617Dambusters

S! to all you great pilots and crew... I am working on revising the book I worte a few years back and wanted to make sure that I added the 617 sqn to it so if its ok I 'll post small sections and take any critisim or recomendations for changes or additions. Only if its ok because I would not want to take up space here just because..

JCritter
17th BG CO
Retired Allied Cinc

S! Critter and Welcome back.

Go ahead Sir..

Acknowledgements
I wanted to begin this with a thanks and a moment of pause for all the pilots, crews, ground crews, and planners who through incredible odds and huge loses fought to free the world. Please remember those crew who paid the ultimate sacrifice, some of whom where found others who have not been found yet. To you the World War II veterans of “The Greatest Generation” I say thank you. We continue in the honor of your memory.

My experiences in strategic bombing in World War II Online have allowed me to be able to meet with some of the greatest players, some who still play and some who have moved on. Players like Davada, Tornic, Dogo, Prangs, Lerkur, CJWilson, McCully, Thomasbn, Vickery, and others in the 17th Bombardment Group who helped to teach me how to bomb in the Blenheim MK IV. In the beginning days of strategic bombing the Blenheim MK IV had just been released there were no factories even on the map. The foresight of 17th BG leadership allowed us to start training and develop the skills and tactics needed for level bombing by bombing rear towns (we could not damage them and the map was very small then). This was before EWS but we practiced and took a lot of opposition and even were ridiculed by our own side because they thought we should do more to help the ground war. We continued and when the DB-7 was finally released, after a number of delays, it was quickly followed by the addition of bomb able factory towns. With the addition of these towns, we already had the skills and knowledge to bomb these targets effectively. The 17th Bombardmant group along with the 617th squadron “The Dambusters” for the British side met the call for strategic bombing. Players like Airborg, Charlie3, Onchas, Kizmet, Haweye5, Reddog, Hiiamben, Morg, drdog, Bain10, Sniper62 and myself all stepped up to help the allied team see the value in strategic bombing. No one person or squad made this happen it took the work of all of these people and many more to do it. The work of these people and other became so efficient that at time production was completely shut down or significantly reduced the production abilities of the Axis and this had a pronounced affect on Allied map victories. This effectiveness forced the Rat’s to rethink this and change the effects of Strategic bombing significantly. Some may remember the “Big Bomber Monday’s” Runs or operation “Rolling Thunder” those all helped to pave the way as long as smaller more frequent strategic bombing runs. It has been a very long and bumpy road filled with many changes but we have met each one and persevered. Their influence of this work and the experiences, I have had with many of the players listed above, cannot be overemphasized.

When you talk about strategic bombing you cannot forget the “little friends”. Fighter escort is necessary for bomber groups. Pilots like Trukk, Tango, Talon, DocVoodo, Trimcz, Apache25, Cramit and many others helped the bomber groups to make it back in one piece.

We cannot forget the developers at CRS; Doc who takes has/will/ and continues to put up with a lot from a minority of the player base. In addition, the author would like to thank all of the members of 17th Bombardment Group and the 617th squadron The Dambusters member’s past, present and future. All have contributed in some fashion. Any errors, omissions, or other nonsense is completely my fault.

Jcritter

JCritter,

Just an FYI/suggestion........

If there is anything you are going to post that is sensitive material, you may want to post it in the Strategic Planning Forums (more secure, Dambusters and vetted friends) rather than the General Discussion Forums (open to everyone). You should have access to that forum per Reddog.

Hey why am I not in that list.....J/K good work Jc S!

BTW if you want to make a link to the movie "Rolling Thunder" see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj_YZ2VUG70

awsome movie ty for the link. And cono nice to see you old friend but all of this is open source but if t pretains to operations I'll make sure to get it secure... We need to play a bit on the af once again grin morg told me you tow had been talking about that

Jcritter wrote:awsome movie ty for the link. And cono nice to see you old friend but all of this is open source but if t pretains to operations I'll make sure to get it secure... We need to play a bit on the af once again grin morg told me you tow had been talking about that

Did Morg tell you that I got an assist on that kill of you when you were flying a JU52 from Gilze? to Antwerp the other day? I vectored in an Allied fighter to you based on you kicking off all sorts of infantry EWS on the way to Antwerp. I checked stats later and saw it was you.................."DAMN, that SOB is playing AXIS!!!! He deserved to get his ass shot down then!!!!" ROFL

Yea, had a good discussion with Morg. You may have to drag me back into doing FAC, kicking and screaming.

