AAR WGS NOR01 Norwegian Gladiator

[Carl_Brisgamer]

At dawn on 9 April 1940, the Norwegian Jagevingen at Fornebu, Oslo, had seven of the ten available Gladiators serviceable, while the unit had ten officers and sergeants available to fly them, three of them under training. Just before 06:00hrs 9 April 1940 Lieutenant Dag Krohn, Sergeant Kristian Fredrik Schye and Sergeant Per Waaler were sent off on patrol, but found nothing and returned about 50 minutes later. At 07:00hrs the base at Fornebu received reports of large formations of enemy aircraft approaching from the south. Five Gladiators were scrambled, including one piloted by Lt. Krohn. He attacked an estimated 150 aircraft of several types - identified as He-111s, Do-17s, Bf-110s and Ju-52s.

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I played out this scenario earlier this week, after action report as follows:



Lt. Dag Krohn hunts for Luftwaffe aircraft over the Norwegian coast.



Scanning the cloudy skies Lt. Krohn spots a Heinkel He-111 approaching from the south.



The Luftwaffe bomber lumbers towards its objective laden with a full bomb-load.



The Norwegian Gladiator emerges from cloud above the German bomber.



Banking hard to starboard Lt. Krohn makes a frontal attack on the Heinkel, his four machine guns blazing. As his burst peppers the German bomber the return fire is ineffectual.



The Gladiator passes over the Heinkel, too close for the German gunners to engage.



Lt. Krohn reverses course with an Immelmann turn, then dives in behind the Heinkel. He scores more hits on the bomber but the dorsal gunner also finds his mark.



Moving into the Heinkel's tail shadow, the Norwegian fighter pilot fires a third burst at close range. Flames emerge from the damaged Luftwaffe bomber!!



As Krohn continues to pursue the stricken Heinkel another Luftwaffe aircraft approaches from the south - a Messerschmitt Bf-110C 'Zerstörer '.



The Heinkel crew jettison their bombload and the aircraft begins to bank right as Krohn continues his attack.



As the Heinkel pilot pushes his throttle to the firewall and banks hard right turning for home, Lt. Krohn fires another burst at the Luftwaffe bomber. Bullets penetrate the fuselage wounding two of the Heinkel's crew, knocking out the waist and ventral gunners.



Krohn follows the bomber's turn and presses his attack, another burst resulting in a steady stream of black smoke coming from the Heinkel.



Swinging wide Krohn's Gladiator takes a telling burst from the determined dorsal gunner as his own burst misses the burning Heinkel.



Firing a deflection burst Krohn again hits the Heinkel causing another fire as the existing blaze threatens to consume the Luftwaffe bomber.



Krohn moves so close to the Heinkel he cannot engage as the Messerschmitt Bf-110C reaches the battle.



The arrival of the Messerschmitt is too late to save the doomed Heinkel ......



which goes down in flames.



Lt. Krohn has little time to celebrate his first victory turning into the Bf-110 and firing a quick burst.



The German pilot releases his drop tanks and opens the throttle, the rear gunner finding Krohn's Gladiator with his first burst.



Turning inside the twin engine fighter Krohn hits the German with a high deflection shot.



Krohn hits the 110 in the engines, causing critical damage. But he is unable to follow up as the Messerschmitt's rear gunner scores hits to the Gladiator's cockpit, wounding Krohn. Struggling for control Krohn's Gladiator is hit again and spirals down out of control trailing smoke. With damaged engines the Messerschmitt Bf-110 aborts and heads for home.

POST BATTLE DEBRIEF

This was a tough fight for a single Gladiator. Krohn started with a frontal attack from higher altitude getting two A chits, then got into the tail shadow of the Heinkel He-111P which lacks a tail cone MG17 (and explains why the later H-3 was fitted with this gun). He then fired at close range and got an extra A chit with the Aim bonus. He got lucky with the critical damage - a fire, crew damage, three smoke which caused another fire. The fire damage took half the Heinkel's hit points.

The Bf-110 was a different matter. Although Krohn damaged the 110's engines he was wounded in that exchange. He lost the initiative and the 110 gunner got lucky with a six damage point burst to finish the Gladiator. Although he did not bag both Luftwaffe aircraft on the whole Krohn did not do too badly doing 30 points to the Heinkel and 10 to the 110 for the loss of his Gladiator, winning a victory for the Jagdvingen.

[Nightbomber]

A+ report, Carl! Luck was with Khron, I was sure the Gladiator would not stand the fight with Heinkel. Well done!

[Carl_Brisgamer]

A+ report, Carl! Luck was with Khron, I was sure the Gladiator would not stand the fight with Heinkel. Well done!

Thanks Andrzej. I think the secret to taking out these high damage bombers (besides luck) is critical damage - get them to draw as many chits as possible, even if they are just A damage. You can do this with the firing from higher bonus or the Aim bonus.

[Marechallannes]

Great ARR, Carl!

You made it and fought a though battle. It really took a lot of tricks, skills and use of altitude advantages to fight with a single Gladiator versus a He.111.


This report shows again why I deny all aim bonuses for gunners. Double A from a Me.110 rear gun is too much.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

This report shows again why I deny all aim bonuses for gunners. Double A from a Me.110 rear gun is too much.

Worse still is multi engine aircraft do not suffer Disruption which makes the gunners even more dangerous.