Taking off from
Gumrak airfield with my
Schwarm, a
Rotte of 109s providing escort.
After forming up and starting to climb (not that easy with 1x500kg and 2x250kg bombs) I carefully monitor RPM, engine power and temperatures. And I keep in mind that I have to switch the supercharger into 2nd gear as I climb higher. Nothing more embarrassing than having to abort a mission because you fried your engine.
My first navigation fix: the 'tennis racket' train yards around the
Lazur factory and the
Mamaev Kurgan hill. We fly across the Don, heading 120°.
I continue on my course and soon should reach my 2nd navigation fix: the village of
Stavromets. I open the Stuka's floor window and yes, there it is!
We turn right to course 180° and cross the Don a second time.
Soon we reach our target area and I start scanning for our mission targets: Russian artillery.
I spot a string of gun positions, order my flight to attack then dive onto the enemy!
I start my dive at ~ 3.000m, drop the 500kg bomb at 1.000m, then the two 250kg bombs while pulling up. All three impact among the Russian artillery sites!
Meanwhile our
Jäger busy themselves with a flight of Russian fighters.
Horrido!
After taking care of the Red artillery we continue to hunt for targets of opportunity.
There! A convoy of trucks on the road!
We circle around and shoot the trucks to pieces.
With the light fading away we climb back and set course for Stalingrad again.
Near
Chapurniki airfield we run into some serious
Flak fire but luckily suffer no damage.
A little while later 2 Russian fighters pass us at several km distance but do not engage.
And just when we are about to land another pair of Russian fighters is spotted, but is driven away by our escort and
Flak fire from
Gumrak.
Home, sweet home.