102 Silver Foxes I: The Prop Driven Drive to win

Ground pounding

The other use of air forces in matches is that they can provide fire support, and this is how Maple high school was able to hold of Saunders for so long is with help from 102 and the ground attack specialists at 164 22 nautical miles to the south, although they got bombed to hell the other day while 102 repelled their attackers.

TIMESTAMP 0833
The radio crackled to life, its warrant officer Julia "Leafy" Schultz. 

Leafy: 102 come in

Ryo: squadron commander Duesburry speaking, what can we do for you?

Leafy: we need air support on match ground 2 in about 80 minutes, can you guys be there?

Ryo: you can count on it

Ryo called a squadron briefing, all squadron commanders and squad leaders were called to the briefing room:

*briefing start*

Good morning chaps, I got a call from maple requesting ground attack support and sent me pictures of the AO, it's quite rough and hilly, it won't be easy to navigate through after pulling up from shallow angle dive bombing, A squadron will fly at 10,000 ft, B squadron will fly at 7,000 ft where they will link up with the current available planes of 164 squadron before heading to the AO, we get in fast, bomb them, then get out just as fast. Any questions? No? Then get your squads and planes ready.

Ryo- sharpie come over here before you leave,
sharpie- yes sir?
I got a bad feeling, keep an eye out for the red tailed mustang, it's probably gonna be "him"
Sharpie- alright, you're making me feel nervous when you mention "him"

Bombs were attached, rocket rails fitted and rockets fitted to those, the typhoons operated by 102 were modified specifically so that they could carry both 6 RP-3 rockets and 1000 pound bombs, ammo belts checked, all armour piercing rounds, using the new HVAP shells the Hispano MK II could punch through 42 mm of armour, more then enough to kill a standard Sherman from the side. A squadron had them in their belts but they also had some HEFI and SAPI rounds to take down aircraft faster. B squadron carried nothing but HVAP in their belts.

A squadron taxied out for takeoff.
*"Spitfire C-FGHY on the roll RWY 23 leading a flight of 26"* crackles over the radio

*Typhoon C-YTIO on the roll RWY 13 leading a flight of 30*

About 20 minutes later they rendezvoused with the remnants of 164 squadron and headed for the AO, bang on time, they were told to just dive right in as by the time they do, the match will have just started.

Ryo- TALLY BALLY HO we are in the AO, squadron B weapons free, go open some tin cans down there.

With a quick roll or as quickly as a typhoon can roll, all of squadron B was in a full throttle power dive, Napier SABRE engines screaming.
Flying officer Ben "Lemon" Lemoine was a daring pilot and he pushed his typhoon even harder, passing 440MPH and still accelerating at the ground, finger poised over the bomb release, at 800 ft he pressed it and began a high G pullout, everyone got their ordnance out ok and pulled out, they formed flights of  3 and just started strafing the Sherman's that were left, B squadron did an amazing job of keeping Saunders down long enough for maple to get the upper hand and win the match, though the war was far from over. 

As the squadron was flying back to Borden, Ryo the squadron commander got suspicious, something didn't feel right.

Check 6 was called and there it was.

Ryo- MUSTANGS AT 7 HIGH DIVING BREAK RIGHT!!!

The whole squadron scattered and avoided the attack, a massive Furball dogfight developed, mustang after mustang was knocked out, Ryo saw the red tailed mustang he was looking for and gave chase.

Ryo was really struggling to stay on his 6 despite his best efforts, he was fighting the squadron commander of the Saunders Air Force, Captain Austin "GENO" O'Donnell from Florida, geno was really throwing Ryo around but Ryo had sunk his teeth into the mustang and he wasn't letting go. Ryo finally got a shot and took him out, but he knew he would see him again.