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#3524882 - 02/23/12 07:07 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 ***** [Re: HeinKill]  
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Originally Posted By: HeinKill
Yes. Assumption based on Sandhurst framework is that by Sept 25 Germany will get most of 2 waves, or 90,000 men, ashore. There are three elements that play a huge role in coming days:

- can Germany get its 3rd echelon ashore and reinforce, when full force of superior Royal Navy home fleet is used by Britain, or
- can another port be captured, or can sufficient supplies be moved through Folkestone, to meet the materiel demands of the invasion, or
- can Germany capture sufficient strategic territory, eg Canterbury/Kent/Ramsgate, to provoke Britain to negotiate before resupply becomes an issue?


The RN will most probably be victorious in the channel. There's no way it can be stopped by the KM alone. And the Luftwaffe would have to carpet bomb the channel to properly assist. But this isn't going to happen, because they're to busy redecorating urban London...

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#3527060 - 02/27/12 03:03 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Seelowe 12: Sept 25 morning, S-tag +3

In yesterday's fighting the RAF lost 97 more fighters leaving only 440. The SE England airfields of 11 Group, Bomber and Coastal Command are cratered ruins, and once more the threat of collapse, which had receded in early September, is looming. The Luftwaffe had lost another 71 fighters and 142 bombers. Few of the final 2nd wave German reinforcements made it through the British naval and air blockade of Folkestone. Despite stubborn resistance by the 1st and 2nd Canadian divisions overnight, the German XXXXI Army Corps, with the 10th Panzer as its spearhead, captured intact one of the two bridges over the lesser River Stour at Kingston, and troops are pouring across. However, in the early morning, the British VII Corp committed its 1st Armoured strategic reserve, comprising Valentine and Cruiser tanks, on the left flank of the German salient. The German supply line to Kingston is stretched tight, and the British intend to cut its throat. The British armour has been met at Elham by the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment, comprising mobile troops, a vehicle mounted flak battalion and a Stug batterie. The first major tank battle on British soil is about to be joined.


At Elham Water Tower, the Stug batterie of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler advances to a treeline overlooking a clearing. The low, squat forms will be hidden in the bushes, while the British tanks which their scouts have warned them are advancing toward them, will have to cross the open field to engage.



Alongside them, providing cover against both aircraft and troops, a truck mounted flak battery.



To the west, three companies of Valentines, and one company of the heavier Cruisers from the 1st Armoured Strategic Reserve, advance on Elham. The precious remnants of an army demoralised and disarmed at Dunkirk.



Elsewhere, Wellingtons of bomber command trudge toward Kingston, with 111 Sq Hurricanes in escort. Their target, the southern bridge over the Lesser Stour river, now being used to ferry German troops and armour across to the western bank for an attack on Canterbury. The bridge must be destroyed.





64 Squadron hastens from Manston to support the armour pushing on Elham and the East flank of the German salient, while opposing them, staffeln of LG2 and JG 26 circle above, and Jabos of Erpro 210 take off from Hawkinge for a strike on British positions at Elham.







At Elham water tower, the first Valentines break cover and immediately the Stugs open fire, claiming a victim.



The Valentines return with a volley from their 2 pounders, but the shells slam into the 50mm thick front armour of the Stugs without effect. The Stugs fire again and this time one of the British Cruisers stalls, is hit again, and explodes. The British attack falters under the hammer blows from the German 75mm guns.




The Cruisers add the anger of their 2 pounders to the din of battle, and one of the Stugs is hit. Another crouches behind its burning hulk, camouflaged by the flames and smoke, and opens fire.



High above the slaughter yard, Squadron Leader Randolph Stuart Mills of 247 Squadron, leads his pilots into a tight starboard turn to prepare their attack run. He has waited four months for this day. Four months since he was shipped home from 263 Squadron at Narvik in a hospital ship after crashing his damaged Gladiator. Four months since 263 Sq was decimated at Narvik by the Luftwaffe, even though they managed to take 26 of the enemy with them. Four months since the 10 surviving pilots of 263, shipping home on the aircraft carrier Glorious, died when the Glorious was met and sunk by the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisau.



