Personal Notes

Sergeant Dick “Hairy” Talen
120 Fighter Squadron RAAF (KNIL)

Disclaimer:
I am writing this as it appears in the sim: a pilot career for the Netherlands in the Pacific in IL2: 1946. Anything else I make up as I go along. Therefor this AAR might not be in line with any actual dates and facts. Also I am using Dutch ranks and names and perhaps some other words too. Please tell me if it confuses you or distracts from the story.


Sumatra, 1 Januari, 1942

“Dick, Dick.... HAIRY!! Wake up, they're expecting us at flight ops asap!” Wiebe shouted as he hurried to dress himself.

Wiebe Larz and I just arrived at the 120th yesterday. We met at the RAF flight school in Singapore last year and have been together since. Not by choice mind you. It's just the way things go when two guys are equally different from the rest. In this case both Dutch and no home to return to, unless you care to polish up your German that is.
I was in hiking through Scotland when my country was overrun back in May '40. But instead of joining up with the newly to be formed “Prinses Irene Brigade” I chose to travel to our Colonies in South-East Asia.
So one plane and a troop ship later and here I am: Waking up in a mosquito invested barrack and sweating like a pig. And it's only 08:30!

I put on my flight suit and we make haste to get to flight ops. It's in the right wing of 120th's staff building opposite the flight line. When we enter the other pilots are already there. Of course, as the new guys, we were last to receive the message.
“Talen, Larz, have a seat.” Luitenant Berg says as he sees us. The other 12 pilots that make up our squadron turn and nod or throw a “Goedemorgen!” our way as we do as we're told.
It's nice to feel welcome after months of being the outcast and ignored over at the RAF. They taught us to fly, but only so they could see us fly off I guess.

“Gentleman, listen up” continued Luitenant Berg:
“Three weeks ago, Japan declared war on the United States, striking the anchored Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour. It is both good and bad news: What is good is that now we can count on the United States' help in our struggle against the Axis forces; what is worse is the fact Japanese forces have already landed in Malaya. We must get ready for an eventuality. This evening, the Royal Navy will sail out from Singapore and look for enemy troopships. The RAF is to provide cover for our vessels and for Singapore city, which will certainly have to face air raids in a very near future. Our success or defeat in Malaya relies very much on the RAF: do not disappoint us and destroy the aggressor, or Singapore itself may have to fight for its very survival. Briefing is at 09:30, dismissed!”

He said no more, neither did he have to: We all very well understood that, should Singapore and Malaya fall, we were to face the full might of the Japanese forces. Long story short: end of story!

“Oh, Sergeant Larz, report to 2e Luitenant Ambrosius.” Berg said while pointing at a young officer to his right. “Sergeant Talen, with me if you please.” I made over to the Luitenant and we were joined by another Sergeant and a Sergeant-Majoor, looking a lot like the Luitenant, though older. “Listen, Dick is it? You will be joining my flight. This is Sergeant Zeeman, my wingman. And the ugly fellow here is Sergeant-Majoor Berg, my brother. You will be his wingman. Stay with him at all times, no heroics. We need every pilot on this island, alive! Now, let's get some breakfast.”
We shook hands and I promised to do whatever I was told and assured the rest of the flight I would do everything to keep up with the Luitenant's standards: staying alive that is.

We walked along the flight line towards the mess hall, past the Wellingtons and some Hurricanes (courtesy of the RAAF). On the other side of the runway our Buffaloes stand ready. They're fun little planes. They turn quite well though you have to be careful as it bleeds speed quickly and is easy to stall. With 3 .50's and a 30 call. It's reasonably well armed I guess. Though I'm not eager to find out. I try to make out no. 4, my crate, my very own airplane. I got a few hours in an RAF Buffalo, but this is the real deal. Though I must admit that the RAF one seemed better maintained to judge by the oily patch under the aircraft.
The Netherlands Airbase on Sumatra houses two bomber squadrons and us. All short on parts and personnel. Though run by and for the Dutch on the Island, we are dependant on the RAAF and obviously we are on the short end of their supply line.

Our little morning walk suddenly gets interrupted as a man runs out on the control tower balcony and yells: “Jap planes inbound from the North-West, Scramble!” His voice gets lost in the blearing air raid sirens and we turn and run back to the line. I'm starting to feel nauseous, unsure if it is war or the lack of breakfast that upsets my stomach. I try not to think about it as I get in no. 4 and buckle up.
“Don't worry Hairy,” Sergeant-Majoor Berg shouts over the starting engines, “The Luitenant may be better looking, but I'm a better pilot. Stay close and you'll be all right!”


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMBAT REPORT
Date: 1 January 1942
Time: Take-off: 08:45, Contact: 08:55, Pancake 09:18.
Mission: Scramble

FORCES ENGAGED
Own: 4 Brewsters
Lt Berg
Sgt Zeeman
SM Berg
Sgt Talen
Friendly: 2 Brewsters
2 Hurricanes
Enemy: 15-20 Bettys, 10 Oscars

RESULTS
Enemy Losses:
Sgt Zeeman: 2 Kill(s)
SM Berg: 1 Kill(s)
Sgt Talen: 2 Kill(s)
Own Losses:
SM Berg Wounded
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


We scramble and bank right to get out of the bombers path of destruction.




