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Mission Scenario for Fighting Wings
Here is an original mission scenario which will require ADCs for aircraft in three volumes of Fighting Wings system (OTR, ASp! and WD). These will enable you to launch into battle with the best hunter of the USAAF over Tunisia in 1942-1943: Lockheed P-38 Lightning, which however hardly deserved during this program its famous historical nickname of " Fork-Tailed Devil" against the Luftwaffe’s FW 190s and Bf 109s... It’s up to you to do better, now!

Lightnings Against Focke-Wulfs, Tunisia – Nov-42 to May-43

Background: On 21-Nov-42, the 1st and 14th Fighter Groups of the 12th US Air Force arrived in North Africa, their P-38s joining other fighter units in P-40s, P-39s, and Spitfires. After a "muscular" greetingby the Luftwaffe (the two unit's base was bombed during the night of 16-17 November ), the new American fighters carried out their first mission on November 18. Very quickly, Lightnings engaged in the Mediterranean suffered a fate quite contrary to those fighting in the Pacific. Flown by young inexperienced pilots, handicapped by their poor roll rate and unsuitable combat tactics, they underwent terrible reverses against frightening FW 190s of the II./JG 2 and Bf 109Gs of the JG 53 and JG 77, which arrived in Tunisia shortly after Operation "TORCH". Used for support missions by the III./ZG 2 (which became III./SKG 10 on 20-Dec-42), FW 190 (as well as Bf 109G) was going to hold the high edge during its stay in North Africa.

On their side, the two FG suffered such losses in combat that 14th FG had to be withdrawn from combat at the end of January 1943, surrendering its remaining aircraft to the new 82nd FG which arrived on Christmas 1942. The two units continued their interception and escort) missions, with moral rather low.

Success finally came with Operation FLAX, where P-38 were going to destroy many Axis transport aircraft over the Mediterranean from the 5 to April 10, 1943.

The end of the campaign in Tunisia on May 13, 1943 did not prevent the continuation of the missions of P-38 with the return of 14th FG. One can nevertheless assess that in this campaign, the Lightning was hardly remarkable in its operations against Luftwaffe, compared with the brilliances successes gained during the same period in the Pacific against the Japanese. The problems inherent in P-38 operations were reproduced at the time of the first missions escorting the heavy bombers of the 8· Air Force over Western Europe from October 1943, where the losses would prove such that the USAAF was obliged to quickly withdraw P-38 in this type of mission in favor of the P-51 Mustang.

This scenario will enable you to recreate P-38 missions in Tunisia from November 1942 to May 1943. The German player can try to contradict with his FW 190 the historical claims of the overrated reputation (in my opinion) of the famous American fighter. It will be also possible to make operate other types of fighters: Spitfire VC and P-40F (including those of the famous GC II/5 La Fayette, first unit of the French Air Force to take arms again withe the Allies from mid-January 1943).

Mission Orders for the 1st, 14th and 82nd Fighter Groups of the 12th Air Force: Take off and move towards Tunisia occupied by the Axis in order to force Luftwaffe to start the combat. The maximum mission range is the Mediterranean (box 5), while flying preferably in ML or MH bands. Additionally you can attack any target of opportunity on the return.

Mission Aircraft: select by period: Nov-Déc 1942:
Jan-May 1943:
six P-38F-5
six P-38G

Interceptors:

select by period:

Nov-42 to mid-Mar 1943:

four FwW190A-3/Trop or
four FwW190A-4/Trop.

Mid-Mar/May 1943: four FW 190A-4/U3/Trop

Placement OMT:

Friendly border: 1 Enemy Border: 2
Interceptor base: 4 Medium Flak: One unit at the interceptor base or city
Target cities:
Youks-les-Bains OMT circle
Thélepte 1
Kasserine 1
Pichon 3
Kairouan 4
Bizerte 4
Tunis 4
Heavy Flak: One unit at the city
Targets of opportunity: See below

Targets of opportunity:

  1. The German player rolls a die for the distance:
    Roll Range
    1 - 3 2
    4 - 7 3
    8 - 10 4
  2. The German player then rolls another die for the type of objective:
    Roll Target type
    1 - 3 Ju 88A-4 in LO band (see characteristics in the Encounter Tables)
    4 - 10 Column of trucks (use a truck counter).
  3. The distance and the type from objective are hidden initially with the allied player. The file of truck is revealed to him only when its formation flies over them in band VL; this type of objective is protected by an average unit of Flak.

Special Rules:

  1. Reroll the initial operational weather if the first result obtained is 9-10 (without any seasonal modifier). In the event of weather change (every TWO turns in winter, and every THREE turns in spring), time cannot NEVER be worse than "High Overcast Skies" in winter and "Broken Cloud Cover" in spring (if these types worsen, regard the die roll result as no change).
  2. The P-38 base is in the IMT circle, and is considered a prepared air base.
  3. Strafing the bases: P-38s can strafe enemy airfields by remaining a full operational turn in the box of a base at hedgehopping altitude (OTR p.41). The attackers are prone to being hit with AAA according to usual rules', the additional modifier of the light and average AAA being applied (cf AAA Attack tables). The strafing attack is carried out during the Interception and Combat Phase when this formation moves ; it counts as a successful deliberate encounter. Each aircraft spends half of a die of ammunition and can attack an aircraft on the ground at 2-hex range using normal combat rules. The modifier of deflection for an enemy aircraft on the ground is x1; several aircraft can strafe the same target if they wish. Use the same process to attack a truck column obtained as an opportunity target.

