Vintage Strike

March 1972, Seanon Airbase, intelligence reports indicated that the North Korean military is planning an invasion of the South.  The matter has been debated before the United Nations and evidence has been presented that clearly shows the North’s intent.  A resolution to condemn the north was vetoed by the Chinese with abstentions from the Soviet Union , and the French.  Anticipating a lack of action by the UN the leaders of South Korea and the United States have secretly met and decided on a plan to take out the leadership of the North. 

The time has arrived for a preemptive strike.  Spies in the North tell us that the Kim IL Sung and his war counsel are meeting along with senior political and military leaders from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at the 820^th Armored Base North East Unp’a.   We do not know how long these people will be confined so there is no time to waste.  As this mission is highly secret no one at the base knows, except the men flying and the top brass.  SAR is not an option.  The mission is as follows:

Charger1 and 2, will be flying the venerable F-100 Super Saber

Charger1 will be carrying Mk-83 bombs that should do a nice job on the target.  Flying to our front with be a pair of F-4 Phantom E models, Gator11 and Gator12, which will clear the way of enemy air.  From the west will come a pair of A1 Skyraiders, Trol11 and Trol12.  They will take care of the anti-aircraft gun battery to the west of the target.  They well depart first and fly in low and quite hopefully to catch the bad guys as they are looking up at us.  A pair of F-105s, Devil1 and Devil12 will take care of the SA 2 sight to the south.  Over the target will be a pair of F8 Crusaders and making their combat debut, a pair of F-14 Tomcats fresh off the assembly line.   This should give us plenty of punch over the target but given the level of personnel at the target sight we imagine they will have plenty of assets up to protect it.  

Our take off time is just before 0900 with time over target just before 0919.  We will be using manual bombing as the new laser guided kits are not ready for prime time just yet.  No problem though as we have stacked the deck with our best pilots.

0740, the plan is briefed and we walk down to the flight line to pre-flight our jets.  Only our pair and the pair of Phantoms will depart from Seanon, the other will come from Suwon and an un-named dirt strip for the A-1s.  With auxiliary power applied, my wing and I comm check and proceed down the check list.  It is a warm morning for May in Korea so I keep the canopy raised while I complete my checks.  Gators rolls past our noses towards their take off position, the heat from their exhaust fills my cockpit.   “Seanon ground, Charger1 ready to taxi.”  “Charger1 Seanon grounds, cleared to taxi, proceed to runway 18L and hold short, you are number two for take off.”  With the canopy still up I nudge the throttle and start a slow roll picking up the yellow taxi way.  I pull out of the parking bay and turn left just as the Phantoms scream down the runway in tandem.   We continue to taxi until we are holding short of the active runway.  I switch my radios one to guard and one to the tower frequency.  “Seanon tower Charger1 ready for take off.”  “Charger1 you are cleared runway 180L, winds out of the south at five knots, its 20 degrees good day sir”.  I lower the canopy as my jet creeps out onto the active and I take position on the left side with Charger12 falling in on my right rear.  With the canopy down and locked, I scan the instruments to ensure that all is in the green.  Once satisfied, I push the throttle to the last detent and slowly start to gain speed.  The muffled sound becomes a muffled roar as my burner plugs in.  My slow acceleration rapidly increases until I am rumbling down the runway approaching flying speed.  I keep the controls neutral until I pass 180.  I give it a few more knots as I am heavy with bombs but I am quickly running out of runway so I apply back pressure to the control and my jet struggles into the air.  Retracting the landing gear I start a left turn as our steer-point is almost due north.  Once I pick up the steering cue I maintain a 10 degree climb and level off at angels 20.  Calling for Charger12 to close up I level off and settle in for the journey north. 

