NEW OD RAZORBACKS

I decided it was really necessary to correct my error with silver P-47s. The OD 'Razorbacks' are more correct for the time frame. The basic counter still has a bubble canopy - or looks like it does -  which is not 100% correct but at the usual scale of magnification is not an issue. The Vertical dive and climb counters are 'OK' but not great. Functional enough for now anyway.

Made and error with the two stars on the wings - should only be one...d'oh!

MISS TAKEN SHOT DOWN OVER KIEL

MISS TAKEN went down over KIEL on the final Flak burst over the target. 9 chutes with only the pilot not making it out. No escape from Nazi Germany and the crew all go into POW camps.

Attrition ove the tour was 6.4% - a little above the average 4%. [7.3% if the invalided home crewmen count and they probably should.]

I've changed the DR for BANDITS which will increase the number of attacks by quite a bit, especially versus A/C in the MIDDLE who were too protected. If you drew MIDDLE plus poor weather you were invulnerable. Now it's a DR <= 5 =28% typically rather than 20%.

MISS DEEDS and MISS TAKEN's tour

Started a new tour with MISS DEEDS. Did well until mission 13 when the starboard tails section was destroyed. The pilots managed to maintain control until within sight of East Anglia only to lose it there and crash into the sea. 7 chutes with 6 crew rescued.

I still have 5 of the original 10 MISS DEEDS crew left so will continue. Attrition is 5.4%. Slightly above the historical figure. In stark contrast to the various BAD APPLES the nose section has yet to suffer a KIA.

I changed the way I do the bomb run making the FLAK more dangerous but the bombing less inaccurate. This change took effect around mission 10.

I've also just realised there is no 'INVALIDED OUT' result possible and there really should be. I don't like it subsumed in the DOW result and it should also be quite likely - about 25% of WIA at a guess.

DUCK SOUP SHOT DOWN OVER WILHELMSHAVEN

I can't help feeling someone had it in for DUCK SOUP'S crew - putting them on LEAD when only 2 crew members had 8ML seems to be asking for trouble. Of course maybe there were no better crews available at this point and it was just their turn. It ended badly anyway - no survivors from the original DUCK'N'DIVE crew - but three more POWS.

The attrition rate was ~ 10% during these 23 missions. 24 KIAs out of 230 'man missions.' and 9 POWS to boot.

During their tour the various DUCKS dropped ~123,000lbs of bombs of which ~7% or 9,000lbs landed on or near the target.

UGLY DUCKLING

UGLY DUCKLING survived six missions only to crash over ROUEN. 7 men made it out and one [the BALL GUNNER] made it back to England to become part of the crew of DUCK SOUP. He is the only survivor of the original ten from DIVE'N'DUCK. Crew attrition is running at 7%.

DIVE'N'DUCK never made it to EMDEN - going down in the North Sea on her 11th mission. 4 of the crew survived to fly again in UGLY DUCKLING.

DIVE'N'DUCK'S 11TH MISSION IS TO EMDEN

High position will make for extra BANDITS. Also, though escorts are rolled as EXCELLENT they won't reach all the way to EMDEN except for a few P-38s over the target. I'm going to leave this one until I have a fresh mind - easy to mess up else and I have some new fighter rules to test out.

DIVE'N'DUCK LEAD BOMBER FOR ROTTERDAM

DIVE'N'DUCK READY FOR AMIENS - MISSION 8

Survived mission 8 but with one KIA. Attrition running 6% so far. I have a new name plate with nose section and smaller bomb markers and kill markers. Some may object to the symbol chosen but living in Asia I'm used to it and as it means 'dead Nazi' I don't think it's offensive. Sometimes you do see 'Balkenkreuz' symbols to denote kills but they are less typical.

DIVE'N'DUCK MISSION 7

This is running along nicely. Attrition rate in crew is 5% per mission - which is very close to the historical 4%. Lots of bandits shot down by escorts and the B-17's guns. So far - so good - it looks for now like I have it right. Scary but survivable.

DIVE'N'DUCK

I've started a new tour with a fresh crew using the amended rules. Still tough but the B-17 can now fend off even large groups of fighters most of the time- though seldom without any damage/casualties. Here is a picture of my new B-17 DIVE'N'DUCK bombing AMIENS. They managed 18% on target but returned with 2 KIA from this their 4th mission.

