Lions of Kalinin Campaign (Bf-109 E7)

[Juri_JS]

 

Here's my latest scripted campaign titled "Lions of Kalinin":

http://www.axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/download.php?view.989

It's a historical campaign for the Bf-109E7, that takes place during the battle of Kalinin. Everyone who played BlackSix's "Ten Days in Autumn" campaign will be familiar with this battle, though my campaign begins a few days earlier and the focus is on the missions flown by the Schlachtflieger of II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2.

This time I've cooperated with PatCartier who produced the skins and the other artwork for the campaign. The LG 2 Staffel emblems were created by csThor.

Briefings are available in English, German and French.

 

Requirements:
Il-2 Sturmovik Battle of Moscow

 

Installation:
Extract the folder 'data' from the 'Lions of Kalinin.zip' file into the IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad main directory. This will put the missions into the 'IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data\Campaigns\Lions of Kalinin' folder and the skins into the correct sub-folders in the 'IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad\data\graphics\skins\' directory.

 

Some background information:
The Lehrgeschwader of the Luftwaffe were mixed-formation units tasked with the operational evaluation of new types of aircraft and/or with the development/evaluation of new tactics, but when the war broke out, the different groups were used as regular combat units. II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 was formed in 1938 as Schlachtflieger unit, specialized on close air support missions. In 1941 it was equipped with the Bf-109E and the Hs-123 and was the only unit of its kind in the Luftwaffe during this time. Initially the Luftwaffe leadership thought that the close support role could be completely taken over by Ju-87 dive bombers, but the experience during the first two years of the war demonstrated the usefulness of low level fighter-bomber attacks in direct support of the troops on the ground and II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 would later form the nucleus of the Luftwaffe's first Schlachtgeschwader.

Together with parts of Jagdgeschwader 52 and Stukageschwader 2, II.(Schlacht)/LG 2 transferred to Kalinin in mid-October 1941 soon after the Wehrmacht had captured the city. The units Bf-109Es and Hs-123s were based at an airfield south of Kalinin, directly behind the front line. Over the following days the Red Army launched a full-scale counterattack to recapture the strategically important town on the banks of the Volga river and to encircle the German forces, that had already overstretched their supply lines. Whenever the weather conditions allowed, II.(Schlacht)/Lehrgeschwader 2 flew round the clock missions to support the troops on the ground. It played a vital roll in repulsing numerous Soviet assaults and more than once the pilots had to defend their own airfield against enemy attacks.

The photo below shows the units Gruppenkommandeur Otto Weiss, who was the first Schlachtflieger to receive the Knight's Cross and whose aggressive leadership during the fighting around the city earned him the nickname "Lion of Kalinin", which inspired the title of the campaign.

 

And here's a photo of Georg Dörffel, the Staffelkapitän of the player's unit 5.(Schlacht)/LG 2. Dörffel later became Geschwaderkommodore of Schlachtgeschwader 4 and was killed in action on 26 May 1944 north-west of Rome.

 

Link to old campaign thread:

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/36676-lions-of-kalinin-bf-109-e7-scripted-campaign/

Edited November 25, 2025 by Juri_JS

[Tiberia]

Almost finished with this campaign and I have found it really enjoyable.

The E7 is a fun ground attack bird that still maintains the ability to fight in the air.

The very short flight times make it super easy to get into a session and get out without taking all night.

I was shocked to learn that the Luftwaffe had an airfield like this so close to the front line. Imagine the USAF parking any of its modern aircraft this close to the frontline.
 

If the distances in the campaign are anywhere close to true to what they had to fly in real life out of the Kalinin airfield then I am amazed. You can be in combat almost immediately after takeoff sometimes!

Edited December 16, 2025 by Tiberia

[Juri_JS]

1 hour ago, Tiberia said:

I was shocked to learn that the Luftwaffe had an airfield like this so close to the front line. Imagine the USAF parking any of its modern aircraft this close to the frontline.
 

If the distances in the campaign are anywhere close to true to what they had to fly in real life out of the Kalinin airfield then I am amazed. You can be in combat almost immediately after takeoff sometimes!

The distances in the campaign are historical. The airfield was under sporadic artillery fire for days and at one point it was almost overrun.

[Tiberia]

Wow. Really demonstrates the growing difficulties Barbarossa was facing, and foreshadows the long war ahead.