RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

RAF From 540. Flight reports from the 2nd Battle of Britain Campaign. Only ACG RAF can post

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Dickie
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RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Dickie » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:33 pm

Attendance: ALL pilots here must add a report
24th Nov 2013_1.PNG

Pre-Campaign Report
Sector 'A' RAF Worthydown
Hurricane Ia TB-P

The squadron was brought to readiness after weather reports suggested that Jerry may be up to tricks again. Unfortunately we had to share the airfield with No.615 Sqn and even worse, No.64 Sqn. I never heard such nonsense coming from them about the virtues of the Spitfire, nor such poor manners whilst queuing for the NAAFI cart. Sure enough the bell rang typically just after I'd got my long awaited tea and cake, damned Hun!

Off we ran to our kites, my crew had already warmed up TB-P ready for the off. The Spitfires went up first followed by the Hurricanes from No.501 and No.615. We headed out south following directives from command climbing out over the Solent at 18k ft. Then we were vectored about north, Jerry had passed us and bombed Southampton! We heard over the R/T that No.64 were engaged and not long after we sighted them engaged below us at 20k ft with 109's. I ordered the attack to help out the Spitfires. Screaming downhill I locked onto a yellow nosed 109 with Flick also in pursuit. He gave him a squirt but the 109 bucked downwards fast. Flick followed him into the clouds with support from Bunny whilst I broke off at 14kft to maintain height. I required Flick over the Solent at 6500 ft after getting his position on the R/T, he was fine and I gave chase to a 109 but after some scissors we lost sight of each other.
I rejoined with 4 other Hurricanes to head south to a dogfight at 10000 ft between Beachy Head and the Isle of Wight, I latched onto a 109 and we began to fight, I was in pursuit and gave him a squirt from 200 yards striking him in the tail. I saw pieces fall away but he pushed down his nose and I did my best to follow, straining at the G forces. I gained on him and fired again setting his port wingtip on fire but he used his superior power to pull away from me. I stayed with him and we fought a long turn fight for some minutes, I gained some more strikes onto his fuselage before he dived away to Ventnor. I pulled the tit and went to 3000rpm, the merlin screaming at top pace. Then yellow tracer flew past the canopy, I lurched and pulled the stick hard to starboard to break looking over my shoulder there was yellow nose at 300 yards closing me pursued by two Spitfires. I pulled hard and he couldn't follow me. I had to keep turning because the other 109 had come back, I was fired upon but he missed. Meaker, Pickle and Random from Kenley wing arrived in their Hurricanes to help out and the 2 109's were trapped, eventually bailing out over Ventnor CH station. I claim this 109 as a shared. One of the Hun made a run to the sea with the Home Guard chasing him, it was quite a sight!

I returned back to Worthydown landing on runway 27 with a perfect 3 points.

Destroyed ~ 1/2 Bf109
Probable ~ none
Damaged ~ none

Aircraft and pilot ok
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Gromic
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Gromic » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:34 pm

540 Report
November 24
SH-Q

T/O with Pink flt as Number 2 at Worthydown after RDF reported a large contact 30 miles south of Isle of Wight heading straight north (target apparently southhampton). Climbed with Pink 1 to angels 18 where were had visual contact on a large hun bomber group over the Isle of Wight, angels 20, heading straight for Southhampton followed by higher escorts behind them pulling contrails. We entered the melee with altitude disadvantage and soon had 10+ 109s booming through 64 squadron with an energy advantage and more to spare. I covered No. 1's five as he turned a hard 180 to engage a pair that were tracking our six when I had to break to the right to avoid being a victim of a closing messerschmidt that was now in firing range und unloading into the direction of my aircraft. I took hits into the fuselage but didn't seem to have any control damage as my aircraft was still maneuvering as expected. The 4 minutes of the continous knifefight felt like 4 hours when a second pair of messers dove unseen onto my six and hammered me on the overtake injuring myself and damaging my engine with multiple hits into the fuselage. I immediately reported my situation over the R/C and was ordered to land at the nearest field.

