Operation Bodenplatte
Frame 4
Sunday July 18, 1999 21:30 EDT SE ETO Arena
Final Orders
Please refer to Operational Map and Mission Briefings below (updated 15 July 1999)
The following are the final orders for Allied squadrons flying in Frame 4, Operation Bodenplatte. This is based on the map I attached, see below. Final details about numbers of pilots, aircraft and aircraft type will be fleshed out by Friday. (I NEED A CLOSE ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY IN EACH SQUADRON WILL BE FLYING.)
On further consideration the bomber pilots were right, nullification of northern European radar sites is required along the coast of Holland and around the Ruhr Valley.
This mission set is based on the military concept of locally overwhelming force, ie. hit the enemy as hard as possible in one spot to cause damage, while denying him opportunity to hit you hard elsewhere. You may note in this plan that I am stressing offense. There is little in the way of defence, other than initial Spitfire flights to interdict and knock down as many LW aircraft as possible. The LW can not make many points out of hitting our fields, they hit F18 and Paris already, so they can’t do so again.
We will have to buy aircraft, I will lean heavily towards P-51Ds, Spitfire XIVs, and a few Mossie IV bombers. The 401, who are initially tasked with radar suppression and then hit-and-run strikes on the Ruhr, will do so with single engine dive bombers.
ONCE THE INITIAL LW ATTACKS ARE REPULSED, EVERYTHING, OTHER THAN THE MOSSIE FLIGHT TO THE SOUTH, IS FOCUSSED ON GETTING OUR BOMBERS TO THEIR TARGETS AND HOME AGAIN.
SEE A LW, ATTACK A LW, KILL A LW.
THAT’S OUR FIGHTER’S MOTTO.
Squadron Tasks
401 RCAF "Rams"
Aircraft: P-51Bs
Initial Base: F6
Radio: 15
Mission: Radar destruction first sortie. Two flights will be loaded with heavy ordnance 2 x 50 lb bombs.
- Flight 1 will attack the radar sites at coordinates 4,7,3.9; 5,7,8; and 5,7,6 IN THAT ORDER. They will return to either F18 or F17, whichever is clear.
Flight 2 will attack the radar sites at coordinates 5,6,6 and 5,5,6.9 IN THAT ORDER, returning to F18 or F17, whichever is clear.
- Hit-and-run raids on any of the structures in the Ruhr second sortie. A single flight loaded with heavy ordnance. Altitude of 8K minimum recommended, if LW are met, dump ord and engage. If Ruhr attack does not go in, RTB and try it again.
- Time and remaining personal permitting high alt sorties should be flown in the F20 to Hanover area to assist bombers on egress.
416 RCAF "Lynx"
Aircraft: Spitfire IXs
Initial Base: F17
Radio: 16
Fuel: 100
Ordnance: guns and cannons
Mission: interdiction of LW and bomber support. 416 will head NE short of the Ruhr to interdict any early-frame LW raids into this area. Patrol south past the Ruhr and repeat. Attack any LW aircraft. Be ready to respond to calls for assistance from CO. Last half of the frame high alt sorties should be flown in the F20 to Hanover area to assist bombers on egress.
417 RCAF "Windsors"
Aircraft: Mosquito IV bombers (6) and Spitfire XIVs (remaining pilots)
Initial Base: F13 Mosquitos, F11 Spitfires
Radio: 17
Fuel: 100
Ordnance:4 x 500 lb bombs Mosquitos, guns and cannons Spitfires
Mission: Mosquitos: bombing Regensberg and F31. Recommend NOE to take out radar in front of Munich. Climb for max. altitude and make a fast run over F31. Coming from east to west may fool LW for a while. Final approach is up to the discretion of the FL. Return to F11 (Lille).
Sortie 2. Time and personal permitting, it may be necessary to make a fast bomb run over the Ruhr from F11.
Spitfire flight: Take of from F11 and gain lots of altitude. You are to patrol over our bases F17 and F18 to prevent the LW from gaining air superiority. You will need to be very high. RTB as necessary for fuel/ammo. Be ready to respond to calls for assistance from CO. Last half of the frame high alt sorties should be flown in the F20 to Hanover area to assist bombers on egress.
Targets: oil tanks and FW-190 facility at Regensberg, any structure at F31 (NOT RADAR)
303 RAF Polish
Aircraft: Spitfire XIVs
Initial Base: F18
Radio: 3
Fuel: 100
Ordnance:guns and cannons
Mission:interdiction of LW and bomber support. 303 will head SE to the radar site at 6,4,5 the NE past Cologne then NW. Repeat as necessary until you meet LW. Attack any LW aircraft. Be ready to respond to calls for assistance from CO. Last half of the frame high alt sorties should be flown in the F20 to Hanover area to assist bombers on egress.
305th Bomb Group (H)
Aircraft:B-17s
Initial Base:F8 (15 K airstart)
Radio:5
Fuel:100
Ordnance:12 x 500 lb bombs
Mission: F25 and Berlin. Flying straight down the 7 line east to Berlin. This takes you close to the radar site and right over F25 and downtown Berlin. (see photo page link below. Caution, large images).
Targets: bomb radar site at 8,7,2; any structure at F25 (NOT RADAR), everything in Berlin and the FW-190 plant east of it.
4th FG
Aircraft:P-51D
Initial Base:F1 (15 K airstart)
Radio:6
Fuel:100
Ordnance: guns
Mission:escort of 305th
487th FG
Aircraft:P-51D
Initial Base:F2 (15 K airstart)
Radio:7
Fuel:100
Ordnance: guns
Mission:escort of 305th
157th BG(H)
Aircraft:B-17s
Initial Base:F8 (15 K airstart)
Radio:8
Fuel:100
Ordnance:12 x 500 lb bombs
Mission: bomb Bremen/Bremerhaven. Head due east 10 miles south of the 7 line. Before Hanover bomb the radar site at 6,6,6 it should be right on your path. At a point south of Hanover turn NW towards the fork in the river, proceed up the inlet on the right side.
Targets: radar station, factory, FW-190 facility, 3 subs, sub pens and port, possibly radar site north of Bremerhaven.
157 FB
Aircraft:P-51D
Initial Base:F1 (15 K airstart)
Radio:9
Fuel:100
Ordnance: guns
Mission: escort of 157th
501st FG
Aircraft:P-51D
Initial Base:F2 (15 K airstart)
Radio:10
Fuel:100
Ordnance: guns
Mission: escort of 157th
MOL
Aircraft:P-51D
Initial Base:F17
Radio:11
Fuel:100
Ordnance: guns
Mission: initial sweep for bomber escort (305th) to Berlin. MOL will take off and gain alt from F17, head NE to meet with the bomber stream heading to Berlin (along the 7 line). Sweep in front of the bombers.
GO TO THE BERLIN AERIAL TARGET PHOTOS
FL Holder, Adjutant, 416 RCAF
OB Frame 4 Allied CO
