FitS Mission D-1, First Offensive Air Operations, 7 May, 1940
The D-1 mission as written looks more to be for the RAF player. I replayed D-2 flipping sides from the first time I played it.
Staffel commander Hauptmann Max Stein was furious that the French had raided his aerodrome. He knew the offensive in the west was soon to start but was adamant on getting even. He had inquired with Luftwaffe intelligence about which French Escadrille could have been the cause for his embarrassment. Several other Staffels in the sector had also been hit and it was determined that the 6th Escadrille was the culprit.
Stein asked for recon to find their airfield. It took a couple of days but the 6th Escadrille was found.
Even though ordered to lay low until the offensive began, Stein could not wait and ordered his best pilot, Joaquim Kruger, to exact revenge. Joaquim picked Jan Franke as his wingman. They were to leave at dawn.
Flying at tree top level, the Rotte crossed the border.
At the 6th Escadrille’s airfield, one plane flew a routine patrol around the perimeter. It’s relief was warming up on the runway. The Phony War had lulled them into a comfort level they let grow and let their guard down. Little did they know that their quite morning was soon to be torn apart.
The still morning air was violently disturbed when an anti-aircraft gun roared. An alert AA crew noticed two low flying incoming aircraft from where no friendly planes would be flying. Joaquim and Jan had been spotted.
Joaquim observed the AA muzzle flash and headed straight for it as it was directly between him and the aerodrome. As soon as he was in range he opened up. Coming in at full speed he couldn’t lower his nose and he did little damage as he closed in.
“Jan, watch out for the AA. I’m not sure if I silenced it”.
Jan dutifully followed Joaquim. Seeing his Rotte leader strafing the AA he followed suit.
Joaquim passed over the AA gun too close to be fired upon so it changed target to Jan. The target change by the AA crew was quick but they could not hit the fast moving Jan.
Jan nosed down and scored a hit that disabled the AA gun.
“No problem. Not to worry about anymore”.
The French radios all began to chatter. MS 406 #1 in the air was alerted and vectored toward the incoming Germans. MS 406 #5 immediately began to take off. Other ground crews scurried to ready more planes.
As Joaquim passed over the AA he tears into the first plane in line along the runway as MS #5 lifts off watching the exploding shells off to his port.
MS #1 arrives on the scene and scores a hit on Joaquim as he is strafing his French friends below.
Joaquim sees the French aircraft lifting off and jumps on him. The Frenchman is helpless while taking off as his MS 406 is hammered with cannon and machine gun fire.
Immediately after dispatching the AA Jan turns on MS #1. His aim is flawless as he punishes both man and machine.
The fire quickly spreads.
As soon as Jan passes MS #1 he drops a bit and targets an aircrafton the ground.
“Whats this? RAF planes at a French airfield near the front?” Jan is surprised to see the British planes at the French airfield.
MS #5 desperately turns tightly back towards Joaquim and succeeds to throw off his aim.
Joaquim hits his target but not as hard as he’d liked.
MS #1, even though on fire still gets a shot at the preoccupied Joaquim. More holes appear in Kruger’s new 109.
The fire spreads more and overwhelms the MS 406. It crashes a hundred yards from it’s own airfield.
Jan reversed and destroys the battered Hurricane down below.
As this is happening a French MS 406 scurries down the runway, taking off and fleeing to safety.
At the other end of the runway Joaquim cleverly reverses just after MS #5 did the same. This time the 406 cannot evade Joaquim’s cannons and received the killing blow.
After destroying the Hurricane Jan takes a shot at a grounded Frenchman.
The last RAF Hurricane does it’s best to get in the air as fast as possible.
Joaquim also takes aim at the last Frenchman but comes up empty.
Joaquim gets the killing blow on MS #6 while the Hurricane takes off as he passes over.
With the two Germans heading in the other direction the last Hurricane tries to get up speed unnoticed.
By the time Joaquim and Jan can turn around the Hurricane slips off.
“Good shooting Jan, time to scoot off before it gets too hot for the two of us”, Joaquim radios to Jan.
“Too bad we didn't get them all, but we must let some get away or we’ll have none to shoot at when the real show begins”, Jan replied.
The pair head home feeling pretty good. Two burning wrecks on the airfield, two more shot down and an AA gun taken out, not a bad day’s work.
Butcher’s Bill
Allies
Two planes escape the raid.
Two planes destroyed on the ground.
Two planes downed.
AA gun destroyed.
JG26
Oberleutenant Joaquim Kruger RTB 1 Kill
L 6 +3(v) +1(eva) -1(dam) = 9, lands ok
Oberfeldwebel Jan Franke RTB 1 Kill
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