Mission 2: Railroad Target
The 33rd was tasked with a sortie over northern France in the Calais region, knocking out railroad targets. The acting squadron CO, Capt Cobbs, couldn’t be bothered with leading this mission, so he tasked the two flights in their entirety to perform this op. 1Lt McCarthy was to lead the Blue flight, outfitted with M8 rockets, while 1Lt Holcomb took his Red flight to provide top cover.
The two flights took off into dark skies, with ceilings up at 20,000 ft. Passing 10k, Lawrence noticed his oxygen regulator was malfunctioning, and his flight lead had him head for home, leaving Red flight down a man.
The two flights crossed the coast just below the clouds, scanning for the tell tale sign of steam trailing the locomotive. Spotting the train in the distance, they also noticed an echelon of Bf 109s about coaltitude near the train. Blue flight begins a descent, forming a loose line astern and proceeding to fly down the rail tracks towards the oncoming train. The 109s spot the P-38s and descend on the attackers, while Holcomb wheels his flight onto the Germans.
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| Three 109s race to intercept the missile laden P-38s |
Red flight dives on the attacking 109s, breaking formation to attack individual bandits. James misses his mark, but both Holcomb and Hawkins damage their 109s fuel lines, making them mighty vulnerable to future attacks.
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| Holcomb leads his flight to a position above the 109s |
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| Red Flight scores hits! |
A flak car on the train opens up at the onrushing attackers, but McCarthy keeps his nerve. He lines up a rocket salvo, but when he presses the button, nothing happens. A dud! He’s quick to react, though, and fires cannon rounds at the train, damaging its engine. It’s clearly moving slower now. More flak firing at the P-38s above them, but to no effect. Holcomb pulls against one of the Messerschmitts leaking fuel and looses a cannon salvo at him. Luckily for the receiving pilot, the rounds punch into his engine and don’t ignite the fuel leaking from his wing tanks. With his engine stuttering, he breaks for home.
The remaining two Messerschmitts maneuver themselves to attack the lead P-38 in the flight strafing the train. With their cannons hitting McCarthy, he too finds fuel streaming out of his wing.
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| The attacking Germans damage McCarthy’s fuel tanks |
Unfortunately for the attacking Germans, their attack run on McCarthy has left them exposed. Holcomb sees his opportunity and lets into the trailing 109 leaking fuel. The mix of cannon rounds and fuel fumes results in a massive explosion.
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| Messerschmitts fuel leak gets worse |
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| The hopelessly outnumbered Bf 109G |
Blue flight maneuvers for another strafing run on the train, with both McCarthy and Graham firing cannon shells into it. The flak is thick, but the rounds meet their mark - the train grinds to a halt. The last 109, fully realizing his situation, makes for home.
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| The Lightnings leave their destroyed target |
With the train destroyed and the last of the Luftwaffe out of the area, Blue and Red flights make for Kings Cliffe, all putting their 38s down safely. They return to the news that the Sq CO position has been filled by a Maj Andrew Franks, who’s reputation as an inept officer out for his own good precedes him. That brings the squadron up to “full” strength, but they’re still shy one plane with only nine P-38s. Holcomb is awarded his second Air Medal for another confirmed kill over France. Unfortunately, at some point during the debriefing, cocky Price makes a sideways remark to the chaplain after the mission, and the squadron chaplain’s opinion of the 33rd tanks.
Still working on the B-17s, mostly finished with their bellies, but still some work to do. That’s all I have to say about that for now!
Caleb
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