FC2:A-10: Campaign Mission 6 AAR - Part 2 of 2

[dwpenney]

{Bah! Typo in the title! This is #6}

 

Part #2 (Part 1 here):

 

Turning back around, we head for waypoint #4 again and our second approach to the target area.

 

 

At this point I change our formation into 'echelon' or 'wedge' formation. My plan is to approach the target to the left of the initial vector. This approach is more along the lines of the waypoint #4/#5 line. Because we were not fired on to the right or left of the initial approach, I am relatively confident that the area we passed over is (relatively) clear. This wedge formation widens our punch-hole but I will offset us to the left of the original approach vector to compenstate for this.

 

The added benefit of this is that it will provide a juicer target for the SAMs that might still be in the threat box and widens our avenue of approach. We are clearing the ground under us of high risk threats and will use this ground to complete our mission.

 

Approach #2 to the target area (yellow box).

 

 

I have left off the threat box - you should be able to recognize the ground features by now :-)

 

Approaching the target area I perform the same actions as our initial pass. This time I focus more on the target area and the north portion of the threat box.

 

 

And I get lucky. In the inset pictures, right to left, you can see as I pan along the S edge of Nagomari and off to it's W. In the last inset picture (top left) I happen across a not farmilliar H-on-its-side image (which you can't really make out in the scaled picture).

 

I lock it up and launch.

 

 

And before we can break away, a launcher in the immediate area returns the favour.

 

 

At this point I am not sure if I have targetted the same launcher that has fired on us. I have also made a potential mistake by breaking right instead of left. It is a toss up here on which way you should go. Left (and S) takes you diretly over the threat area from the briefing and if we did not get the first launcher, we would be in trouble. Right (N and E) and we are tuning toward that armour group we spotted on the first approach. If they have any siginificant SAM/AAA assets we are going to find out shortly.

 

In reality I guess it comes down to luck. You can spend some more time sanatizing the threat area (which is what my plan was) or get lucky and hope that you can defend against this threat until your weapon finds it's mark.

 

 

Continuing the break right and diving.

 

 

Top picture shows my view relative to the threat. O am hooking to the right and leaving a trail of flares/chaff in my wake. Bottom picture shows the view from the missle - on the inside of the blue arrow are the same series of flares/chaff as inside the red arrow.

 

Regrouping towards waypoint #4 (and pretty much flying over the same terrain as approach #1 Buster calls out a bandit.

 

 

It takes some searching as we cirle from pointing at waypoint #4 off to the W and turning back N (flying, if I rememebr correctly, just over the launch site from the first SAM).

 

 

Luckily the bandit does not have A2A missles and was high enough to be a sillouette in the sky - it was easier to find him and approach.

 

Splash one!

 

 

Back on task - resetting over waypoint #4 again I change my wingmans orders. I order him to 'cover me' which frees him up somewhat to attack any threat to my aircraft. Relaxing my control of him at this point makes sense since we have eliminated the SAM threat in the S section of the threat area and I am 50% sure that we have the N section cleared as well. We still have to be careful of MANPADs and AAA guns but the high threat obstacles are looking to be gone and each pass over the threat area reinforces this.

 

 

Back on target I lock up what I hope is another AAA threat close in but, alas, it is not. My last AGM-65 (and my zoomable TV camera) is now gone. I don't show it here but Buster is working the area over the area to the right, which is where the other armoun group is. He is helpful in taking out AAA guns and such but, in hindsight, I should have used him more directly with the A2G modes. However, I can not fault the 'cover me' approach at the moment or the fact that I wisely chose to only load standoff weapons!

 

Buster calls another bandit - thankfull because I can't seem to pick them out without labels on (and I avoid that if I can).

 

 

I launch but get a maddog (I think that is what a rogue missle is called).

 

To make things interesting, the fight with the enemy chopper has had us gaine enough altitude to draw the attention of the SA-11 site N of our position.

 

 

Fortunately the launch was aimed at me and I was at the high end of medium altitude. I dropped some height and both SA-11 missles exploded harmlessly in the distance as the launcher lost LoS.

 

 

In the background high, Buster splashes the Hind while lower you can see the smoke from the SA-11's self-destructing.

 

 

Another launch but the hills mask us as Buster rejoins.

 

Turning back to the target area.

 

 

We are jsut a little to the left of the second approach vector. I have to visually check that my wingman has dumped his munitions when the SA-11's launched. I ask him to rejoin as I don't want him wandering over AAA guns trying to attack a primary target. I'll take that chance myself.

 

For the first time, I actually score hits and make effective use of the Hydra rockets!

 

 

The rest is cleanup with the Avenger - all for the safety of the area we sanatized south of the target!

 

 

RTB: Buster and I line up on final.

 

 

And approach the runway.

 

 

Fun fact, in turning on my navigation lights I accidentally turned off my left engine. Note my haphazard attitude as I deal with what I thought at the time was strong wind! Helpful hint to not map critical controls next to others but instead group your functions.

 

:-)

 

Next: Either I refly Mission #5 or attempt Mission #7 - I have not decided yet.

 

Fridge

 

PS: I have the track for this. If anyone wants it send me a PM with your and I will see if I can email it to you.

_________________________

Things which do you no good in aviation:

1) Altitude above you;

2) Runway behind you;

3) Fuel in the truck;

4) The airspeed you don't have.

Edited April 20, 2010 by dwpenney

[Wags]

Great report, your best yet. I took the liberty of correctly your thread titles.

 

The more I read such AARs, the more I see that tactics are really going to change for you guys with the A-10C using the targeting pod and datalinks. Imagine finding a target with the TGP and then radioing your wing to search for target(s) of the specified type around your Sensor Point of Interest (SPI), with a specified weapon, and from a specified direction. "Bore 2, engage tanks at my SPI with Maverick from the south."

 

I probably said too much...

Edited April 20, 2010 by Wags

[Sinner6]

Good mission report!

 

Wags,

 

sigh (the dreamy, wistful type)

We can dream. Can't wait.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Sinner6

[Luse]

Shh, No one read into anything wags said! :P

[dwpenney]

Great report, your best yet. I took the liberty of correctly your thread titles.

 

The more I read such AARs, the more I see that tactics are really going to change for you guys with the A-10C using the targeting pod and datalinks. Imagine finding a target with the TGP and then radioing your wing to search for target(s) of the specified type around your Sensor Point of Interest (SPI), with a specified weapon, and from a specified direction. "Bore 2, engage tanks at my SPI with Maverick from the south."

 

I probably said too much...

 

OMG.

 

Ah..

 

OMG.

 

Seriously?

 

OMG.

 

That. Is. Awesome!

 

Fridge

[connos]

Thats plain awesomeness Wags.