"Ace of Aces" - WWII Challenge!

[Requiem]

On 1/7/2022 at 8:51 AM, Varibraun said:

Well done @grcurmudgeon!  I think the fact that it took 6 attempts again demonstrates just how remarkable these pilots records and survival was throughout the war.  I also think it is a testament to the often maligned but much improved AI under the closest thing I think we have to IRL conditions.  I am honoring your desire about the Spitfire V reward - we will see where it goes! 

 

FYI to all following the Challenge - The Johnson challenge still continues I am adding a bonus reward of Flying Circus I to the first one to claim it, since it will effectively likely close out this chapter of "Ace of Aces."   I am not sure where @Requiem stands in the hunt he was documenting on Youtube since I am sure his IRL airline pilot job has been overwhelming with the holiday travel and shortage of flight crews.  I look forward to his next installment whenever it comes along.

 

Of course THE Ace of Aces Hartmann still remains effectively unchallenged by any close rivals.  @oc2209's last score posted score for Balthasar was I believe at 54 several weeks ago, so no idea if he is still leading his squadron or even survives.  @Hetzer-JG51's Maj Steffner has the highest score of any living pilot, but has been assigned to desk duty in Berlin since earning the Diamonds several months ago, and even he was only half way toward Hartmann's victories.  That reward continues to be ANY IL-2 product of the victor's choice.

 

 

Career is still alive past what you see on YouTube...as to how far we shall see!

[Varibraun]

1 hour ago, Requiem said:

Career is still alive past what you see on YouTube...as to how far we shall see!

 

Glad to hear it!  Since we certainly don't want any spoilers, if it turns out you actually were first to best Johnson in real time (but someone else beat you to it in the post here) I will get rewards out to both.  Looking forward to the next installment in the Wood saga!

[grcurmudgeon]

1 hour ago, Varibraun said:

 

Glad to hear it!  Since we certainly don't want any spoilers, if it turns out you actually were first to best Johnson in real time (but someone else beat you to it in the post here) I will get rewards out to both.  Looking forward to the next installment in the Wood saga!

 

If it turns out to be me, it won't be a big deal, I've got the Hurricane and FC I already. I'm doing Johnson for fun.

 

Those four Hispanos are DEADLY. First mission, we bombed some troops at the frontline, then us and our P-47 escorts mixed it up with some FW-190s. In comes a flight of Ju-88s at low level. I got four Junkers (their engines catch fire so easily under the canon rounds) and one FW before running out of the canon ammo and heading home.

[justin_z3r0]

On 1/8/2022 at 10:46 AM, Varibraun said:

 

Got you entered for Johnson...good luck!! 

 

P.S. - The Tempest is just a monster.  I think the most likely way someone will eventually pass Hartmann will be when the BoN map is released and @PatrickAWlson gives us a pre 1944 start.  Flying Spits early and transitioning to the Tempest is going to result in a lot of kills for a pilot who can survive.  I am looking really forward to the BoN map for a lot of reasons.

Agreed. Tempest is a beast. Soo many great features. Fantastic aircraft. Just don't pull out too hard when strafing. The tail area seems to fail in high speed high G maneuvers.

 

[grcurmudgeon]

Going to start Johnson Attempt III tonight. Johnson Attempt had a great first 3 missions, racking up 12 kills. On the fourth his flight engaged some 110s, and just as everyone was lining everyone else up some 109s came in to spoil the fun. As noted in the other big thread from today, he should have ran, but it was one of those "odds slowly got worse" buildups that hid the true danger. He was doing okay with one 110 and one 109 pestering him, switching from one to the other as the opportunity arose, when a third 109 made a pass and shredded the cockpit, killing Johnson Attempt.