Edited for some minor changes

Acknowledgments
I wanted to begin this with a thanks and a moment of pause for all the pilots, crews, ground crews, and planners who through incredible odds and huge loses, fought to free the world. Please remember those crew who paid the ultimate sacrifice, some of whom where found, others who have not been found yet. To you the World War II veterans of “The Greatest Generation” I say thank you. We continue in the honor of your memory.

My experiences in strategic bombing in World War II Online has allowed me to be able to meet with some of the greatest players, some who still play and some who have moved on. Players like Davada, Tornic, Dogo, Prangs, Lerkur, CJWilson, McCully, Thomasbn, Vickery, and others in the 17th Bombardment Group who helped to teach me how to bomb in the Blenheim MK IV. In the beginning days of strategic bombing the Blenheim MK IV had just been released, there were no factories even on the map. The foresight of 17th BG leadership allowed us to start training and develop the skills and tactics needed for level bombing by bombing rear towns (we could not damage them and the map was very small then). This was before EWS but we practiced and took a lot of opposition and even were ridiculed by our own side because they thought we should do more to help the ground war. We continued and when the DB-7 was finally released, after a number of delays, it was quickly followed by the addition of bombable factory towns. With the addition of these towns, we already had the skills and knowledge to bomb these targets effectively. The 17th Bombardment group along with the 617th squadron “The Dambusters” for the British side met the call for strategic bombing. Players like Airborg, Charlie3, Onchas, Kizmet, Hiiamben, Morg, Haweye5, Fuelpump, Reddog, drdog, Bain10, Sniper62,Main4ce,Bundyrum and myself all stepped up to help the allied team see the value in strategic bombing. No one person or squad made this happen, it took the work of all of these people and many more to do it. The work of these people and others became so efficient that at the time production was completely shut down or significantly reduced on the Axis Side, and this had a pronounced affect on Allied map victories. This effectiveness forced the Rat’s to rethink this and change the effects of Strategic bombing significantly. Some may remember the “Big Bomber Monday’s” Runs or operation “Rolling Thunder” those all helped to pave the way as well as smaller more frequent strategic bombing runs. It has been a very long and bumpy road filled with many changes but we have met each one and persevered. Their influence of this work and the experiences, I have had with many of the players listed above, cannot be overemphasized.

When you talk about strategic bombing you cannot forget the “little friends”. Fighter escort is necessary for bomber groups. Pilots like Trukk, Tango, Talon, DocVoodo, Trimcz, Apache25, Cramit, Allibone, Mevan and many others helped the bomber groups to make it back in one piece.

We cannot forget the developers at CRS; Doc who takes has/will/ and continues to put up with a lot from a minority of the player base. In addition, the author would like to thank all of the members of 17th Bombardment Group and the 617th squadron The Dambusters member’s past, present and future. All have contributed in some fashion. Any errors, omissions, or other nonsense is completely my fault.

Jcritter

Main4ce wrote:Hey why am I not in that list.....J/K good work Jc S!

BTW if you want to make a link to the movie "Rolling Thunder" see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj_YZ2VUG70

WoW, I hadn't watched that one in a while.

Good Times

Good to see you back Critter.


I need to play more, nobody ever mentions me...

Cheers Reddog!


JCritter, just one small amendment for me, when referring to British Squadrons it is usually written 617 Squadron, and not 617th Squadron. Yanks seem to add the "th" to the end of numbered squadrons, but the Brits not so much.

Great stuff jcritter. Good to hear from you again. Please don't forget that Adevlin dude for those of us who really began the whole thing. I think he calls himself Thor now though....lol. He and airborg were pretty much a pair at that time.

Make sure you change the 'th after 617 as British squadrons never used that designation, only squadron after the number. so 617 Sqdn not 617th.

Edit: i skimmed the thread and just realised allibone already mentioned it.