Kanalkampf. Mission 17: 5th August 1940

[Pitti]

Flight Reports: Mission 17: 5th August 1940

Template:

Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name:
Rank:
Unit:
Aircraft:
Markings:
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: KIA / OK
Aircraft Status: Lost / Damaged

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

(code here)
http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/forum/v ... =66&t=1169

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Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name: Pitti
Rank: Major
Unit: Stab II./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-4
Markings: << + -
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: RTB. Engine overheated

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
0820	Mid channel between Wissant and Dover	Hurricane	-	yes (Huff Duff + Neun)

We took of at 0757 to escort about 40 Heinkel 111 to an attack on Dover. We meet up with the bombers over our airfield at 0815 at 4000m.

The whole Gruppe took position on the high 6 o'clock of the bombers, between 5000m to 6000m. Half way across the channel I spotted many enemies directly in front of us at 5500m. I called them out over the radio and let the 6th Staffel into attack position above them. A single Spitfire crossed us above, with contrails.

I dived onto the enemies which turned out to be a flight of Hurricanes. They headed towards the bombers. I opened fire on the last Hurricane in formation. A short burst with all my weapons and the Hurricane's right wing fell off. I gave it a second burst to be absolutely sure that this Tommie will not get back home. The Hurricane fell down streaming liquid. This happened at 0820 mid channel between Wissant and Dover.

After this attack I climbed up to get an overview of the situation. A huge was going on. But I was shocked when looking at the Heinkels. They turned and flew back to France! These wimps got scarred by the RAF. I order my Gruppe to leave the bombers alone and fight down the RAF mid channel.

I made several attacks on various planes and damaged a Spitfire and a Hurricane. I got separated from my wingman Obergefreiter Huff Duff. He called out that a Spitfire is on him. I spotted him flying at about 5500m while I was below them at 4000m. I ordered Huff Duff to come down to my altitude so that I can shoot off the enemy on his 6. I climbed towards them with full power and got right behind the Spitfire. The Spitfire pilots spotted me and turned away. Huff Duff was unharmed but I noticed that I cooked my engine during this manoeuvre. So we flew back to our airfield.

Landed at 0835. The engine was still running. No damage taken from the enemy.

[Esri]

Name: Esri
Rank: Obergefreiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-1
Markings: 12-
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: Returned to france
Victory Claims: None

We took off and climbed to 5km over marquise, then we rendezvoued with bombers, assumed left wing patrol. We engaged some bogeys that we saw, but they dove, and we regrouped and returned to guarding tbe bombers. Then we had the same thing again. We resumed the patrol and then we found ourselves a furball. I saw Boyzee diving to the deck, being pursued by a spit. As i got into firing position, i got another on my tail. I tried scissors and it worked, but my plane was badly damaged. I decided TRB is in order. My engine gave up when i entered french land, so i did nice field landing.

p.s. Thanks Osprey for the reminder that its sunday and mission time.

[Aurora]

Name: Aurora
Rank: Leutnant
Unit: 4./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-3
Markings: White 19
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: Pilot Ok/Plane engine damage, landed marquise west
Victory Claims: None

[Atreides]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940 0757-0832

Name: Atreides
Rank: Oberleutnant
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E1
Markings: Black 3
Aerodrome: Hydrequent (Marquise East)
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Destroyed

Damaged 2 Hurricanes. No confirmed kills.


The 5th, 10 planes in 3 Schwarms this time, got up without any problems and met up over Cap Gris-Nez at height. As the bombers were spotted we took up position near them and started heading towards Dover.

As the RAF attacked, our Schwarms went their own way. My Schwarm, the 1st with Esri and Boyezee, engaged some Hurricanes to the left of the formation but disengaged as we lost sight of each other. After reforming we engaged 2 Hurricanes near Cap Gris-Nez. These were attacking a wing of retreating bombers. We got them of the bombers. After reforming again, the 3 of us set course towards Dover again.

2/3 of the way there we spotted a 109 at about 2,5 km shooting at a Hurricane. He was himself followed by a Hurricane which we engaged. Got hits in him and he disengaged the 109. However by now a lot of other Hurricanes joined the fight and the 3 of us soon found ourselves separated and fighting for our lives.

