Carl_Brisgamer
04-01-2013, 22:10
Battle of Guadalajara
(continued from http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?14330-AAR-(SND-week-2)-Spanish-Civil-War-Battle-of-Guadalajara-March-1937-(Part-One))
12 March 1937 - Over the the Tajuña River north west of Brihuega
After shooting down two Republican Polikarpov I-16 fighters, Oberleutnant Herwig Knüppel (6-111) and Unteroffizier Willi Gödecke (6-112) of Staffel 4, Jagdgruppe 88 (4.J/88) begin a climbing turn to face two Soviet built Tupolev SB-2 bombers heading for the Nationalist positions.
83899
Unknown to the German pilots an 8,8cm Flak 36 of the Legion Kondor had arrived in the area and was preparing to engage the incoming aircraft.
83897
The SB-2 'Katyushkas' are two of 18 of the type assigned to Grupo No. 12 of the Republican Air Force piloted by Russian volunteers. SB-2 'White 34' pilot and flight commander is Stepan Kretov, with Vladimir Novikoff as bombardier and Mikhail Shevelev as gunner. SB-2 'White 46' is piloted by Alexei Golovachev with Anatoly Liapidevsky as bombardier and gunner Vasily Orlov.
83898
Knüppel and Gödecke push their throttles to the firewall straining to gain some height on the Republican bombers.
83900
Kapitan Kretov watches the sleek Messerschmitts come on with undue concern. He is confident that even heavily laden with their bombloads his fast SBs can reach their objectives on the western bank of the Tajuña before they can intercept.
83903
Knüppel gives up the hope of attacking from above and orders a starboard quarter beam attack.
83902
Both Messerschmitts engage Kretov's bomber without obvious effect.
83901
As the Messerschmitts pass behind his SB-2, Kretov's gunner opens fire. The German pilots continue to shoot with their twin MG17s, but the bombers seem to easily absorb the damage. The Flak battery opens fire, rounds bursting ahead of Kretov's machine.
83917
So far untroubled by the Nationalist fighters, the bombardier of 'White 46' calls 'Bombs gone!' at a height of 4,000 metres..........
83916
......dropping 1100kg of high explosive and shrapnel right on top of the Nationalist positions on the banks of the Tajuña River!
83915
Kretov mistimes his run and aborts a strike against the river bank defenses, turning to port to attack other depth positions. At the same time the Flak 88 round bursts right beside the SB-2, without any noticeable effect.
83914
Unable to prevent the bombing run, Knüppel and Gödecke press their attack on 'White 46', with gunner Vasily Orlov returning fire.
83913
Orlov's burst catches Oberleutnant Knüppel's 'Berta'. With no power and very little control, Knüppel fights with the stricken machine to bring it in for a crash landing behind the Nationalist lines. The German officer sustains serious wounds in the crash and is pulled from the wrecked Messerschmitt by Italian troops, who immediately transport him to a first aid station in Brihuega.
83912
Kretov in 'White 34' completes his bomb run, but his bombardier Novikoff drops his load too late and it explodes behind a company of Italian tankettes. With Gödecke pursuing 'White 46', Kretov pulls hard to port and heads for home.
83911
Unteroffizier Gödecke climbs to 5,000 metres and continues to engage 'White 46' with an altitude advantage.
83910
Despite putting burst after burst into the Republican machine, one of which damages the no.2 engine, his fire has no appreciable effect on the SB.
83909
Golovachev brings his damaged SB-2 back over the Tajuña River, his gunner Vasily Orlov keeping the pursuing Messerschmitt at bay.
83908
Still the brave Willi Gödecke comes on, pressing his attack.
83907
Gödecke dives at the SB-2, expending the last of his ammunition. Admitting defeat Gödecke is forced to break off and head back to Almorox as both SB-2 escape to the east.
83906
The Butcher's Bill.
Oberleutnant Knüppel's 'Berta' took exactly 14 damage points, seven of which had been inflicting in the earlier battle with the I-16s. As it was exactly his aircraft's damage points it allowed him to bring the aircraft down for a forced landing. Unfortunately my 'A' chit draw for pilot wounds resulted in serious injury to Knüppel.
Unteroffizier Gödecke's 109 took 10 damage points, three from the earlier fight and seven from the SB gunners.
SB-2 'White 34' took just seven points of damage, including a zero from the flak hit.
SB-2 'White 46' took 14 'A' chits resulting in 13 points of damage. Only one had special damage (engine hit) and almost half (6) were zero damage draws.
Despite the loss of two I-16 fighters to Unteroffizier Willi Gödecke in the first part, the Republicans came back and won the day in part two shooting down Oberleutnant Knüppel's Messerschmitt Bf 109B-1 and scoring a direct hit on Nationalist positions. German pilot Gödecke is credited with his two victories, and the Russian gunner of 'White 46' Vasily Orlov has his victory confirmed.
By what of the two downed Russian fighter pilots Alexei Alexandrovich Denisov and Nikolay Sergeyevich Artemyev? Their fates will be made clear in the epilogue to this aerial battle as the Spanish Republic ground forces attack the Italians defending Brihuega (using the Axis and Allies Miniatures Game), the results of which I'll post tomorrow!
