"Ace of Aces" - WWII Challenge!

[justin_z3r0]

41 minutes ago, justin_z3r0 said:

8 missions in and Jean-Pierre finally got his 5th kill.

And on the 9th mission he was brought down by AA Near Krymskaya while surveying for aircraft at that airfield. The hit stopped the engine immediately. HIs wingman said he tried to glide to friendly lines but simply couldn't make. He is presumed killed or captured. Or Maybe both. 

He should have avoided that airfield.

 

(even with AA set to low - They are still fierce!)

[PatrickAWlson]

2 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

And on the 9th mission he was brought down by AA Near Krymskaya while surveying for aircraft at that airfield. The hit stopped the engine immediately. HIs wingman said he tried to glide to friendly lines but simply couldn't make. He is presumed killed or captured. Or Maybe both. 

He should have avoided that airfield.

 

(even with AA set to low - They are still fierce!)

 

I just dropped my campaigns to low.  Since the code change that has made them deadly accurate again it is IMHO impossible to survive and kind of ground attack career for very long with AA allover the place.

[justin_z3r0]

5 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

And on the 9th mission he was brought down by AA Near Krymskaya while surveying for aircraft at that airfield. The hit stopped the engine immediately. HIs wingman said he tried to glide to friendly lines but simply couldn't make. He is presumed killed or captured. Or Maybe both. 

He should have avoided that airfield.

 

(even with AA set to low - They are still fierce!)

Rene Leblanc will pick up the Torch 10/4/1943 At Kalinino

[Varibraun]

20 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

He should have avoided that airfield.

 

17 hours ago, PatrickAWlson said:

I just dropped my campaigns to low.

 

Thank you both, that is good practical and campaign advice for this Challenge.  As noted, since that patch AA has been deadly, so I think turning down the density amount is still pretty realistic.

 

@justin_z3r0 - I am glad to see Rene continuing forward despite the glitch with joining the squadron.  If we don't get a challenger for Kozhedub soon, I may personally take up defense of the Motherland soon too.

[justin_z3r0]

18 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

Rene Leblanc will pick up the Torch 10/4/1943 At Kalinino

4 missions in and Rene is having greater fortunes. He has 7 kills already. 3 of them owing to an unescorted Hs129 flight. Easy pickings.

The FW190s sure give a fight though. Had to run from one below the treeline down a road. He could have caught up, but luckily he disengaged about 5km from home field (Kalinino). The front has now advanced in our favour, and we are moving to Holmskaya.

[justin_z3r0]

5 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

4 missions in and Rene is having greater fortunes. He has 7 kills already. 3 of them owing to an unescorted Hs129 flight. Easy pickings.

The FW190s sure give a fight though. Had to run from one below the treeline down a road. He could have caught up, but luckily he disengaged about 5km from home field (Kalinino). The front has now advanced in our favour, and we are moving to Holmskaya.

5 Mission - got a 109 that was seemingly sleeping - his wingman saw us and peeled off. but Rene got the sleeper. 2-3 190s were in close proximity. One down but got all shot up in the process - rad leak and left wing fuel leak. The Yak was still flying well though - so Rene turned back to the skirmish for more (greed). got tangled up with another 190 while his wingman dealt with the second. Shot him up gool but... accidentally rammed the 190 - losing a wing in the process. successful bailout - but right on the front lines. Luckily he escaped to the nearest field to fly another day. Lesson learned - Dont Get Greedy!

 

5 missions - 10 kills 4/23/1943

[Eisenfaustus]

22nd of january Ltn Hans von Wolfenstein reports back to Maj Armin Wahl at Bonn Hangelar. Only 23 days he spend at a field hospital - yet the I./JG27 was in heavy combat at took losses 3:1 - 2/3 of the comrades he knew are gone...

Accordingly Wahl is very happy to recieve his units top scorer back. Gladly he hands him his wound badge and the knight's cross. He also had saved the bottle of Mosel whine an infantry batallion commander had sent the unit after the events of 30th of december. Wahl obviously has a bad concience...

