So, there I was, tasting it for the first time.
At first, I was amazed to see no ALQ's, TGP's, AIM-9's and Mav's available. No matter!
I load 6 Mk82's and two rocket pods. Shall we not forget full guns and lots of flares! I say to my self "I could hit the tanker as well" and defuel to 70%. As I taxi out, Ugly 5 was inbound and I decide to wait for him, enjoy the scenery with another aircraft landing while holding short of active. Ugly cleares runway, and I punch my throttles.
YEY, flying after two weeks!
So, I decide to go take fuel @ Arco, which wasnt there nor he wasnt responding to comms. I quickly switch flight plan to Shell and for some reason, preset isn't configured right and I get his response at manual radio setting. Also, there was no TACAN to pick up of him as well. I think to my self, what now?! Based on flight plan, he should be there, I adjust my course, and bam! Spot him with simple Mk1 eyeball. Quickly intercept him, take fuel and then push for AO.
Had my eyes set on AA01 as it's closest and safer should something happen. All tho, in the back of my mind, something is telling me "Surely, everything is wiped clean down there". I fence in, do one final checks of everything. I descent to 12000 ft and start looking for targets with heads out. It wasn't long, maybe 5 minutes, when I spotted three groups. One of them, being a convoy on a road. Prime targets for ripple 6.
Made the attack run, slightly off, so not all got destroyed. Just as I finish my SEM and start to egress, I get the dreaded warning tone! ML ML ML!
I got a nice visual on the missile smoke trail and it's coming for me from my 7'o. I increase the turn rate - beam the missile, and it wasn't able to keep up.
AHA!
Now it's time to kill that remaining bastard. I set up a rocket run. Just as I expended the rockets, ML ML ML came up! I look in the direction of the M symbol, and there was another man-pad on my 1'o. OMG! Smoke coming my way from 1'o. And split second decision "I'm in a dive over 300kts" I'll place the nose down in to the weeds! Pull up close to hard ground! And she went over the top for one of my flares. Fewwwwww!
I safely egress, start looking for more targets, out of the blue, ML ML ML! This time I wasn't able to pick up the smoke and BOOM! Master caution goes off and I hear my engine wind down. Quickly asses the situation! No fire, left engine pretty much dead, right engine ok. I cut throttle to idle, observing the left engine, still, same. I better turn it off, so I don't risk a fire. Cross-feed switch on!
After a quick inhale / exhale I was on to check Master Caution Panel .. showing only left generator and oil.
Okey! Perfect! It's time to divert! Just as I start to relax a bit and think where should I divert - ML ML ML!
OH DAMN!!!! I instinctively dive and drive missile in to the ground!
As I move to safety, I trim and yaw trim to compensate for single engine. Okey, I'm empty anyhow so no need to jettison. I say to my self, lets get out of here NOW NOW NOW and hit sochi!
But NO! That just wasn't it!! Not yet!
ML ML ML! Okey now I'm done! At this time I really wasn't sure anymore as to how I'll get out of this alive!
I catch the smoke, it's coming for me from my 8/9'o and there is nothing I can do. I say to my self, this is it! I banked to expose the underbelly to the missile. Two seconds later. BOOM!
Still trying to get away from it all, looking left and right if my wings are still there, I realize after last impact, master caution didn't come on! I double check status again. Same as before! No extra detected damage! Fewwwwwwwwwwww!
I divert to Sochi, en route I manage to move my head so I can see my main landing gear, or at least, right one, that was still there. I guess they kept left as souvenir :)
Wings seem like a swiss cheese, as does left engine. I think to my self "flaps and boards are most likely teared up as well". But hey, right engine is still working and it's going to get me home!
I contact sochi, declare my IFE and prepare for wheels up landing on runway 06 .. this was the moment I felt like "Yay! Home safe at last"
Nice approach, turn and perfect line up. As I pull throttle to idle, yaw trim comes to nice effect and move it to center position. This is easy now! I just trimmed her a bit and she flew on her own, all the way down!
I made a nice wheels up landing! I jettison the canopy, shut down engines and walk away from the airframe that was partially occupying runway.
What more can I say? Had a blast! But sure would be easier if I would be a two ship, but alas, some other time :)
Hope you enjoy the reading.
