USAF Campaign
There are 11 USAF missions in total.
❝Date : 10th July 1965
Time : 08 : 00
Player Aircraft : F-4E Phantom II
Airfield : Da Nang Airbase
Mission overview
Today we are escorting Thuds who are masqueradign as bombers, hopefully they will ure up some MiGs so we can have a go at them.
Background
10 July 1965, four F-4s accompanying a strike package of Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs, known as "Thuds", formed up as the tail end of the strike formation in hopes of luring PAVNF pilots into thinking they were bombers and worth attacking. The trick worked.
Two MiG-17s came up to attack, and the four Phantoms split off in pairs to meet them. A short dogfight followed. One F-4, piloted by Captain Kenneth Holcombe with WSO Captain Arthur C. Clarke, got onto the tail of one of the MiGs. Holcombe fired all four of his Sidewinders. Three missed, but the last detonated behind the MiG, which went up in a fireball a moment later.
A second F-4C, piloted by Captain Thomas S. Roberts with WSO Captain Ronald Anderson, was then trying to get on the tail of the second MiG. Roberts fired three Sidewinders, the third exploding behind the MiG and sending it into a dive trailing white smoke. Roberts followed it down and fired his last Sidewinder, but had to give up the chase when he ran into intense anti-air.
❞ The AIM-9 Sidewinders and AIM-7 Sparrows are unguided, due to Microsoft Combat Flight Sim 2 not supporting guided ordnance. Still, I had to fire a couple off - they look good !
The first waypoint held a couple of MiG-17s to deal with. Waypoint 2 was only 20 miles away. The first time I tried warplimg to it I was plunged into some sort of Combat-Twilight Zone with the plane spinning amidst a sea of stars. Quite psychedelic.
On my second attempt at the mission I flew to the second waypoint where the map view informed me there were to be more bogies. Alas I arrived to find no bogies and now wingmen either! Where had they gone?
Facing a 190 mile flight home I corssed my fingers and warped again... lo and behold I appeared set up for finals at Da Nang and my wingmen were there too!
❝Date : 2nd Jan 1967
Time : 08 : 00
Player Aircraft : F-4E Phantom II
Airfield : Da Nang Airbase
Mission overview
Intelligence tells us that Phuc Yen airbase has some fish that need to be filleted. Lets show them that Americans know how to fish.
Background
Frustrated with the lack of permission to attack NVN MiGs at their airbases, the USAF devises a ruse (Operation "Bolo"), led by 8th FW commander, Col. Robin Olds (a 44 year old WW II ace) in his F-4 Phantom, to lure NVN MiGs up into a furball near Phuc Yen AF. The plan works and 7 MiGs are shot down in 11 minutes without any USAF losses, dealing a blow to the NVAF. Col. Olds goes on to shoot down 4 MiGs during his year in Vietnam, leaving him as the only pilot to have shot down enemy planes in both WW II and Vietnam.
❞ This was fun - lots of MiGs to shoot up. Lots of AAA too - and I was amazed but not too thrilled too see the AAA was able to drag the frame rate on my new AMD Athlon XP200+ back to 10 fps.
Something weird too - towards the end of the furball the enemy started turning up in Phantoms!
❝Date : 19th April 1967
Time : 12 : 00
Player Aircraft : F-4E Phantom II
Airfield : Da Nang Airbase
Mission overview
SAM s have been hindering our B-52's efforts. Lets find these missiles and put an end to them.
Background
April 19, 1967. Over North Vietnam, Maj. Leo K. Thorsness (along with his electronic warfare officer, Capt. Harold E. Johnson) destroys two enemy SAM sites, then shoots down a MiG-17 before escorting search-and-rescue helicopters to a downed aircrew. Although his aircraft was very low on fuel, Major Thorsness attacks four MiG-17s in an effort to draw the enemy aircraft away from area. He then lands at a forward air base.
Awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions this day, Major Thorsness would not receive his medal until 1973, as on April 30, 1967, he is shot down and spends the next six years as a POW.
❞ At the first waypoint 4 SAMs were launched and I have to say they were surprisingly effective - looking.
After they burnt out it was warp-on to the SAM site at waypoint 2 then reapeatedly strafing the site until enough SAMs were destroyed to allow me to warp-on home.
❝Date : 20th April 1967
Time : 18 : 20
Player Aircraft : Cessna O1-F Bird Dog
Airfield : Quantri USMC Airbase
Mission overview
A pilot is down and we need to mark his location so the Hueys can get him out. "
Background
1st infantry has located a downed F-4 pilot. Mark the area with flares. "
❞ At last what feels like some continuity! I guess one of my crew from the Wild Weasel mission yesterday didn't quite make it home!
The area was hot - with VC and armour approaching the pilot. I took out a few VC with the marker rockets but didn't hang around.
The Cessna O-1F is a joy to fly.
❝Date : 20th April 1967
Time : 14 : 20
Player Aircraft : Bell UH-1C Huey
Airfield : Quantri USMC Airbase
Mission overview
Bird Dog has tagged the F-4 crash site. Let get in there and save this pilot.
Background
Dustoff was one form of medical evacuation in Viet Nam. Most vets think all rescue helicopters were medivacs. While generically true, there were several types of medivacs.
Assault helicopters (slicks) occasionally evacuated the wounded so were medivacs. True medivac helicopters were distinguished by the large red crosses on their tops, bottoms, sides and noses. Of these there was a distinction between Medivac ships and Dustoff ships. Medivac choppers were assigned to combat units that allowed them to use door gunners and mount M-60 machine guns on the ships. Dustoff helicopters were organized in helicopter ambulance companies, platoons, and detachments assigned to hospitals.
According to the Geneva Convention, Dustoff helicopters were not allowed to carry "offensive weapons". Unfortunately, the Viet Cong were not bond by the Geneva Convention, which made Dustoff aircraft very inviting targets.
❞ So let me get this straight - Assault helicopters (Hueys) would come in and plaster an area with rocket and machine gun fire. Then "Dustoff" choppers (also Hueys) would come in to lift out the wounded. They wouldn't carry weapons, unless they were "Medivac" choppers, (also Hueys), which DID carry weapons.
The enemy was allowed to shoot at the Assault choppers and Medivac choppers but not the Dustoff choppers.
Hint - reverse the collective action in the settings menu to get a more helicopter - like control feel.
