[Anatoli]

Hello...

Here are some screens taken from a mission we flew over the Mission_Bug's South_Vietnam_Map (french colonial era)...
8 pilotes were flying this mission (6 SBD and 2 Seafire).

Enjoy !! :wink:


June 1949 : the SBD Dauntless of the 4F (4th Navy Squadron) arrives in Indochina.

Escorted by 2 Seafire of the 1F embarked aboard the Arromanche carrier, 6 SBD from the 4F (radio code : "Damoclès") take off from the Arromanche carrier. Their mission is to reach the city of Hué (150 km from the carrier), and then to land at Tourane airfield. Once landed, they will go for another briefing...














Coast !!!













The flight arrives over the outskirts of Hué.










Hué, Imperial city...













The 2 Seafire and 6 SBD arrive over Tourane. They prepare for landing, while the 2 Seafire return toward the carrier...







Time for a briefing at Tourane...Pilots of the 4F will have to reach the military fort at Muong Xépan, near the Laos border, in the mountains. The camp has not given any radio call for 3 days... The situation needs to be clarified : is the camp still in french hands?




The 6 SBD of the 4F take off, once refueled and rearmed. A 250 lb bomb has been loaded, in case or the flight has an opportunity to strike the Vietminh...


































After 25 minutes of a stressful flight (visibility is very bad in the mountains due to a really bad weather at that time) the 6 SBD spot the french camp. It still appears to be under controle of french soldiers. A very bad quality radio contact is made with the camp... Their long range radio broke down 3 days ago, and they only have a short range radio equipment working...

The leading officer of the camp announces that a Vietminh position has been spotted 30 km north of Muong Xépan... A strike needs to be planned...
Damoclès leader (commanding officer of the 4F) then orders the SBD to go towards this new target...

















After several minutes flying without visibility, the Vietminh position is spotted, due to the AA guns firing at the SBDs...




SBD prepare for the attack...





































The ennemy position is annihilated after 2 passes...

But the 4F squadron lost a plane during the attack, due to direct AA guns...
Damoclès 6 saw the crew bailing out, but they were never seen again...