MAJOR CHANGES

I've made a few changes to beef up the defensive fire of the B-17.

Previously, BANDITS have been able to inflict serious damage and a lot of RATTLED results before getting inside the 8 radius and being vulnerable to the defensive fire.

I've done all the following:-

• Doubled the FP of the B-17s guns to 8 and 16 FP
• Raised the starting ML of a fresh crew to 8ML - not 7. Replacements still join as 7ML
• I have 4 radii now with +2, +1, +0 and -1 DRM to the FTC
• If the target is so close that your fire originates inside it's counter square outline, you count -2 FTC and ignore DEFLECTION DRM

Now, an 8ML gunner engaging a BANDIT at 12 range that is banking and climbing but head on (nearly always is) while NIC can fire on a DR <= 7. BANKING/CLIMBING BANDITS also add +2 to their FTC, thereby reducing their threat especially if they do get RATTLED.

This is a big swing in favour of the B-17 but from recent play tests they need it.

WILD WILMA GOES THE SAME WAY AS JAZZIN' JANE

FLIGHT CONTROLS DESTROYED - 4 CHUTES - 2 RESCUED AND 1 POW. Uncannily similar to JAZZIN' JANE except the Spitfires did help some - just not enough. 4 ME 109s is a serious (and rare) roll on the BANDITS DICE.

It's too early to say if the balance needs adjusting again. A big change from the early tour with BAD APPLES is that I've made long range for the .50 cals +2 on the FTC. Very hard to pass. This allows the BANDITS to shoot up the B-17 at range 8-12 before closing in for the kill...

JAZZIN' JANE SHOT DOWN OVER CHANNEL

Despite better escorts and less chance of BANDITS 4 German fighter found a gap in the escorts and took JAZZIN' JANE apart. Only the TAIL GUNNER wasn't WIA/KIA when the flight controls were destroyed but he didn't make it out.

Even though JAZZIN' JANE succumbed on her 4th mission, I think the level of difficulty is about right. It needs a perfect storm of random factors to doom a B-17. In this case not getting any escort cover at the very moment 4 fighters pounced was what did it. Even a couple of Spitfires would have made all the difference.

LUCKY LULU NOT SO LUCKY..

8th USAAF is losing B-17s at a tremendous rate. The last few mission have been unfortunate to say the least but I seem to be getting too many fighter waves. Perhaps I should reduce the NO TIGHT FORMATION DRM from -2 to -1. This would help a bit. I have also considered reducing the basic chance of fighters in a zone from 30% to 20% - maybe even make both these changes since it is proving impossible to survive the first 5 missions.


I've put both these changes into effect - and I think it should be a big help to the USAAF especially over the first 5 missions.

CANNED MEAT SHOT DOWN OVER NORTHERN FRANCE

Ouch! CANNED MEAT meets its end on the way to AMIENS. Note the FW190 performing a victory roll above its victim. A destroyed wing root is a pretty lucky hit even for an FW190 with its fearsome 4 x 20mm armament. 6 chutes all captured - 4 KIA. The other chute in the bottom right is that of a Spitfire pilot. Rather a good moment for the Luftwaffe - although the preceding waves were both shot to pieces by the Spitfire escorts.

CANNED MEAT'S CREW START THEIR TOURS - SOME END IMMEDIATELY!

2 FW190s shot down over MEALTE but more fighters arrived and damaged several engines, knocking one out and also causing several WIA and a KIA.

CANNED MEAT limped home only to crash land and suffer even more casualties for a total of 5 KIA. AMIENS is the next outing.

GREENGOOSE II GOES DOWN IN FLAMES OVER NORTHERN FRANCE

It was all going so well. Hit the target and downed 2 Me 109s with defensive fire only to have Engine #1 destroyed by Flak and catch fire. The fire burned out of control and the crew had to bail. The tail gunner was smuggled back to England by the French Resistance but the rest are Goering's guests for now [apart from the ball gunner who didn't make it out in time.]

FORMATION - MIDDLE OF LOWER SQUADRON

I've slightly moved the position of the TAIL BOMBERS to be a little further away in both dimensions. I could make them bigger and smaller to give an illusion of depth - but it's  quite a big job - maybe later.

Our B-17 looks well protected surrounded by friends!