GATOR1

As we close on the enemy coast, AWACS call bandits to our front.   As pre-briefed, Gator12 and I have been flying stacked in an attempt to conceal our number.  Once bandit have been declared we close up and prepare for the attack.  Thus far the Sparrow missile that we carry has not proven very reliable or effective.  On the flip side of that the Sidewinder has proven very deadly but with shorter range it means a knife fight in close.  We anticipate either MIG21s or 19s, either would be a formidable opponent for our heavy phantoms.  Once the bandits turn in and commit on us I break the formation and release Gator12 on the attack.  “Gator12 go spread weapons free” I command, “12” is all the reply I need as Gator 12 breaks off to my right side.  The bogeys have now shown up on our radar and our closure is approaching 800 knots.  Switching over to air-to-air, I quickly lock up the leader.  My Sparrow seems to have a good lock and once the range indicator closes into the lethal range I pickle off my first missile, “Fox 1” I announce and my Sparrow fall from the rails and the rocket motor ignites.  I watch as the smoke trails looks like it is tracking perfectly.  I hold off on launching a second missile as the track looks good.  I continue to watch with an anxious finger on the trigger.  My missile seems to fly through the enemy; it must have missed by mere feet.  But miss it did.  I quickly pickle off another before we cross into Rmin for the Sparrow.  “Swoosh, another sparrow is on its way.  This one is sucked into the nose cone of the leading MIG and it results in a tremendous fireball.  I admire my handwork until being slapped back to life by the puff of smoke coming of the under-wing of the second MIG, “Shit” I say in my mind and I roll over and kick flares out of my hind quarter.  We pass in a flash, I bend under and Gator12 goes over the top.  The MIG goes vertical and come nose to nose with 12 at the top of his loop.  I am under and coming up from behind the MIG.  The MIG, recognizing his predicament pumps flares and rolls inverted for the deck with me in trail.  I take a heat shot but my missile is spoofed by a flare as we continue to scream toward the deck.  By this time Gator12 is back in the fight.  Running out of altitude the MIG has to break before making contact with the ground.  Now the fight is in the horizontal with two hungry Phantoms chasing a meal.

Trol1  

Flying low and slow we cross the border and commit to our mission.  Hopefully the enemy has not picked us up as stealth is our only defense.  The A1 Skyraider was originally conceived in WWII but developed to late for that conflict.  Now at the end of its career it is the lead element in the sneak attack at Unp’a   Loaded down with 1000 pound bombs and cluster munitions our job is to attach the North Korean 3694Air Defense Artillery battalion before they can pick up our fast movers.  At a minimum we must take out the radar.  Then we are to point south and head for home as fast as our props will take us.  It is a beautiful morning as we fly over the North Korean country side.   I call Trol12 in tight on my right wing and wave at the farmers tending to their fields as we fly past them.  They do not seem the least bit concerned with our presences over their land.   

Continuing north we listen on guard as the other elements of our strike take flight and head north.  Now just 20 miles from target I stage my bombs to drop in pairs and put Trol12 in trail.  We crest the last hill and the target comes into view.  Still we have no sign that the enemy is aware that he is under attack.  Well, this is good.  By the time they figure out what the hell is going on we should be heading south with our fighter cover over head.  I can start to make out the gun emplacements as I switch over to rockeyes and bear down on the target.  Locking up the center of a long string of enemy guns I give Trol12 the order to attack targets.  Midway down the length of the enemy string of guns, I smile as the enemy soldiers look up at us in bewilderment.  I pickle off a pair of rockeyes as I wave at the enemy soldiers below.  Breaking hard right, the vortices swirl off of my wingtips as my bombs detonate on target.  Big sparkles of high explosive announce our presence as the enemy guns open up.  I wing over and head back for another run just as my wingman’s bomb impact on the target.  Wow, what an explosion.  He must have dropped his entire load on that run.  Trucks, guns, dirt, dust, and people or flung several feet into the air.  I pick up the radar station and close in guns blazing.  My cannon makes short work of the radar truck and my tracers walk right into the radar followed by a pair of 1000 pound bombs.  Another series of explosions rock the area and I can see the shock wave reverberate the area as soldiers run all over the place. 

I call Trol12 to close up tight and we head do south, our mission complete.  We assume, rightfully that the enemy has scrambled fighters to our location but by now the Tomcats and Crusaders are high overhead.   Feeling relatively safe we stay low and follow the canyons for home.  

Devil1    

Cruising at 27000 feet, we listen as the Phantoms tangle with a pair of MIG21s  off in the distance we can see a fireball and a smoke trail falling to the earth.  From the radio traffic we surmise that the smoke trail is what remains of one of the MIGS, victim of a Sparrow missile.  We continue past the fray as the Phantoms spar with the remaining MIG.  We have air-to-air capabilities but our mission this morning is to take out the SAM site at Unho-Ri.  The SA2 has proven to be quite a lethal weapon in Vietnam and it is something that could make for a very bad day for our strikers.  Continuing north we get indications that the SAM radar is tracking us.  I spread the formation and bring my Shrike up as the active weapon.  10000 feet below and a little behind are the F-100s loaded with bombs.  We must take out the SA2 site before they can attack the strikers. 