Notes:

  1. Front line is located between boxes 1 and 2. An escape exists in boxes 2 to 4 for the Americans (Tunisians).
  2. The FW 190A as well as Bf 109G are tropicalized, but do not have any effect on Maximum and Dive Speeds; they can use drop tanks, but cannot rearm and refuel during the game.
  3. The Axis can attack the P-38 base if they wiss. It is protected by a light Flak unit.
  4. P-38s can carry two 125-gal drop tanks. They cannot rearm and refuel during the game. They can however start to re-enter after a first combat.
  5. The American player must carry out at least one interception and gain more points than the German player to win the game.
  6. Flying through a box containing an enemy city or base does not force the attacker to fly directly over that city or base.
  7. All aircraft use an +4 emergency landing modifier due to the difficulty of the terrain..
  8. Germans and Americans can go to box 5 (the Mediterranean).
  9. National levels of training:
    USAAF Average - no aces until February 1943
    Luftwaffe Good until January 1943, then Average
  10. Victory points for the trucks and enemy aircraft damaged or destroyed are deduced in the usual manner (OTR p.48).
  11. Specific history: one can divide USAAF and Luftwaffe operations in Tunisia in three periods:

    Nov-42 / Jan-43:

    Arrival of the 1st· and 14th FG with P-38s as well as 57th, 33rd, 79th and 325th FG with P-40s, 81st and 350th FG with P-39s and 31st and 52nd FG with Spitfire VCs for the American side, and German side of the II.JG 2 and III./ZG 2 on Fw 190 and of the I./JG 53, II./JG 51 and I-II-III./JG 77 on Bf 109G; Regia Aeronautica has the 155° Gruppo C.T in C.202.

    During their first sorties, P-38s will undergo heavy losses and are reinforced by the 82· FG on Christmas. On their side, the Germans do better than to defend oneself against the crushing the allied numerical superiority, in particular the II./JG 2.

    The Italians replace 155° Gruppo by 6° Gruppo C.T. at the end of December.

    At the end of January, 14· FG, demoralized and having undergone heavy losses is withdrawn from the combat; the units on P-38 will have serious problems to be maintained with full manpower...

    On January 13, 1943, GC II/5 of our Air Force in its new P-40F-5 begin limited operations, marking the return of the French to combat at the sides of the Allies.

    Feb / Mar-43:

    The Wehrmacht launches its famous offensive on Kasserine on 14-Feb-43; Luftwaffe does its best, but it can hardly facilitate the task of Wehrmacht, which misses strategic reserves. After a remarkable campaign, the II/JG2 leaves Tunisia, after having gained the astounding score of some 150 victories while losing 18 of their own pilots! JG 53 and 77 in their Bf 109Gs are left alone to defend the sky of Tunisia entirely, with increasing difficulties. The sea belonging to the Allies, a vast airlift is organized between Tunisia and Sicily, the Luftwaffe organizing an escort for the slow transport aircraft (including the enormous six-engined aircrafts Me-323). Losses are very heavy and seal the destiny of the Axis in Africa. With the advance of the allied armies, the P-38 base moved into Box 1, and the front line is moved to between boxes 2 and 3.

    Apr / May-43:

    The American pilots aguerrissent themselves more and more on their aircraft. Operation FLAX from the 5 to April 10 decimates the Axis transport aviation, the maritime transportation lanes being controlled by the Allies. On its side, Luftwaffe defends a desperate plight on the ground. With the retreat of the 5· Armée towards Tunis, the German fighters end up withdrawing on May 10, 1943. May 13, the forces of the Axis leave Tunisia. But the martyrdom of Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean was far from being finished...

Variations:

Encounter Tables for P-38 in Tunisia

Friendly/Hostile Fighter Encounters
Roll die by period Allies Roll die by period Axis
nov-dec 42 jan-may 43 nov 42-feb 43 mar-may 43
1 - 6 - P-38F-5+ 1 - Fw 190A-3/Trop
- 1 - 7 P-38G 2 - 3 - Fw 190A-4/Trop
7 - 8 - P-39D-2 4 1 - 2 Fw 190A-4/U3/Trop
9 - 10 8 - 9 Spitfire VC (Trop) 5 – 10 3 - 10 Bf 109G-2/G-4/Trop
- 10 Spitfire F. IXC

One cannot encounter P-39s or Spitfires (like the P-40) beyond box 4 until mid-March 1943; ignore such a result before this date. If you have the ADC for the Macchi C.202, you can modify the German side of this table.

Friendly/Hostile Non-Fighter Encounters
Roll Alliés Roll die by period Axis
D10 nov 42-feb 43 mar-may 43
1 Three B-17F in band MH. 1 - 4 1 - 3 Three Ju 88A-4/Trop in band LO.
2 One B-17F damaged in band ML. 5 - 6 4 One Ju 88A-4/Trop damaged in band VL.
3 - 4 Six B-26B-4 in band LO. 7 - 8 5 - 8 One Ju 52 transport in band VL.
5 One B-26B-4 damaged in band VL. 9 9 One recon Ju 88D-5 in band MH
(remove FG1 and FG2 from Ju88A-4)
6 - 7 Six B-25D in band LO.
8 One B-25D damaged in band VL. 10 10 One recon Bf 109G-4/R2 in band MH
(remove N2 and add drop tank)
9 One F-5A in band MH
(unarmed recon P-38G)
10 One Spitfire P.R. IV in band MH
(unarmed recon Spit V)
  1. If three (or more) of bombers are met, they are armed with bombs on a die roll < 5.
  2. The Ju 88A-4s are different from the A-5: The tropicalized version of Ju 88A-4 is not penalized in maximum level or dive speed.

ADCs

Here the complete list of the aircraft which are used in this scenario:

[Not surprisingly, some of these additonal ADCs are available from Uncle Ted’s:

Previously published in Air Power:

Sources

CONCEPTION: Christophe MASSUYEAU
E-mail: prof.errata@wanadoo.fr