February 13: Temse Patrol
Checked in at 5pm EST to find bmbm already on rogerwilco and waiting. We hanged around for diogenes but no show just yet. Spitfire mission posted at Manston for Temse. It was pretty late in the day but we had time for a quick hop before dusk. Rolling east and grabbing to 15k on economy we passed knoke 10minutes later but still no sign of the enemy. We would re-supply that airfield on the way back.

Turning southeast for Temse we arrived on target and proceeded south descending slowly. With the front reduced to a few coastel cities mainly around st omer and knokke we intended to CAP the approaches from Antwerp & Brussels by flying north to south along Temse. It was a new tactic bmbm had perceived - CAP the outskirts of the airfields in line abreast instead of smacking them down directly. We had tried it before at varous stages but now with the clouds and bigger circles it was harder to keep track of an enemy without getting spotted. Fighting over the AF is not in our best interests so it was time to push out a bit and try something else. At 12k levelling off we cross split back North while over Halle. Visibility was poor with low cloud cover and keeping line abreast was quite a challenge while all at the same time looking for the enemy. Stuka Alley was quiet today as we cruised past north.

It was bmbm who called out the first con over Temse to our 9oclock. In we went on a stuka. Bmbm scored some hits but failed to flame. My turn next and struggling with compression and rudder pedals I overshot grabbing north. Looking back to the east we we're clear and the stuka continued west with bmbm in. Dropping down to around 5000ft and approaching Lokeren we broke off north circling to check our 6s. Quite a few cons down below us over the town but we didn't want to stay around and so headed out east grabbing altitude. Diogenes checked in and I told him where to find my posted mission.

Back over Temse bmbm reports con level my 9oclock. Could it be diogenes? but it isn't as dio reports he is some place else. Turning towards him the 109 breaks for the deck west and we follow. I try for a cockpit shot but he tightens his turn so I'm off south with bmbm back in. We stay above him for a good 10minutes pressing home attacks until bmbm commits. Diogenes shows up and I try for a drag and bag north but he fails to take the bait. No word though I continue north and loose sight on bmbm back to the south. Dio with me reports con low north of Hulst heading west and we check him out. 109! I make a pass and he goes defensive to the north but I need to get back to bmbm so drop south low dragging the con for diogenes above. Looking back northeast I now see 4 cons with diogenes coming down. Two are around 600yards off and firing so I drop lower. One by one they break off but there is a friendly on the last 109 named garrett. I recognise his name and we turn back north to help him grabbing as much altitude as possible. He furballs with them around 11,000ft and scores some hits on one 109 but already theres another on his 666. Diogenes bounces one 109 and scares him off to the deck while I go in on garretts 6shooter. I score some pretty good hits around his canopy and he dives with garret now on his 6. Down to just one 109 we wrestle him over the city before he decides to bug low east with us giving chase. Bmbm reports he's above the area searching for us. I keep up a running commentry for bmbm. The bandit turns back towards Hulst realising its a long way to antwerps AA guns and we follow. Can't confirm whether this 109 was smacked down by garett or went to hide over Hulst on the deck as we lost visual.

Grabbing south back to 15k we could see antwerp docks but no cons. I believe it was around dendermonde bmbm reported con behind us heading west low. In we went on another 109 but we think he's seen us as he turns slightly to the northwest making bmbm break off above. Now he's dropping down low southwest with me in chase trying for a cockpit shot but he turns. Back above him bmbm goes in but our gunnerys not too good today as we make our attacks. With no where to run to the 109 circled the wagons below us when we went in then extended when he had the chance. I tried for a drag to the north but no luck. Another con level passing the fight by heading west. I call him out and bmbm gives me clearance to go in on the stuka. Closing to 400yards I open up as he climbs leaving him with a engine & fuel leak to re-join bmbm & dio's fight. Coming in from the west low I had a perfect shot opportunity at the 109 infront of me as he stalled out at the top of his loop presenting his belly before me. I failed to fire! Damnit. Bmbm went in again from above after this rope a dope and grappled with the 109 on the deck until finally nailing him with a canopy snapshot. He smacked down in a gentle left dive and kaboomed just south of the river. Good show!

Clear we headed north and dio called out something was heading east behind us so we all turned around for the kill. A 110c! Diogenes made the first pass but failed to flame. Still heading east the 110c with multiple leaks dropped to the deck passing north of Stekene over the forest. Jinxing up & down and having a go with his tail gunner. We closed the distance but then antwerp city was in sight and after a last failed burst me & dio grabbed off while bmbm continued in. If another con showed up we'd take him on but it wasn't necessary as bmbm had to also break off north after sustaining a coolent leak from AA guns. Not to worry though as later on it was confirmed diogenes got the kill for this 110c. Poor sod must have crashed on landing ;)

On the way back bmbm called out a con passing by over head to the east out of icon range. He swinged around for us and came down, gunning the engine to max rpms I sped ahead of the flight waiting for bmbm to call out the break but the con turned out to be a friendly and broke off south to the clouds. Just shy of Knokke unfortunatly bmbm's engine died and he had to ditch so me and dio motored on to land successfully. Counting up the tally for today we had 1 stuka (me), 1 109 (bmbm) & 1 110c (diogenes) kill with some damages. Fun sorty gents and I'll cya next time :)

Signed hammered XO 56th FG