I roll over and start a shallow dive towards the SAM site.  Playing chicken with a ton of high explosive on a rocket does not seem like something any sane man would enjoy but some how for me it is the ultimate rush!  Locking onto the SAM radar I give Devil12 the order to attack just as I launch my first shrike. The ignition of the rockets motor illuminated the cockpit.  Continuing my dive I fire my second missile and stage my bombs to drop in two pairs.  To my front I can start to make out the individual SA2 launchers as my missiles obliterate the Fan Song Radar, followed seconds later by Devil12 missiles.  I pickle my bombs off with a 1 second delay at just below 10000 feet.  Not the best in terms of accuracy but it will be close enough to get their heads down and let the strike pass.  I break and turn south as my bombs impact in the target area.  Secondary explosions rock the target area and a couple of missiles touch off and run ballistic along the surface of the ground.  “Trol12 close up” I command as I turn the formation south.  We climb out joined by the Phantoms who have apparently dispatched of the last MIG21.   

Charger1  

We listen to the dogfight on guard and the join up with the SEAD flight falling in about a mile behind and several thousand feet below.   We listen as the mission takes shape.  The Phantoms take care of a pair of MIGs vectored to our area.  We have a good view as the F105s roll in on target and fire off a volley of Shrike missiles.  The Shrike leaves a distinctive smoke trail as they leave their platform.  Four smoke streaks bend towards the earth.  Our target is just beyond the SA2 sight we dive down to get under what ever radar is left.  The other sites should have been hit minutes earlier by the A1s and the lack of activity on our Radar Warning Receivers is good indication that that mission has been successful.  “Charger12, go trail” I command as I stage my bombs to drop in pairs.  We will make two runs each.  I pick out a small building that was briefed as an office, after locking it up I give the command”Charger12, attack my target”  “Rgr” is the reply.  I quickly lock up a large building complex that was briefed as the meeting place.    I dive down under 1000 feet and maneuver my death dot.  As I close on the target I can see the limousines outside of the building and people fleeing the buildings.  “Too late for them now,” I think as 2000 pounds of bombs leave my plane.  I pull hard so as not to Frag myself.  Vortices swirl off my plane as I strain to get back above a thousand feet.  I grunt as the g-forces squeeze my body.  Looking back over my shoulder, my bombs hit dead center of the building blowing the walls out.   The people that were leaving the building have now left this planet.  I continue to climb as Charger12s bombs detonate in the target area. 

As I roll back in for the second run a huge secondary explosion comes from the small building that was attacked by Charger12.  Both building in the target area have been flattened so I pick out the bunker complex for my second set of bombs.  Locking it up I give Charger12 the command to attack my target.  I roll in and pickle my bombs off as my death dot reached the center of the target.  My plane buffets as it is suddenly 2000 pounds lighter.  I turn south as my bombs explode on target followed a few seconds later by the bombs of Charger12.  “Charger12 echelon right, close up lets get the hell outta here” “roger that”, Charger12 tucks under my wing and we head south leaving a burning wreck behind us.

Crimson1  

“Charger11, Challis one, bandits bearing 350 25 miles 3000 feet” Riding high above the battle I listen to the radio traffic and watch the destruction below. Three distinct hot spots can be seen from our vantage point.  Two are marked on my map as Air Defense sites and the other is the main target of the strike package.  From where we sit it looks like all three targets have been hit very hard.  Turning to 350 degrees, I arm my sidewinder missiles.  The F8 Crusader is one of my favorite rides, “man this is sweet” I think aloud as we turn towards the contacts “Challis1, Crimson1 vector to target” I call.  “Crimson, vector 347 30 miles.”   “Rgr, Crimson12 weapons free” I command as we close on the bandits.  “Boxer1 to Crimson1, we are a flight of two Tomcats, on your right side three miles” Looking to my right I can see the contrails of the F-14As running parallel with us but a little behind.

Ranging the radar set out to 40 miles I start to pick up the first indicators of the bandits.  They are fading in and out of radar contact, obviously jamming our attempts to track them.  “Crimson12 Jam um up” “were jamming” Our closure is approaching 1000 knots and with in a few seconds I can see the dots on the horizon as the enemy approaches.  We are nose on and closing rapidly.  As we close to 10 miles the sweat starts to bead up on my forehead and I pray these guys don’t have radar guided missiles.  Despite the lack of indicators on my RWR, I pump chaff instinctively.  