I got a Hurricane behind me and managed to evade his aiming for a while until he hit me one time. Of course he immediately damaged my radiator. I got him to overshoot me, after which he turned to the right high ahead of me. I started to disengage towards France when I saw another Hurricane heading head on towards me. We both fired, however I collided. I say I collided since the Hurricane apparently didn't receive any damage in this mid air collision, whereas I lost part of my right wing. Must be the titanium lining on the Hurricane's wings or something like that.

I bailed clear of my airplane and luckily my parachute opened.
I later found out the other 2 Schwarms of the 5th and Esri managed to reach France again. We only lost 3 planes which is a great result. However, some were followed deep into France by Spitfire's and Hurricane's. Apparently the order by their High Command not to go over the Channel has been cancelled. Must have something to do with their numerical advantage which of course needs to be pressed all the way to and beyond our bases.

Just before mid air collision.jpg

[Bear]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name: Bear
Rank: Gefreiter
Unit: 4./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-3
Markings: White 2
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: Kicking himself
Aircraft Status: Landed at Marquise East with an overheated engine but otherwise not a scratch.

Victory Claims: 3 damaged

I arrived at Marquise-Ost, or Hydrequent as some call it, last week. After several check flights, I was cleared for operational service and was assigned as Katschmarek to Unterfeldwebel Chumleigh for an upcoming raid on the coastal town of Dover. We took to the air and proceeded to climb and rendezvous with the bombers on the coast between Bologne and Cap Gris Nez. The bombers were flying at an altitude of about 4km. It was a jaw dropping moment as I looked down on our bomber fleet from our perch as high escorts. There were no fewer than 40 bomb laden behemoths and almost 30 fighters covering them. "Dover will receive a thrashing today!" I thought as I scanned the sky for intercepting Brits.

But it was not to be....

Not long after leaving the French coast, we received confirmed reports of Tommies just ahead of us from Gruppenkomandeur Pitti. Not long after, "Indianer Indianer 1 o'clock." They passed underneath us and I followed Chumleigh as we Split S'ed behind them. Soon the chaos of battle set it and I was alone amongst a swarm of planes.

Suddenly a lone Spitfire glanced across my nose and I turned to give chase. It soon became apparent that this Tommy hadn't seen me yet. I closed slowly and flipped my safety off. In the same moment I pulled my triggers, he broke hard left and then dove. I saw machine gun fire land on his starboard elevator and wing. I pulled up, not too anxious to follow without a wingman. I circled back toward England and saw something below my right wing. I half rolled to get a better look and saw our Bombers headed home! The formation seemed to be well intact but they were almost over France already! "Some flyers they are," I muttered. "Some people just don't have the stomach for this I suppose. Good riddance! Now we're free to hunt Tommy down" I thought.

Just then I saw a Hurricane enter a spin just ahead and slightly below me as he dodged a fellow Jagdflieger. I throttled up and headed right for him. I let loose at 200m with a quick burst and saw a chunk of his right wingtip fly off. "Damn! They don't come gift wrapped any better than that!" Content to keep my altitude, I let that Hurricane go. He wasn't going anywhere, 109's were all over him.

I climbed towards Dover, that's where the fight seemed to be moving. Just off Dover I took a long deflection shot and landed a few hits on another Spitfire but nothing serious. I climbed into a hi Yo-Yo. Just as I entered the climb something felt wrong. I'd been climbing too hard for too long. I pulled back on the throttle as fast as I could and looked back behind my wing. But I was too late, just as I looked back my water radiator blew. I was about 5km off Dover but I was also 5km in the air. I made a bee line for the French Coast. Halfway across I shut the engine down in the hopes of saving it for landing. I went feet dry at the French Cliffs at 2km and soon after I cut the fuel back on to make a good landing under power back at Marquise Ost.

It was a good first sortie with 4 staffel. All the pilots of Schwarm 2 survived and two of us landed back at base. There is still much work to be done but I think I'll enjoy my time here in the Pas de Calais. While we're in France, the filles are a great substitute for all the frauleins that swarm to fighter pilots. In that regard I'm not looking forward to invading England. The beer is questionable though. Champagne will have to do.

