Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Bag the Hun Scenario - MiG Melee


I wanted to include at least one scenario featuring MiG-3 fighters in the Continuation War scenario collection, as it's one of my favourite Soviet aircraft and the Tumbling Dice model is really good. Here are a couple of potential actions that I have picked out, once again from the Osprey Publishing P-36 book (Aircraft of the Aces 86):

"The small force of Finnish Hawk 75s next saw action in mid August 1942 when, on the 13th, 2Lt Tervo’s schwarm from 2/LeLv 32 was attacked by four MiG-3s from 524 IAP over Lotinanpelto. In a turning fight, which played into the hands of the pilots flying the nimble Hawk 75s, the Soviets three fighters. One fell to Tervo’s guns, thus making him an ace."

This would make a very straightforward sprog level game and a good one to kick off the scenario sequence. A larger, more involved scenario would be this action from 7th November 1942:

"Captain Nurminen’s 3/LeLv 32 escorted a Fokker C.X over the front. A MiG-3 schwarm from 415 IAP tried to down the elderly biplane, but all four Soviet aircraft fell victim to the Fokker’s fighter escort instead. SSgt Aimo Gerdt (in CU-503) became on ace following his successes during this mission, as his combat report recalled;

Whilst performing an escort mission during the early afternoon of 7 November, we were attacked east of Lotinanpelto by two MiG-1s (actually MiG-3s). I got behind the lead aeroplane as it tried to escape towards Savijärvi. 

Opening fire from a distance of 200 m, the fighter burst into flames and the pilot baled out over Lyugovitsa. This action occurred at 1500 metres. ‘I then headed for Savijärvi at a height of 1000 metres, and soon spotted a MiG-1 diving at me from my port side. 

It attempted to get behind me, but I banked sharply to port and we then completed a tight 360-degree turn. Closing on the fighter’s tail, I managed to shoot straight into its cockpit from behind and to the port side. The MiG-1 rolled onto its back and sparks shot out from just aft of its engine."

There's just enough detail here to turn into a scenario but I'd need to do some further research on the MiG-3 unit to include at least some named pilots. The MiG-3 is a tough aircraft for the Soviets to use against the more manoeuvrable and heavily armed Hawk 75, so I'll need to give them a fighting chance.

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