On 30th of december Wahl was leading a four ship flight with Wolfenstein among them. During the patrol von Wolfenstein saw to the right a squadron of thunderbolts strafing infantry positions north of Monschau. Wolfenstein tries to call out the enemy but his radio doesn't seem to work and all tries to make himself clear by sign fail. So he decides to go in alone. He attacks and a knive fight erupts. Truning, roling, diving, doing it again. He manages to shoot five thunderbolts before one thunderbolt manages to land a snapshot, wounding von Wolfenstein with several splinter cuts. Bleeding heavily he breaks of the fight, kicks in MW50 and races east on tree top level with at least three anry Americans in hot pursuit. That ends the aireal attack on that infantry batallion for this day. Yet after roughly five minutes the thunderbolts realize they afre not gaining on the Dora so low and break of the chase. Yet reading the instruments gets harder and harder for Hans - and when he tries to land doesn't notice one wheel doesn't come out. But when the ground crew pull the pilot out of the crashlanded wreck he is still breathing and brought to a field hospital.

Later that evening when he opens the bottle of whine with his comrades they tell him about the desaster that was Bodenplatte. He realizes the wound may have saved his life...

[Lusekofte]

On 7/17/2021 at 11:47 PM, PatrickAWlson said:

 

I just dropped my campaigns to low.  Since the code change that has made them deadly accurate again it is IMHO impossible to survive and kind of ground attack career for very long with AA allover the place.

Ye my entire squad was massacred wile I was gone by AAA in coop using your generator, and when I was ready to fly again I was leader. It is a shame

[justin_z3r0]

On 7/18/2021 at 9:45 PM, justin_z3r0 said:

5 Mission - got a 109 that was seemingly sleeping - his wingman saw us and peeled off. but Rene got the sleeper. 2-3 190s were in close proximity. One down but got all shot up in the process - rad leak and left wing fuel leak. The Yak was still flying well though - so Rene turned back to the skirmish for more (greed). got tangled up with another 190 while his wingman dealt with the second. Shot him up gool but... accidentally rammed the 190 - losing a wing in the process. successful bailout - but right on the front lines. Luckily he escaped to the nearest field to fly another day. Lesson learned - Dont Get Greedy!

 

5 missions - 10 kills 4/23/1943

7 missions - 13 kills 5/10/1943 (took short leave after that bail out to simulate injury / discipline)

[justin_z3r0]

23 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

7 missions - 13 kills 5/10/1943 (took short leave after that bail out to simulate injury / discipline)

And one more flight in tonight - Another lesson learned - check your six - even if you think your in a one on one fight.

Shot down a 190 while it was doing a hammer head - 1 burst to the belly did it - Pilot mustve been killed as it fluttered to the ground with seemingly no control input.

Then proceeded onto the tail of a 109 - blew his vertical stabilizer off with one lucky burst - It fell to the ground sort of like a leaf - I'm thinking - "Wow things are going well tonight"

With Plenty of Ammo left - A 109 swooped in from 11 oclock high and got some small caliber hits into the tail - still flying well though so proceeded into a climbing circle chase on his tail - too far for effective shots though (and probably not a great idea in a Yak 1B - but you know "one more potential kill"). Eventually he gave up his advantage and I got in close - a burst to the fuselage - fuel leak and I have the advantage - I'm pretty sure its just me and him so I stay locked to him to try to finish him off - he forces me to overshoot and manages to get guns on me - wing hit - but I'm still flying - Turn it around and back on his tail - One last burst - Hits - Yes! Then BANG all over my aircraft - vision blurry - Quick - Turn towards Friendly lines and leave in a shallow dive. I never saw the bugger who got me. Luckily he didn't pursue. Managed to land the crippled bird at Abinskaya - That was too close! The engine barely made it - Fuel Getting low.

