Shoot Out Over Gazala: 14-Jun-41

by Joe Ferrara

Background: As part of the abortive "Battleaxe" offensive, Maryland light bombers were tasked to strike the Luftwaffe airfield at Gazala. Bad weather and mechanical difficulties reduced the escort to a single Hurricane flown by South African Capt Ken Driver, an ace with ten kills scored against Italians in the East African campaign. The Maryland was intercepted by a single Me-109 flown by Oberleutnant Franzisket (14 kills). As he was lining up to shoot the Maryland, Franzisket noticed Driver's Hurricane diving on him from above. Franzisket pulled up and in the resulting head to head pass, the German's shooting was better and Driver's Hurricane went down in flames, although Driver was able to parachute to safety. Franzisket turned his attention back to the Maryland, which he also shot down. When asked by his German captors what he was doing in Africa, Driver replied "the same thing as you".

Map: Ground (from Achtung! Spitfire)

Set Up:

• the Maryland is in hex 3007, speed 4.0, altitude 4.0, headed east in level flight.
• the Hurricane is in hex 3115, speed 5.0, altitude 5.0, headed west in a shallow dive and a left bank.
• the Bf-109 starts in hex 3101, at speed 4.0, altitude 3.0, headed east in a shallow climb and in a right bank.

Game Length: 20 Turns or until the Maryland and Hurricane exit or are shot down.

Special Rules:

1. The Maryland is loaded with GP bombs, all other aircraft are unloaded.
2. The Maryland always moves first. Because the Maryland had no radio contact with Driver, it must fly straight and level at cruise power and may not jettison or fire until attacked by the Bf-109. This includes defensive fire on the first turn that the Bf-109 fires on the Maryland.
3. The Allies win if the Maryland exits the east edge of the map in controlled flight or if the Bf-109 is shot down. The Axis wins if the Maryland is shot down and the Bf-109 survives. Any other result is a draw

Additional Rules: Pilot Quality - Training Standards:

Optional Historcial Rules: To insure that the historical head on pass takes place:

1. Bf-109 automatically losses initiative on Turns 1 and 2 (only).
2. Both sides automatically pass their determination rolls for a head-on shot

ADC availability:

• The Martin Maryland is available frorm Uncle Ted's.
• · The Me-109E-7 (a variant of the Me-109E-4) and Hurricane I ADCs were published in Achtung Spitfire.

Sources:

• Cull, Hurricanes over Tobruk, p 176-177.
• Scutts, Me-109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean, p 9.
• Shores, Fighters Over the Desert, pp 43-44.