A write up of "Ducks in A Gallery" scenario from Blazing Skies, avalible free from Atkins Wargames.
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This scenario pits two Brewster Buffalos of the RAF against a single Japanese Zero A6M2 Model 52.
As I was after a quick "filler" game and hadnt time to rustle up opponents we used one Buffalo. Not a happy situation for the RAF, and likely to end one way!
The scenario however gave a slight advantage initially to the Buff as it started head on in a closing pass. The Zero had just appeared out of a cloud 14" away and 4000 feet below. The buff would get a shot in and had oppotunity to convert height to energy.
Well, lets see how it went!
Turn 1:
The Zero began by just motoring ahead. It outgunned the Buff and was happy to take the head on shots rather than making some crazy turning manouvers to try and get a beam on attack.
The Buff pilot headed downstairs but decided to sideslip. Possibly the first mistake. Instead of taking him out of the Zekes firing arc it simply burned off height and speed and slid the Buff towards presenting its front quarter to the Japanese!
The Buffalo skidding left across the skys opened fire with all four thirties and punched a few holes into the Zeros fragile structure.
The Zero ruddertapped and ripped open a burst with its two 20mm cannon. The Buff was struck in the centre fuslarge and a panel blew out.
Turn 2
The Zero pilot knew his machine was far more powerful and agile, but decided on a more considered strategy. The buffalo having shed a lot of energy and speed was now puffing along at less than 200MPH as opposed to the Zeros 300+. This would be an oppotunity to hack round on the Buff's left hand side with a sharp left turn, but Instead The Zero simply kept its power up and shot straight forwards to bypass the Buffalo.
The Buffalo pilot looked at her speedo and shoved the nose down to gain speed whilst stamping on the rudder and hauling on the stick doing a Left Turn D in order to hopefully come round eventually on the Zeros tail.
The Turn ended with the Buffalo building up speed and well below the Zero, with the Zero at its 7 o clock and the Zero still powering ahead with the buff at its own 7 o clock!
Turn 3
The Zeros plan was to use its high agilty to now turn in a max G left turn to engage the Brit in a turning fight which it would of course win hands down.
It ripped round in the turn shedding speed. The Buffalo now having picked up speed continued with its strategy of Left D turning, hoping to gain enough speed by shallowing out its dive and outpace the Zero.
The Buffalo ended up skimming the choppy sea and its structure began to groan as the Airspeed indicator passed 7 (about 500MPH).Air pressure solid as a rock ripped off another panel. The Brit was desperate however knowing that only such extreme flying would save her!
The Turn ended with the Zero lined up on the Buffs front quarter, but the Buffalo several thousand feet below and passing underneath it.
Turn 4
The Zero had the Buffalo pinned now to the wavetops. The IJN pilot rolled upside down and executed a split S which rolled out 2000 feet above and about 300 yards behind the tubby American plane. Opening up with everything it had shells smashed into the Buffalo as the pilot tried to use the speed gained from the dive to gain distance. It wasnt a plan that was going to work.The more powerful Zero now had a speed advantage as the Buffalo shed its excess speed gained from the dive and its underpowered engine fought to keep it hurtling forward.
Turn 5
Breaking Right the Buffalo hacked around. The Zero saw its wings tip and using its tailing advantage decided to just gently tap on the pedal to follow the desperate fugative.
The Buffalo slid into the Zeros sights again and cannon shells exploded all around the machine weakening the tail spar.
Turn 6
With the Zero at its 6 o clock and tailing the Buffalo was losing speed and structure fast.
A change of tactics!
The Buffalo decided to enter a rolling vertical sissors fight. The Zeke howled forwards for the kill and the Buffalo shot in a steep climb out of its gunsight!
Turn 7 The Japanese pilot knew that the Buffalo had shot its bolt. That it was hanging on the edge of its flight envelope and was positioned with its tail pointing directly at his guns but above him. rather than accept the vertical fight the Brit wanted,he suspected the Brit would now dive to regain lost speed. The Japanese simply used the power of his engine to slide towards the struggling cow of a plane and ripped off another fatal burst. A cannon shell exploded on the tail blowing the Buffs whole tail off. The F2 enetered a wild spin, the Pilot trying to rip open his canopy but with no time to do it! The Pilot was pressed into his seat as the Buffalo smashed into the water scant feet below.
All in all a interesting if predicatable fight. Definatly worth repeating with two buffs as a wingman would have made all the difference here!
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paints up some WWII Soviet aircraft.