But as luck would have it - My wingman saw the 109 I was attacking do down. Too bad he didnt see the other one that shot me up. But we live to fly again.

That makes 3 kills this eveneing - 1x 190 and 2 x 109

 

Total 8 missions - 16 kills (PWCG didnt recognized the injuries so I took a 15 day leave to simulate some hospital time)

Perhaps we will get those New Yak 9 s1s we've been hearing about

[Panzerlang]

Ah, the elusive oak leaves, where art thou? Promoted to Hauptmann though and a pretty little bauble for reaching 80 kills.

Last sortie, 4 A20s and 2 Migs. I was returning to garden fence with a few cannon rounds left after the first Mig when another flew in front of me, heading for a flight of our He111s. He led me a bit of a chase but I finally brought him down for my 81st victory.
 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Hetzer-JG51

[Varibraun]

16 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

Total 8 missions - 16 kills

 

10 hours ago, Hetzer-JG51 said:

a pretty little bauble for reaching 80 kills.

 

You are both closing in on your chosen Rivals - now just don't get complacent or over eager as you close the gap (the lesson of Tom McGuire ).

 

On 7/19/2021 at 6:41 PM, Eisenfaustus said:

He manages to shoot five thunderbolts before one thunderbolt manages to land a snapshot,

Another great narrative and mission - just glad it wasn't a Tempest landing a snapshot!  Hans is flying in real meatgrinder territory up there.

[Eisenfaustus]

Hans did it - he beat Werner Mölders!

 

I'll gladly add a little narrative tomorrow - however it's 3 a.m. and I'll go to bed now ^^

[Varibraun]

3 minutes ago, Eisenfaustus said:

Hans did it - he beat Werner Mölders!

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!  Awesome work @Eisenfaustus, that was the second hardest challenge, especially on the Western Front.  Plus, you are almost 1/3 of the way to Hartmann (maybe a bit tough before the end of the war, but I have faith in Hans).  Please post your other screenshots from #5 in the OP when you are up and around tomorrow and I will get the BoN out to you. 

 

I look forward to another interesting narrative too! 

[Eisenfaustus]

Shortly after returning from the hospital Hans had been promoted to Oberleutnant, Staffelkapitän of the 2./JG27 and deputy Gruppenkommandeur. On 6th of february he swallowed hard, when the 2./- recieved it's orders: Free hunt over hostile territory. The days before during defensive patrols they had sometimes managed to engage Allied fighters in numerical parity only to be bounced by allied reinford´cements thereafter. After the last three aerial combats he always brought home battle damage. How would this evolve over hostile territory?

When he gathers his aviators for the mission briefing he looks into the faithful eyes of the young soldiers who look up to him for leadership. While they are barely younger then him and have spend sometimes even more time on the frontline they have learned to rely on his calm and competent leadership. He hides his fear and the four remaining Doras in his Staffel clear for combat take off more confident then their Kapitän actually feels. They enter allied air space at 5500m above light cloud cover. 10 O'Clock low - 4 Thunderbolts on course to the east. He manouvers his flight into a 6 O'clock high positions and attacks in a shallow dive. But the Americans have seen the bandits, break and the dogfight ensues. At these hights the thunderbolts aren't  the sluggish beasts anymore they are when cought on the deck and Hans flightmembers have trouble to enforce gun solutions. In exausting anglefighting Hans manages to shoot down three Indianer when suddenly Oberfeldwebel Gutenberg shouts out he is wounded. Why? The fight was already won wasn't it? A quick glance - three twinforked devils! How many more are they? Already are tracers engulfing his his dora and he frantically starts defensive manouvering. A presses out a short command to his flight to disengage und rtb. One of the P-38s overshoots - a snap shot cripples the fighter. Pulling lead hard he gets in a serious burst in sending the twin engined aircraft down in flames. Yet almost blacked out after the shot he knows he hast to break off the fight as well or he will be shot down over enemy territory. He hopes to have bought enough time for the Staffel to gain distance. A steep dive withe M/W50 enabled only recovered by trim imput sends him to the deck where he races home at tree top level. The P38s shouldn't be able to follow his trusted Dora in this maneuvere. After landing he checks his plane - not a single bullet whole. But OFw Gutenberg hasn't returned...

