Post by silentwolf on Dec 19, 2021 2:33:01 GMT
Phantom Leader Deluxe - The Vietnam Air War
War in the South
USAF - 1965
4 day campaign
Day 1
The assignment was close air support west of Hue.
Flight Leader "Papa" (F-4 Phantom II) would fly this mission with the newjack, "Crater" (F-100 Super Sabre).
This was Crater's first combat mission.
Like the rest of the newer pilots, he was flying an older model aircraft. He hoped to someday fly the advanced F-4.
Papa carried one M118 and one Mk.83 - "iron bombs".
Crater was armed with two BLU-1 napalm units.
They approached the target at high altitude, from the southwest......
"OK, Crater, we're a few minutes out... When we get closer to the target we'll drop down to low altitude and make our run.... I'll go in first.... You follow me and drop that nape.... stay focused.....stay cool... We've got a good approach on the target......you've got this......"
"Roger."
They moved in over the target and rapidly descended to low altitude....
Papa attacked first. He strafed the target and released the payload....
"Whoo-hoo! Yeah! Right on target....Ok kid... now it's your turn....remember your training......"
Papa quickly flew away from the target and began his ascent out of range from the enemy infantry small arms.....
Now it was Crater's turn....
He was nervous.
The napalm would cover a wide range....
If he released the payload too soon.....
He didn't know how he could live with himself in the case of friendly fire....
Crater tried to block these thoughts from his head as he made his run....
He could see countless muzzle flashes from the infantry units firing at him - tiny speckles of light illuminating the jungle floor.
They seemed to be so harmless....
And then suddenly, several large flashes from a twin barreled anti aircraft cannon remind "Crater" that he is in the middle of a deadly shooting war.....
He tries to evade but to no avail.....
"I'm hit, Papa! I'm hit!
"You're OK kid....jettison your payload and get upstairs right now!"
Soon after, Papa and Crater touch down in Da Nang.........
The two speak on the tarmac....
"Damn, kid...look's like you took some damage....don't worry...ground crew will have her repaired by tomorrow..."
"I'm sorry, Papa....I screwed up..."
Crater is noticeably shaken and appears to be unfit to fly from the stress.....
"Kid, you did fine....that damn Zu wouldn't have even been there if it weren't for LBJ's political considerations.... Take the day off and get some rest....."
This first mission was a success, in spite of Crater's inability to deploy his payload.
This surprising show of force proved to the enemy that the USAF was hell bent on stopping the flow of North Vietnamese troops and equipment into South Vietnam.
War in the South
USAF - 1965
4 day campaign
Day 1
The assignment was close air support west of Hue.
Flight Leader "Papa" (F-4 Phantom II) would fly this mission with the newjack, "Crater" (F-100 Super Sabre).
This was Crater's first combat mission.
Like the rest of the newer pilots, he was flying an older model aircraft. He hoped to someday fly the advanced F-4.
Papa carried one M118 and one Mk.83 - "iron bombs".
Crater was armed with two BLU-1 napalm units.
They approached the target at high altitude, from the southwest......
"OK, Crater, we're a few minutes out... When we get closer to the target we'll drop down to low altitude and make our run.... I'll go in first.... You follow me and drop that nape.... stay focused.....stay cool... We've got a good approach on the target......you've got this......"
"Roger."
They moved in over the target and rapidly descended to low altitude....
Papa attacked first. He strafed the target and released the payload....
"Whoo-hoo! Yeah! Right on target....Ok kid... now it's your turn....remember your training......"
Papa quickly flew away from the target and began his ascent out of range from the enemy infantry small arms.....
Now it was Crater's turn....
He was nervous.
The napalm would cover a wide range....
If he released the payload too soon.....
He didn't know how he could live with himself in the case of friendly fire....
Crater tried to block these thoughts from his head as he made his run....
He could see countless muzzle flashes from the infantry units firing at him - tiny speckles of light illuminating the jungle floor.
They seemed to be so harmless....
And then suddenly, several large flashes from a twin barreled anti aircraft cannon remind "Crater" that he is in the middle of a deadly shooting war.....
He tries to evade but to no avail.....
"I'm hit, Papa! I'm hit!
"You're OK kid....jettison your payload and get upstairs right now!"
Soon after, Papa and Crater touch down in Da Nang.........
The two speak on the tarmac....
"Damn, kid...look's like you took some damage....don't worry...ground crew will have her repaired by tomorrow..."
"I'm sorry, Papa....I screwed up..."
Crater is noticeably shaken and appears to be unfit to fly from the stress.....
"Kid, you did fine....that damn Zu wouldn't have even been there if it weren't for LBJ's political considerations.... Take the day off and get some rest....."
This first mission was a success, in spite of Crater's inability to deploy his payload.
This surprising show of force proved to the enemy that the USAF was hell bent on stopping the flow of North Vietnamese troops and equipment into South Vietnam.