He should have been with them. But today, as he passes over the tank battle raging below - German tanks, on British soil - he is glad he wasn't.

He had returned to duty with 247 Sq, and had been preparing his men for a transition to Hurricanes, when the invasion started. They'd been kept out of the fight for the first few days, frustrated and cooling their heels. Until today. He looks over his lower wing. Their 4 .303s would be useless against the armour...but then he sees what he wants. Soft skinned targets...truck mounted flak.

He leads the squadron down, and jams his thumb hard on the gun button.












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#3527080 - 02/27/12 03:17 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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#3527099 - 02/27/12 03:33 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Seelowe 12: Sept 25 morning, S-tag +3 (Continued)

Over Kingston, the bomber command Wellingtons begin their run. LG2 109s and 111 Sq Hurricanes tangle.



Flak erupts from the German positions, schrapnel slicing through the airframe of Wellington KH-A. Perforating wings, fuselage, fuel and oil lines and killing the nose gunner.



The pilot presses on, determined to finish the job. He falls behind the main pack, vulnerable to flak and fighters. Ahead he watches the flight leader drop, and the other Wellingtons drop on his cue. But the drop is late, and the bombs explode uselessly on the far bank of the river among an abandoned British tent camp.

Now it is their turn. The machine jumps as the heavy ordnance falls away.





There is no time to watch the bombs fall, he banks as hard as he dares, and straightens out just as his rear gunner shouts in alarm and cannon shells from a 109 slice across his starboard wing.



He can't hold it level now. He gives the order to bail out, and as the machine starts a slow right hand spiral, he looks out the cockpit window, to see his bombs slam home... right across the length of the Kingston South Bridge.





As he struggles in his parachute toward the open bomb bay doors, and the howling sky beyond, he sees the machine is empty, and hopes the lads got out alright, those who still could. And that someone gives his bomb aimer a bloody medal!

Back above Elham, Squadron leader Mills and the other Gladiator pilots have their own Emils to deal with, the 109s cutting and slashing down on the slower Gladiators without mercy. One after the other falls to an Emil's cannons.







Mills spins his machine on its wingtip, desperately avoiding enemy fire and aircraft that seem to be all around him.







He throws his machine down at the treetops, hoping to lose himself in the canopies.



...just as 64 Squadron Spitfires arrive, and give the 109s someone more their own size to fight against...





Mills calls his squadron to form up on him, North of Elham. Of the six aircraft he took into battle, only one responds.



He circles their landing field at Canterbury in vain hope, waiting for the others.



There are none. Only empty hangars await him as he brings his machine to a stop.



But he is beyond grief now. He grieved when his comrades went down with HMS Glorious in the North Sea. Now the only emotion he feels is icy hatred.

247 Squadron will be converting to Hurricanes now.

The war will wait for him.

Of that he is sure.

At Elham, the bombs of Erpro 210 rain down on the advancing armour of the British 1st Armoured Reserve. But the British tanks continue forward.





Now the first of the faster Valentines reaches the line of Stugs. Their cannons are mounted fast to their hulls, and cannot swivel to engage him. Besides which, the bigger threat of the Cruiser tanks lies to their front.



The Valentine slides through their ranks. Their armour is weaker at the sides and rear. With relentless efficiency his gunner slams shell after shell into the line of Stugs.







The German line breaks. Spinning away from the threat in front and to their rear, the Stugs speed desperately for the cover of the forest as the remaining flak trucks cover them...







It is 0915 25 September on S-tag +3, and the German supply line for the push on Canterbury is threatened.


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#3527484 - 02/28/12 02:02 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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With some decent acting and FX this could be much of a script for a "made for DVD" movie.

Maye we should go all "Iron Sky" on the flightsim community...and beyond!

#3531185 - 03/03/12 08:38 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Seelowe 13: Sept 25 early afternoon, S-tag +3

The German supply situation is critical. Despite three days of fighting the only port which has been captured is Folkestone, which can only support 150 tonnes an hour of supplies at full capacity. The actual rate of offloading is currently 90 tonnes, due to constant air and artillery bombardment.

