Shadow of the Condor
Posts: 394
Joined: 2/9/2004
From: Chicago
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Hello again. Day three wasn't such a success. I debated just how much detail to go into, but I don't want to be seen as someone who paints only his successes with great detail...
1011L…en route to objective area…
Wraith led Fox into the target area. Also along, on their first mission of the war was Hammer and Cherub. Wraith was a bit surprised that the Iraqis were still sending fighters up to contest the skies. Further inland, F-16 Falcons were giving a very good account of themselves against the enemy air force. His own F-18 Hornets were successful two days ago in an air-to-air engagement; shooting down all of the enemy planes they flew against. Yesterday’s destruction of Tallil Air Base would seem to further predict the enemy air opposition would weaken. He hoped this would be the last significant air-to-air encounter they would face. Wraith didn’t doubt his own pilots’ abilities or desire, but an enemy pilot was always an unknown quantity…
Earlier that day…
The pilots on the carrier were in a good mood, with both the overall performance of the war, and their own successes as well. Even Cowboy, who was visibly shaken after the mission yesterday was able to get a phone call to his wife and newborn back in the States, and – although not ready to fly today – looked better than he did earlier…
Wraith and Fox were waiting when Hammer and Cherub came into the briefing room. Also there was the commander, and the briefing commenced. The job today was to cement air superiority over a corridor approaching Baghdad known as Red Seven. Only one of the long-range AAMRAM missiles was available, and the recommendation was that Wraith would take it. Wraith would also carry the bulk of the long-range weapons, as he would have the AAMRAM, three Sparrows and two Sidewinders. Fox, the only other member of the group who had been in combat would carry two Sparrows and four Sidewinders, while Cherub and Hammer would carry six Sidewinders into their first combat mission. Both were eager enough to join the fight, and were professional enough to understand this wasn’t a training mission…
1015L…Approaching corridor Red Seven…
The four Hornets approached from the south, and their radars painted a total of eight bandits. Hawkeye operators identified the targets as three MiG-23s and five MiG-25s. That worried Wraith, as it was a MiG-25 that shot Cowboy yesterday. The pilots were rudely surprised with the fact that the Acrid missile carried by the Foxbat had a longer range that thought. Latest intelligence was that the missile had a 30 mile range, but playback tracks of the attack on Cowboy showed the missile being fired from some sixty miles away. The intelligence analysts finally revealed that, after Belenko’s defection in 76, the thought was that the Russians would improve their weapons systems, but none of this was confirmed.
Until yesterday, that is…
Earlier that day…
The pilots were not happy about finding out about the improved weapons capabilities of the Iraqi fighters only after having one of their own nearly shot down. Cowboy himself was not much good at the debriefing, but the other pilots on that mission let their displeasure be known, to the extent of offering to take one of the analysts on the next mission so he could have a “better view” of the situation.
After the analysts left, the group decided to send the next mission out against the enemy MiGs with predominantly Sidewinders, as the MiGs just demonstrated they could stand off at range and trade shot for shot with the Americans…
1022L…Over corridor Red Seven…
Wraith returned his thought to his mission when his radar-warning receiver went off. Hammer and Fox reported they had been targeted. Wraith silently cursed to himself and locked onto a MiG-25 in the center of the corridor with the AAMRAM. The MiG-25 flew expertly and avoided the missile, while Fox avoided one of the AA-6 missiles and Hammer was able to avoid both missiles shot at him. Both reported in, and Hammer’s voice was a bit faster as he tried to equate the intensity of combat to his training…
Fox, however, was able to respond, and targeted one of the two MiG-23s over the center of the corridor and fired his two Sparrows. The MiG-23 pilot wasn’t as lucky as his wingman and exploded. Fox let out a small yell of joy and continued with the mission…
1023L…Over corridor Red Seven…
The Hornets pushed their throttles forward and waded into the MiGs. They were trying to get into Sidewinder range. At the same time, The MiG-25 in the center of the corridor flew east. Two MiG-25s remained beyond range North of the target area, but two MiG-23s and three MiG-25s were close enough to shoot at. As the Americans tried to close the range and the Iraqis tried to open the range, Wraith suddenly felt that the roles were reversed, and the Americans were having to press the attack to combat the Iraqi’s superior technology…
Wraith locked onto the lone MiG-25 west of the corridor and fired both a Sparrow and a Sidewinder at it. With the resulting explosion, the Americans now faced only six opponents, but five of them now targeted the three Americans…
Wraith had been targeted by a MiG-25 and narrowly evaded the shot. Fox had narrowly avoided an AA-7 Apex shot by a MiG-23. The AA-7 didn’t have the range of the Acrid, but it was still a formidable weapon. Cherub narrowly evaded two shots by MiG-25s, and Hammer dodged one of the AA-7 missiles from the remaining MiG-23 still in the target area, only to be hit by a MiG-25. Hammer jettisoned his weapons, and his voice was beginning to break over the radio…
Fox was able to return fire at a MiG-25 east of the target area, but both of his Sidewinders missed. Cherub fired four Sidewinders at the MiG-23 still over the target and it blew up.
