I’ve been missing out on some multiplayer combat flight simming as of late so I’ve been doing what I can with my available time and schedule to get a few flights in. My theme of late has been IL-2, Combat Box, and focused on Blue team (who always seems to be outnumbered when I’m on) attack aircraft. So with that in mind I’ve been flying the Me410 and Ju88C-6 in some fun solo and team flights on Combat Box. Here’s how it went!

Aircraft choice and strategy

When you’ve got just 20-30 minutes for a sortie and you want to get something done quickly, flying an attack aircraft works out pretty well. Combat Box’s typically Western Front scenarios (though not always) and their Apollo campaign system (with dynamic moving frontline) mean that even a quick sortie can have an impact on the overall course of the campaign.

Flying solo (often because there isn’t time to align schedules) also means that I’d prefer something with a gunner for added defense and visibility. Two types have been my go to in this circumstance: the Ju88C-6 and Me410. Both are also types that I’ve wanted to spend more time with as I flew them when they came out for review but haven’t been back in the pilot seat as much since then. So let’s fly!

Junkers for the win?

One of my first sorties in this series involved reaching out across the frontlines to hit a vital bridge target. Already damaged, I intended to try and finish it off.

Staying low on this sortie I flew the Ju88C-6 across the frontlines and spotted my target. My first objective was to give myself some cover for a follow-up bomb strike so I put the C-6’s forward guns to great use and blasted an AAA battery with a well aimed burst. Then I swung around and pummelled the bridge with two high explosive SC500s.

I had time for a strafing run before getting hit by flak and figuring it was time to head home. Success!

Giving as good as I got or a little more

Following up the bridge attack with one more sortie that night, I hopped in the Me410 again and set out from a base slightly further away. The 410’s advantages come in better visibility, a smaller overall target, better speed and those MG131s in the rear turret. The bomb sight also makes placing bombs on target much easier to accomplish.

Out I went in the 410 climbing away from base and setting course west. The Me410 picked up speed quickly and zoomed across the frontlines unnoticed again.

I found the bridge target again and attacked nearby troops and fortifications. Both SC250s that I dropped landed on target and caused a fair bit of destruction.

Then I swung around and hit the target again with machine gun and cannon fire. The Me410 performing well!

Time to get out at this point but unfortunately I had been spotted. A Spitfire came zooming in hitting me as I attempted to evade. I pulled into a turn and then bunted into a negative G push throwing the Spitfire off. On his next pass my gunner hit the Spitfire and caused a fair bit of damage but still the attacker pressed on and I headed for base.

Again the Spitfire came up behind me and again we traded shots. My gunner ultimately died from one of the follow up attacks but his last shots must have done some serious damage too.

As my engine stopped and the shattered Me410 spun out of control into the ground the Spitfire behind me also lost control and crashed. My pilot surprisingly survived the shallow dive and subsequent scattering of Me410 parts across the ground while the Spitfire erupted into a ball of fire. Dramatic!

Air to air, air to ground, and… into the ground

So this next one was sort of a group flight but not on the first run into the target area. Flying from Werl down to a target area near Hagen we set out as a pair of Me410s but a control issue with the water radiators (controls just didn’t work until a reset) forced me to carry on solo.

Arriving over the target area I was attempting to pick out a ground target to hit when I spotted tracers in the air. As I closed up I found a Fw190 under attack by a Mustang. I decided to come to the aid of the Fw190 and increased throttle. The two went into a dive and I came in from a 90 degree angle to the two of them. Unfortunately the Mustang lit the Fw190 on fire and that aircraft went in and crashed.

The Mustang, unaware of my approach, pulled up into a climb and I went to emergency power. As the Mustang climbed, I pulled up as well and let out a single 2 second burst spraying the Mustang in high explosive cannon fire and heavy machine guns and causing a fire. Bandit down!

I turned for the target and my gunner warned me of a nearby fighter. I aimed to get rid of my bombs and found a couple of targets to drop on. My gunner blasting away as I dove down on ground targets.

I released both bombs on nearby targets and then tried to effect a retreat but by then there were three Spitfires on me. One was dispatched by a friendly Fw190 but the other two stayed bound and determined. I dodged and weaved but ultimately my Me410 absorbed several dozen hits, an engine died, flaps fell off, and I crashed into the ground.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork

Most of this has been about solo flying but I did get some team flying in too! My wingmate from the last sortie was back for this one and we serendipitously linked up with a trio of Ju88C-6 pilots who were making a run on the same target.

We took off at the same time and made use of the Me410s superior speed to make it to the target area first.

Diving on targets, we both released our SC250 bombs on target causing some moderate damage. Then we turned around and began a second attack sweeping into the target area with forward guns firing. We did this at the same time that the Ju88s arrived and so while the flak was shooting at everyone, we were suppressing the flak guns taking them out and letting the Ju88s make their mark.

And make their mark they did as the target area erupted in fire and smoke. This strategy worked and somewhat undramatically, we all made it home!

More flying

Since these sorties, I’ve been on flying more sorties. Some have been exciting and some have been fairly boring but all of them have been great fun flying primarily the Me410 but sometimes the Ju88C-6 and its been really great. Strike missions can be challenging in a server like this but it is possible to get through to a target and cause some damage… at least before the swarming fighters find you and you fight a running battle back home. I’ve made it home a fair bit but some losses are just going to happen and that’s just how it goes when you fly online!