In the evening though the Gruppe is called a Flak commander, telling the OFw was rescued from his crashlanded Dora. They had sent him to a field hospital - while his right leg is severely mauled there seems to be no immidate danger of death anymore. The Kriegsglück was in their favor this day.

The next day the Gruppe was moved to a new airfield near Krefeld - in close Neighbourhood to Gallands JV 44. 

That day he meets Oberst Steinhoff of that very same unit. Hans' success against a superior enemy haven't been unnoticed and he is asked to join this prestigious unit. But he reclines - he sees his duty with the soldiers of the 2./JG27. He will stay with them till the bitter end...

[Varibraun]

20 minutes ago, Eisenfaustus said:

That day he meets Oberst Steinhoff of that very same unit. Hans' success against a superior enemy haven't been unnoticed and he is asked to join this prestigious unit. But he reclines - he sees his duty with the soldiers of the 2./JG27. He will stay with them till the bitter end...

 

Really nice work on the campaigns and narratives along the way @Eisenfaustus, I hope others have enjoyed following the story as much as I have.  Check your PM, you should soon be displaying the BoN tag in honor of Hans' work here.  He now has almost 3 months against overwhelming odds to bring glory to the western front pilots by besting THE Ace of Aces...good luck!!

Edited July 24, 2021 by Varibraun

[Eisenfaustus]

48 minutes ago, Varibraun said:

 

Really nice work on the campaigns and narratives along the way @Eisenfaustus, I hope others have enjoyed following the story as much as I have.  Check your PM, you should soon be displaying the BoN tag in honor of Hans' work here.  He now has almost 3 months against overwhelming odds to bring glory to the western front pilots by besting THE Ace of Aces...good luck!!

I received your gift - thank you very much! Can‘t wait to give that mk XIV a spin!

And I also thank you for this incentive to play the game a little differently. These last campaigns felt very intense!

Beating Hartmann will be hard for Hans, but I‘ve grown quite fond of him and will continue his story. 
But at a slower pace now - my wife is already annoyed enough by my increased gaming time ?

 

[grcurmudgeon]

After a break for a trip to Florida for a soccer camp and Disney, Szt Litvyak Attempt is back at it. As others have noted, getting kills in the Yak-1 is very difficult with the limited 20mm ammo. My flight leader and I just took on a flight of 5 Ju-88s, both of us picking on 2, maybe a 3rd. He got credit for one kill. I left one with an engine smoking, leaking oil, and a couple of fuel leaks, but it would not go down. 10 missions, still stuck on 3 kills (a pair of 110s in one flight thanks to engine fires, and a lucky hit on a 109).

[grcurmudgeon]

And then on her very next mission Szt Litvyak Attempt and her two flightmates finds a pair of apparently novice Mc.202 pilots. While the other 2 flightmembers take on one, Litvyak saddles up behind the other and gets a burst in the cockpit, taking it out of the fight. Somehow the other two members of the flight get dinged up enough (or run out of ammo?) to head for home, but Szt Attempt easily gets on the six of the remaining 202 and also gets another pilot kill. She takes a couple of passes on the flight lead of the He-111 flight they were escorting and gets some engine damage in before running out of ammo and heading for home, making ace in her 11th mission.

[Varibraun]

4 hours ago, Eisenfaustus said:

I received your gift - thank you very much! Can‘t wait to give that mk XIV a spin!

And I also thank you for this incentive to play the game a little differently. These last campaigns felt very intense!

Beating Hartmann will be hard for Hans, but I‘ve grown quite fond of him and will continue his story. 
But at a slower pace now - my wife is already annoyed enough by my increased gaming time ?

