Battle of Britain: Wednesday 10th July 08:15

 "Low cloud and showers today and finally after weeks of sitting around the Luftwaffe appeared. Green Section scrambled at 0730 after reports of a lone raider on a recon. Cloud broke at 10,000 feet and Ball spotted the bandit, Ju 88"

This was the first flight for 327 squadron and my first game. It is based on an encounter on the 10th of July between a Do17 on a reconnaissance mission and three Spitfires of 66 Squadron based out of Colitshall. Since I don't have a Dornier, a Ju 88 was used as a surrogate.

Starting positions

In the first turn everybody climbed for advantage. Bourne and Llewelyn moved for a head on attack whilst Ball peeled off and tried to get on the 88s tail. The 88s goal was simply to traverse the board which seemed unlikely given it had to travel six feet at five inches a move pursued by three capable fighters.

Hurricanes climb

Hopefully an easy first blooding for 327 or so I thought.

As does the Junkers

Bourne got in a shot first, completely missing the target. 

My pathetic die rolling takes to the air!

The Ju 88 fired back with its pathetic single dice and, as is so often the way in wargames, scored a hit on Bourne. After its move the bomber took a shot at Llewelyn too but completely missed.

Luftwaffe sharp shooters!

Llewelyn then flew right past the 88 guns blazing and missing. He then burned advantage so that he could turn 180 degrees and find himself on the bomber’s tail.

Ball meanwhile was still trying to get on the tail of the Luftwaffe plane. Clearly some practice was required.

The next round, before moving, the bomber took a pot shot at Llewelyn and managed to score another hit! The RAF had two boom chits now which meant they were halfway to losing what was meant to be a straightforward combat.

And just to prove the dice gods desert me even when I’m on my own the 88 got another burst in at the end of its move and poor, hapless Llewelyn was shot down. The 88 had rolled three consecutive sixes and the RAF had failed to roll one despite having twelve attempts.

Seconds before it goes very, very wrong for Llewellyn

That gave the RAF more boom chits than planes and the Junkers slipped into some handy cloud cover and made good on its fortune.

“Only two Hurricanes from Green section returned. Neither was sure what had happened to David, Ball had seen his plane smoking and heading for the deck but had lost sight of it…”