Kanalkampf. Mission 11: 20th July 1940

[Lee]

Mission Date: 20-07-1940 1340-1417
Name: Lee
Rank: Gefreiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: BF-109 E4
Markings: -+4
Aerodrome: Marquise West
Status: bailed out just off Manstone
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

Lined up perfectly next to Atraides , with Stig as my Team leader (YEY) .
kipped tight formation with my Team leader and Her Schtafflekapitan .
Spotted many contacts , Then team leader dived to engage , just to find out the contact was a 109 .
Under orders to keep energy I hovered above the action determined not to get suckered in the "on the deck" game briths are paling these days .
Anyway , I did not have a lawnmower with me .
It was then that I spotted Stig , and started to follow him so we can form up .
He was in a steep dive and I was right behind him .
"Stig , slow down , so we can form up" , I shouted on the radio
"I can't , I have someone on my tail I am trying to lose ."
"Yes , you have me on your tail , I replied " .
Anyway , by then we were on the deck surrounded by a cloud of Spitties ...
I first lost Stig , then rudder control , the Airloin , the everything wen red , and I had no control .
So I bailed , and hitched a mermaid back to base ...
She was nice ... I think she said her name is Helga ...

[Hypoxia]

Mission Date: 3/16/2014
Name: Hypoxia
Unit: 4./JG26BF109-E3
Markings: White 12
Aerodrome: Marquis
Status: Returned Bailed out over channel near Calais.
Victory Claims: 0
Time Place Aircraft Opponent Confirmed
- - - - -


Took off with Coolhand, Mason, and Aurora as Schwarm 1. Form up and climb went well. Picked up bombers and escorted into channel. Aurora and I got engaged and ultimately separated. Made passes on several enemy aircraft. Found myself low and initiated climb back toward the French coast to improve my E state. Hooked backup with Coolhand and got into several engagements. Ended up back near the English Coast where I took a shot in the Radiator. Coolhand chased the bandit from my tail and I set a course for home. Climbed for altitude but engine overheated and quit. Was able to glide tantalizingly close to the French coast but could not make it. Bailed out and chute did not open. Should have ridden it down and ditched.

[Krass]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Krass
Rank: Obergefreiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: BF-109 E4
Markings: Black 6
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: RTB
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

"Underneath the lantern by the barracks gate, darling I remember the way you used to wait, ‘twas there that you whispered tenderly, that you loved me, you’d always be, my Lili of the lamplight, my own Lili Marlene.

Time would come for roll call, time for us to part, darling I’d caress you and press you to my heart, and there ‘neath that far off lantern light, I’d hold you tight, we’d kiss “good night,” my Lili of the lamplight, my own Lili Marlene.

Orders came for flying somewhere over there, all confined to barracks was more than I could bear; I knew you were waiting in the street, I heard your feet, but could not meet, my Lili of the lamplight, my own Lili Marlene.

Resting in a billet just behind the line, even tho’ we’re parted your lips are close to mine; You wait where that lantern softly gleams, your sweet face seems to haunt my dreams. My Lili of the lamplight, my own Lili Marlene.. "


We lay on our bunks and sing along to the radio, a birthday present from Helga, as we await the return of our Staffelkapitän with orders from HQ. I look around at my kameraden, and wonder what is in store for us today.

Soon enough, we hear our mission is to escort our brave Stukas over the channel. After briefing we climb into our gleaming 109's as the ground crews scurry around preparing our proud Staffel for take off. What a glorious sight, the thundering roar of the Luftwaffe fills the French air. Suddenly bad luck strikes my plane. I become the victim of what our Staffel nicknames the 'Launcher crash'. Fortunately, our crew has a spare plane for me already warmed up, so I strap myself in and begin the catch up.

Listening in to comms, I finally find my Schwarm engaged with the Tommy's near England and begin a sweep over the British convoy near Ramsgate. Before long I hear Flyby is in trouble and has to eject. Madigan and Grey are below me and fighting hard. Soon Madigan is separated and becomes another victim after a good fight.. I find Grey and we stick together as Burma joins us as the only remaining member of 1 shwarm. I call out multiple contacts above the ships, at least six enemy. Burma becomes separated and while engaged is hit and has to ditch..
My priority is now to stick with Unteroffizier Grey as we are heavily outnumbered. I see a Hurricane alone banking left and below, and dive on him but i have to disengage as I see multiple enemy in wait.. is this a Tommy trick? I go for height as I see Grey go down low after a Hurricane.. I try to warn him of the enemy numbers below but too late. Grey is an excellent pilot but the odds were greatly with the RAF.