 

Certainly...you and Hans earned it!  Sounds like Mrs. Eisenfaustus also deserves part of the credit, so maybe like Maj Wahl, you seeing that she gets a nice bottle of Mosel wine will put some credit where credit is due for her contribution to the "war effort."  Speaking of drinks, I just sent Pat another "beer" for his contribution too.

 

On 7/23/2021 at 3:11 AM, Hetzer-JG51 said:

I finally brought him down for my 81st victory.

 

My guess is that this was another really close one Hetzer.  I wouldn't be surprised if Ulrich's success on the Eastern Front starts to rival some of the other greats soon with your fast start.

 

2 hours ago, grcurmudgeon said:

After a break for a trip to Florida for a soccer camp and Disney, Szt Litvyak Attempt is back at it.

 

Glad to see her back in the cockpit after some R&R (actually probably not much of the first "R") and scoring Ace status today!

[justin_z3r0]

On 7/22/2021 at 9:50 PM, justin_z3r0 said:

Total 8 missions - 16 kills (PWCG didnt recognized the injuries so I took a 15 day leave to simulate some hospital time)

Perhaps we will get those New Yak 9 s1s we've been hearing about

2 more missions in and 4 more kills. 2 x 109s and 2 x 190s. Made the mistake of getting between a 109 and a hurricane armed with cannons on mission 9 - BIG holes in the wing - Lucky that was all it did...

 

Total 10 missions - 20 kills. Rene is now a primary target for the Luftwaffe. He will be made an example of if caught. He is being sent for some time off and to spark up morale for other prospective pilots in the rear. He will return in July 43.

[Jason_Williams]

Fun thread to read on vacation. Keep it up guys!

 

Jason

[justin_z3r0]

41 minutes ago, justin_z3r0 said:

2 more missions in and 4 more kills. 2 x 109s and 2 x 190s. Made the mistake of getting between a 109 and a hurricane armed with cannons on mission 9 - BIG holes in the wing - Lucky that was all it did...

 

Total 10 missions - 20 kills. Rene is now a primary target for the Luftwaffe. He will be made an example of if caught. He is being sent for some time off and to spark up morale for other prospective pilots in the rear. He will return in July 43.

Almost!!

Rene went up for one more sortie this afternoon. We jumped a flight of low flying 190s. They must've been rookies as they engaged us in a low level dogfight. Rene was able to take 3 of them out. The 4th followed a wingman back to Abinskaya where Rene tried to defend him - Luckily - the airfields AA gunners dispatched him easily tearing a wing off. Strange engagement.

 

Total - 11 missions - 23 kills 

[grcurmudgeon]

Mission #12 was the unlucky one for Szt Litvyak Attempt. It was the first spring sortie at the beginning of April 1942 over Stalingrad, still some wind but no snowstorm or fog for once. A 3-ship flight was sent to escort some il-2s, and at the rendezvous point ran into a pair of 109s. As the fight began, some 110s joined the party. Both 110s came for Litvyak, who got some licks into the right engine of one before the second landed shots of its own. Litvyak tried to dive away, but the plane was not rolling right very well, and she could not pull out of the dive. 12 missions, 5 kills, 1 lawn dart.

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt II will replace her in the 273rd Fighter Air Regiment west of Stalingrad.

[Monksilver]

Maredudd ab Einon has a long way to catch Hartman but is going as fast as he can

 

[justin_z3r0]

7 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

Almost!!

Rene went up for one more sortie this afternoon. We jumped a flight of low flying 190s. They must've been rookies as they engaged us in a low level dogfight. Rene was able to take 3 of them out. The 4th followed a wingman back to Abinskaya where Rene tried to defend him - Luckily - the airfields AA gunners dispatched him easily tearing a wing off. Strange engagement.

 

Total - 11 missions - 23 kills 

On the 12 mission - Rene was able to best Marcel Albert.

