Dealn Dave Mission - Feb 18th

[DealnDave]

S! All

Here is the info on the next VF-17 "Jolly Rogers" mission....

"Carrier Ahoy"

On the afternoon of January 30th, ComAirSols got word of a Jap carrier near Bougainville.  AirSols scrambled every available fighter, SBD, and TBF to go after it. VF-17 sent up a two sections to cover the strike group.  The  enemy carrier was sighted by coast watchers reporting her to be moving south through the slot east of Bougainville and west of Choiseul steaming at a high rate of speed.

VF-17 found the enemy carrier group to be well protected by both carrier and land based fighters.  Blackburn ordered the "Jolly Rogers" to break up the fighters allowing the strike group to attack the enemy ships.  A large furball ensued.  The attack by the "Jolly Rogers" allowed the SBD's and TBF's to make their runs unmolested.  However, the enemy naval flak was brutal.  Two, SBD's and two, TBF's were lost during their attack runs.  Two other planes were heavily damaged and needed to land on the support airstrip on Vella Lavella.  All other aircraft were able to return to Ondonga.

VF-17 had 10 confirmed kills during the mission.  Kepford got 2, Davenport got 2, and Chenoweth 1. However the "Jolly Rogers" lost one pilot, a second ditched and was recovered.

The Mission:

VF-17 (Corsairs) are to provide cover for the carrier strike group.  Combat cruise altitude is 4500m.

SBD's are armed with 2x500 lbs bombs. The SBD's are to attack crusiers and destroyers escourting the enemy carrier.  Combat cruise altitude is 3500m.  You are to attack using the dive bomb meathod.

TBF's are armed with torpedos.  TBF's are to locate and attack the enemy carrier.  Combat cruise altitude is 1000m.  Attack alitude will be 500m or less.

An alternate airstrip on Vella Lavella is operational for any damaged aircraft.  If your aircraft is operational, land Ondongo.

Good Luck....

Mission Start Time:  9:00pm EST / 8:00pm Central

Seats: 24 Pilots + Crews

Hope to see many of you there  :lol-029:

[DealnDave]

S~ All,

Great job on this mission all, even though the target was not destroyed, the folks that flew the mission had a good time.  The mission was a challenge and showed that maybe our squadron needs some work on bombing ships as well as using torpedo's.  I for one need some work in this area for sure !!!!  Got myself blown up last Slot mission using bombs and got myself blown up using a torp this mission...LOL