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Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2025 12:22 pm
by dpt182
Hi,
I've noticed a lot of reinforcing air squadrons only seem to have 2 aircraft & 2 pilots (including the squadron commander). I'll accept this was US practice as I know nothing about their organisation, but I don't see the RAF forming a squadron of 2 aircraft and sending it to the Far East, especially without Pilots to fill the squadron, it would be a waste of effort. Why this error?
Regards
David
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2025 1:45 pm
by RangerJoe
dpt182 wrote: Thu Oct 09, 2025 12:22 pm
Hi,
I've noticed a lot of reinforcing air squadrons only seem to have 2 aircraft & 2 pilots (including the squadron commander). I'll accept this was US practice as I know nothing about their organisation, but I don't see the RAF forming a squadron of 2 aircraft and sending it to the Far East, especially without Pilots to fill the squadron, it would be a waste of effort. Why this error?
Regards
David
This is not an error. The US military was usually starting new units and forming them up with new pilots and equipment. The RAF was usually sending complete squadrons from/through the Middle East to SEAC. If you don't want those units, you can always disband them.
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2025 11:21 pm
by dpt182
Hi,
thanks for the reply. I have disbanded several US bomber HQ squadrons (as they are tiny) and stuck the plane into another bomber squadron, but I'm nervous about disbanded RAF & bigger US squadrons in case I get a bunch of planes later. I suppose I could try just withdrawing them for 90 days though and see what happens
Thanks
David
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2025 7:38 am
by Chris21wen
In v28.4 scen #1 other than some FP I can only see one AG that arrives that has an authorised AC of two. A picture or at least group name would help.
You should read the manual and the Air War guide (p42-44). It is a bit complecated because there are both schedules and unscheduled removals, with two types of removal, withdraw or disband. Each has their own rules.
US HQ AG are scheduled to disband on there own and do not come back.
Not sure what this means '...in case I get a bunch of planes later.' In general for unscheduled removals:-
A withdrawn unit can come back in 60 days, AC are either transferred, lost, or go to the pool, pilots remain with the unit.
Disband units can return after 120 days but AC and pilots are either lost or returned to the pool.
AG set to return come back with the pilots they left with but have no AC. The can arrive with a bare skeleton number, usually two but in some rare instances with zero. This is down to lack of aircraft and or pilots in pools at the time they return.
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2025 1:25 pm
by RangerJoe
dpt182 wrote: Thu Oct 09, 2025 11:21 pm
Hi,
thanks for the reply. I have disbanded several US bomber HQ squadrons (as they are tiny) and stuck the plane into another bomber squadron, but I'm nervous about disbanded RAF & bigger US squadrons in case I get a bunch of planes later. I suppose I could try just withdrawing them for 90 days though and see what happens
Thanks
David
Why don't you check the Intelligence screen ("i" on the toolbar on the top left) and check the aircraft replacements and builds. That might give you some information. Then, once you get more aircraft available, you can give replacements to your air units. In the meantime,
TRAIN your pilots!
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2025 5:58 pm
by dpt182
Chris21wen wrote: Fri Oct 10, 2025 7:38 am
In v28.4 scen #1 other than some FP I can only see one AG that arrives that has an authorised AC of two. A picture or at least group name would help.
Hi Chris,.
I was referring to No.79 Sqn RAF & also the US 307 & 308 BG's, equipped with B18 Bolo (I never heard of this aircraft before playing this game) & B17e; I think the HQ's would have disbanded at some point in the future, but I did it early. I am wondering where the aircraft come from to fill them out especially when they increase in size to 12 aircraft in August.
kind regards
David
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2025 6:30 pm
by btd64
dpt182 wrote: Thu Oct 09, 2025 11:21 pm
Hi,
thanks for the reply. I have disbanded several US bomber HQ squadrons (as they are tiny) and stuck the plane into another bomber squadron, but I'm nervous about disbanded RAF & bigger US squadrons in case I get a bunch of planes later. I suppose I could try just withdrawing them for 90 days though and see what happens
Thanks
David
I disband or withdraw all USAAF hq squadrons. Sometimes you can keep the planes and you can always keep the pilot's. Any squadron that is grayed out or set to withdraw without having a return date I setup for training and withdraw or disband at the appropriate time. Don't fill out squadrons with aircraft that meet the above criteria. Save your pools of aircraft for front line units....GP
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2025 7:33 pm
by dpt182
[/quote]
Any squadron that is grayed out or set to withdraw without having a return date I setup for training and withdraw or disband at the appropriate time. Don't fill out squadrons with aircraft that meet the above criteria. Save your pools of aircraft for front line units....GP
[/quote]
Ok, that's what I'm doing now, with the gray'd out squadrons; except some I sent to Alaska/Aleutains. So I should turn reinforcements off for these squadrons as well & leave them at 2 planes and train just 2 pilots; should I also put a 60+ skill pilot in the squadron to help them train as well?
Kind Regards
David
Re: Reinforcing Air Squadrons
Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2025 7:50 pm
by RangerJoe
I keep those air HQ units and use those to train pilots. I can get some of those aircraft out of those restricted air units that are disbanded but you don't keep the aircraft. Yes, I figured out how to do that.
The B-17 undergoing testing for the competition for a new army bomber crashed. Therefore, the B-18 Bolo won although the B-17 still received production orders. Later a Lieutenant named Curtis LeMay navigating a B-17 (along with 2 others) and intercepted the Andrea SS Rex 620 miles East of the USA.
https://www.afmc.af.mil/News/Article-Di ... he-ss-rex/