Transport Fleet C, transporting critical infantry, panzer, staff and corps troops and supplies was intercepted and fewer than 20% of the ships made it to port. Of the two destroyer flotillas from Cherbourg and four torpedo boat flotillas available to escort the convoys at on S-tag minus 1, only 4 destroyers and one torpedo boat flotilla remain.

The decoy action of the morning however was successful in luring away heavy ships from the British Home Fleet, and the light cruisers Emden, Nurnberg, and Koln have now turned back toward Norwegian ports to evade British pursuit. Transport Fleet E is now approaching the Dover coast. It is transporting the first echelons of the 6th Mountain Division, 8th and 28th infantry, a company from Panzer Battalion D and staff and corp troops of the VIII and X army corps, plus vital fuel and ammunition.

If it does not dock and unload successfully at Folkestone, the invasion cannot be sustained.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmuDi2F60-8



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#3531535 - 03/03/12 09:39 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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How did that old saying go? Any landing you can be carried away from consciously is a good one? biggrin

Weird leader behaviour though. "FOR THE FÜHRER!"-suicide mode?

#3531915 - 03/04/12 01:26 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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#3532350 - 03/05/12 03:07 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Nicely done Heinkill.


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#3533678 - 03/06/12 09:15 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Seelowe 14: Sept 25 late afternoon, S-tag +3

Following concerted British air and sea attack throughout the afternoon, 87% of shipping in Transport Fleet E was lost, along with 3 destroyers and 15 torpedo boats. In the air, the RAF has so far lost 23 aircraft today, to 13 Luftwaffe. The British armoured thrust at Elham was successful, and the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler has been cut off from Folkestone and is making a fighting withdrawal north toward Denton, pursued by the British 1st Armoured and elements of the NZ Division. Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Canadian succeeded in re-establishing control over the River Stour crossings at Kingston and is reinforcing for an early morning counter-attack against the 10th Panzer and troops of the Germany XXXXI Army Corps regrouping at Denton. The German VII Army Corps and 8th Panzer has succeeded in penetrating to the streets of Dover, and fighting is taking place from house to house, within sight of the Port. In the West, the 7th Flieger Division has withdrawn to Hythe township and is digging in. In the East intense fighting continues near Manston, with Kampfgruppe Bauer reporting their light mortars are within range of the airfield.


Major Hereward de Havilland, chief test pilot for de Havilland aircraft company, was at home with his wife and two children when the telephone rang on September 22 1940. His wife had noted he had been distant during the meal - she assumed because he was worried about the latest tests on the de Havilland Mosquito prototype. She was wrong.

The male voice at the other end did not identify himself. "Major de Havilland?", he asked.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Banquet lights," was all the voice said, before the line was disconnected.

It may have been a short message, but he had been waiting for it, and it was one de Havilland had been dreading. He walked back in to where the family was having their tea. His wife knew, without asking, that he had been called back.

He had kissed her on the forehead, pinched the cheeks of his two toddlers, and then gone to the hall cupboard and taken out his attaché case. He had driven immediately to the de Havilland aerodrome at Hatfield where frantic activity was already underway, with engineers fitting each of the six Tiger Moth training aircraft of the 1st Elementary Flying Training School with bomb racks holding 8 x 20lb anti-personnel bombs.

de Havilland had opened his locker, and taken out a parachute, flying suit, service gas mask, tin helmet and gas cape. The gas mask, helmet and cape were tied into the student's seat of the Tiger Moth, together with a service pistol, in case he was brought down behind the lines. He had reflected on this - behind the lines, in Kent! German troops had landed overnight, and now the Western front had come to Britain. The thought made his blood run hotter.

But operation Banquet Lights had been a suicide operation, as he'd expected. Of the six Tiger Moths that took off from Hatfield, weighed down with the small ineffectual bombs, only five had made it to the invasion beach head, and only one had made it back to Hatfield.