 

Johnson Attempt II was doing fine through 2 missions, killing 3 110s in one mission, and in the other had an uneventful escort of some P-47s where he broke off after the escort was complete and headed towards the radio calls that appeared to be coming from the south around Diest (pilots calling "heading for home" followed shortly by "requesting landing clearance", so had to be a field near the front). Sure enough he found a low friendly being chased home by a lone enemy, and 3 passes on the enemy broke him off the friendly's tail and ended with the 109 permanently grounded. Mission 3 was a disaster, but he bailed out of a burning Tempest and just needed a week off. Mission 4 was the killer again - back from the hospital in time to fly cap over Arnhem, his flight tore apart some Ju-88s while the escorting 109s ran after an inbound flight of A-20s. He got 3 of the 88s, took a few pings but no biggie, so went after and downed one of the 109s. He then noticed a very faint sheen of oil on the canopy and decided it was time for the long flight home. The engine held up and he killed speed and alt for the landing, but rushed the final approach over some trees, came in too slow, maybe landed just off the grass field (?), and as he touched down the nose dug in, the tail flipped over, and Attempt II was crushed under the canopy.

[Varibraun]

66 Squadron is back in action flying in support over the Market Garden Bridgeheads where WO Wood pursues his CO's score.  Another great video from @Requiem, featuring @ShamrockOneFive and @busdriver.  You will have to figure out which of the cast actually instructed IRL combat tactics, leading to the concluding statement from the old fighter pilot instructor: "At least he got that triple A site there...everybody knows that's where air superiority comes from"  ? ?

 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Varibraun

[grcurmudgeon]

Warrant Officer Johnson Attempt III was KIA'ed in his 17th mission just after collecting his 29th kill. It was a CAP near Rotterdam. As the 4-ship flight neared the target area, 8 enemy were spotted. They were shortly engaged by one lone friendly, and then another friendly flight was coming in from the SW. The flight turned to engage what they discovered was a flight of 4 Doras escorting a flight of 4 Antons. The furball ensued, with one Dora going down on the first pass to another member of the flight. Wt Off Attempt got on one A-8 and exploded him, then started to circle to look for others when canon rounds slammed into the front of his aircraft. He was wounded and the engine caught fire, was too badly hurt to bail out, and rode the aircraft all the way down.

 

This one was going a bit slower than the other early attempts, not getting as many Ju-88s or Bf-110s to target, so often ending with 1-3 kills instead of 3-4 per mission. But I had one fight where our patrol ran into a flight of 190A-8s. For whatever reason my gunnery was dead-on, 3 short bursts took down 3 of the FW's. Another flight of 190s joined the party, and with friendlies scattered around I extended then worked my way back to catch a straggler on the edge. Another short burst got him, and with 28 rounds left I finally decided it was time to leave. One eager FW decided to follow me home, so after a bit of a run to make sure we were clear of the others I turned to engage, easily getting on his tail, and taking him down with another short burst. I got at least 1 engine fire, one fuselage fire, and 1 pilot kill. That was a fun flight.

 

I did get a taste of very good luck during the run, as I had one rough landing where I was not able to stop before the end of the runway. Went off the end but there was a river, hit the water, tail flipped over, ended up on my back, but somehow survived.

[Requiem]

4 hours ago, Varibraun said:

66 Squadron is back in action flying in support over the Market Garden Bridgeheads where WO Wood pursues his CO's score.  Another great video from @Requiem, featuring @ShamrockOneFive and @busdriver.  You will have to figure out which of the cast actually instructed IRL combat tactics, leading to the concluding statement from the old fighter pilot instructor: "At least he got that triple A site there...everybody knows that's where air superiority comes from"  ? ?

 

You can always count on @busdriver for the perfect quip

[grcurmudgeon]

Watching that video makes me miss the days when I had time to fly online with others. It is definitely going to push me to turn off the in-game map and stick with the orders screen. Still can't decide if I can live without icons, but it's definitely got me thinking about it.

[JG27_Mainz]

If this contest is still ongoing, I will enter for the Hartmann Ace of Aces category.