[MarLeo]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name: MarLeo
Rank: Hauptgefreiter
Unit: 6. Staffel Jagdgeschwader 26
Aircraft: Bf 109 E-4
Markings: Brown 1 + -
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: OK, light wounds
Aircraft Status: Damaged from gunfire - RTB to Marquise West

[Grey]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name: Grey
Rank: FW
Unit: 5th
Aircraft: bf109E1
Markings: Black 1/ Ace of Spades
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: In the Feldlazarett
Aircraft Status: RTB but Damaged

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-08:22	Cap Gris nez	Hurricane	Brit	No

08:00 Jumped in our crates and taxied towards the runway
08:02 Take off
08:15 RV with He 111’s
08:18 Bombers are turning back, the Brits fell into the trap, they've send out an armada of fighters,
08:19 order comes in to engage,
08:20 engagement with hurricanes, feet wet over Cap Griz nez, lost my wingman in the mess.
08:22 Shot an hurricane who was in pursuit with an other 109 so bad, parts of his wing and engine hit my canopy, followed and fired at him with both guns until he had to head back for his picnic ground, he was out of the battle and couldn’t do anything but fly straight due to aileron problems, I'd spend most of my ammo on this Brit, He wasn't going to make it back, hope he has friends with the Navy, felt sorry for him, so I didn’t finish him off, merely cause he had send in the cavalry on my tail, shook them off without taking hits. I'm sure
08:30 had to rearm and landed to do so at our picnic ground
08:35 Black 1 airborne, wheels up again
08:36 spitfire over French territory hit me while I was gaining altitude to head for England, shook him off my tail by an evasive maneuver, others from another schwarm got him.
08:38 back on my way to England feet wet Cap Gris nez
08:39 In trouble, 5 Hurricanes have eyes on me, no friendlies in the vicinity to help me out, can't give a good location to my schwarm since they're involved with a Spitfire further down the road, time to get the hell out
08:40 No!! the 5 of them want me! They’re chasing me over my own territory! A turning contest 5vs1 begins
08:41 taking hits, taking hits,Bleeding, R/T dead, have to employ all off my skill to escape the dirty 5.
08:42 this is not going well
08:43 continuing defensive maneuvers, I shoved the stick forward so hard that I banged my head on the cockpit roof.
08:44 taking more hits, radiator got hit, more evasive maneuvers are at order.
08:45 time to pull around to port and see where the Hurries are, no good, tracers flashing by. Still 5 Hurries on me.
08:46 Help! Picnic ground is in site! Taking really bad hits for the first time!
08:47 again, more hits on me, there’s just to many of them, can’t do anything but waggle my wings and hope for mercy
08:48 mercy granted, engine seizes,wheels down, touch down just in time at Guines Air Base, flyby by hurricane with markings SD-M
08:48 fire crew and ambulance rolls out
08:58 out of the cockpit, on my way to the sick bay.
13:09 stitched up, on my way to Marquise
23:00 still on my way to the home plate, making an pitstop with the kubelwagon driver who happened to be my mechanic Franz at a pub over at Ferques, Micheline and Josephine won't let us go.
06:00 Reporting my absence at Pitti's desk, he's not amused, my trusty crate is beyond repair.

[Flyby]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940

Name: Flyby
Rank: ObrGfr
Unit: 5./JG/26/3rd Schwarm
Aircraft: E1
Markings:Black 8
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: Damaged

Victory Claims: 1
Time Place Aircraft Opponent Confirmed
-Mid channel -Hurricane - -Kill was listed on the server, but otherwise, No. -

