The 3rd Bombardment Division thunders down the runway. I'm in the B-17 with the blue stripe on its tail.
After-Action Report
447th Bombardment Group, 3rd Bombardment Division
10/27/2007
by Brooke
This was a scenario that ran in the multiplayer on-line air-combat simulation Aces High.
I was in the 447th Bombardment Group, along with (I think) jordidmd (the Group Leader), Tudza, firey, pengu146, 97Delta, and OSU. The 447th BG was part of the 3rd Bombardment Division, which included (besides us) Kermit (the Division Leader), AAolds, 420ACE, chase252, betty, OrionV, KKEN, OOZ662, and gas50. We were in B-17G's, loaded with 12 500 lb bombs, 75% fuel, and formations enabled. Our takeoff field was A70 near Sedan. Our target was to be the training facility near Manheim (in 11.11.3).
The 3rd Bombardment Division thunders down the runway. I'm in the B-17 with
the blue stripe on its tail.
3rd BD getting assembled upon takeoff. That's a lot of B-17's!
A view from my cockpit as I stay to the right and behind OOZ662 on our climb
to altitude. From left to right, top to bottom: gas50, AAolds, OOZ662, 96Delta,
chase252, Kermit, betty, and KKEN.
A look left out my window as a squadron of P-47 escorts joins up with us (upper
left of picture). From left to right in the P-47's: Hajo, DmdJW, shamus, Whels,
and Joker1; and in his formation of B-17's, gas50.
A view forward left a little later when another squadron of escorts joins us,
this time P-51's (upper left in picture). From left to right in that group:
Mus51, NB, Banzzai, Stupid1, Tex01, zoozoo, and Goldberg. In bombers from left
to right: gas50; chase252, betty, and Kermit (all in a nice, tight formation);
AAolds; and KKEN.
A view left as, later, yet a third squadron of fighters joins us for escort
(upper left in picture). In their P-51's from top to bottom: Dace, Sum1, SkyGnome,
ZigZag, and Jigszz. Also visible, top to bottom, are: Whels and DmdJW (in their
P-47's) and gas50, betty, Kermit, and chase252 (in their B-17's).
A view from below my bomber up above, showing yet another squadron of escorts
showing up (upper left of picture)! This seems like more escorts than we have
had yet. So, at this point, I am feeling very safe and very good about our chances
for hitting the target and getting back. From left to right (some names already
being mentioned): Hugo9, shamus, Hajo, Optiker, Joker1, Blutik, madmitch, LuckyB,
Munny, d0gma, Whels, Gorkle, DmdJW, Roscoroo (howdy Roo!), and Tex01. Bombers
from left to right are: 420ACe, gas50, betty, Kermit, and AAolds. This is amazing.
This is much more escort than the 3rd BD has ever had (or so it seems).
A view out my tailgun position as we see our first enemy (one hour and 2 minutes
after takeoff, shortly after we enter Germany). It is an Me 262 (upper left
of picture). We suspect that he is a scout, calling out our location, composition,
and heading. He continues on to trail us for a while, probably calling in strike
groups.
A view out my left window as one of the escorts shoots down the Me 262 (the
red icon trailing smoke)! OddBall did it (OddBall and Dux are upper middle in
the picture). We can hardly believe it! A HUGE cheer goes up among the bomber
pilots, and the radio traffic is filled with congratulations and thanks.
A view past my two drone bombers of the 262 going down. It looks like it's missing
part of its tail and an aileron, as well as having both engines damaged. However,
we know that the 262 was able to get out an excellent radio report about us
before it went down. We know that, at some point, enemy attack groups will be
trying to get at us.
A view to the back of my bomber as we see our first enemy other than the Me
262. It is a lone Bf 109. We suspect he, also, is getting out a radio report.
From left to right: Tudza; two escorts, bmsus [sp?] and Mus51 chasing the 109;
gas50, 420ACE, and Betty. He dives off to the right side of the formation, away
from my location, then there are calls of 190's coming in from the front of
the formation. I jump to forward guns and scan the sky forward.
He makes an attack run on firey, gets shot up on his way through (perhaps by
firey and also by pengu146, both of whom are firing in this picture), starts
to trail smoke, then veers toward the middle of the formation and toward me.
That is very unfortunate for me, as there are still warnings being called by
the escorts of 190's attacking from the front -- I'm scanning intently in front
and don't see the 109 approaching me. From left to right in the picture: jordidmd,
pengu146, firey, OSU (who is down to one bomber because of mechanical failure
his two drones), and Tudza.
It's a Bf 109K-4, and he puts a very brief burst into my left drone. I hear
only a hit or two and jump back to my tailgun -- but he is already passing,
and I am already on fire. I have the shameful distinction of contributing the
first USAAF aircraft loss of the battle. Soon, there are numerous other enemies
showing up and running through our formation.
Another Bf 109 (looks like a Bf 109K-4) comes running through and blows OSU's
wing off. Alas, that is it for OSU, as it was his last bomber.
A view right as the same Bf 109 races past OSU to Tudza, and sets Tudza's lead
bomber on fire. The enemy is now trailing smoke and is being chased by Hajo
in his P-47. Get some revenge for us, Hajo! Other bombers in the picture are
firey and pengu146.
Just a little later, a view behind and to the left of me as a Bf 109 comes racing
through and blows apart pengu146's right drone (the exposion and debris, upper
left, is that is left of pengu146's drone).
The attacks are intensifying. A view to my left as a Bf 109 races through and
sets jordidmd's lead bomber on fire.