Tupolev SB-2 WGS stats:
Base size: WGS Bomber
Manouver Deck: XB (440kph)
Armament: Short - An/Ad/Av, Long - An/Ad/Av
Damage Points: 24 (no crew armour or self sealing tanks)
Top Altitude: 11 (9,300 metres)
Climb rate: 6 (4.7 m/s)
(continued from http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/showthread.php?14330-AAR-(SND-week-2)-Spanish-Civil-War-Battle-of-Guadalajara-March-1937-(Part-One))
12 March 1937 - Over the the Tajuña River north west of Brihuega
After shooting down two Republican Polikarpov I-16 fighters, Oberleutnant Herwig Knüppel (6-111) and Unteroffizier Willi Gödecke (6-112) of Staffel 4, Jagdgruppe 88 (4.J/88) begin a climbing turn to face two Soviet built Tupolev SB-2 bombers heading for the Nationalist positions.
83899
Unknown to the German pilots an 8,8cm Flak 36 of the Legion Kondor had arrived in the area and was preparing to engage the incoming aircraft.
83897
The SB-2 'Katyushkas' are two of 18 of the type assigned to Grupo No. 12 of the Republican Air Force piloted by Russian volunteers. SB-2 'White 34' pilot and flight commander is Stepan Kretov, with Vladimir Novikoff as bombardier and Mikhail Shevelev as gunner. SB-2 'White 46' is piloted by Alexei Golovachev with Anatoly Liapidevsky as bombardier and gunner Vasily Orlov.
83898
Knüppel and Gödecke push their throttles to the firewall straining to gain some height on the Republican bombers.
83900
Kapitan Kretov watches the sleek Messerschmitts come on with undue concern. He is confident that even heavily laden with their bombloads his fast SBs can reach their objectives on the western bank of the Tajuña before they can intercept.
83903
Knüppel gives up the hope of attacking from above and orders a starboard quarter beam attack.
83902
Both Messerschmitts engage Kretov's bomber without obvious effect.
83901
As the Messerschmitts pass behind his SB-2, Kretov's gunner opens fire. The German pilots continue to shoot with their twin MG17s, but the bombers seem to easily absorb the damage. The Flak battery opens fire, rounds bursting ahead of Kretov's machine.
83917
So far untroubled by the Nationalist fighters, the bombardier of 'White 46' calls 'Bombs gone!' at a height of 4,000 metres..........
83916
......dropping 1100kg of high explosive and shrapnel right on top of the Nationalist positions on the banks of the Tajuña River!
83915
Kretov mistimes his run and aborts a strike against the river bank defenses, turning to port to attack other depth positions. At the same time the Flak 88 round bursts right beside the SB-2, without any noticeable effect.
83914
Unable to prevent the bombing run, Knüppel and Gödecke press their attack on 'White 46', with gunner Vasily Orlov returning fire.
83913
Orlov's burst catches Oberleutnant Knüppel's 'Berta'. With no power and very little control, Knüppel fights with the stricken machine to bring it in for a crash landing behind the Nationalist lines. The German officer sustains serious wounds in the crash and is pulled from the wrecked Messerschmitt by Italian troops, who immediately transport him to a first aid station in Brihuega.
83912
Kretov in 'White 34' completes his bomb run, but his bombardier Novikoff drops his load too late and it explodes behind a company of Italian tankettes. With Gödecke pursuing 'White 46', Kretov pulls hard to port and heads for home.
83911
Unteroffizier Gödecke climbs to 5,000 metres and continues to engage 'White 46' with an altitude advantage.
83910
Despite putting burst after burst into the Republican machine, one of which damages the no.2 engine, his fire has no appreciable effect on the SB.
83909
Golovachev brings his damaged SB-2 back over the Tajuña River, his gunner Vasily Orlov keeping the pursuing Messerschmitt at bay.
83908
Still the brave Willi Gödecke comes on, pressing his attack.
83907
Gödecke dives at the SB-2, expending the last of his ammunition. Admitting defeat Gödecke is forced to break off and head back to Almorox as both SB-2 escape to the east.
83906
The Butcher's Bill.
Oberleutnant Knüppel's 'Berta' took exactly 14 damage points, seven of which had been inflicting in the earlier battle with the I-16s. As it was exactly his aircraft's damage points it allowed him to bring the aircraft down for a forced landing. Unfortunately my 'A' chit draw for pilot wounds resulted in serious injury to Knüppel.
Unteroffizier Gödecke's 109 took 10 damage points, three from the earlier fight and seven from the SB gunners.
SB-2 'White 34' took just seven points of damage, including a zero from the flak hit.
SB-2 'White 46' took 14 'A' chits resulting in 13 points of damage. Only one had special damage (engine hit) and almost half (6) were zero damage draws.
Despite the loss of two I-16 fighters to Unteroffizier Willi Gödecke in the first part, the Republicans came back and won the day in part two shooting down Oberleutnant Knüppel's Messerschmitt Bf 109B-1 and scoring a direct hit on Nationalist positions. German pilot Gödecke is credited with his two victories, and the Russian gunner of 'White 46' Vasily Orlov has his victory confirmed.
By what of the two downed Russian fighter pilots Alexei Alexandrovich Denisov and Nikolay Sergeyevich Artemyev? Their fates will be made clear in the epilogue to this aerial battle as the Spanish Republic ground forces attack the Italians defending Brihuega (using the Axis and Allies Miniatures Game), the results of which I'll post tomorrow!
Tupolev SB-2 WGS stats:
Base size: WGS Bomber
Manouver Deck: XB (440kph)
Armament: Short - An/Ad/Av, Long - An/Ad/Av
Damage Points: 24 (no crew armour or self sealing tanks)
Top Altitude: 11 (9,300 metres)
Climb rate: 6 (4.7 m/s)