Now it was 25 September. Could it really only have been 3 days? His short lived career as a combat pilot had been curtailed, but he still had a choice - return to Hatfield to continue work with his brother on the new Mosquito aircraft, or fly recon missions for the Office of Strategic Services, the OSS. He knew his temperament could not cope with test flying the next generation of fighter, when war, real war, was being waged just a hundred miles away. So each day, five times a day, he had taken one of the company's Tiger Moths up, with a photographer in the student's seat, and flown out to find and fix the advancing German lines.

Each day the front line got depressingly further from Folkestone, closer to Canterbury. Yesterday Panzers had advanced as far north as Kingston on the Lesser Stour, and Elham in the West. But they had been thrown back from Kingston by the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions, after being carpet bombed by Bomber Command Wellingtons and strafed by the new cannon armed Beaufighters. In the West, the Stugs and truck mounted flak batterie of the Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler were routed by Valentine and Cruiser tanks of the British 1st Armoured Reserve.

Churchill had held his armoured counter attack until he saw the enemy commit himself on Canterbury. He knew he had only one roll of the dice with the precious few tanks of the British VII Corps, but they had prevailed, and cut the throat of the German salient. The enemy was now bottled up at Denton - elements of the 10th Panzer retreating south from Kingston, while the German XXXXI Corps and Leibstandarte SS were pushed north.

de Havilland had been told that upward of 30,000 enemy troops were being bottled up at Denton, but where precisely? It would be his job to find out.

In the hills north of Selstead, guns of the Royal Artillery 58th Medium Regt., veterans of France, are readied for a night time bombardment of German positions at Denton, as soon as they are identified.



de Havilland decides to start his search at Kingston, the scene of the previous day's hard fought battle for the vital bridges over the Lesser Stour river.




He would follow the main Canterbury road south from Kingston, through Denton, toward Hawkinge. There should be German forces heading south from Kingston, and others advancing north away from Elham, converging on Denton. Maybe their positions would give him a clue as to where the main body of the German forces was lurking. In the distance he could see smoke pyres - perhaps indicating burning vehicles...



In the sky above, 111 Squadron flies a protective combat patrol, their job to deter any interest in the low flying and defenceless Tiggie.



They soon have their work cut out for them as LG2 109s out of Hawkinge begin to object to their presence. They do their job, keeping the 109s busy, but it does not go well.











The wounded 111 Sq Hurricanes fight back gamely, but the more experienced pilots of LG2 have their measure









No matter, it is just enough to keep the sky clear for de Havilland.

5 miles out of Kingston, he sees a line of Panzer IIs heading cross country. They try to pull under cover, but are too slow.







He marks their direction and position.



Looking in their direction of travel he sees a small fire on a hilltop outside Denton. Too small to be seen from altitude...but could it be a visual marker for scattered German troops to home on?



Squinting between the spars of his wings, he thinks he can make out tents, or camo netting.



He turns the Tiger Moth toward the hill. Within minutes his suspicions are confirmed as angry flak begins to erupt in front of him.





He doesn't dare overfly it, but gives his photographer a nice beam shot. The hillside is swarming with Boche!







A large portion of the trapped German XXXXI army seems to be digging in on the hill overlooking Denton.





He scurries for cover, flak from 88s and lighter 30mm chasing him all the way.





As he dodges and weaves, his observer points at the ground. There below...a lone Stug pushing through a field. Perhaps a remnant of the fleeing Leibstandarte SS.



It hides in the shadow of some trees, invisible to high flying recon, but not to his Tiggie...





Then his observer punches the air with both fists, pointing ahead. Hot on the heels of the Stug, surrounded by the shattered hulks of German flak trucks, they can see Cruiser tanks of the 1st armoured, ploughing north, up the road toward Denton.







It occurs to him that this one road tells the whole tale of the German advance so far. On the first day they took Folkestone. Then broke through the GHQ stop line, and captured Hawkinge. From there, this road led them directly north, to Kingston, the furthest point of their advance, 12.9 miles from Folkestone - where the 1st and 2nd Canadian finally threw them back. Meanwhile they tried to widen their front to the West, before the Cruisers and Valentines of the 1st Armoured gave them a bloody nose. They were only 12 miles from their target of Canterbury but now they were trapped on this road, the Canadian Divisions pushing them southward...the 1st Armoured pushing them north.

