Mission 17: August 26th 1940

[Vranac]

Mission No.17 (27.01.2013)
Date:24th August 1940
Airfield:RAF Ford
A/C: Spitfire IIa , SH-V

Took off from Ford as Gromics wingman with task to protect 501 pilots.We climbed and was vectored
towards big bomber formation South of IoW.
Spotted the bombers and started looking for their fighter cover.I spotted one suspicious pair and dived a bit to check them out.
Huns of course! I dived on them but they noticed me and wingmen did split s to the left while leader started to climb.
I decided to attack the leader and after few maneuvers gave him good burst. He dived even lower so I decided to leave him because he wan't
go far with damaged cooling. I went back toward bombers where Gromic was and spotted him but with hun on his six.
Told him to break and picked up that one and shot him down.
We formed up over IoW and climbed toward Ford where the survived bombers were.We spotted multiple aircrafts, some returning bombers
and some fighters too. Gromic attacked bomber but one 109 was again on him, he turned sharply to avoid attack and I picked the hun
but got one on my six immediately.There were at least three of them with us.I shot one good, he was leaking glycol and dived down,
I spotted another and when I was trying to put myself in good position I was hit badly from below, under my nose.
My engine was hit and oil splashed on my windscreen and unfortunately I had no elevator control any more.
I said to Gromic that I'm out and going to RTB. We were close to Ford and I started landing approach and then my engine went out.
I wanted to save the plane but failed to do so and crashed in the middle of the runway.
Shamefull way to finish one of the best missions.

Claims:
109 shot down , two 109s probable
Pilot: dead untill next weekend
Plane: pieces picked up by ground crew