Bombers over the runway!! SCRAMBLE FIGHTERS
Scenario... 2x B-17F, 2x P-47 versus 5x BF-109K
Early on the morning of April 10th bombers of the 379th Bomb Group left to hit a strategic airport target. They were escorted by P-47 Thunderbolts for this flight. (all of these are AI controlled).
getting the best of the P-47
German fighters were immediately scrambled to meet this force head on as the AA crews raced to their guns. (Germans controlled by my 6 yo daughter and me). Hartmann was tasked with defending this base taking White 7 and Yellow 14 as his wingmen while White 1 and 3 split off to try and force the American fighters hand.
Both formations raced to meet each other as the B-17s trundled towards their target. Yellow 14 broke off from Hartmann trying to force the hand of the lead P-47 while Hartmann and his wingman raced straight for the B-17 "Polly" Yellow 1 and 3 raced after the second P-47.
Finally within range the fighter exchanged fire with the lead P-47 taking a hard hit from the BF-109 of Yellow 14 causing him to smoke. While hitting him back ju to instantly explode ... no paarachute was seen.st as hard.
Yellow 3 and the second P-47 exchanged long range fire with the 109 getting the better of the exchange wounding the pilot of Thunderbolt number two.
Meanwhile Hartmann and his wingman raked "Polly" with gun and cannon fire with Hartman taking the waist gunners out of action with his accurate shooting. The B-17 nose gunners did their best to fend off the fighters causing some damage to both fighters
Hartmann and his wingman raced between the lumbering B-17s as both ball gunners and waist gunner from "Ye Olde Pub" rained hell down upon the two 109s. Yellow 14 raced past the P-47 and poured more gun and cannon fire into "Polly". "The pilot of "Ye Olde Pub" lost his nerve for a moment and veered sharply toward "Polly" before his co-pilot yelled some sense into him turning them back on course. The nose gunner of "Polly" hit Yellow 14 back HARD as he scored a lucky shot causing the 109 to instantly explode... no parachute was seen from the fire wreck hurtling towards the earth.
As the fighters all jockeyed to get back into attack positions and the P-47 turned to reengage the fighters the AA guns opened fire with their first volley scoring some heavy hits on the B-17s with incredibly accurate shooting. "Ye Olde Pub" taking the hardest hit losing two of her engines.
As the B-17 dropped their payload on the airport the fighters were all back in position to reengage, however the wounded P-47 pilot made an error in attack angle and collided with the 109 of Yellow 3. Hartmann and his wingman pulled a sharp Immelmann to get back into the fight.
The B-17s dropped their payload and started making the turn for home as a second volley of AA fire ripped into the planes.
The fighters continued to jockey for position to get the drop on the enemy planes. Hartmann choosing to abandon the B-17s and go after the wounded P-47 pilot who despite his wounds was hanging in the battle. White 7 headed after the bombers to try and make sure they didn't make it home as did Yellow 3. Yellow 1 was still in a fight jockeying for position against the lead P-47.
As Yellow 3 and White 7 raced to catch up to the two B-17s AA fire again ripped into the heavy bombers with the AA crew collecting a kill as "Polly" took a heavy hit putting her on the brink of falling from the sky and "Ye Olde Pub" took another heavy hit as well tearing her left wing and fuselage into shreds.
Meanwhile Hartmann and the second P-47 made a head on pass at each other with Hartmann's plane bearing the brunt of the damage sending the plane down full of holes. Hartmann was able to jump clear of the plane as it descended towards the earth.
White 7 and Yellow 3 finally caught back up to the heavy bombers as a long range desperation shot from White 7 finally sent "Polly" hurtling towards earth. Yellow 3 meanwhile was making a bee line for the heavily damage "Ye Olde Pub"
As "Polly" hurtled towards the earth the gunners of "Ye Olde Pub" were in for the fight of a lifetime as the two 109s were still menacing them. The ball and waist gunners were able to take down Yellow 3 as he raced in dealing the final death blow to the bomber while the nose gunner was able to issue a killing blow to the 109 of White 7. Ground forces raced to collect the survivors as they parachuted to earth.
(Sorry didn't get a pic) Yellow 1 meanwhile managed to take care the lead P-47 and turned his attention to the second P-47 determined to make him pay for the victory over Hartmann. However, it was not to be as the wounded P-47 pilot raced for home in his heavily damaged fighter. The result of the day were not great for either side with only one bird surviving on either side. Damage to the airport was minimal as "Ye Olde Pub" missed her targets but the crew of "Polly" did their job with an excellent payload drop destring their portion of the target.
Final Result...
Americans
"Polly" shot down by Fighter/Flak
"Ye "Olde Pub" show down by Flak/Fighter, victory over Yellow 3 and White 7
Lead P-47 shot down by Yellow 1
Second P-47 fled with heavy damage and wounded pilot
Germans
Hartmann - shot down by second P-47
Yellow 1 - still flying, victory over Lead P-47
Yellow 3 - Shot down by "Ye Olde Pub", victory over "Ye Olde Pub"
White 7 - Shot down by "Ye Olde Pub"
Yellow 14 - Shot down by "Polly"
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Originally Posted by Teaticket
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