Tales from a IL-2 CloD pilot

[[RS]Boomer]

I created a fighter patrol over Dover in FMB with 8 Mk IIa spits, and 12 Bf-109's. Took off from Biggin Hill and circled the air field waiting for the rest of the spits to take off and form up. Once in formation we were around 6000 feet, and heading to Dover around 5:30 am with the sun just up over the horizon, with medium clouds with a 1500 meter ceiling. As we flew over Dover, there were ships leaving the harbor on their way to Portsmouth. My flight was covering the departing ships and heading south dipping my wings back and forth scouting for enemy fighters. As I was looking around, I looked to my 7 o'clock and was looking into the sun when I saw what I thought was "The Hammer of God"! All 12 109's snuck in directly behind my flight of 8, and opened up with MG's and cannons. It looked like flaming tennis balls were flying over my canopy. I rolled inverted and pulled back hard on the stick until my vision went almost completely black. As I recovered from the hard split S, I looked behind me and saw the blinking MG's of a yellow nose behind me. I chopped my throttle and kicked full left rudder and pulled up and rolled to the right trying to throw off his aim and slow down so he could fly past me. This 109 pilot must have noticed my throttle being chopped because he stayed right there with me. We were canopy to canopy, doing barrel roll after barrel roll. Every time I looked up I could almost see the whites of the German's eyes. Thats when my wingman, swooped in out of no where and filled him with all 8 of his MG's. I turned 180 degrees and flew straight into the fur ball with planes twisting and turning every direction. I saw a yellow nose fly right past my plane, so I dove after him. After about 4 sharp maneuvers I was right on his six and banked left exposing his whole plane. A 2 second burst and his wing came flying off. I had to pull up immediately to avoid the fallen wing, but I didn't know there was a 109 behind me. As I pulled up my entire left wing engulfed into flames. I opened the canopy, rolled inverted and bailed out. I watched the rest of the battle hanging from my parachute, and unfortunately all of my flight had torn to pieces. That was a fun mission!