I was tail-end Charlie on take off. the rendezvous plan changed at the last minute and we climbed while heading out for French Point. The bombers were late, as so we had a more leisurely climb to 5k. When the bombers arrived, 3rd schwarm took up position on the right side of the bombers which were 1k below us. Lee was guiding us, and forming us up, and into position. I think Krass called out bandits, and Lee instructed him to take over in guiding the schwarm to attack since he was first with eyes on the bandits. After that Hell came to play and it was every man for himself. I got on the tail of a Hurricane and got good hits on it as it seemed to be trying to drag me into a firing solution. I had to avoid an attack by several fighters, steeply diving away. this put me below the fight. It was only a bit later that the server posted my kill over the HUrricane. I'm pretty sure I saw it, but I did not have time to notice who the pilot was. I heard Lee say he was hit in the engine, and was headed back to France. I began communicating with the staffel fuhrer when Lee's whisper comms went wonky on him. Next, Krass reported he'd been hit and his engine damaged and he was trying to return home as well. I updated Atreides on our status, and he gave me the option to either join first schwarm or escort Krass back home. I decided to try to locate first schwarm at mid channel. I climbed while trying to be invisible, but soon tracers streamed by and I also took a few hits in the wings, but thankfully no serious damage. I dove again, and it was a race to outrun my pursuer, probably a Spit. I went down to just a few meters above the channel and coaxed the last bit of speed from my plane. My pursuer tried to get me to turn by firing bursts at me. The rounds caused splashes around me but I was not hit, and I did not dare turn. Doing so was waht he wanted because it would have shortened the distance so he could take a better shot. I just kept going, and eventually he turned about. I don't know exactly when, but when I sharply pulled up near the coastline, my tail was clear. I sat down at Marquise West, I think, blowing a tire in the process, but I was back safe and sound (for a change!).
Flyby out

[Casca]

Another meeting in Berlin. Transport didn't takeoff on time due to weather. Missed mission.
However...I saw plans for a new secret weapon, "A JET FIGHTER."

-casca

[Lee]

Mission Date: 5th August 1940
Name: Lee
Rank: Hauptgefreiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: bf-109 E1
Markings: Black -+4
Aerodrome: Marquise East
Status: Aircraft Damaged , Pilot OK , Landed safely .
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

I have walked past the CnC tent many times before , This was the first time I attended a pre mission briefing as a Schwarmfurrer .
As Atradis and Pitty walked us through the mission details , my mind wondered .
it is not fear that griped me, only restlessness. A heightened sense of things.
The burden of command , the burden of proof .
Till this moment I do not know what caused the problems with my radio , that during pre checks seemed to be working just fine .
I will leave that to my ground crew , like me I feel that they have matured too .
With pre checks done , we waited our turn , next to the runway when suddenly an explosion woke me up form my day dream , I guess even the mighty 6th have their fair share of bad days .
After a period of time that seemed to last forever , we took the runway and started our takeoff run .
I was actually relieved that the Rendezvous was migrated at the last minute to Cap Gris-Nez , although in retrospect , I do not think I have used the added distance correctly to climb , which made it nessesary for us to spiral upwards over the point , a maneuver that we practiced .
I followed Flybyes procedures for the climb to the letter , and was relieved to see that we can keep formation throughout the climb .
As we hit 5K , we began to widen our turn awaiting the Hinkel formation .
I have spotted the formation as anticipated 1K below us over Marquise East , and after verifying my Schwarm members have eyes on me , formed us up on the right flank of the bomber formation .
It was the last good thing I did in this mission .
Apparently , overloaded with adrenaline , I have throttled forward , and the light and nimble E1 picked more and more speed .
What ever wen wrong , went wrong fast , suddenly I heard Flyby informing me that I an out of gun-range , I pulled my throttle to .9 ATA , but it was already too late , and I was drifting farther and farther ahead , nearly overtaking the bombers first wave .
I have tried toi coordinate with Atradis over the wireless and got a reply from Pitty , Something indeed went extremely shitty with my radio .
I remember Krauss informing that indianers are on the way , and for some unknown reason , out of range from flyby I banked left following who I thought was Krauss .
Flyby was watching me making every mistake possible , and as I have heard him state "Every man for himself " the grim felling of failure crawled down my spine .
I made an even dumber mistake of turning back , I understood that Flyby is keeping with the bombers , and figured I can form back up with him .
I broke the first rule of engagement , and with my ass hanging in the gun-sight of the first indianner , I got my first burst , witch went directly into my radiator .
I was venting and had to RTB .
On the way back to Cap Gris-Nez my E1 was shaking hard , I knew I had only one chance of making it back , I prepared myself for landing and made my final on the first airfield I found , Just off the point .
I was relieved to find out that my Schwarm made it back safely , It seems I have still a long road ahead of me .
Still without the support and guidance of my Schwarm members things would be much worse .
I know I can do better … next time ..