(Kiev: 21/08/1941)
Pilot Name:I/KG26_Alpha
AircraftType:Il2 (Captured)
Target Duties:Attack Kiev South area.
Targets Destroyed: 1 x Tank 1 x AAA 1 x Bridge 17 x trucks 1 x IL2
Mission End Status: Landed at Zitomir A/f
Points: 625
Mission Debriefing:
It was a clear weather mission today with good visibility for ground attack, after some extra training in this IL2 we had captured I was ready for some action today at the Kiev southern sectors.
I had Klaus Von Klanger as my wingman today and we had a clear run to the Kiev area with no sign of enemy fighters, I rolled into a ground recon position and made low fast passes over the target sectors I had to sweep, I saw Bf109's strafing the road South of Kiev towards the South Western a/f, looked like tanks and columns heading from Kiev to the airfield.
I called for Stukas position as I had expected to see them here as I was flak suppression support for them, they were stiil awaiting escorts to take them to Kiev, I called Kiev clear of enemy, and ordered Klaus to attack the flak positions, 85 mm was already buffeting my plane for the last 4 mins so I swept around the East of Kiev at 2500m to be met with even more flak.
I found a MSR bridge and decided to lighten the load up, I stayed at 2500m and pushed the nose over on the IL2 and made a high alt dive bomb on the bridge pulling up at 2000m, the bombs made a direct hit on the west side of the bridge collapsing the pylons just as a unknown column was crossing it, nice.
As I swung towards the Stukas target (west Kiev) I was hit by 25mm flak from a column that must have already crossed the bridge I had just bombed, I took evasive action and promptly started my attack, I sent a pair of rockets in to the column aiming at the flak gun, I missed but scored hits on some trucks, as I pulled out of the attack more AAA from the surrounding area opened up on me, I had to make this my last and fast attack, i went in rockets and cannons firing and left the area with nothing moving behind me.
I egressed to the support area where Ju88's and Stukas were attacking , my wingman was busy attacking the flak somewhere so I called him to rejoin and help attack the flak around the West Kiev a/f, as I got nearer to the target area a 25mm flak gun opened up on me from the elevated area of East Kiev, I had nowhere to go except straight at it as I was almost on top of the flak gun, I opened up with the cannons pushing the rudder slightly from side to side to get a good spray and his tracer soon stopped, as flew over the flak gun it was out of action.
At the attack sector I followed 2 Ju88's and saw them attack tanks and columns, there were Stukas there also but I saw them very briefly.
I decided to escort the JU88's home, They looked like they were headed to Zitomir af, my base was Vinnica, So I took them as far as 20kn inside the front lines and headed to my home base.
For a long time on the rtb it was very quiet, then the radio reported bombers under attack ?? I looked towards Zitomir and saw enemy tracers so raced there asap, it took me 5 mins to get there, Laggs were reported there and IL2's, it wasn't long before I saw and IL2 being chased by Jg2001 Pardauz, I was coming in at 570 kph dive at the IL2's 3 o'clock I aimed in front of the engine with the cannons and let rip all along the fuselage nose to tail and went in between the IL2 and the Stuka ( might have made Pardauz jump a bit), I kept up my speed as I saw 2 more enemy circling to attack Zitomir, they were IL2's, I hit one on the right wing and he went low rolling over almost into the ground from 1000m, the second one I took out completely from his 6 with the cannons, I rolled over and dove on to the 6 of the IL2 i had hit in the wing and was 800m away from him over Zitomar af when I ran out of fuel at 500m alt.
I put the landing lights on and dropped the lot flaps gear everything went down fast, as I made an emergency approach I saw two fighters trying to land, they were on finals i was on emergency base leg, all I could do was drop in behind them and hope there was enough room, I took the main runway and Quax (also out of fuel) landed on the taxiway.
I came to a stop jumped out and fell over, my legs were like jelly. after a few schnapps at the casino i was perfect again
S!
I/KG26_Alpha