I dove towards southhampton but the 109 pair followed me down, amazingly not firing as we decended and, in doing so, allowed me to request assistence from 64 squadron which was promptly reacted to. The 109 pair must have been listening to our frequency because they immediately pulled away giving me a chance to get visuals on a single airstrip just east of southhampton.

I used this chance to start finals on the strip and was relieved to find that my flaps were still intact. My undercarriage didn't fair as well as the starboard gear refused to lock into the down position. Crossing the threshold, my unlocked gear collapsed on touchdown and I slide down the runway when the port strut also gave out short of my ac coming to a halt. At the same moment the cowling burst into flame. I watched in horror as the ensueing fire burst into the cockpit faster than I could slide back the canopy.

Status: KIA
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Pickle
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Pickle » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:44 pm

540 Form
November 24
SD-H

Did a formation take off, climbed to 20,00 lost the flight and circled Southampton and found two other Hurricanes and followed over towards Isle of white and headed into a furball, chased down a 109 squeezed off a few bursts then lost him. Confirmed 2 other Hurricanes downed a 109 each.

RTU and landed without issue.

Naafi, driver please...

Random
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Random » Sun Nov 24, 2013 10:53 pm

540 Report
November 24
KW-M

Takeoff from worthydown with 615 and 501 sqdn to intercept bomber formation south of the Isle of white heading for southampton. Met enemy fighters between portsmouth and southampton at 20 000ft good burst into a 109 saw hits and coolant venting Believe they crashed attempting to return to france. Became separated and spent the following 10 minutes chasing phantom contacts before finding myself behind and below another jerry. Unfortunately my trusty hurricane was not able to close with the enemy and I had to turn back towards southampton. Another pair of 109's pass accross my nose heading southeast and dive. I attempted to follow, but had to pull out for the dive for fear of overspeeding. I think they hadn't seen me as the next minute the 109 began to climb back up right ahead of me, another hurricane dived over my nose seconds before I realised the 109 was lining up to take shots at another machine. I fired two or three short bursts. The last burst appeared to hit home and again i saw vapour streaming from the enemies radiators. No chance he made it back to base!

After this engagement I found myself alone and went find the rest of my squadron. Who I believe were somewhere along the north west coast of the isle of white. A call came for help from Wing Commander osprey over the radar station to the south east of the isle of white. Before I could get there several spitfires from no.64 came to his aid.

The call came to return to base. Having not seen a single bomber!
Returned to Worthydown, aircraft undamaged and 2 probable kills!

Nitrous
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Nitrous » Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:00 pm

NITROUS 540 Report
November 24
SH-I

Was busy bossing everyone around at the airfield and forgot to open my radiator hence engine popped, so..after re-spawning, did a quicky take off and took lead of PINK flight from Worthy-down. Circled the base a couple of times then headed south to the isle of wight. At 19000 ft spotted approx 10+ fighters above approx 30 Ju88's and turned to engage.
Whilst engaging, another group of 109's came out of no-where and engaged pink flight and we broke formation and that's where it got messy.
Managed to damage one AI 109 and he dived for the deck and I left him.
Followed another 109 for quite a while, then got jumped and dove for the deck and lost him.
Climbed back up to 12,000 ft and joined a big fur-ball over Southampton where I had a great fight with Druid and eventually got a pilot kill on him.
Returned to the fur-ball and engaged another 109 this time and absolutely muller-ed him with bullets and then BOOM!!! I collided with another allied aircraft.

KIA

1 Definite Kill
1 Extremely Probable

OUT!!

Flick
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Flick » Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:06 pm

Flew from Worthydown as number 4. Climbed to Angels 20 over the solent where I engaged a Messerschmidt 109 who drew me away (WNW) from the initial contact area until he had an E advantage. From this point on I was defensive and took hits on 2 occasions. I took the fight back towards Southampton until I was joined by 2 members of my squad.The bandit dissapeared and so We headed south towards the Isle of Wight where we engaged another 109. I scored multiple hits whilst at the top of a climb but unfortunately a Spitfire collided with me as my energy hit zero. I entered a spin but managed to bail out into the solent and was picked up by a luxury Yacht which was transporting some of the United kingdoms most beautifull young ladies to saftey at a monastery on the Island. It turned out they were gagging for it as they knew they were going to a place of extreme chasity for the remainder of the war.. No.501_Flick
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Bunny » Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:31 pm

Mission: Pre-campaign Mission
Date: 24th November
Duration: 60 minutes
Home Airfield: RAF Worthydown
Aircraft: SD-N, Hurricane Mk1 (100 oct)

Received scramble order to intercept bombers, possibly JU-88s, at 20,000 feet, with 109 escorts, heading towards the Isle of Wight. 64 squadron scrambled first - for once they had their maps in their laps.