I shoot at a Bf 109 from my ball turret. It is hard to keep track of the enemy
sometimes, as they are attacking from above, the sides, behind, and below. This
one is out of range, but I like to give them just a few rounds, to unnerve them
by letting them know I've got my guns on them.
A view out my nose-gun position. There are reports of a massive number of bogies
up ahead (some visible as dots upper middle of the picture), and FW 190's are
starting to attack from the front. We are getting ready to open our bomb bay
doors and make our final adjustments for our bomb run, so we are a worried about
this development. From left to right: pengu146, OOZ662, jordidmd, AAolds, and
KKEN.
Doors open, and AAolds' left drone is obliterated by an attacking FW 190. It
looks like AAolds might have gotten some revenge about the same time, as the
190 looks like it's missing its tail.
There are numerous FW 190A-8's now, smashing through the front of our formation.
I keep in the nosegun position, trying to be ready to shoot at any that come
my way, but it is becoming difficult because of the number of them and the closure
rate. From left to right: pengu146, OOZ662, firey, AAolds, KKEN, jordidmd, NB
(an escort fighter), and 96Delta. We are attempting to complete our turn toward
target, to line up more precisely.
firey's left drone explodes as a FW 190A-8 attacks it from 10 o'clock. From
left to right: OOZ662 (whose left drone is trailing smoke), pengu146 (who is
down to 2 bombers), AAolds (who is down to one bomber), KKEN, firey (who now
has 2 bombers), 96Delta, and jordidmd (who is down to 2 bombers).
My left drone is hit hard by FW 190A-8 attack from 10 o'clock. Parts stream
back from my damaged bomber, which is now missing a rudder and left aileron.
A view forward from behind my freshly attacked bomber. The smoke trails of cannon
shells from the attacking FW 190A-8 are visible. The explosion ahead is firey's
bomber (the attack on me was almost simultaneous). There are FW 190A-8's attacking
all around. From left to right: OOZ662, pengu146, AAolds, KKEN, 96Delta, firey,
and jordidmd.
I fire at an enemy forward and below me. The 190's attacked with great speed
from 10 o'clock. Several zoomed past me to my 4 o'clock and are now turning
back around. We soon need to start calibrating our bomb sights -- we are perhaps
less than 20 miles from drop.
I jump to top turret and go after some of the 190's that are turning back around.
A broader view right. The situation is hectic, and in addition to the FW 190A-8
attack that smashed through from the front, Bf 109K-4's have now attacked from
above. There are some escorts still around, but they have been overwhelmed by
the number of attacks. There are enemies above, left, right, behind, and below,
and it is very hard now to keep an eye on the various avenues of attack upon
one's bomber. In this picture, you can see a FW 190 coming toward me from my
3 o'clock low. I do not at all see him.
The FW 190A-8 that I haven't seen has curved around from below me, up to my
7 o'clock, and fires into my left drone, shooting off half its wing.
I jump to tail gun and don't immediately see him. Here, the picture is looking
right out the tail gun to show where he is, but I don't know that when I jump
there. Unfortunately, an instant is all it takes for him to put lethal rounds
into my lead bomber as well. Visible behind me, in addition to the attacking
190, is another 190, Tudza, and Goldberg (an escort fighter).
A brief view out my tail gun as my last bomber violently rolls right, also missing
its wing. Visible behind me is the attacking FW 190A-8, one of the Bf 109K-4's
that attacked from above, Jigszz (an escort fighter), and just barely one other
enemy fighter and some of Tudza's bombers.
My doomed B-17 spirals from the sky, trailing flames and smoke. Tudza is firing
on the FW 190 that attacked me.
I bail out over Germany. It is an ignominious defeat: so close to drop; also,
I didn't even fire on the enemies who destroyed my bombers.
I join 96Delta as a gunner. Here, I am looking out the forward glass at the
nose-gunner/bombardier position. Some of the remnants of the 3rd BD were, I
believe, not able to drop on target because of the attack. However, by this
point (where I am joining 96Delta as a gunner), the attack seems to have spent
itself, giving at least a temporary lull. From left to right: jordidmd, 420ACE,
Kermit, OOZ662, betty, gas50, and Tudza. All have 2 bombers left except for
betty (with 3) and 96Delta (with one).
The lull is short lived. A view from 96Delta's bomber as a FW 190 attacks OOZ662's
bomber and sets it on fire. OOZ662 and betty fire back at the attacker. Kermit
in the upper left has one bomber leaking fuel.
From the tail gun, I fire upon and hit a FW 190A-8 that has attacked 96Delta's
bomber. Shell casings stream back. To the left is jordidmd. The remnants of
3rd BD are trying to make for another target to hit -- the AAA factory at Fulde.
I fire the nose guns at another attacking FW 190A-8. There are frequent attacks
on the remaining 3rd BD, and 96Delta's bomber is damaged and running low on
ammunition.
I put some shells into another FW 190A-8 as it zooms past.
I fire at a Bf 109K-4 that is attacking from above. Unfortunately, this one
comes in to put the final rounds into 96Delta's bomber, setting it ablaze, and
it explodes shortly thereafter.
I went on after that to gun for Kermit and then for bigmo, but no film survives of those (film viewer crashes at that position). 3rd BD was eventually completely destroyed. bigmo was in the 2nd BD (B-24's), and while they took casualties, many (most?) of them made it back to base.
I got shot down prior to drop, then went on to be a gunner. I report no kills.
Alas.
by Brooke P. Anderson
e-mail: brooke@electraforge.com
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