When clear we turn and climb towards the bombers. I do my best to keep up with Sergeant-Majoor Berg.


While Berg sets up behind a Betty, suddenly tracers rip up the air between us! Two Oscars swoop down on us to spoil the party.






Berg rolls out of the way as i try to get a shot at the attackers.










What little experience i have is completely undone by the fear and adrenaline running through my veins and not the least by the hindrance a wet pair of flying pants bring with them. My salvo's miss and the Oscars fly up and away. Major Berg tells me to regain my senses and spare my bullets. We try to pursue but the old Buffaloes just don't keep up with the Jap fighters.
We disengage and rejoin Luitenant Berg and Zeeman in pursuit of the Betties, only to be zoomed again by a pair of fighters, probably the same as before. Luckely for me, the pilot's aim is even worse than mine.


Once again, we helplessly watch the Japs climb out of the engagement. We are already running full throttle to catch up with the bomber formations and they just seem to play with us. Appereantly they ran out of fuel or ammo as they maintain a heading for Malaya and leave us be.


Near the North-East coast of Rupat Island we catch up with some straggling bombers. At this point we also picked up the last survivor from the other flight. He saw them first and dived to engage, Luitenant Berg close behind. I am third in line and this time i plan to finally hit something.


Unfortunately Luitenant Berg gets a present from the Betty's rear gunner in the radiator and has to disengage.


When it's my turn i open up with all barrels at the crippled bomber. It starts to bank and dive. When i assure myself that it is going down i pull away and search for another target.




There's no sign of Zeeman or Berg, but i did find me another Betty trying to get home. With the memory of Luitenant Berg's smoking Buffalo fresh in mind i set up at some distance from the enemy aircraft and try to put in some lucky hits. Like the Luitenant said: no heroics.








Unfortunately and all too soon, my guns go dry and i have to disengage while the Betty, while trailing smoke and fuel, steams on home. I guess Sergeant-Majoor Berg should have told me to save ammo a bit earlier!


I head North to get out of the way of the suspected route of any Jap fighters that might have lingered over our airbase and follow the coastline of Rupat back to Sumatra. The return trip was uneventfull and i enjoyed the silence. If only my darn hands would stop shaking for a minute!
As i closed the tarmac i was happy to see that there was little damage to the base. I can still get breakfast!


After almost mashing up my Buffalo on the tarmac (cutting the throttle a few meters above the ground is a bad idea if you don't act against the sudden change in torgue!) i pull up next to Luitenant Berg who appareantly made it home without incident too. We did got breakfast... and a new pair of pants.


About 1,5 hours later, Zeeman and Sergeant-Majoor Berg showed up. They said they flew all the way over Malaya to the Jap airfield to pay them a return visit. So much for no heroics! They both shot down an Oscar. They also confirmed my kill on the second Betty, crashed over Malaya. Sergeant-Majoor Berg managed to get a piece of ack-ack shrapnel in his foot. Of course, Luitenant Berg was rather cross of all this, risking lives and planes and all. But it seemed to have paid off for Zeeman as he got promoted to Sergeant-Majoor. And, because we both shot down something Japanese, we received the “Vliegerkruis”.

It seemed that the other flight got mangled pretty good by the Oscars, neither the Buffaloes or the Hurricanes returned and the pilots are unaccounted for at this time. That includes Wiebe too. I never got to meet the others. Anyway, I sure hope those Jap fighters stay put tomorrow!

Judging from today, my first day in active service for my country, I don't think I will ever enjoy this mosquito invested island where you sweat like a pig AND get shot at by Japs! Still, I have no wish to rot in a prison camp somewhere out in the sticks. Guess i'll be back up there soon enough.

Most enjoyable Derk. I haven't flown IL-2 in a long time. This brought back a lot of good memories. I love that little plane, never flew it in the pacific theater but flew it a lot as Finnish pilot on those beautiful Finnish maps. Well done sir.

Been quite a while since I played that campaign. Enjoyed the AAR and will be watching for more.


Wheels

Wauw, leuke AAR, Derk! Please continue them.

Nice AAR! Thanks!

Excellent, nice to see some Il-2 AAR's!

Very good read. Nicely detailed and good pic's.

More please.

Thanks for the comments guys, i hope i can find the time to keep it up. My holiday ends after this weekend so it's back to business as usual.

January 1942, 07:20 hours
Weather: 3/10, Clouds at 3000ft.

I could barely close my eyes tonight! So much happened yesterday and I can barely get a grasp of things. I knew we are at war, but the actual combat hit hard and the impressions of yesterday are hard felt by the squadron. Basically the Japs have the initiative and we are already being pushed on the defensive with not enough resources to adequately fight back. We only have a handful of serviceable fighters! Without proper support, our bombers squadrons can't do anything either. Sending them out now would be suicidal. Perhaps today we can at least get a decent CAP going before they hit us...

