Mission 6: Big Week I - Airfield Attack
The date is 20 February 1944, the first day of Operation Argument. Also known as Big Week, the operation’s primary objective is the destruction of the Luftwaffe by way of attacking aircraft industry and drawing the Luftwaffe into a pitched battle. The 33rd FS is tasked with strafing and bombing a forward satellite airfield in Dorderes, France. The Dragons load Blue Flight with 1,000 lb bombs while Red Flight will act as escort, and they take off into the clear skies.
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| The target airfield |
As they near their target, they spot the airfield and a lone 109 lined up for takeoff. Hull points out a four ship of co-altitude 109s off of their 2 o'clock position. Holcomb and Lawrence peel off the formation and maneuver towards the approaching schwarm. Before Holcomb can fire off his rounds, the 109s split and speed past him. Hull fires a burst as they pass his nose, but sees no strikes. Combs sticks loyally to Hull's wing.
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| The approaching schwarm |
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| The lone 109, climbing and retracing his gear |
McCarthy, leading the bomb laden formation, brings his four ship into a steep dive, screaming down to 5,000 ft. The 109s split their schwarm, one pair tangling with Hull's flight while the second pair follows McCarthy's flight down to the deck. With McCarthy's flight vulnerable and weighed down with their payload, Holcomb and Lawrence chase after the diving 109s, while Hull and Combs continue tangling with the pair still at altitude.
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| 109s dive after McCarthy's flight |
As the 109s prepare for a dive attack on McCarthy and Co, Holcomb gets on the leader's tail and fires. He observes strikes on the 109's wing and watches as the pilot struggles to maintain control. He fires a second burst, this time the wing buckles at the root and the 109 begins an unctrolled spin towards the ground. Within 1,000 ft of the ground, the pilot manages to jettison the canopy and bailout. His wingman continues his intercept slightly above and abeam McCarthy's P-38s.
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| The 109s maneuver to engage their targets |
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| Holcomb finishes off the stricken 109 |
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| McCarthy and James lead their elements on the final approach |
As they begin to align themselves with the runway, McCarthy splits his flight into two echelons, him in the lead of the first with James leading the second. Lawrence follows Holcomb in a diving turn to get behind the 109 firing on Hawkins. Oblivious to the American fighter on his tail, he continues to fire on Hawkins. To his surprise, large caliber rounds impact instead into his own plane as Holcomb fires on him. The 109 explodes; no chute observed.
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| Holcomb bags another hun |
McCarthy and Graham open their throttles and get well in front of James and Hawkins as the four P-38s align with the runway. McCarthy and Graham come in at just a few thousand feet as flak bursts around them. They maintain their formation and drop their 1,000 pounders. The runway is cratered in their wake and a number of planes on the apron burn. A flak shell bursts between McCarthy and Graham, splitting their formation. They both simultaneously dive for the deck while turning for home.
James is beginning his attack run when the two remaining 109s from the schwarm attempt to bounce them. Fortunately, Hull is able to get behind the 109 leader and fires. The shells rip into the body of 109 and the Messerschmidt leader feels his controls go limp. He attempts to bailout, but this low to the ground he fails to jettison the canopy in time. Hull observes no chute.
Combs attempts to get on the other's tail, but is unable before the 109 opens on James. The 109 is desperate to protect his home airfield and lets loose with a long burst. He pushes his cannons too hard and they jam. James keeps his head and leads his element toward the inferno below them. Over the burning field, he and Hawkins loose their payload, following McCarthy in a diving turn away as their salvo impacts the hangars.
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| James and Hawkins bomb the airfield... |
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| ...and McCarthy's flight exfils the area |
The lone 109 that took off in a hurry realizes that, despite never having fired, his guns are jammed. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, he breaks away from the American fighters and heads toward another field further south. Perhaps Spain.
As McCarthy's flight heads back to the north, Hull and Combs maneuver to keep them covered, leaving behind the last 109s. Holcomb and Lawrence chase after one of the remaining 109s and put shells into one Messerschmitt. It strikes the fuel tanks which quickly ignite. The 109 explodes low to the ground leaving a trail of burning debris among the plowed fields.
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| Holcomb's third kill for the day |
The remaining 109 too far away, the P-38s all begin to regroup and head back over the channel for home. They land at Kings Cliffe without incident. Having completed their mission for no losses, while also destroying four airborne 109s, their Group CO takes notice and their reputation skyrockets. He pushes the maintenance officer to finally repair their ninth plane, which, with group commander pressure, he quickly accomplishes. The 33rd is up to nine planes for their nine pilots. For their actions, Hull is awarded an Air Medal, while Holcomb is awarded three, plus a Silver Star.
It was great to jump back into Bag the Hun after such a hiatus. With a four month old daughter, BtH provides an "easy to pick up and easy to put" down wargame. The card activation makes playing a few minutes here and there very manageable. Likewise, it was a blast to rejoin the 33rd FS as they enter one of the critical campaigns of the bomber offensive: Big Week. Hopefully I'll be able to swing a few more games in soon!
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