[Varibraun]

4 hours ago, IV./JG51-P_Mainz said:

If this contest is still ongoing, I will enter for the Hartmann Ace of Aces category.

 

Yep...welcome aboard Mainz!  I have you signed up to challenge Hartmann - right now I don't think anyone is seriously pursuing him with all of the the other awards claimed except Johnson.  Will your "Ironman" be PWCG or Career mode?

 

Keep us up to date with how it goes and good luck!! 

[JG27_Mainz]

33 minutes ago, Varibraun said:

 

Yep...welcome aboard Mainz!  I have you signed up to challenge Hartmann - right now I don't think anyone is seriously pursuing him with all of the the other awards claimed except Johnson.  Will your "Ironman" be PWCG or Career mode?

 

Keep us up to date with how it goes and good luck!! 

 

It will be Career Mode.

[FTC_DerSheriff]

Entering The Johnnie Johnson Challenge!
 

 

Starting the Career in a  Spitfire MK 9. BoBP from "Day 1" 

[FTC_DerSheriff]

First two sorties went pretty well. Both sorties were ground support sorties which had the advantage of a ground radar.

First sortie returned one Fw 190.

 

The second returned five kills until i ran out of cannon ammo. Damaged another one. Some screenshots:

 

[Varibraun]

On 1/22/2022 at 10:32 AM, FTC_DerSheriff said:

Entering The Johnnie Johnson Challenge!
 

 

Starting the Career in a  Spitfire MK 9. BoBP from "Day 1" 

 

Honored to have you aboard to help close out this chapter Sherriff!  Got you signed up for Johnson and everyone who enters also goes into the Hartmann challenge automatically (now that would be quite the feat in less than a year left in war).  

 

Also, I really appreciate all you do for the community with Sim Shack, and attempting to chase down Johnnie is a nice corollary story going along with your new "How To" on the Spit IX:

 

[FTC_DerSheriff]

yeah thx, its more of a side challange, but I do record it. But not sure how much or if I publish any of it other than screenshots.

 

But I am up to ~13 Kills I believe. The last couple of missions were a bit slower with less enemies coming in. Every mission was a ground support mission so far. I come out of Le Culet and support Market Garden from the south, but I am not flying "up there". I get a somewhat predicable stream of Bomb loaden 190s and the occasional 109 escort,

[grcurmudgeon]

I've switched over to my Hartmann career after my last Johnson Attempt death. 109Fs in Moscow. Man do I miss the firepower of the Spit/Typhoon. As the junior pilot I keep getting the F2s. I'm at 4 kills in 5 missions so far. Managed to start an engine fire in a P-40 that tried to climb away from me but I managed to pull lead and get rounds in the engine, always nice when you see the flames erupt.

 

One thing I have noticed is that the Pe-2 gunners are definitely more of a problem than the Ju-88 gunners. Maybe it's because I'm having to get in closer and pump more rounds to get anything done (one short burst from the Hispanos could often catch an engine on fire) but I've had more damage done to my 109 in the 2 missions I've engaged Pe-2s than I think I had done to my Spit/Typhoon in all my combined Beurling / Johnson attempt Ju-88 engagements...

[FTC_DerSheriff]

Mr Jackson got now promoted to Pilot Officer and stands at 14 Kills. Mr Jackson is disstatisfied with his progress since the steady stream of very punctual germans died down over the last mission.

His squadron will now relocate to Grave (Way to the north up the "Highway". This will most likely yield lots of Action (and danger)

 

 

[FTC_DerSheriff]

 

 

The Take offs and landings at Grave are a little crazy

22 Kills now

[354th_Rails]

How many missions so far?

[FTC_DerSheriff]

9 minutes ago, QB.Rails said:

How many missions so far?

12 Missions

[354th_Rails]

If I throw my name in can I use my current RAF pilot career for BoBp?

[FTC_DerSheriff]

On 6/25/2021 at 11:55 PM, Varibraun said:

*First rewards won't be provided if you didn't post here that you were entering BEFORE you begin your chosen challenge category campaign. 

