Destruction of barrage balloons over Smolensk - Printable Version

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Destruction of barrage balloons over Smolensk - CKY_86 - 04.12.2007

Today we were given the task of something a bit diffrent. It made a change from the usual monotonos recon flights an figter sweeps wich normally didn't produce much action.



At 1800 hours I took off with my wingman, Osaka 2, and we recived our objective in-flight whilst circiling the airfield.
''Osaka flight, this is ground control. Do you red me?''
We both called in. ''Osaka flight, reading you loud an clear.''
''Good. Tonight, our bombers will be bombing the city of Smolensk. However, recon flights indicate the city has barrage balloons up to combat the threat of bombing raids. You are to bring down all of these balloons so our bombers have a clear path over the city. Head on vector 060 for Smolensk. Good luck Osaka flight.''



We both turned onto the vector of 060 an began our evening flight to Smolensk. The sun was already just above the horizon and the land was starting to get dark when we took off. Osaka 2 formed up behind an just a little below my plane. The mechanics were able to repair his plane in time for this mission. They had also given it a clean. We climbed above the scattered clouds continuing on our way. The weather was much more pleasent than what it was yesterday.



As we neared the city of Smolensk, we could allready see the balloons, little black dots in the sky. The balloons were higher than we were so we climbed up & started to begin the attack. Oskak 2's voice came over the radio.
''Ha ha, this is just like target practice.''
I replied back. ''It is, but don't let your gaurd down. Watch for fighters an AA fire''.



I drew my aircraft level with one of the balloons then gave it a very quick burst of my machine guns. Almost as soon as the first bullet hit it, the balloon turned into a fireball an remaind that way for what seemed an eternaty but was only half a second. The burning remains then dropped back down to earth. ''That's one down'' Osaka 2 said over the radio. I watched him as he gave one of the balloons a very quick machine gun burst then pulled up an to the left of the burning remains. By now we had attracted anti-aircraft fire. The sky started to fill with blak smoke from the flak guns.



The attack was going well. We were managing to destroy many of the balloons. After turning round to engage another balloon, I sighted something turning in my direction. Enemy fighter! At almost the same time I had sighted it, Osaka 2 came over the radio ''Osaka 1, watch you're back, enemy fighter at your 9 o clock.'' I pulled my plane into a tight turn before he could get round on me. For a few miniutes we continued this turn battle. I saw Osaka 2 dive from above on the enemy plane. His dive attack forced the enemy to weve a bit, loosng a little pace in the turn fight. It was now that I was able to see what I was up against. An I-16.



Osaka 2's dive on the I-16 gave me a little bit of time. I brought my plane level & began to loop. The I-16 followed but could not catch up to me. I opened my flaps a little so I could loop more tighter. With every loop I was getting more an more into a favourable position over my oppenent.



With another loop I came into a fireing position on the enemy. I fired off a small machine gun salvo at him wich passed just over his plane. His imidate reaction was a roll. He then brough the plane level an began turning to the right in a slow curve. I fired at him again with no success. My oppenant had started to slow down an was loosing speed. That's the worst thing about the pesky Rata's. Then can hold quite a low speed, even in a turn. I had a job keeping my plane in the turn, it was allready shuddering under the strain as it was. I bought the nose of my plane up a little an fired with everything with both cannon an machine guns. My plane shoock an bounced as the cannon & machine guns fired. The I-16 then began a roll to the left. One of my cannon rounds burst on his left wing, sheering it clean off of the aircraft. I watched as the crippled aircraft dived for the snow covered ground below in a tremendous spin. I saw the pilot bale out an then the crash as the aircraft connected with the earth.



After the fight we both circled the crash site a few times then scanned the sky for anymore trouble. We then continued on with the destruction of the balloons. The flak was now quite intense, the falk crews must have seen their fighter pilot comrade get shot down. I felt quite thankfull we only had a few balloons left to destroy. Once all the balloons were down we headed away from Smolensk to the south-west, all the while raising an lowering our altitude to try an avoid the flak. aa few miniutes later we were clear of the falk range, thank god. I radiod back to base:
''Osaka 1 to ground control, Osaka 1 to ground control. All barrage balloons have been destroyed as well as one enemy fighter.
''Ground control to Osaka 1, well done. Our bomber pilots will be pleased to hear that. Turn to vector 210 and return to base.''
We put our planes on that course an began out peaceful flight back to the airfield. Osaka 2 drew close to my plane an broke radio silence.
''Whew. That was fun. Some good gunnery practice that.''
I laughed an continued the flight in the darkening sky.



Before we got over our airfield we decided we would buzz both dispersal areas. We got our aircraft very low an zoomed over both areas. It made me laugh to see the mechanics running out of the hanger to see us passing just above their heads. The damiler-benz engine you can hear rumbling, purring away from inside the cockpit, imagen what it sounded like for the mechanics, a 109 passing just above the heads, throttle wide open. We then tured our planes round to start the landing run. As I turened I bled off mych of the speed i was carrying, an so lowered my flaps an landing gear. I watched Osaka 2 make the same move, which ended in disaster. In the turn he bled off too much speed. His left wing rolled over in a stall an his plane went down into the woods below creating a huge fireball.



I dont remember taxing my plane to the dispersal area, but I do remember sitting in the cockpit, just after switching the engine off, thinking about the events that had just happend before having to make my report out of the destruction of the barrage balloons, the destruction of one enemy fighter, an the lose of a wingman. Sleep well my friend, the war is over for you.

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