Fortress Malta Campaign

[_AH_DarkWolf]

The red box is where we should find them, their course is pretty much a direct line from that grid to the eastern tip of Malta. Their speed is a lowly 10 knots. We will not be escorting them all the way, at that speed they are still a good 3 hours from Grand Harbour. We'll spend something in the realm of half an hour over the convoy.

DW

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

280* at 11 knots

[_AH_Lippy]

rgr that I see a strategy already forming. Much like last weeks.

[_AH_Archie]

As we were talking about at the meeting, this week is not the usual scramble but we will be flying out to cover an incoming convoy. They will be in the area of BS-7, marked in red on above map.

2nd and 3rd Squadrons have Spitfires, 1st and HQ will be in Hurricane Mk.IIcs. Actually the Hurricanes I have changed to the Hurribomber Mk.IIc as that version has drop tank options. It has a 2x44 gal combat tank and 2x90 gal ferry tank option. So both Spitfires and Hurricanes will have drop tanks available as it's a little bit of a hike out there.

Starting mission #9 we will be an all Spitfire force for the duration.

DW

So if the leaders see the big N in the water you know you have gone to far.

[_AH_DarkWolf]

So if the leaders see the big N in the water you know you have gone to far.

THAT'S your contribution? Go to your room!

DW

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Kinda cool satellite photo of our area of operations, Malta and Gozo are in the middle bottom. Gives you an good idea of why it was so hard to run convoys in from the west, particularly through the narrow area between Sicily and North Africa.

DW

[_AH_taldrg]

~S~
    I think you have it backwards DW

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Have what backwards?

DW

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Oh, also 1st and HQ squadron pilots : If you're using the generic Hurricane skins I made you'll have to move them to the "HurricaneMkIIcB" skin folder for use in tonight's mission.

DW

[_AH_Jack]

Isn't that large island to the WNW Sardegna?  It looks familiar.

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Yep it is, Sardinia. You can see the bottom tip of Corsica right above it. It's a pity we don't have a proper large map of Italy. I think we have one but it's super small scale.

DW

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Furthermore, with the warmup room closing 10 minutes earlier at 8:50 EST, I'll open it 10 minutes early at 7:50 EST.

Cause I refuse to loose 10 minutes of watching SKAT die.

DW

[_AH_DarkWolf]

Say good-bye to the Hurricanes, some pictures of Spitfires on the USS Wasp (CV-7) en route to Malta :





With HMS Eagle steaming in the background.





That last one is a nice big picture with Spitfires and Wildcats on Wasp's deck.

You see alot of the spitfires have four cannon. Many of aircraft sent to Malta had four cannon AND four .303s installed but once they arrived the armament was reduced to the normal two cannons. Though alot of the spitfires on Malta actually had two of the .303s removed as well to save weight so they had two cannon two .303s.

The pilots were given some basic instruction in how to take off from the carrier but that was it. During the second reinforcement run Wasp participated in, a canadian pilot by the name of Jerry Smith found after takeoff that he had a faulty slipper tank and could'nt pull fuel from it. There was no way he could reach Malta so they gave him the option of ditching and being picked up or trying to get his kite back on board Wasp. He chose the latter and with no carrier landing training and no hook made the first ever Spitfire carrier deck landing stopping with about 6 feet of flight deck to spare.





That's Smith coming over the stern to land and the deck crew holding down his kite afterwards.



An understandably relieved Smith after landing.



This is the LSO on Wasp that day saying "I take my hat off to you!" to Smith. The LSO is David McCampbell who went on to be the highest ranking US Navy ace in the pacific flying Hellcats.

DW

[_AH_Col._Hogan]

Nice Dee Dub

S!

[_AH_Bear]

~S~ DW
I appreciate the work you have been putting into this campaign.

~S~ Bear