Accidentally, rummaging around my grandpa' stuff in the loft, yesterday a found a lost gem: part of a color footage from a WWII aerial engagement. It tells us a story, beginning this way:
On a cold winter morning, in October 1944, a small german flight takes off on alert: enemy bombers have been spotted (from background to foreground, you have Kruger, me and Cement).
But the mission starts in a bad way: one of the Wurger suffer from a failure to the rudder...
...and goes to crash into the weeds!
The poor pilot (me!) can do anything but sitting in his wingless bird, while his Kameraden take off.
Finally, a new 190 is readied for take off...
...and the hapless pilot can try to reach his mates!
At 10 k over the sea, the flight is finally brought together again...
...and the leader (Kruger) can head for the sector where the bombers are expected to show up.
But when the jerries are on the briefed point, they cannot find the buffs.
Suddendly, a radio communications is broadcast from the ground controller: the damn bombers have sneaked past the fighter screen!
So, the Wurger flight must swiflty head back: the leader (Kruger) is a lightning in reversing his course....
...but his wingmans aren't that fast, and they lose contact with their Kamerad.
Finally, one of the lost wingman (me) gets to the bombers' target, his own airfield!
But it's too late!
The darned buffs have already flattened the town near the airport!
In fact, the B 17s, even though they've already meet the only german fighter that could intercept them, Kruger (the black spot in the upper side of the picture),....
...and despite the heavy flak harrassing them, have dropped their deadly load... (in this picture, Frank3, leading the bomber flight, behind him two BT75th's buffs, Holly83's bombers and, right of the formation, sevencat's trio)
...with surgical accuracy!
It is time for the Luftwaffe to avenge the hundreds of deaths in the town!
Though alone, Kruger set up for another attack run, defying the mortal defensive fire barrage of the bombers with a daring dive!
His target is the formation leader...
...but the smart Frank3's spotted the Wurger rushing down on him...
..and while the Focke Wulf dive towards his six at insane speed...
...he quickly takes place in his tail gunner position.
Kruger starts his attack, while the whole formation is firing at him... (well, actually it was only Frank3 who fired, but, you know, we are at a dramatic climax here.... :D)
...and the tail gunner frantically shoots, as wel,l at the incoming winged death...
...but his bad aim is about to doom the whole bomber's crew!
The Wurger savagely shoots at any target it has if front, and BT first bomber pay a hard toll...
Finally, Kruger find the right position behind Frank3's leading bomber, sliding through the .50 bullets...
...and he brings due justice to the hated americans!
Then, he dives to safety...
...leaving behind him death and destruction...
... in the disordered bombers formation!
There's no hope for the hit bomber...
...it goes down slowly, a flying coffin that takes with it all the crew: no chute can be seen from the other bombers.
Now, the new leader (still Frank3, of course, he has other two bombers! ;) )and the whole formation want just one thing: avenge!!!
They start firing at the fleeing Focke Wulf...
...but the jerry pilot is too far away, and he grins thinking of the frustration and pain that the bombers' crews are feeling: now it's their turn to suffer!
The buff formations is loosening, as labor and anxiety are beginnig to take a hard toll on the young fliers...
...along with the losses and damages they're sustaining...
«Now I'll have an easier time, taking them out one by one», the experten coldly thinks in his hit, but still efficient fighter
And he dives on a bomber section that tries to rejoin his comrades ( they are Holly's bombers)...
...a quick pass, riddling the bombers, but no kill this time!
Instantly, the ruthless german (well, actually Kruger is finnish, but... you know, dramatic needs! :D) is climbing again above the formation, while the bombers keep firing at him, in the vain effort to shoot him down, or, at least, to keep him away.
But Kruger has already glanced at his next victim: the BT bombers he's already damaged in the previous strike!
He dives to his six, then, at full throttle, gets into firing range and unleash the hell on the crippled bomber.
The heavy 20mm slugs pierce the bomber's right wing, while the wing's covering is teared off...
...and finally the whole wing is ripped off!
Another crew must witness impotent the death of its comrades...
...and firing back at the jerry is but a way to vent their frustration!
Did these crews ever returned safely to England? What happened to the fierce german pilot? And did his Kameraden join him again to carry on the slaughter of the bombers? We will never know it, as the footage I found ends here. (you know, Frank3 had to close the room, so we never finished this mission! :D)
