The Battles for Brewer - Part 4 - Drink Like a Fish
The Battles for Brewer Part 4
Drink Like a Fish
December, Mindanao, Del Monte Field. The two ranking officers were in a heated debate, more like an argument. The Japanese had just crippled the USAF on Luzon at Clark Field. Del Monte Field would now be near the top of the hit list.
The discussion was what to salvage. Most of the air fleet had already relocated. One B-17 D remained that would carry the last of anything to leave. One officer wanted to load up with one last bomb load and hit the Japanese before heading to Java. The other, a more practical thinker, wanted to save all the booze from the PX. Officer Practical Thinker won out as the B-17 crew heard the argument and were loading the whisky before the argument was over.
The scenario is to fly the B-17 D across one mat’s length. It is escorted by one 17th Pursuit Squadron P-40s (BBB/BB).
Opposing are three A6M2s CCA/C 14 hit points, starting mid-way across the mat.
All planes are beauties painted by Dave.
Each of the three Zero pilots licked their chops feeling they would be the one to down the American big bomber. The P-40 pilot has other thoughts and strikes the lead Zero..
All the fighters close in on the B-17. GI Joe blasts the Jap in his face but takes a solid punch himself.
The B-17 trades long shots with one Zero and wounds the pilot of the third. Engine #3 spews out a tail of thick black smoke, worrying the pilot. In the bomb bay the officers break into the whisky to calm their nerves.
GI Joe reverses on his enemy’s tail and plasters the Zero.
The B-17 now is tailing one of the Zeros and keeps all mgs with a target firing.
The P-40 completes his Immelmann as one Zero turns behind the B-17.
The nose gunner can’t believe that one Zero is still puttering right in front of him. His mg is getting hot!
The trailing Zero keeps up a constant fire but is taking hits too.
The nose gunner and top turret pour more lead into the Zero than it can take….down it goes!
The officers down a toast to the nose gunner, and another..hic... to the top turret.
With the P-40 well behind setting up another split-s the Zero scores some big damage and shakes the core of the big bomber.
The dorsal gunner rips the Zero, damaging the engine and wounds the pilot.
The Zero finally finds a place behind the tail to hide and can shoot without having to dodge any incoming rounds. A well placed burst sends the B-17 into the drink.
(one more turn and the P-40 could have gotten into range on the Zero.)
Sadly the booze did not escape to Java and for a day many fish were seen swimming sideways and doing lots of unnatural things.
It was a close one as the tailing Zero only had 2 points remaining.
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Originally Posted by malachi
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