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

 

 

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!!

Mission 6 results

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

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