 

12 missions - 26 kills. 28/07/1943

 

Rene was able to down 3 more 109s on his last sortie. These were more proficeint pilots this time though. But with Baboud on his wing, they was able to prevail.

Unfortunately, their Kaptain; Kap Charles Astruc was lost behind enemy lines. Rene should have stayed closer to him - Maybe he could have saved him.

 

The Yak 1b was difficult to master at first. With limited fire power and ammo your marksmanship really needs to evolve. Especially when you are used to more heavily armed western aircraft. But - The Yaks are wonderful to fly - have fairly predictable stall characteristics - and very agile. The 1B has great visibility. And the engine is strong. You almost have to try to damage it with poor engine management. I think these 15 or so missions (including my first attempted pilot) have improved my marksmanship and given me a better feel of how to pull of deflection shots as they are needed in this aircraft in my opinion. shooting from dead 6 does not seem to be very effective.

 

Thanks @Varibraun for Organizing this! It was fun getting into and reading about the Normandie Niemen and their contributions.

I may start up a Canadian campaign to take on Beurling - (but more for fun since I already own the spit Vb) - I love flying the MkIX

 

And Thank you @PatrickAWlson for such an excellent campaign generator! I'll send a beer your way as well. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, justin_z3r0 said:

On the 12 mission - Rene was able to best Marcel Albert.

 

 

 

 

A couple screen shots form the last fight.

24th Kill:

 

Flight back to Holmskaya:

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by justin_z3r0

[Varibraun]

14 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

On the 12 mission - Rene was able to best Marcel Albert.

 

Well done @justin_z3r0!!  Check you PM for delivery...with the Yak-9T and your improved marksmanship, maybe Hartmann now has a new French rival.  Also, thanks to Pat (another thank you "Beer" headed his way), if Rene can keep scoring in the East with that new big cannon, he can then transfer to a Free French Squadron in 9/44 and you can put a Spitfire in his hands there. 

 

But just post if you decide to take on Beurling instead, and you can donate or gift the VB if you best him too.  Keep the narratives coming too!

 

21 hours ago, Jason_Williams said:

Fun thread to read on vacation. Keep it up guys!

 

Thank you Jason for cheering everyone on!  However, I now think you need to go on "vacation" somewhere without internet.

 

As always, we appreciate everything you, @Han, @AnPetrovich, @BlackSix, @-DED-Rapidus the entire Dev Team, and @PatrickAWlson keep doing to make something like this challenge possible.  I think the recent AI work is really reflected in the number of "deceased" virtual challengers along the way and in the time it has taken for some very good SP pilots to achieve these goals.  So, I will echo your "Keep it up guys!    

[grcurmudgeon]

On her 7th mission, Szt Litvyak Attempt II got her second kill after a very nice duel with a skilled 109-F4 pilot. Lots of juking and jinking and course reversals that descended to the deck, with Litvyak getting a few hits in. Fatigue started to set in, so Litvyak attempted to extend. The 109, seeing an advantage, tried to saddle up but the ground got in the way.

 

Still having ammo, Litvyak went after another 109 that was chasing a flightmate back to the airfield. A few more hits, but nothing serious. On the second head-on pass the 109 made after using its speed to extend, Szt Litvyak Attempt II took a round that knocked her unconscious, and she did not wake up before her plane crashed. 

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt III will now take her spot in the 273rd Fighter Air Regiment.

[Varibraun]

4 minutes ago, grcurmudgeon said:

On the second head-on pass the 109 made after using its speed to extend, Szt Litvyak Attempt II took a round that knocked her unconscious, and she did not wake up before her plane crashed. 

 

I just saw a Youtube clip with Bud Anderson mentioning his "dislike" for the head-on pass against the 109.  Good luck to Litvyak III...the Night Witches need that U-2!

