DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Target for Tonight
HTML https://targetfortonight.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: New Board
*****************************************************
#Post#: 204--------------------------------------------------
Late War Sept 44 to March 45
DIR By: Glenn Saunders
Date: June 21, 2020, 6:18 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
"Night Madness, a rear gunners story ...."
So it starts late ...Sept 44 and ends in March 45.
He flys 35 missions because at 25 with 5 to go they changed the
rules like in Catch 22.
Starts in the Halifax but converts to the Lancaster halfway
through the tour.
Does not say anything about the aircraft or his preference but
there is a reference to another Halifax going down and more guys
getting out because of the escape hatches.
He flys one makeup mission. With another crew but this one in
the Mid Upper position
But here is the real kicker ....in 35 missions he fired his tail
guns twice and I mean once on two missions, one burst each, 250
rounds and 200 rounds respectively. And on the second one the
guns jammed.
Flak damage was not reported on a mission by mission basis.
Dreaded flying anywhere near the Ruhr due to heavier flak than
portrayed in the game.
Almost collided with another bomber once.
Was coned by lights once and dove out of it, rather more
drastically then perhaps they should have.
Ran low in fuel and landed on fums once ...the flight eng
discovered the issue almost when they were over the target. Once
ran into wicked head winds
Lost the hydraulics to the turret once.
Had a 500 lb bomb hang up once.
Was almost bombed by another higher aircraft once, and saw
another bomber hit by a bomb.
No crew members injuried.
No mention of the aircraft using or dropping Window, although
lots of mention of Gee and H2S
And yet the authors father, who the book is about, developed
ptsd in 1968 attributed to the participation in the Dresden Raid
Feb 14, 1945.
In summary, while I can appreciate it was nerve wracking and am
not belittling the man's service in anyway ....from a game point
of view it would be a pretty boring campaign
#Post#: 205--------------------------------------------------
Re: Late War Sept 44 to March 45
DIR By: Airborne
Date: June 21, 2020, 7:51 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I replied to email.
#Post#: 206--------------------------------------------------
Re: Late War Sept 44 to March 45
DIR By: Flying Dutchman
Date: June 23, 2020, 3:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
"In summary, while I can appreciate it was nerve wracking and am
not belittling the man's service in anyway ....from a game point
of view it would be a pretty boring campaign"
Yes...
By september 44 Market Garden/Arnhem was in full swing, meaning
that the territory lost on the continent (France, Belgium &
southern Holland) made for a huge gap in the once uninterrupted
radar chains.
Furthermore, the strategic bombing of oil targets kept training
and operations of the NF ever more restricted. The final
downward spiral of the third reich began.
Reading Simons ebook on the Flak versus the bombers, the flak
was now the greatest danger. The previous ratio (roughly) of 2:1
NF:Flak kills shifted heavily in favor of flak kills, while the
absolute number of kills dropped significant.
The ernormous increase in flak barrels (and calibre shift from
88mm to 105mm and above) could not prevent that, also hamstinged
by a drop in the quality of trained flak personnel (kids 15-17
years, unfit and old people)
Eventough from EW perspective it reached a zenith late war which
may make this period interesting, I prefer the more desparate
times of 1943-pre june 1944.
The time of horrendous attrition also makes for a more
"interesting" game to simulate.(kindoff)
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 1