Cover Bombers

[JG-1_Ludwig]

I tried the Photo-Recon and it worked as advertised.  I took 6 pictures and received the message later that they were processed and grid coordinates were given.   How many pictures are you allowed to take on a single sortie?

 

OK, I got up the courage and tried taking the cover bombers with me.  I summoned them as I was about to take off and saw what I thought was them in the distance (JU-88 along with mine) and then added the Bf-109 escort. I saw the correct message come across and departed and circled the base. I saw the 2 JU-88s nearest me and the two 109s... and they had the wacky paint scheme....  all the skins overlaid on top of each other... letters. numbers...colors... same thing I would get when I would use the RR60 command to refuel and re-arm.  The bombers and the fighters had it, but fortunately my aircraft remained the correct skin.

 

So circling the base everone climbing and forming up...  then off we go towards the target and then I thought... hey...  those last Ju-88s look a lot like Do-217s....  but they didn't have the wacky paint scheme....probably because they WERE DO-217s....Well.... they formed up with the rest of us and it kinda made sense. <?> because I had summoned bombers then fighters (2 each appeared even though I entered 5 on the bombers...  so when I only got 2, I entered again and got the message that 2 more were added and then 2 more for a total of 6 bombers and 2 fighters.

 

I issued the command for the Knickebein so the bombers would "fly the beeline to the target and bomb it."  SO... they were pretty happy with us all heading towards the same target, I was not sure if they were following me or I was following them.  So we get to the target, and they must have been following me because they misidentified the target just like me ?.   SO...  nobody dropped any bombs. 

 

Not wanting to waste any planes, I gave them the <cland to cut them loose and they dropped altitude and headed for home... and jettisoned their bombs on the way down. I went and found a target of opportunity and hosed it. Bombers made it back, everyone made it back I believe after watching the video.... so... the question is where did I go wrong... should the bombers have flown to the target and bomber regardless of what I was doing... or is the reason they didn't drop because I didn't get them close enough to the target? If so, do I need to get them spot on the bomb run or will they pick it up if they are close enough? I probably missed by a full grid lateral. We went past the distance and I released them. I was thinking that I could fly in THEIR formation and observe their bomb drop...is that how it works...or do I have to drop my bombs to get them to drop theirs?

 

As always, thanks for the help,

 

 

[mart280]

Did you issue the <kstart command  when you were near the target ? this sends them in to bomb it.

[JG-1_Ludwig]

OH... nope... I did it 20 minutes out.  How close should I be? (roughly) 

[JG-1_Ludwig]

How many pictures can you take as the Photo Recon?