Yaks is a four chapter story based on the Yaks over Memel campaign by Mandrill7. You can also read the blog-novel.

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Stalin and Oleg walked around the datcha. Oleg could feel the eyes of the guards lurking in the forest on him. He knew they would shoot him on the spot if he made one suspicious move towards the Great Leader.

"Comrade Oleg, tell me now about that Spetnaz mission" urged Staling Oleg.



The Soviet troops had finally repulsed the Wehrmacht and were now pushing them back towards Germany. But the German soldiers fought like devils, realizing the disaster that would befall their loved ones at home if the Soviets broke through.

Soviet command had discovered a bridge that was left unguarded by the Germans. The Soviet tanks could break through the German frontline and reach the bridge, but that would take too much time. It would also mean taking the risk that the Germans guess the Soviet plan and blow the bridge before it could be captured. So a cunning plan was designed. Spetnaz troops, elite airborne troops, would fly in with cargo-planes and parachute above the bridge. They would capture the bridge and fend of the Germans untill the Soviet tanks would arrive.

Oleg's squadron was tasked with providing air cover for the cargo planes. Their orders were clear and simple, stop any German attempt to shoot down the cargo planes before they dropped the troops.



The Yaks waived back and forth above the cargo planes. Oleg squinted his eyes, checking the horizon for German fighters. The sky seemed clear, in the distance he could already spot the bridge. Suddenly he spotted a grey shadow in the corner of his eye. The shadow rushed with much speed through the formation of Yaks. Germans! they had climbed above the Yaks and were now diving towards the cargo planes.

"Break, break, attack the fighters!", yelled Oleg over the radio, before diving after the Germans. But the Germans had the speed advantage and were rapidly closing in on the cargo planes. To his dismay, Oleg had to watch how the first fighters, blazed away at the cargo planes, before climbing back to higher altitude.



But as the German fighters climbed, they crossed the path of the diving Yaks. Oleg pulled hard on the stick, slipping behind a Focke-Wulf. With all guns blazing, he poured a torrent of lead on the German fighter.



The German pilot never knew what hit him, because one of Oleg's cannon shells hit the fuel tank, engulfing the Focke-Wulf in a ball of fire. Oleg slipped the Yak aside, to evade the falling debris of the German and also to check whether the German wingman was not on his tail.



But there were no Germans chasing the Yaks. They were too busy chasing the cargo planes. Oleg had respect for those cargo pilots. Without defensive guns the cargo pilots kept pushing onwards to the bridge. They ignored the German tracer fire, the desperate yells of the soldiers in the back, who wanted to jump out before the planes became their coffins.

Oleg spotted a Me-109 hot on the tail of a cargo plane. The cargo pilot was slipping his aircraft in a desperate attempt to evade the German bullets, but the Me-109 kept hanging on.

With a push forward, Oleg's Yak dove towards the Me-109. The German became bigger and bigger in Oleg's gunsight. He would only have a split second to fire. Oleg pulled the trigger, first firing his machineguns. As the bullets hit the Me-109, Oleg added the canonfire. The combined force of bullets and cannon shells, tore away the Me-109's tail.



The tailess body, spinned around like a wounded butterfly and crashed into the icy waters of the river below. Oleg had not seen any parachute. But he could not care less. The Germans had invaded his country and they would pay deerly for it.



Further ahead, the cargo planes had reached the bridge. The Spetnaz stood already waiting in the doors. As soon as the green light lit up, they jumped outside. A cord, attached to the aircraft, made sure that their parachutes were pulled out. Floating below their canopies, the men stared at the sight above them. Cargo planes dropping troops while Yaks finished off the remaining German fighters.



Oleg joined the remaining cargo planes. As he buzzed over the enemy bridge he could see the Spetnaz storm the bridge, killing the few German defenders. For a moment he feared that Germans would still blow up the bridge, but when no explosion occured, he realized the mission was a success. But the cargo planes had paid a heavy price, most of them were trailing smoke, limping back to base. Others were less fortunate and had crashed into the snowy fields surrounding the bridge. Hopefully after they had dropped their troops.



"Those cargo pilots are real heroes," said Stalin after oleg's story, "but don't underestimate your role, comrade Oleg"

"I won't, comrade" replied Oleg, who wondered why comrade Stalin had such an interest in him.

"That was an interesting story Comrade oleg, but it was not the one I wanted to hear" said Stalin, before stopping in the snow.

"What missions do you want to tell me about, comrade Stalin" asked Oleg, who was eager to please Stalin. He would do everything to avoid a shot in the neck.

Stalin turned towards Oleg and with a twinkle in his eyes he asked:"Tell me about the day you shot Hitler!"

(to be continued in the chapter 4)

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Excellent AAR. Beutiful pics. Thanks for sharing.

Nice report as always King Albert!

DawgMan Out!

Fantastic AAR!

Vince

Koning Albert?
Ook Belg?
Regards, Kodiak.