane plunge in to the sea with the 109. Damn. He was a bloody good pilot and had saved my arse.
I didn’t have time to dwell on it though, and quickly started to extend back for dry land. I flew straight for as long as I felt sensible and safe, then after about two minutes, pulled hard round to get a quick look at my six. Good job I did, the second 109 had been stalking me, and was just closing to range. I kept pulling until I was inside him and he overshot, then quickly went back to extending towards England again. He lined up again, and I repeated the process, but lost sight of him. I never regained it, and as I hit dry land I quickly put down at Tangmere for a rest and a much needed drink before heading back to home base. I needed it.
I’d like to end this report by saying a massive thanks to Hawk, who even though we’ve never flown together before, seemed to be very able to stick to me like glue all the time, always there, right on my 5 or 7, no matter what I did. For the short time he was about with the squadron he made a perfect wingman. My apologies go out to him for my bad communication though, even when I forgot to call out turns (which was most of the time) after we'd been seperated from Blue Leader and Blue 2 he stuck with me constantly.
Claims: 1x Stuka Damaged
1x Stuka Destroyed (shared between me, Bunny and Hawk. It was Bunny who finished him off after me and Hawk had passed at him, and I can confirm I saw it go in.)
1x 109 Destroyed (Confirmed by Hawk)
Aircraft: A few holes and a couple of tiny fuel tank leaks, but nothing that won’t buff out.
Pilot: A-ok, and very happy to have scored my first 109 of the campaign
Date: 16th August 1940
Location: Kenley
A/C: Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct) - SD-A
I took off as Blue 3, with Tech Hawes as Blue Leader, P/O Teepee as Blue 2 and Hawk, an Aussie pilot on loan from another squadron, as my wingman, Blue 4. We scrambled up and headed south towards the Isle of Wight. As we were patrolling down there we got bounced by some 109s. Red Section dove in on them and S/Ldr Osprey managed to keep them busy whilst the rest of us hunted for bombers. The bombers eventually showed up as an absolute arse load of Stukas. Me and my wingman broke and I lined myself up for one and got some rounds in to him, then saw F/Sgt Bunny and my wingman attacking another group and moved in to assist. I hammered some rounds into another Stuka and broke away again. As I did, I saw one Stuka that Bunny and me had been hitting go in. I then got ready to line myself up for a third run when Hawk called out that I had a contact on my 6. I broke hard and twisted and turned but could not get rid of him. I then saw another one coming in on me as well. I thought I’d had it. Bunny, who by that point was Winchester from hitting the Stukas, offered to come and help drag them away, but it wasn’t worth the risk, so I turned him down. I thought it’d be better to lose one pilot that to risk two.
The fight went on for a while longer and I couldn’t see any way out. Preparing for the end, I was making my peace when suddenly, as one of the 109’s shot past me after making a pass, I saw a Hurricane right on his six. It turned out to be Hawk, who had come out of nowhere and saved me. He distracted both 109s, which gave me the precious seconds I needed to get in to position to force my way out. I turned hard to get on the 109's to make sure Hawk could get away too, and saw him in a slight climb with a 109 chasing him. As he reached the apex, I pulled the trigger. I immediately noticed something was wrong. Only my left guns were firing, and they only fired for a split second, then fell silent. Bugger. I had wasted all my ammo on the Stukas. I started to apologise to Hawk, as there was nothing I could do, then noticed flames pouring out the bottom of the 109. I’d bloody hit him, and not only that, with what was probably only a handful of bullets, lit him up like a Christmas tree! Hawk confirmed the kill before seconds later I saw, with horror, the flaming 109 diving back on to him for a last ditch kill. Rounds pummelled the cockpit and the RT went silent, and I saw Hawk’s Hurricane plunge in to the sea with the 109. Damn. He was a bloody good pilot and had saved my arse.
I didn’t have time to dwell on it though, and quickly started to extend back for dry land. I flew straight for as long as I felt sensible and safe, then after about two minutes, pulled hard round to get a quick look at my six. Good job I did, the second 109 had been stalking me, and was just closing to range. I kept pulling until I was inside him and he overshot, then quickly went back to extending towards England again. He lined up again, and I repeated the process, but lost sight of him. I never regained it, and as I hit dry land I quickly put down at Tangmere for a rest and a much needed drink before heading back to home base. I needed it.
I’d like to end this report by saying a massive thanks to Hawk, who even though we’ve never flown together before, seemed to be very able to stick to me like glue all the time, always there, right on my 5 or 7, no matter what I did. For the short time he was about with the squadron he made a perfect wingman. My apologies go out to him for my bad communication though, even when I forgot to call out turns (which was most of the time) after we'd been seperated from Blue Leader and Blue 2 he stuck with me constantly.
Claims: 1x Stuka Damaged
1x Stuka Destroyed (shared between me, Bunny and Hawk. It was Bunny who finished him off after me and Hawk had passed at him, and I can confirm I saw it go in.)
1x 109 Destroyed (Confirmed by Hawk)
Aircraft: A few holes and a couple of tiny fuel tank leaks, but nothing that won’t buff out.
Pilot: A-ok, and very happy to have scored my first 109 of the campaign