To a hilltop in Denton.

He leaves the Cruisers to their pursuit.



As he turns back toward Hatfield, he hears flapping and banging outside his cockpit, and notices the fabric on his right wing is starting to come away, as small rips caused by the flak start to tear open in his slipstream. The flak had passed right through the lightweight construction of the Tiger Moth without exploding, which was a blessing. But it had been an uncomfortable few minutes!



Luckily the Gipsy Major engine keeps singing its two note song without complaint.

"I'll have to tell Geoffrey about this one", de Havilland thinks quietly to himself. Geoffrey his brother, the man who designed the Tiger Moth. The man who was no doubt, right now, pouring over drawings of his beloved Mosquito.

Tell him wood and fabric is all well and good for surviving a good flakking, but what his Mosquito really wants is speed


***

It is the end of day 4 of the Sealion invasion. 90,000 German troops are ashore, and Germany holds the port of Folkestone, and Hawkinge fighter command field, but has been held out of Dover, and the paratroop attack on Manston has not yet succeeded in taking that airfield. The supply situation is critical, with no further prospect of resupply due to the dominance of the Royal Navy in the Channel. A Fuhrer Conference has been convened for 0500 Sept 26 to review the situation.



Now encircled, 30,000 troops of the XXXXI Army Corps, and including remnants of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS, are digging in at Denton. With de Havilland's report to guide them, it is just a matter of time before they will hear the banshee roar of British long range artillery.





















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#3533817 - 03/07/12 01:17 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Not looking good for Jerry.


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#3544357 - 03/24/12 12:27 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Ahem?


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#3549760 - 04/03/12 03:22 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Sorry! These AARs are done after I complete both making, and then playing through, each mission in the campaign...

Have had to focus on getting the 'campaign creation' finished, and then when that is done (it will be uploaded to Airwarfare.com this week, actually), the AARs will catch up!

Cheers,

Heiny


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#3575479 - 05/19/12 11:17 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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... the invasion continues...

Sept 26, morning, Stag +4: Forza Italia!

At the Fuhrer Conference at 0500 this morning, Admiral Raeder reported that the Kriegsmarine no longer has sufficient warships available to secure both the French and Norwegian coasts, and escort supply shipping across the Channel. During the night capital ships of the British Home fleet attacked German shipping in the Channel and at Folkestone. U-boat U-47 claimed to have torpedoed and sunk the Battlecruiser HMS Nelson off the Thames Estuary at 0300 hours. But only two Kriegsmarine destroyers and a handful of minelayers and motor torpedo boats have survived the previous two days engagements with the Royal Navy. 30,000 German troops belonging to the XXXXI army corps, 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS have been encircled and beseiged at Denton. The Swedish ambassador to London is reported to have claimed that Churchill's war cabinet is strongly divided, with Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax proposing a settlement with Germany, which the British Prime Minister was reported to have rejected in the strongest terms. At 0700 this morning the Prime Minister stated on the BBC, "At no time in the last war were we in greater peril than we are now, but this is not a time to waver, to debate and enter discourse, but a time for us to stand firm, to hold fast where we must and attack the enemy wherever he is found." On the background of this dissent Hitler ordered the 9th and 16th Armies to resume their push on Canterbury in the belief that if that city could be captured, there was a possibility Britain could sue for peace. The Lufwaffe was to do all in its power to support the drive on Canterbury. Mussolini's Corpo Aero Italiano was ordered into battle, for an attack on Dover. Capturing Dover intact was no longer an objective, as no more reinforcement of troops in England was possible.

Letter from 64 Squadron leader Aeneas Ranald Donald MacDonnel, Sept 24 1940

My dear Marsali,

Forgive me for being so long in replying to your letter and in thanking you for your very sweet thought in suggesting me as the recipient of these very excellent socks. I wear them to the exclusion of all others because I like their colour and my toes don’t go through them. We have been rather busy here, as I am sure you might imagine.

