Desert Aces

Dogfights: Desert Aces (8/10/07) wikipedia

desert_aces.zip

All scenarios in one zip file (updated 3/28/08)

epstei14.btl

On October 20, 1973, at the Height of the Yom Kippur War, Giora Epstein, Israels leading aces with 10 kills was leading a flight of Neshers (Israeli produced Mirage V copies) west to attack Egyptian forces gathering to oppose the Israeli bridgehead near the Great Bitter Lake. On the way they came across two Egyptian MiG-21s coming towards them from the South. The two MiGs suddenly turned away from the Mirages and headed west. Epstein's flight gave chase and fell into a trap. Epstein destroyed the wingman of the first pair with an Shafrir 2 and pursued the leader, which evaded wildly. Epstein finally downed it with cannon fire, and two other Mirages also scored kills or probable kills. Soon after, the three other Mirages disengaged and headed for home, while Epstein continued to battle at least 10 MiGs. He downed two more MiGs with cannon fire, then found that the MiGs had disengaged. This brought Epsteins kill total to fourteen.

In this version of the scenario, the MiGs are armed with four Atolls each.

Information for this scenario was derived from the History Channel show "Dogfights" episode "Desert Aces" and from http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/Kills/FirstDown.IN.aspx?lang=EN&lobbyID=40&folderID=43&subfolderID=294&docfolderID=294&docID=1436

epstein1.btl

June 6, 1967, during the Six Day War, future ace-of-aces, Lt. Giora Epstein is on his 4th combat mission and still without his first kill. He and his leader were on scrambled towards contacts towards the West. As they headed towards Egypt a second pair of Mirages joined up with them. Over El Arish airbase, Epstein looked down to see three Egyptian Su-7s being chased by yet another pair of Mirages. The second pair of Mirages quickly split S'd down and joined in the chase. A situation developed where the Egyptians and Israelis become intermingled, with a Su-7 being chased by a Mirage which in turn was being chased by a Su-7 which was chased by another Mirage. Further behind the third Su-7 was chased by a third Mirage. The first two Su-7s were rapidly dispatched by cannon fire, while the third accelerated, attempting to outrun his pursuer. The Mirage on his tail attempts a Shafrir shot, which misses, and then resorts to long range cannon fire which depeletes his ammunition without acheiving the kill. Meanwhile, Epstein dieves down to join the pursuit. The initial Mirage breaks off the pursuit, and Epstein closes in on the Sukhoi, downing it with cannon fire--his first kill. Epstein would go on to achieve 17 kills, to become the highest scoring jet ace in history.

This scenario was adapted from the situation described in the History Channel program "Dogfights", episode "Desert Aces", and supplemented with information from http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/Kills/FirstDown.IN.aspx?lang=EN&lobbyID=40&folderID=43&subfolderID=294&docfolderID=294&docID=1422