Ever since the Mosquito came out for IL-2: Battle of Normandy, I’ve wanted to take it out on a daring low level strike with friends on one of the multiplayer servers. Schedules and other circumstances had combined to make that impossible until several days ago when we finally had the opportunity. It was everything I could have hoped for!

Low level strike

Hopping onto the newly (to me) updated Combat Box server where objectives move back and forth and the map is a more fluid combat space, we selected the Mosquito and decided that our target should be a troop concentration near Wessel.

Our gameplan? Takeoff from the airfield near Arnhem, fly low down the Rhine river, pop-up at our target at Wessel and pummel it with everything that we had.

Spawning in our Mosquito fighter-bombers, equipped with two 500lb bombs, eight RP-3 rockets with high-explosive warheads, and a full ammo load of .303 and 20mm cannon, we were ready to tackle our target area.

Taxiing out to the runway, each of us powered up and trundled down the concrete strip, taking to the air and then onward to our objective.

Crossing over Arnhem, we then soon encountered the Rhine river and descended to just 50 or 100 feet as we then wove our way down the river in trail formation. The tactical usefulness of such a route is probably debatable. On the one hand, we’re not at altitude where many of the fighters are and so someone would have to look down to spot us and then come down to our altitude to strike. On the other hand, the river is less suited to camouflaging us from detection. In this instance, it worked, and no fighters intercepted us.

As we worked our way down we passed Emmerich with its bridge and river port. That was an indication that we were getting close and it was time to attack.

Attack the target

Wessel appeared in the distance and we knew it was time to attack. Our flight lead pulled up and initiated the first pop-up, drawing some light AAA fire. He fired back spraying a AAA battery with 20mm and .303 fire.

I also popped-up and honed in on bunkers and vehicles releasing eight RP-3 rockets in a salvo and then unleashed my two 500lb bombs on the target. One of them hit a bunker while the other bounced and hit a tower.

Fire and smoke erupted behind me from the successful strike.

Our third Mosquito also opened fire with effect.

Then we flew away, spun around, and came back. Again and again, unleashing bombs, rockets, and cannon fire on the target. On my second and third passes, I hit fuel trucks or ammo dumps and a large explosion ensued.

The other two Mosquitos strafed targets and destroyed AAA guns on repeated passes.

Miraculously, none of our aircraft were hit, no enemy fighters sighted us, and with our luck surely running out it was time to head home.

The flight back down the Rhine was equally exhilarating as the ingress.

Then it was time to land and three of us brought our aircraft in for a landing. Mission accomplished! And what fun it was!