[justin_z3r0]

Rene Leblanc went up to fend off an incoming air raid in his new Yak 9T. He managed to take a stuka down - but it exploded from the 37mm hit. Debris mangled his prop - Luckily he was close to Abinskaya and had plenty of altitude to glide down. But not before trying to take out one more stuka with the remaining 37mm ammo - no such luck though. Abinskaya had recently been bombed and had many fires to put out - Hopefully then can replace the damaged prop and check the engine. He needs to get back to Holmskaya.

Unfortunately Xavier Baboud was critically injured and has been sent to hospital for an extended stay... Sad day for the squad.

 

Abinskaya - on fire - Yak 9t - Damaged prop

 

 

[Monksilver]

On his 7th mission Maredudd ab Einon got a nice shot off on a Fw190 to get kill 34, but his victim's aileron came off and struck his prop, some how it also smashed his elevator controls putting his Tempest into a high speed dive and he couldn't even bail out. 

 

Bleddyn ap Cynfyn's turn to answer the call.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Monksilver

[Duce_de_Zoop]

On 7/17/2021 at 5:47 PM, PatrickAWlson said:

 

I just dropped my campaigns to low.  Since the code change that has made them deadly accurate again it is IMHO impossible to survive and kind of ground attack career for very long with AA allover the place.

 

What frustates me is when dropped to 'low', AA is often centered around secondary/tertiary targets, whereas your main mission objective (a bridge, an airfield, a trainyard) is very lightly or not at all defended.

 

I've just come to terms with leaving it at medium and figuring hey, Soviet attack pilots lasted what, a week or two? Since Bf-109s rarely bother chasing me, AA really ups the ante and makes each mission uncertain.

 

Anyway, I'm gonna try this out! My new monitor arrives in a couple days so I can finally install headtracking. still don't got a pedal but... it is what it is right?

 

I think, since I'm dogshit at engine management, I'll try:  Rival: Litvyak (Female Ace of Aces). If I can make it to fivekills thats an achievement for me ? 

[Varibraun]

2 hours ago, Duce_de_Zoop said:

I'll try:  Rival: Litvyak (Female Ace of Aces). If I can make it to fivekills thats an achievement for me ? 

 

Welcome to the fight @Duce_de_Zoop!  Remember to create a female pilot name and profile picture to challenge Lydia.  Happy hunting and congrats on the new monitor too!

[grcurmudgeon]

Finally managed to kill a Stuka last night, and by "kill" I mean "did enough damage and dogged him enough to get him to ditch on our side of the lines giving me credit". I had another Stuka in an earlier flight take my entire ammo load, leaking fuel from the fuselage and both wings, trailing white smoke, and keep dogfighting me until I was out of ammo and had to turn for home. I had a 2:1 kills-per-mission ratio in the 109, and am at 1:3 or so flying the Yak 1 series 69...

[justin_z3r0]

1 hour ago, grcurmudgeon said:

Finally managed to kill a Stuka last night, and by "kill" I mean "did enough damage and dogged him enough to get him to ditch on our side of the lines giving me credit". I had another Stuka in an earlier flight take my entire ammo load, leaking fuel from the fuselage and both wings, trailing white smoke, and keep dogfighting me until I was out of ammo and had to turn for home. I had a 2:1 kills-per-mission ratio in the 109, and am at 1:3 or so flying the Yak 1 series 69...

Its certainly a challenge in the Yaks! 

If possible - May I suggest taking leave for a bit to a point where your squadron can get the Yak 1B? Its a little more agile, a little faster, and has a single 12.7mm gun in the cowl rather thank the weaker 7.62mm in the Yak 1s69. The 12.7mm helps to set fires I find. Visibility is much improved as well. 

Would this still satisfy the Rules @Varibraun?

[grcurmudgeon]

Where's the fun in that?