Alone in the bay, with the enemy watching my every move, I keep my energy and altitude high. I decide to circle above the Tommy's and wait.. a lone plane begins to tempt me down but I remain patient and avoid the death trap. After a while, I return to base alone in a very empty sky.. I touch down at Marquise in an uneasy, melancholy state.

The barrack room is terribly quite as I sink on my bunk. I turn on the radio and can hear the faint echoes of my brave fallen comrades..

[Warjunkie]

Name: Warjunkie
Rank: Unterfeldwebel
Unit: 6./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-1
Markings: 16
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Ok

Victories: 0,71 kill, not confirmed

[Flyby]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Flyby
Rank: OberGerfeiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: 109_E-3
Markings:Black 8
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Lost
A bad start and a fortunate end. I lost contact with my schwarm early on after takeoff, but proceeded to fly an escort position on the port side of the Stuka formation, about 1km higher. As opportunities presented themselves I made passes at RAF fighters in the area of the bomber stream. I over-stressed my engine, which rewarded me with an oily wind screen, plus the added thrill of a thrown rod bearing. A close pass by a Hurricane convinced me to try to exit the area (near Manston), but my engine decided to be uncooperative, and I was left to swim back home. Luckily ASR took a daring chance and picked me up at dusk. I was very grateful we didn't take another swim since we were within sight of the English coast, with Manston and Ramsgate near enough to launch patrols. The flight back never cleared a few hundred meters altitude. I toasted the ASR's good health before ground-looping into the nearest bed for a night's rest.

Victory Claims:0
Time Place Aircraft Opponent Confirmed
- - - - -

[Stig]

Mission Date: 00-00-0000 0000-0000

Name: Stig
Rank: Hauptgefreiter
Unit: 5./Jg26
Aircraft: Bf 109E4
Markings: Black 7
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: Pilot ok, baled off Calais harbour / A/C lost

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

[Atreides]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940 1332-1405

Name: Atreides
Rank:Leutnant
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E4
Markings: Black 3
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Radiator broken somehow, landed safely on Pihen

Got into a really favorable position over a dogfight between the Stuka's escorted by JG26 and enemy squadrons. Just as I wanted to dive down for a kill my radiator burst. I don't know if this was due to a lucky enemy bullet or bad engine management, but I had to RTB. At 5 km high just out of France my engine gave up and I glided to Pihen. Managed to extend my landing-gear manually and land the plane in one piece.

[Casca]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Casca
Rank: very rank
Unit: 4./JG26
Aircraft: BF109E3
Markings: White 10
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: RTB

Victory Claims: 1 hurricane / 1 probable spitfire / Druid confirmed
Time Place Aircraft Opponent Confirmed

Takeoff, climb out (6K) and renvous with Stuka's went without incident. Attacked several enemy fighters making 'head-on' attacks on our bombers. Hard right hand dive into enemy fighters. Several shots fire at many aircraft...climbed into a blackout. After coming to, attacked hurricane - giving him it all when another 109 flies between us right into my fire. Both go down smoking... Several engagements over shipping and RTB due to low fuel indicator.

[Druid]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name:Druid
Rank:Unteroffizier
Unit:4./JG26
Aircraft:E-3
Markings:White 17
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: KIA
Aircraft Status: Lost

Got in a few small squirmishes along the way mid channel. I oiled a spitfire so I'm pretty sur he went down but I do not believe friends saw it even tho they were near by. so much going on right then. I ended up getting my elevators ripped off while scissoring a spit. scissor me timbers.

[Mason]

Mission Date: 20-07-1940 1340-1417

Name: Mason
Rank:Unterfeldwebel
Unit: 4./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E3
Markings: White 3
Aerodrome: Marquise West
Status: Pilot:kiled
Aircraft: lost
Victory Claims: none