07.04.2009, 04:04
16:00 hrs, 10th September 1941, Vayenga Airfield
Today the weather is good. There's some cloud but the air quality is excellent. Another day, another patrol. I walk over to my aeroplane and begin strapping on the parachute. It all seems so laid back today.
I hear Merlin engines running up, and off to my right Ivanov's flight are taking off to protect Kilpyavr. One by one the engines reach a crescendo of noise and accelerate across the grass. They turn westward, small dark specks in the bright blue sky. It leaves me with a peculiar feeling in my stomach as I watch them them depart for no apparent reason.
Carey is about to climb aboard his Hurricane. I have to hand it to him, for a man nearly killed on his first sortie he seems very focused. Perhaps that's it. His near fatal dunking in the Barents Sea must have have woken him up. I hope it makes the difference.
Our patrol begins like all others. Climb to angels sixteen and maintain a wide orbit of the airfield. Once again the Russian voices are heard over the radio. This time they're frantic. Someone's in trouble. I listen as the Vayenga controller orders us west to support. Expect bombers and escorts in strength. I order the flight to head two eight zero. Carey is close behind my right shoulder. Good lad. At this hour of the day the sun is almost ahead of us and it's difficult to see anything for the glare. I have a growing worry that we'll get bounced any moment.
Finally, someone alerts us to the bombers five o'clock high. Good grief, there's enough of them! A formation of Heinkels, heading for Murmansk. Where are the escorts? I can hear Ivanov's men over the radio. Is he keeping them busy? There's nothing for it. "All right everyone, attack the bombers and watch out for escorts."
We climb up to meet their formation head on. I let off a salvo to no great effect, arcing up into the sky and coming around to catch up with the Heinkels again. They're shooting at me. Tracer is flashing past... Woah! That was a close one. Two bullets pass throught the cockpit.
Once I gain airspeed in the dive I close in on the right hand bomber ahead of me. I can see the hits, debris is coming off him. I can't stay on his tail for long - those gunners have the bit between their teeth. Turning left something large passes right underneath me. I can see orange flames, and a Hurricane pulls up into a steep climb to my right. Well done, whoever that was, but he's paid for it. His Hurricane is trailing thin smoke.
I go around for another pass. Two heinkels still in formation ahead. The right one is smoking nicely so I go for the leader. His plane takes damage too as I flash past him.
"Well done Number Three, he's going to Hell!" Someone says over the radio. Carey has shot a bomber down. Excellent. I make another pass but the angle is too steep - I haven't enough time to aim properly. Pull up. turn around, try again, and I open fire on him again. I can see the bullets hitting the front fuselage. He's beginning to dive. Forget him, there's another turning for home above me.
I chase the Heinkel in a climb and realise he's trying to evade another Hurrricane. The bomber is turning toward me as I come up underneath... Fire!... Yes!... The Heinkel is in serious trouble.
![[Image: db0187eceb808f0d5896a6f5dba889496g.jpg]](http://www4.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/db0187eceb808f0d5896a6f5dba889496g.jpg)
So are the Russians. I can see the dogfight below us, near the river. I tell the flight to take the escorts on. This time we'll jump them and help the Russians out. I dive down but the Germans are well aware of us. My target breaks and despite my efforts, he stays ahead and avoids my salvoes. He seriously pushes his Messerschmitt hard, but he's almost down on the deck. I am too, trying hard to keep pace, no more than a couple hundred feet above the trees rushing past me. Mac warns me of a bandit behind me just in time.
These Germans have their heads screwed on. If we stay here we get shot down. Mac pounces on the 109's behind me and they turn away. Siezing the moment I tell Blue Flight to break off and head east. We're outnumbered and low on ammo. Live to fight another day.
I look over my shoulder and search for Hurricanes. Two of them. The Messerschmitts are regrouping. By now though we're back across the river and the determined flak persuades the Luftwaffe to go home. Jarvis took longer to come home. He'd suffered engine failure after attacking the Heinkels and belly landed successfully.
Only a few of the bombers got away. The escorts however seemed invulnerable. They had the measure of us as soon as we joined the fight. That was a close one. For Ivanov's flight, it was closer. He was the only one who got back, and his plane was peppered with holes.
