The REAL Aircraft #10, Report here.

[Bug]

I'll take you up on that round....or seven.....1st mission...didn't even get a single shot off at a Jerry....and get "promoted" to ball turret......I wonder who invented THAT idea...lol.

[Bug]

To,
Boeing Aircraft Company
Wichita, KS

Thank You. This is such a beautiful airplane....we maybe got dinged a little last mission, but we are in great shape now...the ground crews just love Gunther's Thunder III, we're gonna take her out again soon a bomb another Nazi target.
I've only completed one mission, but we did a good jop and Gunther's Thunder III got us all back to base in one piece. A couple of Nazi fighters weren't so lucky.
Everything works great, the only thing I would like to know is how do you hide a bottle of first aid medicine in the ball turret? Don't worry, it won't freeze, but it's kinda cramped and I was wondering if there was a little slot or something it might fit in.
Thanks again
Your most grateful friend
Bug

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by Bug

I'll take you up on that round....or seven.....1st mission...didn't even get a single shot off at a Jerry....and get "promoted" to ball turret......I wonder who invented THAT idea...lol.

Dear Maw,

Guess whut? I done flied me one of them there missions and I had no ideur that I even flied it. I think that feller named Bug done went and slipped me a mickey before we took off cuz I was a tellin him I wasnt real big on being that high up in that thar airoplane. Turns out I even got a shot off at one of Hitlers aeroplanes, but I missed. Course I was 3 sheets into the wind apparently so ... go figure.

I heard Bug got moved somewhar else on the aeroplane. Sumthin bout him havin turrets syndrome I think. Says he has to stay in some big ol turrets ball. I think thats what he called it anyways. Maybe it's so when he starts ta cussin, the rest of the fellars dont have to hear it.

Love,

Yer son

[Bug]

Folks,
All is well here, we flew our first mission and layed our bombs right on target. There were a lot of Nazi fighters, and we shot a few of 'em down. Met this fella called 4th and long, he likes grandad's moonshine first aid medicine, but gets kinda bleary eyed after a few swigs, it does settle our pilot JOhn down though.
Got me a promotion to ball turret gunner, can't wait till the next mission. Got me two guns now, should be fun.
Mostly boring in the air, the country side looks a lot like Texas farmland. Gets a little bumpy when the flak gets close, but Taliswoman and Dartgood just give the Nazi's a moon shot. Mohillbilly is our best drinker, gotta keep hidin' the shine from him. Stinger and Roger play cards a lot, and read some kinda magazine full of pictures, not many words. Guess they like to keep it simple.
We get a new crewman this week, don't know him yet, but will share the first aid with him anyway.
Ya'll take care, see ya after 25 missions.
Bug.

[Bug]

ok...two missions down, no ammo wasted. (gotta shoot at something first) but I am not complaining. JOhn gets first pull on the jug this time.....

[Stinger]

B17 #10 – Gunther’s Thunder III – Rise of the Machine

Pilot JOhn (2)
Copilot KC Jones (8)
Bombardier Taliswoman (3)
Navigator Dartgod (2)
Engineer Mohillbilly (2)
Radio Op. Stinger (2)
Tail Gunner roger (2)
Ball Turret Gunner Bug (2)
Right Waist Gunner 4th and Long (2)
Left Waist Gunner Dave Lane (1)

Target: Abbeville
Mid-formation horizontally, high vertically (moderate vulnerability)

Zone 1 Out: Britain

No enemy

Zone 2 Out: English Channel

2 Me109s driven off by fighters

Zone 3 Out: France (Entering Target Zone)

5 Me109s attack

Stinger fires, misses
Mohillbilly fires, damages Me109
Taliswoman fires, misses
Dartgod fires, hits Me109
Roger fires, kills Me109
Bug fires, misses
4th and Long fires, misses

3 Mes miss, break off attack

Me sweeps in and scores 5 hits from 3 o’clock high
-superficial damage to bomb bay doors
-superficial damage to tailplane
-nose – taliswoman is seriously wounded by hits to the left calf and right thigh.
-bomb bay – one of the doors is blown off the plane
-superficial damage to nose

Me circles, attacks again
Mohillbilly fires, misses
Roger fires, misses

Me scores 1 hit
-superficial damage to pilot compartment

Me circles, attacks again

Dartgod fires, misses
Dave Lane fires, misses

Me scores 1 hit
-BAM! The #3 engine blows a puff and smoke and dies.

Me breaks off attack

2 Me109s attack – 1 is driven off by fighters

Dartgod fires, misses
Bug fires, misses

Me misses, breaks off attack

Dartgod moves to the bomb controls, and tries to figure out how they work. Although Gunther’s Thunder III is falling back in the formation and has an incapacitated bombardier, John determines that they’re better off flying over the target with the formation. After they drop their bombs, they’ll be able to keep up and stay in formation.

Entering Bomb Zone
Good Weather
Medium Flak - Misses
Despite it being his first time at the controls, Dartgod manages to nick the target – 5% score

Zone 3 Out: France (Leaving Target Zone)

2 Me110s attack

Dartgod fires, misses
Mohillbilly fires, misses
Roger fires, hits Me110
4th and Long fires, misses

Me misses, breaks off attack

Me scores 2 hits
-superficial damage to #4 engine
-starboard wing root damaged

Me circles, attacks again

Dartgod fires, hits Me110
Dave Lane fires, hits Me110
Roger fires, misses

Me misses, breaks off attack

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

Roger fires, misses
Mohillbilly fires, kills Me109

Zone 2: English Channel

4 Me109s attack – 1 Me109 is driven off by fighters

Dartgod fires, misses
Roger fires, kills Me109
Bug fires, misses
4th and Long fires, misses

Me misses, breaks off attack

Me scores 1 hit
-superficial damage to nose

Me circles, attacks again

Dartgod fires, hits Me109
Roger fires, kills the same Me109

Zone 1: England

Good weather
Good landing

Aftereffects

Her hosiery modeling career may be over, but Taliswoman is not. She insists on returning, and will not miss a mission.

Eligible for next mission

Pilot JOhn (2)
Copilot KC Jones (8)
Bombardier Taliswoman (3)
Navigator Dartgod (2)
Engineer Mohillbilly (2)
Radio Op. Stinger (2)
Tail Gunner roger (2)
Ball Turret Gunner Bug (2)
Right Waist Gunner 4th and Long (2)
Left Waist Gunner Dave Lane (1)

Not a bad mission considering the problems on the way in.