As by a miracle, yesterday all missing pilots showed up one by one. Wiebe had to jump after his engine seized. Those big radials sure help against overheating in this climate, but they are somewhat vulnerable. He landed West of the base and hung in a tree for some hours before being cut down and was able to walk back. Luitenant Ambrosius, his flight leader, got a good swim as he ditched his Buffalo in the waters between the base and Rupat island. I am happy to see them and the others returning in relative good health. Now only if we had the planes to...

Suddenly the scramble horn rips through my muttering. I grap my flight jacket and run for the flightline. Luitenant. Berg, Sergeant de Wit, Sergeant-Majoor Wevers and I are the first on the line and buckle up. As we start and line up the tower comes in over the radio:
Enemy planes are approaching from the South-West, Presumably to attack us! Intercept them, take off immediately!

Great, now they are behind us! Again it seems we are playing their game. Six more Buffaloes come to life behind us as we prepare to take off. Though we seem badly organised, at least we have a greater number of planes in the air than last time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMBAT REPORT
Date: 2 January 1942
Time: Take-off: 07:30, Contact: 07:40, Pancake 08:39.
Mission: Intercept

FORCES ENGAGED
Own: 4 Brewsters
Lt Berg
Sgt de Wit
SM Wevers
Sgt Talen
Friendly: 6 Brewsters
Enemy: 15-20 Bettys, 6 Oscars

RESULTS
Enemy Losses:
Luitenant Berg 3 Kill(s)
Sergeant de Wit 1 Kill(s)
Own Losses:
SM Wevers KIA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm number four for take-off. As soon as i hear Wevers' engine ref up i push the throttle and together we roll across the concrete. We bank left to an intercept course and climb towards the enemy. As we turn around again to stay with the bombers i can hear their bombs falling around me. No need to scare me even more you bastards!



We use the clouds above the base as cover for our approach but as we clear them...


The enemy politely informs us it's not only Betties that were waiting on the other side.


As i try to get a shot at the attacking Oscars, a second pair jumps on me.


I look back, only to find even more enemy fighters above and behind us!


It's the same game as yesterday. They make a pass in pairs. Then just as easely climb up and away. It's an uncontrollable situation for me and i find it very unsettling.


Soon the air is quiet and once more we make for the bombers.


Only to be zoomed by the Oscars again!



This time i return the favour and hit his wingman, who starts to lose some kind of fluid. The sight of my own bullets penetrating my would-be assasins give me a well needed boost of morale.


It did something to his companion too, though less uplifting i think. He seemed not too thrilled with me for shooting at his wingman. He turned about and grabbed me by the tail, firing at every opportunity he got. I scream over the radio for help, but the rest of the guys are long gone after the bombers. I played the game and walked into the trap!





When he finally did hit me, i thought i was done for and it took me a second to realise i was still flying. I rolled out of the turn and reversed direction while he fired yet another salvo at me.



Then all of the sudden, everything went quiet except for the sound of my own plane. The Oscar must have disengaged. I looked about but couldn't find any contacts around me. He must have flown into a cloud i guess.
I took a moment to get my bearings and realized i was still in the immediate area of the base. I did a quick damage check and took a look at the fuel gauges. I only used about 1/5th of my load! It's funny how things seem to slow down when the air around you heats up. I feel like i have been sparring with a tiger for hours!
Still i made the decission to head north after the bombers and hopefully catch up with my flight. Perhaps i could even add a bit of jap scrap to the war effort! Well, long story short: I flew about half an hour north over the Mallaca strait and up to RAF base at Port Swettenham and all i got to see were three dots that just wouldn't get any bigger. After checking out some of the frontline to the north i decided i had enough for today and turned heading 180, home!

It seems the clouds saved our airbase from destruction, at least for today. She has become a welcome sight fast!


As i squeese into the pattern i find Luitenant Berg in front of me and we land side by side. Well, sort of anyway, i came in a bit fast and bumped down the runway. I hope the Luitenant doesn't mind too much.




On a positive note, it would seem that the morning mail had a nice present for us: three new Hurricanes were transferred to our squadron. A welcome addition to our meager arsenal.


Todays brought forth our first casualty: Sergeant-Majoor Wevers. While i was tangled up with the Oscars, he continued to pursue a bomber, only to get riddled by machine gun fire. Two sorties and both times i got seperated from my wingman and both times they wind up either wounded or killed. Call it part of war, but i can't help but feeling somewhat responsible, even though i realise their wasn't anything i could have done to alter the course of events in either case.
Today also brought forth our first replacement. Sergeant Enno Jilt. I'll be sure to make him feel at home here, just like they did for Wiebe and me. He'd better live to make it worth the trouble though.

The Luitenant says the British are also hard pressed by the japanese advance. They have lost a lot of planes and the situation on the ground is worsening. The Japs captured the whole north part of the island and constructed another airstrip to the North-West. He says the RAF requested our support. If the enemy lays off a bit tomorrow, we might get a chance actually strike back at them. Though that would mean taking the initiative, something that i am all for, but i can't say i'm too thrilled at the idea of exposing myself over their lines. I wish he wouldn't have told us as now i foresee another sleepless night.

Oh my, these are good.

Very good indeed.