Official Free Historical Campaign "His Majesty's Griffons"

[BlackSix]

His Majesty's Griffons

Timeframe: January 1st – February 21st, 1945
Unit: No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron RAF
Available aircraft: Spitfire Mk.XIV
Duration: 10 missions
Average playtime: 5 hours
Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Russian
Author: Alexander =BlackSix= Timoshkov

This free campaign requires IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Bodenplatte and IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Normandy - Premium Edition or IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Bodenplatte and collector plane Spitfire Mk.XIV. 

    

Historical Background
On December 16, 1944, the Germans went on the offensive in the Ardennes aiming to reach Antwerp, dividing the Allied troops and seizing their major supply port, and, eventually, defeat the 21st Army Group. Capitalizing on the surprise factor and dodgy weather and outnumbering the enemy, the Nazis managed to breach the defensive line of the US First Army in one go and advance 90 km by December 25. However, having lost much time on the siege of Saint-Vith and Bastogne and being almost out of fuel and ammunition, flanked by newly arrived British Second Army and US Third and Ninth Armies, the German charge ground to a halt just less than four miles short of the Meuse River.

On December 23, as the weather suddenly improved, the Allied Air Forces unleashed a full-scale offensive on the Nazi tank columns and supply lines and, thus, blitzed the enemy's strategy once and for all. Things changed most dramatically on December 26 as the US Third Army breached the Bastogne encirclement. That was followed by multiple separate battles and, finally, resulted in a large-scale Allied counter-offensive on January 3, 1945.

Despite all this, the Luftwaffe did not cancel the long-planned Operation Bodenplatte — a massive airstrike by over 1,000 piston-engined and jet fighter-bombers at the Allied airfields in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France slated for January 1, 1945.

  

Way back in late September 1944, the Royal Air Force's Fighter Command had to recall three Mustang squadrons of No. 122 Wing back to England to escort long-range bombers. As a replacement, the 2nd Tactical Air Force received five Tempest squadrons from the Air Defence of Great Britain. On top of that, Nos. 130 and 402 Squadrons equipped with Spitfire Mk.XIVs joined No. 125 Wing.

In early December 1944, the other three squadrons of Spitfire Mk.XIVs arrived on the mainland. No. 41 Squadron was based at Diest airfield (B-64) while Nos. 350 and 610 Squadrons were stationed in Evere (B-56) where they temporarily joined Canadian No. 127 Wing. At the end of the month, the 2nd Tactical Air Force decided to move Nos. 41, 130, 350, and 610 Squadrons as a single formation – No. 125 Wing – closer to the front lines. On December 31, the four units were successfully deployed to the USAAF's Ophoven airfield (Y-32) in eastern Belgium ready to be fully engaged in the Ardennes.

  

  

 

[Kubert]

I didn't play this campaign yet, but for some reason I have all missions unlocked. Even when I press Begin anew button. It was always like this for this campaign...nothing important, just want you to know.

[BlackSix]

I checked and can't confirm, unfortunately. If this is important to you, please contact support...