AAR - BrisWingsofGlory WGS Campaign 1, Mission 23 - Polish Air Force 1939-45
Britain 1940 Mission 23 Defensive Patrol Beachey Head 09/09/1940
With a quiet 8th September giving the RAF Northolt squadrons much needed respite from operations the following day initially appeared to follow the same pattern. It was not until about five o’clock in the afternoon the order to scramble was received with GCI reporting large formations of bombers with fighter escort heading towards London.
No.302 Sqn pilot Flying Officer Tadeusz Kowalewski (WX-E) took off with his wingman, recently arrived replacement pilot Sgt. Stasio Łapka (WX-J).
At first the Poles sighted nothing save for a few Spitfires mixing it up with 109s far above. Almost an hour after take-off however they met formations of Junkers Ju 88A from Lehrgeschwader 2 and Heinkel He 111H bombers of Kampfgeschwader 53 escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters of Jagdgeschwader 2 over Beachey Head. The Luftwaffe formation is escaping southeast at high speed.
Kowalewski and Łapka are joined in the attack by pairs of Spitfires from No’s 92 and 610 Squadrons RAF.
This mission was played at Briscon 2018, so some of our usual players were otherwise engaged running stalls or involved in tournaments. Wayne Sirret (our own Whiskysierra) was able to run his pilot Tadeusz Kowalewski while a number of other players stepped up to run NPC pilots for the RAF and Luftwaffe.
Here we see Wayne explaining a manoeuvre to players Brendon (left) and Paul (right) using his hands in that time honoured method adopted by all fighter pilots, real and table top!
Back to the action, the two Spitfires of 610 Squadron RAF close to intercept the Luftwaffe bombers flying at an altitude of about 13500 feet. Targeting the flight of Ju 88's, P/O Peter Litchfield(DW-T) and his wingman Sgt. Bernard Gardner (DW-M) keep a wary eye on the two 109s banking towards them from their three o'clock high.
Meanwhile on the other side of the German formation two more Spitfires from No.92 Squadron close on the port Heinkel He 111H-3. F/L Brian Kingcome (QJ-F) and P/O Geoffrey Wellam (QJ-K) both open fire as they make a beam attack from the bomber's nine o'clock. Each of the Spitfires' eight barrels send streams of .303 inch projectiles into the Heinkel, with P/O Wellam's opening salvo inflicting devastating damage (explosion knocking off half the Heinkel's damage points, first chit drawn!).
As Kingcome and Wellam continue their attack from port, F/O Kowalewski and Sgt Łapka make a head on pass at the Heinkels …..
….. while on the other flank the No.610 Squadron Spitfires, still menaced by the 109 escorts, manoeuvre into position for a stern attack on the Ju 88's.
Following just two bursts each by Kingcome and Wellam the first Heinkel drops out of formation with a shot up engine and two wounded crewmen. The bomber's five crewmen manage to bail out of the mortally damaged machine, with only the pilot reaching the ground uninjured. In no condition or temperament to put up a fight, the survivors are apprehended by a lone police constable, with the more lightly injured carrying their badly wounded comrades to a nearby town for medical treatment. All survive their wounds to become prisoners for the duration of the war. P/O Wellam was subsequently credited with his first confirmed victory.
Brendon who was flying Spitfire QJ-K was pretty happy with shooting down a Heinkel so quickly, thus earning a Briscon 2018 Wings of Glory victory cup.
Kowalewski and Łapka see the Heinkel fall away and turn their attention to the lead machine.
All four RAF fighters now find themselves in position to engage the remaining Heinkels, thirty-two machines guns chattering as the Lutfwaffe gunners try to defend their aircraft with single MG 15's.
The approach of the 610 Sqn Spitfires is less effective with the threat of the 109s splitting the RAF element.
The attack on the Heinkels leaves one of the bombers streaming smoke …..
…. as the RAF pilots regroup and discuss how best to proceed with the action.
Sgt Gardner (Spitfire DW-T) scores hits on the Jumo engine of one of the Ju 88's …..
….. while Kingcome and Wellam continue to attack another Heinkel He 111, a burst from Wellam's guns wounding the observer Ltn. Gerd Strumpf.
Another burst from Gardner sets alight Junkers Ju 88A-1 (L1+FN), but return fire from the Heinkel also sees a stream of smoke pour from F/L Kingcome's Spitfire (QJ-F).
A follow up burst by the Heinkel's dorsal gunner Uffz. Willi Schultz puts paid to Kingcome's fighter, the RAF pilot bailing out safely.
Sgt. Bernard Gardner's final burst send the Ju 88 down in flames, his first victory. The pilot Oblt. Gerd Anders stays at the controls of the burning bomber, doing all he can to hold it steady as the rest of his crew, Ofw. Rudolf Gerlack, Uffz. Karl Utke and Uffz. Johannes Birkhölzer bail out to safety and a prison camp. Seconds after Birkhölzer hits the silk the flames consume the Ju 88 which crashes into the English countryside taking the life of the German pilot.
As Heinkel He 111H-3 (A1+CA) is about to cross the English coast P/O Wellam (Spitfire DW-T) finishes it off with a sustained burst of fire to the fuselage. The pilot Oblt. Hermann Hogeback, and gunners Uffz. Willi Schultz and Uffz. Luitpold Martin bail out safely. Despite his wounds Ltn. Strumpf also escapes the aircraft. As Fw. Johann Hildebrandt exits the bomber he is caught in the slipstream and collides with a horizontal stabiliser. Either knocked unconscious or killed outright, Fw. Hildebrandt does not deploy his parachute. His body washes up on an Eastbourne beach the following day.
The third Heinkel He 111H-3 (A1+DA) manages to cross the coast, P/O Wellam breaking off after being wounded by return fire. Escorted by the undamaged JG2 Messerschmitt 109's the bomber makes it back to France, the damage keeping the aircraft from further operations until 16 September. The remaining Junkers 88's also manage to make it back to their base, Junkers Ju 88A-1 (L1+GN) returning with no damage. Junkers Ju 88A-1 (L1+HN) however has been badly shot about, returning with two wounded crewman and written off.
No.610 Squadron's Spitfires return to base not little or no damage.
Bleeding freely from a bullet wound to the arm P/O Geoffrey Wellam of No. 92 Squadron lands at the nearest airfield. His Spitfire is classified as too badly damaged to be repaired and is converted to components. Wellam's injury is serious enough to see him hospitalised and out of action for the next month.
F/O Tadeusz Kowalewski and Sgt. Stasio Łapka make it back to No.303 Squadron's base at Northolt. The little damage taken is quickly repaired with both aircraft ready for operations within 48 hours. The engagement saw no kills credited to the Poles but overall the battle was a victory for the RAF.
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Originally Posted by Baxter
Certainly looking forward to whatever Ares can get to us this year to add to the collection.
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