1024L…Over corridor Red Seven…
Wraith banked his group west as he found he had been led into a trap by the MiGs. Most of the remaining enemy fighters were still able to fire on the Hornets. Wraith again missed with two Sparrows, while the pair of MiG-25s that were attacking Hammer again fired, and this time, Hammer ejected as his plane cartwheeled toward the earth below…
Cherub heard Hammer’s voice break before he ejected, and was about to radio for help when his own threat receiver sounded an alarm, causing him to snap left barely missing yet another missile. Wraith called in the downed pilot as Fox fired the last of his Sidewinders and scored another hit on a MiG-25. The destroyed MiG’s wingman, however, hit Fox with one of his own missiles. The three remaining Hornets had to turn and run south, as there were simply too many bandits and not enough missiles. Wraith was furiously calling for help, and – before Hammer’s feet safely touched the ground below, a second group of fighters were airborne, with a search and rescue helicopter following close behind…
1033L…Target area Red Seven…
The commander of the 37mm AAA gun crew had a ringside seat, as it were, to the events of the past three minutes. His radar operators said the fighters were out of range – indeed, the commander of the MiGs threatened to personally shoot in the head anyone who fired anti-aircraft weapons while his planes were engaged with the Americans – and he fumed while the action went on overhead. His radar confirmed three planes were flying south - he could actually see a smoke trail heading in theat direction. His men started to yell when they saw the parachute float down only 500 yards from their very position and he personally led a squad to rescue one of their downed brothers who flew the MiGs. As the pick-up truck bounced along the desert, the commander smiled – perhaps it would be the very commander who chided him earlier in the day. He would then point out a few things to…
His reverie was stopped when he heard his men scream menacingly and level their weapons at the figure. The commander rushed in and stared unbelievingly at the prone figure at his feet. He pushed the rifles away and ordered the man to be loaded on the truck and taken to the site. From there he would personally escort this infidel back to Baghdad and deliver him to his fate…
1300L…Dharan Air Base…Saudi Arabia…
The commanders were now suffering the double-edged sword that was the high-tech media. While their successes were documented in near real-time detail for the dinner hour in the States, the pictures now playing on their televisions – and, consequently the televisions of people around the world – would be considered somewhat less than successful. They showed a pickup truck entering the city of Baghdad with people cheering and yelling. Weapons were fired in the air and one camera captured young men punching and kicking the figure in the bed of the vehicle. Next, a new shot of a military headquarters where there was excited meetings and more yelling. The cameraman and the reporter were ushered inside of a tent. With the small yellow "LIVE" showing at the top of the screen, an officer held up a shredded flightsuit for the camera to focus on. The camera noted the USN insignia, and then focused on the name on the patch.
HAMMER.
< Message edited by Shadow of the Condor -- 10/17/2007 5:15:27 AM >
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"Shouldn't we be leading the shark back to shore, instead of him leading us out to sea?"
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RE: War - Day Two - Screen shots - 
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