Have we another adversary at Petsamo?
Today the weather is good. There's some cloud but the air quality is excellent. Another day, another patrol. I walk over to my aeroplane and begin strapping on the parachute. It all seems so laid back today.
I hear Merlin engines running up, and off to my right Ivanov's flight are taking off to protect Kilpyavr. One by one the engines reach a crescendo of noise and accelerate across the grass. They turn westward, small dark specks in the bright blue sky. It leaves me with a peculiar feeling in my stomach as I watch them them depart for no apparent reason.
Carey is about to climb aboard his Hurricane. I have to hand it to him, for a man nearly killed on his first sortie he seems very focused. Perhaps that's it. His near fatal dunking in the Barents Sea must have have woken him up. I hope it makes the difference.
Our patrol begins like all others. Climb to angels sixteen and maintain a wide orbit of the airfield. Once again the Russian voices are heard over the radio. This time they're frantic. Someone's in trouble. I listen as the Vayenga controller orders us west to support. Expect bombers and escorts in strength. I order the flight to head two eight zero. Carey is close behind my right shoulder. Good lad. At this hour of the day the sun is almost ahead of us and it's difficult to see anything for the glare. I have a growing worry that we'll get bounced any moment.
Finally, someone alerts us to the bombers five o'clock high. Good grief, there's enough of them! A formation of Heinkels, heading for Murmansk. Where are the escorts? I can hear Ivanov's men over the radio. Is he keeping them busy? There's nothing for it. "All right everyone, attack the bombers and watch out for escorts."
We climb up to meet their formation head on. I let off a salvo to no great effect, arcing up into the sky and coming around to catch up with the Heinkels again. They're shooting at me. Tracer is flashing past... Woah! That was a close one. Two bullets pass throught the cockpit.
Once I gain airspeed in the dive I close in on the right hand bomber ahead of me. I can see the hits, debris is coming off him. I can't stay on his tail for long - those gunners have the bit between their teeth. Turning left something large passes right underneath me. I can see orange flames, and a Hurricane pulls up into a steep climb to my right. Well done, whoever that was, but he's paid for it. His Hurricane is trailing thin smoke.
I go around for another pass. Two heinkels still in formation ahead. The right one is smoking nicely so I go for the leader. His plane takes damage too as I flash past him.
"Well done Number Three, he's going to Hell!" Someone says over the radio. Carey has shot a bomber down. Excellent. I make another pass but the angle is too steep - I haven't enough time to aim properly. Pull up. turn around, try again, and I open fire on him again. I can see the bullets hitting the front fuselage. He's beginning to dive. Forget him, there's another turning for home above me.
I chase the Heinkel in a climb and realise he's trying to evade another Hurrricane. The bomber is turning toward me as I come up underneath... Fire!... Yes!... The Heinkel is in serious trouble.
So are the Russians. I can see the dogfight below us, near the river. I tell the flight to take the escorts on. This time we'll jump them and help the Russians out. I dive down but the Germans are well aware of us. My target breaks and despite my efforts, he stays ahead and avoids my salvoes. He seriously pushes his Messerschmitt hard, but he's almost down on the deck. I am too, trying hard to keep pace, no more than a couple hundred feet above the trees rushing past me. Mac warns me of a bandit behind me just in time.
These Germans have their heads screwed on. If we stay here we get shot down. Mac pounces on the 109's behind me and they turn away. Siezing the moment I tell Blue Flight to break off and head east. We're outnumbered and low on ammo. Live to fight another day.
I look over my shoulder and search for Hurricanes. Two of them. The Messerschmitts are regrouping. By now though we're back across the river and the determined flak persuades the Luftwaffe to go home. Jarvis took longer to come home. He'd suffered engine failure after attacking the Heinkels and belly landed successfully.
Only a few of the bombers got away. The escorts however seemed invulnerable. They had the measure of us as soon as we joined the fight. That was a close one. For Ivanov's flight, it was closer. He was the only one who got back, and his plane was peppered with holes.
Have we another adversary at Petsamo?