 

[ciderworm]

Victoria Cross. That's it. There is no more.

[FTC_DerSheriff]

The action at grave is just insane and I had to put back the frontline activity to "scattered" because the game kinda runs slow mo up there. 

 

I am up to 37 Kills. Its possible to break it next mission (which I will attempt in a minute) or botch it last second. ?

[FTC_DerSheriff]

 

However since I already have the Hurricane and FC1 I would like to give the rewards to someone else. Maybe the 2nd guy breaking Johnsons Score? If that is not an option I will do a giveaway  or so.

[Varibraun]

16 hours ago, FTC_DerSheriff said:

However since I already have the Hurricane and FC1 I would like to give the rewards to someone else. Maybe the 2nd guy breaking Johnsons Score? If that is not an option I will do a giveaway  or so.

 

Congrats @FTC_DerSheriff on chasing down Johnnie and closing out all of the aces except Hartmann!  I will send a little bonus your way since you already have those rewards as a thank you for finishing this up and all you do for the community.  Regarding FC1 and the Hurricane, at your request, we will keep those in play for the next one to best Johnson (including @Requiem's ongoing Coop effort).

 

A reminder too that Hartmann still stands without any serious challengers, so that reward remains in play.  If you want to take him on in your "spare time," based on your comments that the Career Mode was a little predictable regarding the opposition, you might want to try a PWCG campaign starting with Hartmann's squadron in 1942.  I find @PatrickAWlson's work there to be much more unpredictable in what you may encounter during your flights compared to Career.  If you decide to go that way...HORRIDO! and thanks for dropping in here 

[Requiem]

@Varibraun your ping reminded me to drop a coop video, cheers!

 

 

[grcurmudgeon]

My silly squadron leader got himself captured trying to Vulch some Migs that were landing...

Quote

On 13/10/1941 near Zenino.
A Bf 109 F-4 of II./JG52 was brought down by a anti aircraft gun.
Hptm Gunther Rall was made a prisoner of war

 

[Varibraun]

23 hours ago, Requiem said:

@Varibraun your ping reminded me to drop a coop video, cheers!

 

That chapter could be titled "Turkey Shoot of the 262 Flying School!"  So much fun that you guys had a hard time even staying out of each others way  

 

17 hours ago, grcurmudgeon said:

My silly squadron leader got himself captured trying to Vulch some Migs that were landing...

 

Sad day...Gunther Rall knew better!

[grcurmudgeon]

Gunther won't have long to wait though, I'm in a bad streak of being too aggressive with the 109 and having to restart careers. Got bounced by some LaGG-3s that I didn't notice until after I picked off the last Pe-2 and will have to start another one.

[Requiem]

4 hours ago, Varibraun said:

 

That chapter could be titled "Turkey Shoot of the 262 Flying School!"  So much fun that you guys had a hard time even staying out of each others way  

 

 

Sad day...Gunther Rall knew better!

Oh yeah...that's the problem flying with other humans. We all want to shoot something down so it definitely makes things difficult sometimes

[Varibraun]

The Luftwaffe throws the kitchen sink at the air bridgeheads (nearly killing the server too) and Warrant Officer Wood makes them pay as he closes the gap with JJ.  It sadly appears Wood may also may be minus one "Wing Leader" after the action.  Thanks @Requiem for another great video!

 

 

[Varibraun]

I have decided to pick up my old Uri "Ace of Aces" PWCG campaign to take a run at Hartmann.  My campaign is in August 1942, so I thought it would be interesting to switch sides and join II./JG52 with Uri's old nemesis Gunther Rall leading.  Hartmann should join the squadron in a couple months, so I can continue with him to end of the war (if he survives) for a head to head matchup.  My first pilot, Gerhardt Abel is off to a good start with 7 victories in 2 missions (running 3 to 1 in PWCG, so reflects 6 missions on the PWCG mission board).