Climbing in perfect formation, as usual, we vectored for Isle of Wight, due south. At around angels 17 we spotted 109s, just north of the Solent - CO Osprey gave the order to get stuck in - and I was happy to oblige. Spotting one heading below us from left to right I dropped down and tailed him. Managed to get a few squirts into him, saw bullets making contact but nothing major hit. Knowing he was tailed by the infamous Bunny in a Hurri he immediately dropped like a lead balloon - no way I was following him down, after spending 30 minutes getting to that height; instead I regained altitude to around 15,000ft. We then spotted a furball in the mouth of Southampton Water, plenty of lead intact so got stuck in again. Managed to get on the tail of another 109 quite easily - Hitler must be running out of experienced pilots, poor buggers, or he was just doing a bit of site-seeing, taking in our lovely countryside and wishing he'd been born in the green hills of Derbyshire rather than the grotty cuckoo-clock eating outback of the Black Forest. Got him venting, but again he dropped to the deck. I broke off - venting like that I presumed the only sausage he was going to be eating in the near future was Cumberland or Aunt Bessie's Best, in the POW fields up north. Probably did him a favour parting him from the bratwurst stuff they make them eat - he should be thanking me . LAC Flick gave a call out - he was on the defensive just north of Southampton, angels 6. Figuring I could help out, being just south of Southampton, I headed in his direction - eventually picking him up at Hamble airfield. By then he'd lost the 109, so teaming up with him and CO Osprey, we climbed back towards Eastchurch. The air was messy with aircraft - we stumbled on more 109s in the Solent. Sergeant Random was on the arse of one 109, I noticed another coming in on his six so called out. He broke, I followed the 109 that had been following him, pouring the last of my ammo into him, but no joy. I RTB'd to base as quick as I could, and took off with LAC Pickles towards the Isle of Wight.

The enemy were thin on the ground (and the air) as we approached, but flak had been spotted on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight so we headed that direction. Sure enough we dropped on to one, who then dropped to the deck and was heading for home - figuring he could outrun the almighty (and very trusty) Hurricane. Luckily, after seeing the running-away tactic employed by my previous encounters, I'd had my groundcrew fix my inner gun convergence at 400 yards, exactly for this type of Hun-run tactic. I popped a few long-range ball-bearings off at his escaping starfish and finally caught his radiators or fuel - either way he started venting something (probably tasteless lager), and was forced to turn back to the Isle of Wight. I was gaining on him - I wasn't worried about him getting away now, but I followed, with LAC Pickles on my six ready to take over. I emptied all I had into him, he was seriously venting now, and being winchester I climbed to let Pickles have a pop and to check his six as he did so. But near the coast a bloody Spitfire dropped out of nowhere, to steal the kill. Luckily for the hun, as he started to fire the 109 pilot bailed, the aircraft going in near RAF Bembridge. I claim this as a fighter down, and assume the pilot survived and is hopefully availing himself of some decent sausage and beer at His Majesty's expense.

Claims: 1 probable, 1 confirmed (LAC Pickles should be able to confirm)
Aircraft: Intact and ready for another day.
Pilot: Grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

“It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with potatoes I-16s.” - Douglas Adams


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Baron le Scrope
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Baron le Scrope » Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:13 am

RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Flight Report
Sunday 24th November 1940
No615_Baron
Hurricane Rotol 100oct KWB

Delayed take off due to unacceptable drop on No 2 mag, quickly rectified by F/S mech., good chap, but tends to go into lengthy explanations of the faults, so i never ask anymore, anyway he always frowns at me as if i've caused the problem.
Eventually got airborne from Raf Worthydown, headed 185 deg to form up with 501. Made contact at 16,000ft with 109 over Bembridge. 3sec burst,
some hits noted but the 109 out climbed me with ease, broke off engagement and headed for Gosport where the sdrn were engaged at a lower altitude but they had already dealt with the intruders. WE headed back to Worthydown, all landed safely.