GREENGOOSE II BOUND FOR ROTTERDAM - NICE TIGHT FORMATION

 Third try at this...better I think.

Here are all the possible formation positions in one picture. The B-17 in the middle under the LOX button is 'ours'. The rest are its formation mates. You'd have at most 7 of these on map at once. So far the others just provide a visual reminder that there is a formation - you could do away with them but I like to see them.

This is the formation revised - much tighter and looks too tight - but they did fly very close.

I'm not sure I have the formations tight enough - photos seem to show some really close flying. I may make a few changes later - it's easy enough to do. Then I could fit more of the formation on - this time because GREENGOOSE II  is leading the second V she is in the centre and most of the lower squadron fit.

CHERRYPICKIN BLOWN TO BITS OVER AMIENS

Another victim of the deadly German Flak. 5 chutes. 1 escaped back to England. Rest POWS.

JUMPING JACK CRASHES INTO CHANNEL

Beset by a veritable swarm of fighters JUMPING JACK'S RUDDER was destroyed causing the PILOT to lose control and crash into the sea. 4 chutes but only the PILOT made it.

JUMPING JACKS TOUR BEGINS

The two veteran crewmen of BAD APPLES I-VI both died of wounds sustained during mission 25. Tragic really.

I've begun again with  a fresh crew and A/C and already bombed (or rather missed completely) St Omer. Some screenshots.

MISSION 25 FOR ONE AT LEAST

Following 3 disastrous missions on the trot our 2 survivors join a crew of new guys for missions 25 and 24 of their tours. Bremen again.

Total losses so far 43 men killed and 5 B-17s.

BAD APPLES III CRASHES INTO THE NORTH SEA

4 Me 109s attacked in ZONE 2. No ESCORTS appeared to help. The PORT WING ROOT was destroyed and BAD APPLES III crashed with 6 CHUTES counted. 5 of the crew survived and were rescued. One already WIA before he bailed out could not survive in the water.

BAD APPLES HEADED BACK TO ST NAZAIRE

I admit to a certain feeling of trepidation. St Nazaire mission 19 gave BAD APPLES III a real scare. This time they enjoy a slightly better formation position and EXCELLENT fighter cover from P-38s that should be some help right out to zone 7.  I'm saving this one for the morning when I'm fresh and able to focus properly. I'll try to post a few screenshots as I go along.

So far 25 men have died manning BAD APPLES I, II and III. 7 of them BOMBARDIERS.

Update - They didn't make it to St Nazaire but had to land in SW England after the Starboard Tail Section was destroyed.

BAD APPLES III LOG UP TO MISSION 15 - WILHELMSHAVEN

This paints a rather grim picture. 18 KIA and 2 B-17s lost. Only the ENGINEER remains from BAD APPLES I. It seems to be dangerous in the NOSE - with 7 KIA already. The rest are evenly spread across the other 8 crew-stations. A lot of destroyed fighters, though we might allow for a little over-reporting. Bombing is poor overall but with some better percentages mixed in. Funnily enough, the third best score was achieved with a destroyed bomb-sight - bombing by blind chance.

The crew is gaining experience and can give the Luftwaffe pause for thought. They will have their work cut out as more and more missions are flown beyond the range fighter cover. The Thunderbolts and Lightnings do great work but still leave little gaps even before zone 5 and 6. 

I can't pretend my simulation is in any way accurate but it does capture the feel of those early months quite well. It feels dangerous but the B-17 (if not the crew) can survive a lot of punishment and still bomb and return. Often I've felt this is it as 3-4 BANDITS close in only to see them driven off or the B-17 soak up hit after hit.

BAD APPLES III lead bomber for KIEL Mission

Quite nervous about this one....

Set upon by fighters in ZONE 3 with ESCORTS nowhere to be seen. BOMB BAY doors jammed and had to turn back. Stacks of FW190s on the way back but no-one seriously hurt.

Bremen next!

BAD APPLES II is no more

Despite being in the MIDDLE position BAD APPLES II is quite exposed. As it happened, fighters pounced in ZONE 2 and both PILOTS were WIA. Nevertheless BAD APPLES II flew on to the target and scored 11% hits, only to have the NOSE destroyed by FLAK and both NAVIGATOR and BOMBARDIER KIA. The return journey was fraught but no further damage was incurred. BAD APPLES II had to be abandoned because no officer remained to attempt a landing.