 

This will be a marathon, so will only report in here if I hit any significant milestones.  If I miraculously best Hartmann, and no one else gets there first, I will donate the final "Ace of Aces" Reward to the community. 

 

Finally, just a comment that it was really interesting to be back in the 109F-4 in VR.  I have been flying mostly late war Allied aircraft for the past few months.  The 109 felt almost claustrophobically tight and I kept looking for my mirror to see behind that armor.  That said, it has been tearing apart Uri's old Soviet companions and their French allies.

 

   

[Panzerlang]

Hi guys, good to see this is still going strong.

As soon as the Normandy map has been released and Pat has incorporated it into his generator, Maj Steffner will be re-entering the fray with a posting to the West and an attempt to beat Hartmann's record. Hopefully he won't lose any thumbs (or worse). ?

Currently at 205 kills.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Hetzer-JG51

[Panzerlang]

In defiance of Fat Hermann's directive to fly a desk, Maj Steffner has got back into the fight and over the course of a couple of long weeks has added another 19 victories to his flugbuch, bringing the total to 224.

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Hetzer-JG51

[Panzerlang]

?

Berlin regrets to announce...yeah yeah, sad matters.

Maj Ulrich Steffner, with 228 air combat victories, has eaten the big one. In a standard intercept with ground obs/radar he, with five comrades, got into a big scrap with multiple La5s over a friendly airbase and seconds after sending one down was hit by an unseen attacker (or possibly friendly flak) and was seen to go straight down into the ground.
There was not much left of his body but the Diamonds were recovered intact. 

 

[oc2209]

1 hour ago, Hetzer-JG51 said:

Maj Ulrich Steffner, with 228 air combat victories, has eaten the big one.
 

 

If it's any consolation, you probably got closer than anyone else will.

 

Like, into perpetuity.

 

My ironman career is still active, but I've let it collect dust at around 60 kills. I can't quite get back into the groove of doing regular career sorties for a while. It tends to be mentally exhausting for me.

[Panzerlang]

4 minutes ago, oc2209 said:

 

If it's any consolation, you probably got closer than anyone else will.

 

Like, into perpetuity.

 

My ironman career is still active, but I've let it collect dust at around 60 kills. I can't quite get back into the groove of doing regular career sorties for a while. It tends to be mentally exhausting for me.

Yeah, for me it became a bit like a job. Not exhausting exactly, more like a tad mundane. Until I got splattered all over the cockpit. I was highly motivated while I was going for the Diamonds but once I got them and there were no more goodies inbound I became a bit skivey. ?

Next career, the Duck I think. If I survive ten sorties I'll treat myself to champers.

[oc2209]

1 hour ago, Hetzer-JG51 said:

 I was highly motivated while I was going for the Diamonds but once I got them and there were no more goodies inbound I became a bit skivey. 

 

I think the Germans knew what they were doing when they made the thoroughly addictive points system for the Knight's Cross and subsequent additions.

 

It was video-gamey before video games. It's the same psychological incentivizing technique that trophies serve in gaming. Must... complete... them all!

 

When you're flying for the US or the RAF, you can get enough kills in one sortie to warrant a Vickie Cross or a Medal of Honor. After that, 50+ kills later, and you just keep getting bars added to medals you already earned. Your reaction invariably becomes: 'Oh. A third bar to my DFC. Great.'

 

The Russians just keep giving you the same damn medals over and over again, not even using the bar system.

 

Whereas the Germans sadistically keep you wanting more. Get 8 kills in a sortie? Whatever. Germans don't care. You need to get hundreds of kills to get the good stuff. Anything less than that, and you're an abject failure. The Knight's Cross went from being the be-all-end-all to a mere stepping stone to the real awards. It looks sad and naked without swords and leaves.

 

Even though there's no historical reason to do so, I kind of wish the game would give us Rudel's gold+diamonds+swords+oak leaves, for, say, the 400 kill milestone. Or maybe even 500 kills.