B-17 Grog Wagon: Mission Logs (AAR)

[PanzersEast]

MISSION LOG OF THE GROG WAGON
303rd Heavy Bombardment Group
358th Bombardment Squadron

MISSION 1
City: Lille, France
Target: Steel and Locomotive works and Marshaling yards


We were told that todays mission assignment was Lille, France.  We would attacking the Steel and Locomotive works and Marshaling yards.  We are to expect moderate weather over the target area with the same in flak coverage.  The Gorg Wagon would take up in the middle of the formation, low element. 

We would be bombing the target at 21,000 feet and our escort were 2 squadrons of British Spitfires once we reached the French coast.  Our mission would last around 3 1/3 hours.  20 B-17s from the 303rdH Bomber Group were to participate in the raid joined up with the 91st and 306th.

We took off and formed up and rendezvoused with the other groups and began our mission to Lille.  Weather was fair over the channel and everyone began to settle in. 

We near the coast as our little friends join us for the ride through the country side of France.




A call rang out from Tailgunner Sgt. Barthheart at a 109 closing from 6 o'clock high.  A dance of planes can be seen around the formation as 109s and Spitfires intermingle.  The 109 dove in on us as fire opened up from the tailgun and top turret.  The 109 managed to squeeze off rounds that sank into the Grog Wagon and as it turned off Mst. Sgt. Staggerwing riddled it with holes on its underside and the 109 turned and broke off the engagement. 

The crew continues to scan for other contacts but none appeared.  That 109 got everyones attention as it he managed to put some extra holes in our Rudder and to shatter one of the windows in the cockpit which our engineer made some joking comments about.  We continue on our run and the weather is starting get worse as clouds move in on us.  There is scattered cover as we get nearer to the target area and we can hear bandits called out as a swarm of 109s envelop our formation. 



Calls ring out from each gunnery position in the plane as we are attacked from multiple positions.  A 109 dives in the the 12 High position and narrowly misses with the Nose returning fire and misses wide.  Another 109 comes up from the 12 low position but he misses and breaks off.

A call comes out as a 109 drives in from 10:30 Level and he unloads into our port wing.  The plane shakes violently as smoke bellows from the No1 engine.  Lieut. Pratt shuts down No1 and feathers the engines as Capt. PE struggles to keep the plane in formation.  At the same instance Lieut. Windigo manning the Port Cheek gun opened up on the 109 and smoke is seen coming from its engine and breaks off.

Another 109 swoops up from the 3 o'clock Low position and begins firing.  The Starboard waist gunner and the ball turret return fire.  Sgt. undercovergeek shots from the Starboard Waist goes just wide and Sgt. Arctic Blast Ball turret manages to hit the plane and it quickly dives off from the attack.

At the 10:30 High position a 109 comes in and strafes the plane and Sgt. bob48 returns fire as the 109 passes.  A bullet managed to graze Sgt. bob48 in the arm and he staggers back and cursed the 109 pilot.  Sgt. undercovergeek quickly inspects the wound and tries to wrap a makeshift bandage around Sgt. bob48's arm which he laughs off and pulls out his lucky rabbits foot.

The fighters break off and the sound of flak begins to fill the B-17 as the plane begins to bob up and down.  We are now close to our bombing run starting to commence. Lieut. Banzai_Cat takes control of the aircraft as....



The IP was coming into range after a series of waypoint changes..... PanzersEast switch on the AP and Lieut. Banzai_Cat took control of the the plane and peered down the Norden bombsight.  The formation tightened up in anticipation for the release point, bomb bay door opened.  Lieut. Banzai_Cat continually made adjustments as the weather had degraded.   Everything was lined up and came the waiting point as the lead plane bombs began to drop followed by Lieut. Banzai_Cat letting loose the Grog Wagon's inventory.... Bombs Away!  Light flak continued to explode around the formation as the formation began to turn the wolves had returned for more blood.  Explosions could be heard in the background as the bombs begin impacting the ground.




2 Me 110s focused in on the Grog Wagon as one was called out at 12 o'clock Low and the other coming in at 1030 Low.  The 110 at 12 Low sprang in and opened fire with returned fire from the Nose to drive it away.  Fire from both missed.

The other 110 from 130 Low sprang up close in with a hail of fire, Lieut. Windigo manned the Starboard Cheek and fired a hail of bullets and the 110 burst into flames and fell away .  The 110s rounds managed to poke some holes into the nose of the B17, however no major damage was done.  The 110 continued to fall away in with a trail of smoke and fire.... and then an explosion rocked the sky as the 110 denigrated.  A call came from Lieut. Windigo "Dammit, Uncle Sam owes me double duty pay!".

After a brief celebration the crew settled down and then quiet.  The formation continued making its way back to the coast as smoke billowed from the lead plane.  It appeared that their no 3 engine was on fire. 

The formation continued as course adjustments where made.  The Channel was reached without incident and we continued on until the coast of England was in site.


The Grog Wagon waited its turn and landed without incident and the drinks where on Lieut. Windigo.  The crew later learned the following.



Recon Indicates that the bombs where Off target and a 0% hit rate.
Weather over target was Fair to Poor.
All B-17s returned however 1 was lost during landing due to damage.




Sgt. Barthheart did a little paint job to the side of the Grog Wagon.

[BanzaiCat]

No pressure, man.

[undercovergeek]

booooooooooooobbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb!!!!!!

(thats a long drawn out 'Bob', not me shouting about breasts as were buzzed by Me109s)

[BanzaiCat]

You shouting about breasts when Bawb gets mowed down might seem a bit dodgy, sir.

[Windigo]

FRIG!!!!!

"Dammit Panzer!!! I am a aviating navigator, not a godforsaken infantryman. You're damn lucky I hit the little plane and not one of the big ones!"


"I need a F'n smoke." [thank god the bombadier (Banzai?) will be taking over very soon]

[bob48]

Nah, its just a flesh wound. I've had worse.

[undercovergeek]

where were you hiding that rabbits foot?

no, dont tell me

[bob48]

...its still on the end of the rabbits leg. Didn't you bring a packed lunch with you?

[BanzaiCat]

That's some crazy Luftwaffe action for a Mission 1. Then again I haven't played B-17 in 20 years, so...

[bob48]

^Same here, Cat. Been a very long time since I last played it, and can't remember ever having such a ferocious start

[PanzersEast]

^Same here, Cat. Been a very long time since I last played it, and can't remember ever having such a ferocious start

Normally you start out with Good escorts through the first 5 missions, however I am rolling the dice so we have had poor fighter coverage.  We also where low in the formation (+1 modifier) and those dice on the Grog Wagon sure aren't rolling a 7 right now.  :D


PE

[Mad Russian]

You were real low in the formation if you heard the bombs exploding!! That's a Ploesti elevation raid where you come back with corn stalks caught in the bomb bay doors!!

Good Hunting.

MR

[bob48]

That would be interesting - B24's from North Africa bombing Ploesti, although the 'Black Sunday' raid would be a bit harrowing.

[PanzersEast]

You were real low in the formation if you heard the bombs exploding!! That's a Ploesti elevation raid where you come back with corn stalks caught in the bomb bay doors!!

Good Hunting.

MR

lol... yea I mean for effect (narratively) and not literally.  But who knows, maybe Doolittle was commanding this mission.


PE

[Mad Russian]

I've seen videos of the blast waves going out as the bombs hit! It's hard to imagine that there is anything left standing or anyone alive after watching those videos.

Good Hunting.

MR