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt III's 6th mission was a transport free hunt mission behind enemy lines. The escorting P-40s went haring off after some He-111s to the north while we headed for the target. Made my pass, and started back east while my flightmates took theirs. Ran across a pair of 202s with one of the P-40s and engaged. Got on the tale of one, got one snapshot into him. The rest of both flights joined up, so now it's 3 Yak 1s and 3 P-40s against a pair of 202s. Sure enough, while I'm following mine around, one of the other planes (I believe a P-40) comes roaring up from below getting their snapshot off and plows right into Szt Attempt's plane. Can't control it, can't bail out, once again exploding against the earth. 6 missions, 2 kills, collision with a friendly.

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt IV is now joining the Stalingrad front.

[Varibraun]

2 hours ago, justin_z3r0 said:

Would this still satisfy the Rules @Varibraun?

 

There are no rules about aircraft selection, just that it be a strict "dead is dead" Ironman campaign, so that would be fine.  However, reading above, it appears that @grcurmudgeon is a purist and wants to best Lydia flying her own Yak.  Good luck to IV!

[oc2209]

3 hours ago, grcurmudgeon said:

Finally managed to kill a Stuka last night, and by "kill" I mean "did enough damage and dogged him enough to get him to ditch on our side of the lines giving me credit". I had another Stuka in an earlier flight take my entire ammo load, leaking fuel from the fuselage and both wings, trailing white smoke, and keep dogfighting me until I was out of ammo and had to turn for home. I had a 2:1 kills-per-mission ratio in the 109, and am at 1:3 or so flying the Yak 1 series 69...

 

Yeah, the original Yak-1 is hard to love. Mainly because of the non-existent rear view and the lack of a 12.7mm. Just a single 12.7mm with the usual 200 rounds should almost guarantee you 1 kill per sortie, provided you're a decent shot and not absurdly unlucky. 120 rounds of 20mm is less of a guaranteed kill. From personal experience, I find the 12.7mm is easier to aim from deflection than the 20mm; trying to use the latter outside of point-blank attacks is generally a waste of ammo. The explosive power of the Russian 20mm HE seems negligible (in fuselage strikes, anyway), which means its primary killing power is in the AP, and running those through either the pilot or engine. Against a large target like the Stuka, this is doubly true.

 

The only way to get kills with the 7mm guns is to hit the pilot and/or engine from high deflection (in the engine's case, from any direction; in the pilot's case, only from above or to the sides). Using 7mm from directly behind your target, even at point-blank range, will generally accomplish nothing.

[Duce_de_Zoop]

1 hour ago, grcurmudgeon said:

Where's the fun in that?

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt III's 6th mission was a transport free hunt mission behind enemy lines. The escorting P-40s went haring off after some He-111s to the north while we headed for the target. Made my pass, and started back east while my flightmates took theirs. Ran across a pair of 202s with one of the P-40s and engaged. Got on the tale of one, got one snapshot into him. The rest of both flights joined up, so now it's 3 Yak 1s and 3 P-40s against a pair of 202s. Sure enough, while I'm following mine around, one of the other planes (I believe a P-40) comes roaring up from below getting their snapshot off and plows right into Szt Attempt's plane. Can't control it, can't bail out, once again exploding against the earth. 6 missions, 2 kills, collision with a friendly.

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt IV is now joining the Stalingrad front.

 

What a way to go

[justin_z3r0]

3 hours ago, grcurmudgeon said:

Where's the fun in that?

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt III's 6th mission was a transport free hunt mission behind enemy lines. The escorting P-40s went haring off after some He-111s to the north while we headed for the target. Made my pass, and started back east while my flightmates took theirs. Ran across a pair of 202s with one of the P-40s and engaged. Got on the tale of one, got one snapshot into him. The rest of both flights joined up, so now it's 3 Yak 1s and 3 P-40s against a pair of 202s. Sure enough, while I'm following mine around, one of the other planes (I believe a P-40) comes roaring up from below getting their snapshot off and plows right into Szt Attempt's plane. Can't control it, can't bail out, once again exploding against the earth. 6 missions, 2 kills, collision with a friendly.

 

Szt Litvyak Attempt IV is now joining the Stalingrad front.

Fair enough - best of luck to IV