“Crimson12 go cover” I command and we close to 5 miles, my heater is growling in my headset but with rear aspect only I don’t bother wasting one.  In a flash our four ships blast past each other.  Grunting under the strain of high Gs I slice high to the right picking up one of the bandit out of the top of my canopy.  “Wow, what kind of plane is this”, I wonder.  Something I have never seen before, gray camouflage paint, modified delta wing with white missiles under-wing. After we flash by, both enemy planes go into the vertical, with me in a high slice, I slide in behind easily but I don’t think I have the power to go over the top.  Crimson12 is trailing me, with even less power.  With the enemies bright orange afterburners in full view I quickly un-cage my heaters and let one fly.  The enemy kicks out flares as my missile flies wide to the left.  “Damn it” I scream in the cockpit.  To make matters worse I do not have the power to continue the loop and have to break it before I enter a stall.  Damn, breaking my loop, I roll inverted and point to the deck to attempt to get some speed up.  I don’t dare light my burners as that would surely invite a heater up my tail pipe.  “Crimson11 break right break right!”  My wingman calls. I bank over into a hard right turn kicking flares all the way.  Out of the top of my canopy I can see the two enemy planes closing on me and the smoke trail of one of their missiles.  Continuing to turn as hard as I can I keep a hand on the ejection handle just in case. After a few seconds I am sure that the missile is not going to hit me but I keep my turn going and spiral towards the deck.   

“Crimson12, little help here” “Rgr, Puma, I can’t get a good lock and I don’t want to shoot you!”  “No, that would be very bad,” I respond. Damn, I am running out of altitude.  I have both bad guys in deep trail but if I have to flatten out our reverse I will be in big trouble.   Just as I am reaching the point of desperation I catch a glimpse of a streaking missile just before it takes the wing off of the trailing enemy plane. The plane flops over on its right side on fire and falls to the earth.  The other breaks his pursuit and climbs out. 

Now I fall in line behind Crimson12, Boxer11, and Boxer12 all in chase of the remaining bandit.  Flying deeper north our mission is already complete as the strike packages should be safely on the other side of the border by now.  The Tcats turn back south but by now my fangs have come out and I am closing the range on the enemy plane.  My range counter comes down but not in the lethal parameters when AWAC calls out more bandits heading our way.  Although not in the best position I fire off a missile, I shoot one just to see if I can get a lucky kill.  My missile streaks towards the bandit who immediately starts to pump flares.

For some reason the enemy banks right, and my missile’s track is true.  I think he would have made it had he just kept running straight.  Well he didn’t make it.  With the enemy turning hard, my missile struck just below the exhaust cone and lifted the plane several feet.  Thick black smoke trails the enemy plane that rolled on its back.  I catch a glimpse of a chute as we turn back south.  We have not time or missiles remaining to fight so I punch in the burner and head due south.   

Charger1

“Seanon tower Charger1 inbound for landing”  “Charger11 Seanon tower, turn left 097 descend to 2000.”  Dropping the air break I push the nose over and start a shallow descent.  I pull the throttle all the way back and let the airspeed drop to just under 200 knots before pushing it forward a touch to maintain 200 knots.  I continue on course as I listen to the instructions given to Charger12, who is in line behind me.  “Charger11 turn right for final heading 180, check gear down.”  Turning to the right to pick up the final approach course I pull back on the lever, dropping my gear.  The drag from my landing gear slows me further and I nudge the throttle a little further to keep my speed.  I take my best guess at lining up the runway but soon I am able to make out the VASI lights. Red over white your alright.  I keep this old saying in mind as I use the throttle to keep myself on the glide path.  Keeping the red light over the white light I come down gingerly and my back two wheels touch down with a screech.   I tap the brakes until my plane is below 60 knots and then step on the right pedal to pick up the taxi way.   I am met by a blue “follow me” truck that I follow to my parking position.  Charger12 pull along side a few minutes later. 

The post flight briefing indicates that the mission was extremely successful. All targets were obliterated with maximum human casualties and no loses on our side.  Of course as far as anyone is concerned this mission never happened but just in case forces in the region go on a heightened alert status for no one is sure what the reaction coming out of Pyongyang will be.

You can download and fly this mission by clicking this link.  Remember you must has FreeFalcon installed.