The mission was to destroy weapons hauling aircraft and destroy a depot at Sukhumi airfield. Our 4-ship A-10 flight would be accompanied by other flights to provide support and additional strike capability.
Targets would include enemy cargo transport aircraft and a massive bunker complex.
With a short 15 minute flight to the target area I watch the forces marshal around me.
F/A-18s provide bombing support.
While F-16s provide additional punch and limited SEAD.
Midway between airfields the battle rages below as friend and foe exchange fire across the frontlines.
The 4-ship flight of F/A-18s arrives in the target area very near the same time as we do.
With zoomed view (hey - A-10 pilots used to carry binos according to "Warthog" the book!) I can make out the airfield and quickly locate the IL-76 transport planes.
Since the transports are such "soft" targets, I opt for a rocket attack and single pass destroys both freighters.
Breaking hard over the ocean with no idea of what the enemy anti-air capability is I also spy the bunker facility below me.
Coming back around I select the Mk-84 bombs slung beneath the belly.
With a shallow attack due to the overcast layer I put the dot on the dot and hit the pickle button.
The bunker goes up in a huge explosion and then continues with secondary explosions for many minutes afterward.
The destruction of the bunker obviously sets off a "trigger" event and two MiG-29s start taxiing for takeoff.
Meanwhile the bunker complex continues to blow up sending plumes of debris far into the air.
As the MiGs roll down the taxiway another strike (I believe it was the F/A-18s) arrives on the scene and craters the runway.
I set up a hasty attack with my Mk-82s because I know if the MiGs get airborne I'm a dead man.
In my haste I'm not wings level when I release and the bombs are slung a few dozen meters off target but the frag pattern is enough to set the first MiG ablaze while the second MiG is trapped.
Wheeling around tightly again I select the Avenger cannon and lay a stripe down the taxiway but despite close ricochets I miss.
Coming off the target I select my Maverick station and note that enemy anti-air fire is picking up as tracers whiz by the canopy.
I get a solid lock on the remaining MiG-29 with my Maverick and sent the rifle on its way.
As the target explodes more tracers come across from the left and I take note of their position as I bank hard right and head out over the ocean. As I do, my wingman advises me of a missile launch at 6 o'clock..!
Sure enough, an enemy helo has just taken off and launched an air-to-air missile at me. My flares spoof it but I'm right pissed at that!
As I close on the enemy I can't seem to get a tone on my Sidewinder until the last second. As soon as it locks, I hit the pickle button just as his cannon fire rips across my fuselage.
My missile takes only a brief second to close the gap and the Havoc goes down in flames.
My left engine is on fire and my hydraulic system shuts down as I stream fuel from holes in the left wing. My nose has dropped as I try to haul the aircraft back around to the west and the safety of the ocean and I'm barely able to exert enough control authority to bring the nose up just a couple hundred feet above the ocean.
With my HUD out, my left engine destroyed, and no hydraulics, I know my fight is over and I stay over the safety of the ocean as I point my nose toward home base.
My airspeed is dangerously low and I elect to dump my remaining ordnance to lighten the aerodynamic and weight penalties.
With the HUD out I rely on the old steam gauges for airspeed and altitude information.
The F-16 flight is already recovering at home base.
As I limp home I cross the front lines again and I'm surprised to see a cannon shell arc up at me and hit my right wing. The nerve!! I didn't even see who shot me, but fortunately my engine continues to run.
My fuel level however, starts to diminish rapidly as the multiple leaks drain my supply.
I'm only able to make about 220 knots but soon enough I'm near home base. As I descend onto a long final I lower the gear.
I've got this made!
But then, in a moment of moronic inattention, I release the backpressure on the stick as I'm going way too slow. The nose drops quickly and there isn't enough hydraulic force to snatch the nose back up. Instead, I plow right into the approach lights in front of my horrified support flight. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
This is the first real mission I've flown in LOMAC/FC (FC2 now!) in a long time, so I was surprised at how much fun it was. It is a very well crafted mission and keeps things interesting. I probably should have used my standoff weapons more effectively and taken long range shots at the AAA and other defenses before moving in with the iron bombs, rockets, and gun, but hey - that wouldn't be as fun now would it?
FC2 is looking great! I can't wait to fly another mission..
BeachAV8R
Apologies for the poor writing - I sort of churned this one out very quickly..
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/LJoJejst.jpg)