KWB undamaged. Boost not used. {Eng/Mech., will be pleased]
Claim hits, but no kills
End of report.
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Binkitone » Mon Nov 25, 2013 12:22 am

November 24: Form 540
No.64 Squadron SH-W
Place: Worthlydown
First to take off with Red Flight of 3 Spitfires MkIIs, follow by Yellow Flight of 3 and in the rear Pink Flight of 4. Several circuits to allow 501 and 615 Squadrons to form up. Directed to climb on a bearing 180 degrees to Isle Of Wight. Reports of large formation of bombers at 20k over Bournemouth heading north east, possible target Southampton.
Corrected course at 18k to 220 degrees over Hamble for interception, identified a dense group of contacts at 18k higher at my 3 o'clock, turned in pursuit to climb through a thick layer. Spotted a single 2 engine bomber (Ju88 or Do17?) higher on my 4 o'clock heading south. I chose to follow in a right hand turn in pursuit to close on its 6. Checking my 6, notice 200 yards below on my 4, a Spitfire parallel also in pursuit but closing behind him, at least two 109s, Just yelled, "Spitfire break"(which think he did). I dived also to find myself finally alone at 10k. After further 30 minutes finding no contacts, until reaching south east of Isle of Wight over Ventnor radar masks, a low level melee with 109s, chased by Hurricanes and Spits, no hits though. RTB.
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Meaker
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Re: RAF Form 540 Pre-Campaign Mission Sunday 24th November

Post by Meaker » Mon Nov 25, 2013 10:28 am

COMBAT REPORT FORM 540

Date..... November 24 1940
Home Airfield.....RAF WorthyDown
Flight,Squadron.....Sqdn:501
Aircraft.....SD-G (George)

GENERAL REPORT.....F/S Meaker

Got the dreaded call over the telephone just before I could get my tea and bun,I hate fighting on an empty stomach!,blast those huns,64 Sqn got up first swiftly followed by a combined large group of us and 615 Sqn.

We all followed the C/O South out towards the IOW in a trail like rats following the Pied Piper of Hamlyn,climbing up to somewhere between Angels 18/19,when suddenly we realised our target of 20 plus Ju88's had already found their mark over Southampton,bastards!

Top Hat Control then vectored us North to Salisbury,but before we could make this Squadron visit we were suddenly ordered to engage 109's below us.At this juncture all hell prevailed and the Squadron was soon split up fighting what seemed independant battles all over the place.Over the intercom I could hear the C/O enjoying himself nailing some 109,and soon my ears were listening in to all sorts of private scraps.This went on for sometime,when I again heard the C/O engaging some 109's over Ventnor way,so not being that far away took off in hot pursuit.

It was'nt long before I saw the hun fighters for myself and got stuck in to the mellee that was going on below,just over the airfield there.After firing on several 109's without any joy I suddenly saw tracer shells come wizzing past my cockpit,Christ the bastards had got round the back of me,so I started,pulling tight turns to evade them,with the C/O now witnessing my predicament and yelling at me to drop down,I did and he took the fight to them.I got myself together and soon gave the C/O my support.Looking out on my port wing I noticed about 3-4 massive shell holes,and decided to pancake back at Worthy Down.

On approaching the airfield I joined the circus of other chaps all trying to land,so I positioned myself behind P/O Bunny until it was my turn to pancake.By this time my fuel was very low so I switched from main tank to auxillary tank.It was'nt too long before P/O Bunny had got down safely and I was able to put my kite down,where upon I eventually got that welcomed cup of tea and smile from some nice looking bit of skirt of the NAAFI.

The state of G for George was pretty beat up,so Harry my rigger will have his work cut out tonight patching up the old kite,but at least she got me home safe,small mercies.I'll drop by the hangar later and drop the guys a crate of ale,least I can do,they're all fine fellows.

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