Thursday 30 August 2012

CoD action - July 16th revisited

It's late in the afternoon on a hazy sunny day. Pilots from Tangmere are sitting around the dispersal. Some are relaxing, some are playing chess, others are listening to the gramophone smoking a pipe. (yep, even the gramophones smoked in those days)

The sound of a telephone interrupts the pilots thoughts, it's ops. An enemy formation of unknown size has been picked up off te coast of France heading for the Isle of Wight at around 10,000ft. It could be a raid on a host of targets in the area....

SCRAAMBLE!!!

Some shots from tonights action

Stuka's inbound to Tangmere 
 
Water looks cold 
 
Spit (Swoop) in the sun
 
Scores on the doors
 
 

Tuesday 28 August 2012



Mission 7
 
Poor weather and a very big furball over the lines.
 
I said to Meaks as we took off that I had a bad feeling about this one, I wasn't wrong!!

Tuesday 21 August 2012








Mission 6 results

Thursday 16 August 2012

Warmwell reception

July 18th, 1940

While Warmwell's 152 squadron and Biggin Hill's 601 squadron are on routine patrol, they encounter more than 30 Bf-109's over the Channel off of Beachy Head    

En-route

This took us a bit of time to find the action, but atmospheric off the coast of Beach Head.


Stats: http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=317

Isle of Wight festival

July 16th, 1940

Briefing: Its late in the afternoon of Tuesday, July 16th. Radar has picked up multiple contacts (40+) heading for Ventnor on the Isle of Wright at around Angels 10.

Spitfires from Biggin Hill are fueled and ready to go.

A cross country flight with the sun rapidly going down and late evening mist. Interesting to see we started to get a bit jumpy about whether we'd missed the attack. Finally when it came there a lot of aircraft. I think we prevented Ventor getting hit, but Pompey docks got a pasting from what I saw.

Lots of diverts to alternate airfields. Great to see an almost full mission.


Stats: http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=316


Thursday 9 August 2012

Thames barrier

July 15, 1940

Briefing:

Do-17's attack a convoy in the Thames Estuary

On a terrible weather day, in which there should be no enemy action, 15 D0-17's attempt an attack on a convoy "Pilot", in the Thames Estuary.

Spits and Hurricanes from North Weald scramble to defend the convoy.

Great to hear the call "20+ contacts", definitely gets the heart rate up.


Welcome back Ming (and Marsh) :)

Mission Stats: http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=312

Late to the Stuka party

July 14, 1940

Briefing:

The convoy "Bread" again is under attack

40 Ju-87's have assembled behind Calais and they are escorted by 109's.
It appears as if they are headed for the convoy "Bread" off of Dover.

Spits from Hornchurch as well as Hurricanes from both Croydon and Kenley respond.

All those Stukas and we missed them!! Great fun flying over the channel.

Formating on WB through the cloud

Mission Stats: http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=311

Friday 3 August 2012

"Bombers Over Dover, Over....."

July 13th, 1940

Brief - On a bad weather day, when all planes should have been on the ground, the Germans in He-111's try an attack on the port of Dover.

Hurricanes from Tangmere respond




Weather: Filthy, Dirty.... proper messy

Fresh from the success of the previous mission, a full compliment of twelve Hurricanes took off from Tangmere into an awful weather. Breaking through the cloud was glorious, though a touch of the difficult side to navigate.

With a luxury of a full squadron of aircraft, we split above and below the clouds. Redundant was disoriented in the decent and hit the sea, whilst Joe "stuck to his man like glue" and followed him in.

Enemy aircraft were soon spotted above the cloud and a total of eleven aircraft were shot down.

The success of the previous mission wasn't continued with seven out of the twelve Hurricanes lost, another bailed and one disco.

Special mention to Nepe for four aircraft shot down in this mission. Nice going :)

http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=308

Thursday 2 August 2012

Here is the news



July 12th, 1940

The RAF have been involved in heavy fighting today, defending a convoy off the coast of Suffolk.

A total of sixteen enemy aircraft, Heinkel He-111's and Messerschmitt 110's attacked His Majesties ships.

Hurricane's from 17, 84 and 146 Squadron destroyed fifteen of the raiders and gave Goering a bloody nose.

http://www.keets.org/eafstats/out_missdata.cfm?mission_id=307