I have been commanding 64 Squadron for a fortnight, and up to the present we have had no time for reflexion. Everything that happens these days seems to involve our Squadron. For sheer sensationalism our life cannot be bettered by even the most exaggerated films. It is all rather unusual and insane. I have a magnificent squadron, all the members are really first class, work well together and never complain of lack of sleep and disturbed lives. We are right on top of everything, and I have the fullest confidence of victory in the near future. My love to you and your mother.

Keep well Marsali

Yrs Donald


At RAF Manston

A counter attack by the 2nd London infanty overnight saw enemy troops driven back from Manston. The survivors surrendered at dawn. 64 Squadron has once again moved up to Manston, and received 4 replacement Spitfires taking its strength to six machines.

In the lead element, Squadron leader MacDonnel and his wingman have flown in to supervise preparations, when they are ordered to patrol Dover. They take off amid the carnage and shellholes of the previous days' fighting.




10 miles east Denton pocket

The German troops beseiged at Denton have been pounded mercilessly overnight by Bomber Command and artillery and British troops are within two miles of the hill where they are holding fast. Blenheims of Bomber Command head in to deliver another salvo.




While at Hawkinge, where heavy AAA has worked tirelessly to keep the skies over the airfield clear so that precious fuel and ammunition can be landed, LG2 takes to the skies again.



Over the Channel Corpo Aero Italiano Br20s with G50s in escort, close on Dover, where a panicked merchant navy prepares the last remaining ships for a dash around Margate to the relative safety of the Thames Estuary.




Among the Italian pilots, is the young Sottotenente Ugo Drago. This is his 20th mission, but his first mission since fighting ceased in France.



The Corpo has been kept out of the fighting over Britain until now, to his great frustration, because though he has flown 20 sorties, he is yet to bag his first kill.

At Hythe

On the Western front, the 7th Flieger Division can no longer maintain its westward momentum against strong counter attacks by the NZ Division. In a fighting retreat, they abandon their positions in the township, and pull back toward Folkestone.




Inside the Denton pocket

The enclave is a hive of activity as fuel is siphoned from damaged and immobile vehicles, and heavy tanks and mounted anti tank guns are readied for a desperate breakout. German troops do not even look up, as yet again the thrum of bomber engines approaches their positions.



This time though, the bombs fall wide, the Blenheims apparently targetting troops dug in on the front line across the valley




In the lead Blenheim though, the bomb aimer looks down in horror as he records where his bombs have fallen! In the dust and smoke of the front line he has released on a British position, not a German one, and a front line field hospital at that!




Above Denton, the pilots of 111 Squadron watch the bombs fall uselessly. "No business here at the moment Sector," the Flight Lieutenant advises over the R/T. "We are beginning a strafing run."

The Hurricanes drop down through the screen of flak and let fly with their Brownings






"Be advised, Sector control," the Flt Lt calls as he pulls away, "I count at least twenty Panzers on the move down there, Jerry is up to something!"

Over Dover

Sqn Ldr MacDonnel is finally given a vector, "Rabbit flight, this is Biggin Hill, proceed immediately to sector A20, angels 2, heavy raid moving toward Dover."

He banks toward the port




And almost immediately sees the specks of heavy aircraft. But he doesn't recognise them...what the devil are they? They have twin tail planes, like RAF Hampdens! It wouldn't be the first time the sector controllers have caused a cock up. He decides to close to visual range.

Then opens his eyes wide in shock as he sees the insignia of Italian aircraft, and immediately in front of him, a 109E swooping down on him!



He manages to get off a single burst at one of the BR20s before he flashes past, then pulls up and over as the Italians rain bombs on the port below




He closes on the BR20 again, notices tracer flashing over his wing, but it isn't the heavy fire of a Bf109, so he assumes it is the other BR20s behind him. He ignores it



But it isn't erratic fire from a nose gunner. It is from the twin Bredas on Ugo Drago's G50, and he focuses his fire on the Spitfire once more...



