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IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Latest instalment in the acclaimed IL-2 Sturmovik series from award-winning developer Maddox Games.

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Old 05-05-2012, 12:17 AM
BP_Tailspin BP_Tailspin is offline
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Default Will this mod be included in the patch?



In the lighter moments of World War II, the Spitfire was used in an unorthodox role: bringing beer kegs to the men in Normandy.
During the war, the Heneger and Constable brewery donated free beer to the troops. After D-Day, supplying the invasion troops in Normandy with vital supplies was already a challenge. Obviously, there was no room in the logistics chain for such luxuries as beer or other types of refreshments. Some men, often called sourcers, were able to get wine or other niceties from the land or rather from the locals. RAF Spitfire pilots came up with an even better idea.

The Spitfire Mk IX was an evolved version of the Spitfire, with pylons under the wings for bombs or tanks. It was discovered that the bomb pylons could also be modified to carry beer kegs. According to pictures that can be found, various sizes of kegs were used. Whether the kegs could be jettisoned in case of emergency is unknown. If the Spitfire flew high enough, the cold air at altitude would even refresh the beer, making it ready for consumption upon arrival.

A variation of this was a long range fuel tank modified to carry beer instead of fuel. The modification even received the official designation Mod. XXX. Propaganda services were quick to pick up on this, which probably explains the official designation.



A staged shot of the Mod. XXX tank being filled.

As a result, Spitfires equipped with Mod XXX or keg-carrying pylons were often sent back to Great-Britain for maintenance or liaison duties. They would then return to Normandy with full beer kegs fitted under the wings.



The Spitfire had very little ground clearance with the larger beer kegs.

Typically, the British Revenue of Ministry and Excise stepped in, notifying the brewery that they were in violation of the law by exporting beer without paying the relevant taxes. It seems that Mod. XXX was terminated then, but various squadrons found different ways to refurbish their stocks. Most often, this was done with the unofficial approval of higher echelons.

In his book Dancing in the Skies, Tony Jonsson, the only Icelancer pilot in the RAF, recalled beer runs while he was flying with 65 Squadron. Every week a pilot was sent back to the UK to fill some cleaned-up drop tanks with beer and return to the squadron. Jonsson hated the beer runs as every man on the squadron would be watching you upon arrival. Anyone who made a rough landing and dropped the tanks would be the most hated man on the squadron for an entire week.




Last edited by BP_Tailspin; 05-05-2012 at 12:19 AM.
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Old 05-05-2012, 12:40 AM
Novotny Novotny is offline
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*bows*
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Old 05-05-2012, 01:04 AM
julien673 julien673 is offline
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Yeah ... we all waiting for that patch
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Old 05-05-2012, 01:06 AM
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CWMV CWMV is offline
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Standby for Picard full of win pic.
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Last edited by CWMV; 05-05-2012 at 03:51 AM.
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Old 05-05-2012, 01:50 AM
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ElAurens ElAurens is offline
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This is a mod I can drink to.
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Old 05-05-2012, 03:31 AM
BH_woodstock BH_woodstock is offline
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that would be fun to see.very cool idea
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Old 05-05-2012, 06:47 AM
theOden theOden is offline
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Had a laugh at this:
"Jonsson hated the beer runs as every man on the squadron would be watching you upon arrival. Anyone who made a rough landing and dropped the tanks would be the most hated man on the squadron for an entire week."

Kind of the pressure we put on the last man landing during COOP.
But we do keep the keg on the left side of the keyboard so no harm done
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Old 05-05-2012, 07:19 AM
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furbs furbs is offline
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Ahh the last man landing in a COOP, good times. Eveyone would watch and judge the landing yes, it would also be hilarious when just as he landed, a AI would turn up and straff the poor chap as he touched down!
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Old 05-05-2012, 07:38 AM
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mazex mazex is offline
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Amazing story that I have never heard. Naturally had to verify it by a quick Google as it sounded too bizarre And of course if was true...

I do have a hard time seeing the Luftwaffe giving unofficial approval to a solution like that. Anyone that has heard of similar stories?
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Old 05-05-2012, 09:30 AM
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Screamadelica Screamadelica is offline
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Haven't heard any stories, but it sounds like something the Australian pilots would certainly be doing!
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