#18 B-24-J Orange's Crate


1	B-24-D 41-24225 temporary replacement for "Orange's Crate" Emerson Turret 78th BS FORMATION: Mid DATE: 29 March 44 MISSION: # 18 TARGET: Sofia, Bulgaria - Marshalling Yard
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4	Position	Rank	Name	Missions Complete	Kills this Mission	Total Kills	Awards	Status Fit for Duty
5	Pilot	1st Lt	Ab Orange	5			AM	FfD
6	Co-Pilot	2nd Lt	Basil Tottenham	5			AM	FfD
7	Bomb	2nd Lt	Ben Virden	4			PH	FfD
8	Nav	2nd Lt	Vale Neumann	1				FfD
9	Engr/TT	S/Sgt	Benedict Jackson	1				FfD
10	Radio	S/Sgt	Frank Dunn	5			AM	FfD
11	Ball T	Sgt	Jake Bender	5		2.5	AM	FfD
12	Pt W	S/Sgt	Donald Stroll	2		0.5		FfD
13	Stb W	Sgt	Vince Dipalo	5		0.5	AM	FfD
14	Tail T	Sgt	Tommy MacDonald	5		3.5	AM	FfD
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17	Enemy A/C	Intrcptd	B-24 Hits	FBOA - FCA - FCAB - destroyed	Claims - Probable - Confirmed
18	FW-190 x5		12	2 - 3 - 2 -
19	TOTALS x5		12	2 - 3 - 2 -
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21	BOMB RUN: DNB
22	CREW CASUALTIES & STATUS
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24	DAMAGE: 220 points - 5x superficial = 10 / Suit Heat System = 50 / Radio/Eng O2 = 20 / Fire = 25 / Tailplane = 25 / Wing Root = 25 / Pilot compartment Heat = 20 / 1x Control Cables = 10 / 1x Landing Gear = 25 / Rafts = 10 /
25	A/C DISPOSITION: Cat-E after crash landing
26	CREW CHEIF: SGT Baker Rogers (Rookie 0 modifier, +1 level every 10 missions) 13 missions
27	AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
28	Air Medal - Lt A Orange, Lt B Tottenham, Sgt F Dunn, Sgt J Bender, Sgt V Dipalo, Sgt T MacDonald
29	PROMOTIONS:
30	AFTER ACTION REPORT
31	- Orange's Crate is still undergoing repairs, so we're stuck with a hanger queen. I sure hope somebody gave her the once-over twice. - (Mech Failure #83 - Suit Heater System malfunction) Just leaving Albania when all aft crew lost their suit heat. I decided that I wasn't going to further risk my crew in a suspect old aircraft. Leaving the formation and continuing to the target on our own wasn't an option, nor was remaining in formation and risking frostbite for half my crew. I notified the squadron lead, then dropped out of formation, turned for home and dove for a safe altitude. - My hopes of hiding in clouds to avoid detection faded quickly as 3 FWs found us not long after leaving the formation. Two were driven off by our fire, but the third scored tail hits on his second pass. A couple more FWs must have been called in by the first trio. Our aircraft took a lot of damage, including an O2 fire in the radio room which was quickly extinguished. - We salvoed our load over the Adriatic. Before crossing the Italian coast , the turbo-supercharger on #3 gave up the ghost, which wasn't an issue at this point. However, when I attempted to lower the gear on approach it became apparent the Starboard gear was damaged. Knowing the landing could be dicey, I gave the crew the option to bail out over the base rather than ride this old rat-trap in, but they all felt safer with wings rather than silk and strings. - It was a rough ride and the aircraft is a right-off, but we all walked away shaken but relatively healthy. I can't say I'm sorry that old crate will never take anyone into harms way again.
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39	Respectfully Submitted by 1st Lt Orange
40	Using TFT (Variants used: TFT Axis Fighter Aircraft Add-on Module (personal modification to not mix German and allied fighters. If a (I), (R), or (H) comes up, all fighters in that wave are the same nationality.) /Chris Riches' Variant Table for Mechanical Failure / Bruce Peckham’s German Fighter Pilots variant / Fuel Tank Leaks / Axis Aircraft Hit Effect Multipliers / Claiming Destroyed, Probable and Damaged Aircraft / Crew Chiefs/Jasta6 GAF Placement Variant / 509th Wound and Recovery)
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