MG shells walk down the length of the Spitfire's fuselage, and punch through the plexi glass above MacDonnel's head, killing him instantly



His wingman sees his Spitfire roll onto its back and spiral in, a sure sign he has been hit. Angrily, he flings his machine toward the Italian, and from too far away, opens fire...



While from altitude, a 109 of LG2 descends on him, MG and cannons firing and Daimler Benz screaming



He has misjudged his dive, and with a scream of horror, he flings his arms over his face as his machine's wing collides with the Spitfire's engine and it explodes in a cloud of fire




Ugo Drago flies on, oblivious to the carnage behind him, smiling to himself...



His first kill!

At last, something to write home about...



[Linked Image]
#3575658 - 05/19/12 07:45 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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komemiute Offline
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komemiute  Offline
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JesusHeinkill, you are good...

But, may I?
Being italian I know that it was called Regia Aeronautica (Royal Airforce). So to speak.

Apart from this tiny detail it´s impressive, nothing less.
You should put your writing skill into something more... rewarding? You know, moneywise...


Click to reveal..
"Himmiherrgottksakramentzefixhallelujah!"
Para_Bellum

"It takes forever +/- 2 weeks for the A-10 to get anywhere significant..."
Ice

"Ha! If it gets him on the deck its a start!"
MigBuster

"What people like and what critics praise are rarely the same thing. 'Critic' is just another one of those unnecessary, overpaid, parasitic jobs that the human race has churned out so that clever slackers won't have to actually get a real job and possibly soil their hands."
Sauron
#3575731 - 05/19/12 09:53 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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HeinKill Offline
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HeinKill  Offline
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Grazie amico! You like the Ugo Drago touch?

But is this wrong?

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/online-exhibitions/battle-of-britain-history/corpo-aereo-italiano.cfm

Happy to correct if it is.

I do get paid to write... I'm a journo. But I write fact (sort of wink ) I don't think anyone would pay me to write fiction!

H


[Linked Image]
#3575965 - 05/20/12 10:23 AM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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komemiute Offline
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komemiute  Offline
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Hoy there, sorry for the late reply...

Yeah the Drago guy, I didn´t liked it... I LOVED IT. smile
I mean he was never really there, but who cares, that was good as well.
A touch of reality is always welcome.

And yes, I do stand corrected.
The expeditionary force was in fact called Corpo Aereo Italiano: but careful not "Aero" but "Aereo".
It is in fact a different word.

Nitpicking I know but the rest is SO well written, I only want the best for this :P

Way to go and...
Just me probably but if you wrote an historically accurate air novel I´d buy it.


Click to reveal..
"Himmiherrgottksakramentzefixhallelujah!"
Para_Bellum

"It takes forever +/- 2 weeks for the A-10 to get anywhere significant..."
Ice

"Ha! If it gets him on the deck its a start!"
MigBuster

"What people like and what critics praise are rarely the same thing. 'Critic' is just another one of those unnecessary, overpaid, parasitic jobs that the human race has churned out so that clever slackers won't have to actually get a real job and possibly soil their hands."
Sauron
#3576278 - 05/20/12 08:33 PM Re: AARs from Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 8 FEB, S-tag +2 [Re: HeinKill]  
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Heretic Offline
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Heretic  Offline
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Posts: 1,801
GER
This is far from over (isn't it?).

#3576361 - 05/20/12 11:24 PM Re: Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover): update 19 May, S-tag +4 [Re: HeinKill]  
Joined: May 2006
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HeinKill Offline
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HeinKill  Offline
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,743
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Yes, stay tuned, I'll be able to post a couple more chapters this week I hope.

BTW that letter at the start of the latest installment is almost a word for word copy of a letter actually written by MacDonnel when he was CO of 64 Squadron.

H


[Linked Image]
#3576635 - 05/21/12 02:20 PM Re: AARs from Day 2 of Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain (Cliffs of Dover) [Re: HeinKill]  
Joined: Aug 2010
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carrick58 Offline
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carrick58  Offline
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Just awesome, Great what if story line about the invasion of England and battle tactics. The pics are super. I am looking for ward to more of your work.

Last edited by carrick58; 05/21/12 02:23 PM.
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