Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Campaign
The Campaign consists of 25 missions ranging from 1938 to 1956. Here are my impressions of the first six.
Overall the campaign is fun and geared to quick action. The framerates were quite acceptable and only really reached annoying lows in missions such as the D-Day invasion.
CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
1940 - 1st Feb - Morning Patrol
Mission overview
This a regular patrol. Time for a bit of batting practice - easy really. Destroy any enemy you find in your air space,and be back in time for a spot of breakfast. Four kills will do!
My diary
My diary The mission starts in the air, which is fine - straight into the action I presume.
Out to sea we go. It's only a few minutes flight to the first waypoint.
Fight's on! To my amazement I survive the battle with 2 kills notched up.
Spotting the runway on the way home isn't quite so easy - it's a grass strip which blends in quite well with the landscape, as grass strips do! By the time I spotted it I was too close to land, so I flew on a bit and turned back to land in the wrong direction.
He he he... not quite the right thing to do!
1940 - 1st May - May Day!
BBMF Hurricane MkII
Mission overview
May Day! May Day! Here they come again. Get up there and make sure they are not able to come back this time! You'll have to clear them up before you can return to your base.
My diary
A scramble mission!
Press Engine Start - E - as soon as the mission loads.
As soon as the mission begins mayhem is breaking loose! The Control tower is bombed and there are waves of bombers - a target rich environment you might say.
On my first attempt I took off in rather a scrappy manner - well you would too if your Control Tower had just been blown up!
Full of adrenaline I pulled hard into the first bandit. Unfortunately adrenaline wasn't enough to keep aloft a Hurricane at low speed and low altitude in a hard turn. I spun in.
Luckily it's a simulation so I selected "Fly again". This time I let the speed build a little after takeoff and then the fight was on! Lots of action, lots of fun! He he - I was enjoying this!
May Day? 1st of May - very funny - I get it!
May Day, the 1st of May is a celebration of the Bolshevik Revolution.
May Day is an internationally recognised aviation distress signal derived from the French: "M'aiz D'aiz - meaning 'help me!'
1940 - 9th May - Battle of Britain
BBMF Hurricane MkII
Mission overview
A stroll in the Garden of England! The climax of the Battle of Britain is a series of multiple dogfights as the Luftwaffe try to break the RAF. Fly south into Kent and repel the raiders at all costs!
My diary
Once again we start in the air. I don't mind this as it keeps the pace up.
We see one - two - no - THREE groups of bandits approaching. The first two merge with our lads into a chaotic furball.
I decide to tackle the third group - there'll be less chance of a mid air collision.
I line up on the nearest bandit and jostle for a near head-on snap shot. What follows is one of those split seconds in combat sims that just makes your day.
I get a couple of hits on the first bandit as I flash by, not enough to do any serious damage. But maybe I rattle the pilot or maybe it just wasn't his day. He rolls right and has a mid air collision with another German fighter. They both go down in flames - no parchute - and I get credit for 2 kills!
Blewdy m-aaa-rvelous!
1st March 1941 - Shipyard Protection
Spitfire MkIIa
Mission overview
The Germans are bombing a nearby shipyard. Do as much damage to the Luftwaffe effort as you can. Knock out the Stukas in case they decide to have a go at your airfield as well.
My diary
Good mission. Plenty of action and close to home. What more could you want?
1941 - 12th June - Long Journey home
Hurricane MkII
Mission overview
You are returning from a bomber escort mission over North Germany and meet enemy traffic on the way back.You have no option but to deal with anything in your way - just what you need after a long and difficult mission already! Enough damage has already been done to your aircraft to slow you down. Your goal is to survive!.
My diary
I knew this would be tough. These old crates are a handful at the best of times - let alone with battle damage.
The controls seemed damaged - with very slow response in the roll axis. Survival is the name of the game here.
I tried it a few times and then settled on making one head on run at the enemy then slinking away.
1942 - 8th August - Blackwater
Spitfire MkVb
Mission overview
A British convoy is assembling in the east coast Blackwater estuary. The Luftwaffe know a sitting target when they see one. Defend to the best of your ability until the threat retreats or is destroyed. Your minimum goal is 6 aircraft shot down.
My diary
Heaps of aerial action.
- Wing Span : 34 ft. 4 in.