Mission 13: Are you superstitious? Triskadekatoraphobia! Triskadekatoraphobia!

[Rain Man]

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B-17 #7 – Flyin’ Doublewide

Pilot htismaqe (12)
Copilot Bwana (12)
Bombardier 58Forever (12)
Navigator fbal4lif32 (12)
Engineer SDChiefsfan (12)
Radio Op. KC Dan (12)
Tail Gunner ExtremeChief (12)
Ball Turret Gunner tweak6 (5)
Right Waist Gunner joesomebody (5)
Left Waist Gunner BIG DADDY

Target: Vegesack, in northern Germany
Lead bomber in formation, high vertically (extreme vulnerability)
Distance: 7 zones

Zone 1 Out: Britain

No enemy

Zone 2 Out: English Channel

No enemy

Zone 3 Out: North Sea

No enemy

Zone 4 Out: North Sea

1 Me109, 2 Me110s attack – 1 Me110 is driven off by fighters

Tweak6 fires, kills Me110
58forever fires, misses
sdchiefsfan fires, misses
extremechief fires, misses
fbal4lif32 fires, misses

Me scores 2 hits
-nose – the bomb sight is destroyed. It’s going to be a blind bomb shot.
-nose – WHOOOOSH! Fbal4lif32’s oxygen system lights up in flames.

Fbal4lif32 rips off his mask with only very minor burns to his mouth. He sprints back to grab a fire extinguisher.

Me circles, attacks again

Big Daddy fires, misses
sdchiefsfan fires, hits Me109

Me misses, breaks off attack

Fbal4lif32 comes back with an extinguisher and sprays down his oxygen system. Fortunately, the fire goes out relatively easily. So does fbal4lif32, though, as he passes out from oxygen deprivation. 58forever reports the situation to htismaqe and bwana, who shake their heads.

With the bomb sight damaged and no oxygen for the navigator, this flight is doomed. Flyin’ Doublewide is dropping out of formation so fbal4lif32 can get oxygen, and so is moving out of the formation.

Reluctantly, htismaqe decides to abort. He lets the second plane know, and then turns the B-17 in a great sweeping circle. No point in continuing a mission under these circumstances.

Zone 4 Back: North Sea

No enemy

Zone 3 Out: North Sea

No enemy

Zone 2: English Channel

5 Me109s attack – 2 are driven away by fighters

58forever fires, misses
fbal4lif32 fires, hits Me109
sdchiefsfan fires, misses
extremechief fires, misses

2 Mes miss.

Me scores 2 hits
-pilot compartment – the top turret gun is knocked out.
-radio room – intercom is out, which means no communication between crew members

3 Mes circle to attack again

Big Daddy fires, damages Me109
extremechief fires, misses
58forever fires, misses

2 Mes miss.

Me scores 1 hit
-#1 engine is destroyed, but doesn’t cause more harm by racing.

The damaged Me goes home, but the other two circle for another attack

extremechief fires, misses
joesomebody fires, misses
Tweak6 fires, misses

2 Mes miss, break off attack

Zone 1: England

Good weather
Good landing

Aftereffects

None

Eligible for next mission

Pilot htismaqe (12)
Copilot Bwana (12)
Bombardier 58Forever (12)
Navigator fbal4lif32 (12)
Engineer SDChiefsfan (12)
Radio Op. KC Dan (12)
Tail Gunner ExtremeChief (12)
Ball Turret Gunner tweak6 (5)
Right Waist Gunner joesomebody (5)
Left Waist Gunner BIG DADDY

Oh, well. Living to fight another day.