Crassus
03-24-2007, 07:07 AM
It is hot. The evening sun sets low on the western horizon and shoots rays of light through dark clouds-- a sign for the experienced flier that the weather will worsen. For us, this is familiar. The British usually time their raids so their takeoff and landing conditions are favorable, whereas we German night fighters struggle with bad weather over our hunting grounds. That is exactly the case tonight.
After our meal in the officers' mess at approximately 18:00 hours, we head to the Gefechtsstand (operation theater) for a briefing. At first, the MET gives us the weather forecast for Holland, Belgium and Northern Germany, warning us of heavy thunderstorms, and he gives us special information for tonight regarding flak-defended areas, searchlight positions, radio frequencies and tonight's possible targets (set by the high command at the town of Stade, 60 miles west of Hamburg). Afterward, the crews retire to their readiness rooms, and the officers remain in the operation theater, where the ground-control officers-- and many radar girls-wait for the enemy bombers to appear on their screens.
Now begins a time of increasing nervous tension. In a way, the attackers are better off, as they have definite orders when to take off, where to fly, etc. The defenders have to wait, wait and wait! And this tension rises to a peak and then fades again. The telephone rings; but the call is unimportant.
Rest of the story:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200106/ai_n8956884
After our meal in the officers' mess at approximately 18:00 hours, we head to the Gefechtsstand (operation theater) for a briefing. At first, the MET gives us the weather forecast for Holland, Belgium and Northern Germany, warning us of heavy thunderstorms, and he gives us special information for tonight regarding flak-defended areas, searchlight positions, radio frequencies and tonight's possible targets (set by the high command at the town of Stade, 60 miles west of Hamburg). Afterward, the crews retire to their readiness rooms, and the officers remain in the operation theater, where the ground-control officers-- and many radar girls-wait for the enemy bombers to appear on their screens.
Now begins a time of increasing nervous tension. In a way, the attackers are better off, as they have definite orders when to take off, where to fly, etc. The defenders have to wait, wait and wait! And this tension rises to a peak and then fades again. The telephone rings; but the call is unimportant.
Rest of the story:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200106/ai_n8956884