"You gotta be kiddin'! We're the only idiots within a grid of this base and you just heard the boss assigned us to take out all those flak guns !?!"

Crew of a British Mosquito, while en route to a German airfield. The field was taken just an hour later after several B-17 diverted from their assigned target, and carpet bombed the entire area.
 

    Attacking an enemy airfield is the hardest mission for anyone to undertake. In WW2 this was usually done by pounding the airfield itself with air strikes and then sending troops in to mop up. But Warbirds and Aces High have no option to use ground troops except to officially take the airfield. So here several ways to strike and take enemy airfields are listed. You can choose the best way to conduct the attack, as well as the best type of aircraft used in the attack itself. There are suggested ways and aircraft listed but it is up to you. I'm not there to lead the strike, nor will I make any choices when it comes to any part of the attack. All is up to you.

 

    First strike

Allied Aircraft (Pacific theater)
P-38 F = clearing most hardened structures and strafing enemy aircraft on the ground
F4U-1(4) = striking flak sites and bombing any aircraft on the runways. protecting P-38s
P-47 C = destroying bunkers, ammo dumps, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricant) dumps. support
Ju-52/C-47 = airdrop troops

Allied Aircraft (Eastern theater)
B-25 = clearing most hardened structures and strafing enemy aircraft on the ground
P-51 B = striking flak sites and bombing any aircraft on the runways. protecting Yak-3s
P-38 J = destroying bunkers, ammo dumps, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricant) dumps. support
Ju-52/C-47 = airdrop troops

Axis Aircraft (European theater)
Me-110 G2 = clearing most hardened structures and strafing enemy aircraft on the ground
Me-109 G6\R6 = striking flak sites, attacking any aircraft on runways. protecting Me-110s
Ju-87 = destroying bunkers, ammo dumps, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricant) dumps. support
Ju-52/C-47 = airdrop troops

Axis Aircraft (Eastern theater)
Me-110 C4 = clearing most hardened structures and strafing enemy aircraft on the ground
Me-109 G6 = striking flak sites, bombing any aircraft on runways. protecting Me-110s
Ju-87 = destroying bunkers, ammo dumps, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricant) dumps. support
Ju-52/C-47 = airdrop troops

Axis Aircraft (Pacific theater)
B3N = clearing most hardened structures and strafing enemy aircraft on the ground
A6M3 = striking flak sites, bombing any aircraft on runways. protecting B3Ns
Ki-61 = destroying bunkers, ammo dumps, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricant) dumps. support
Ju-52/C-47 = airdrop troops
 

   Things to do before takeoff: Before the attack, preferably a few days before, go over the routes your aircraft will take. Review possible choke points, locations of enemy airfields, your nearest airfield to the fight, any back up fields you or the enemy have close to the fight, how many aircraft you have, and how many aircraft the enemy might sacrifice to keep the field. You are most likely asking yourself "This is overkill, no one does this much planning before a fight. You just go in and blast the place". You're wrong. Any slight screw up and you ARE dead. This is the reason you over plan, it gives you the ability to control the fight. You choose the ground the fight takes place on, and you choose the rules. Never let the enemy take control.
    You will also want to go over weapons load outs and aircraft. Find each aircraft's top speed and how well they do against enemy aircraft. This is where the Axis powers have it easy. Since most U.S. aircraft can be used anywhere they can go over your planes with ease. The problem for Allied aircraft is unless you know what year and what theater you will fight in you will have a lot of testing to do.
    Before any aircraft lift off do a complete radio check and make sure every aircraft is on their assigned frequency. The check itself should go something like this.
"Charlie Alpha 6 to group leaders, commence radio check".
"Alpha 6 copy".
"Bravo 6 copy".
"Charlie 6 copy".
"Alpha group this is Alpha 6, radio check".
"Alpha 1 I copy".
"Alpha 2 I copy".
"Alpha 3 I copy".
"Alpha 4 I copy".
"Alpha 5 I copy".
    This should go right down the list in a very orderly manner. Make sure the group leaders are on the same channel as the flight commander. While the flight commander has all his radios tuned into each squadron radio. Each group member should have one radio tuned into the command frequency. This is the frequency the flight commander is on for their squadron. If this sounds a little confusing, allow me to make it clearer.
Here is the list of frequencies the flight commander is on.
Command frequency: 21         Alpha group: 31          Bravo group: 41          Charlie group: 51

    Each member of Alpha group has radio 1 tuned into 31, and radio 2 tuned into 21. Except the group leader, he should have radio 1 tuned into 21 and radio 2 tuned into 31. Bravo group has radio 1 tuned into 41 and radio 2 tuned into 21. Again, except for the group leader, which will have radio 1 tuned into 21 and radio 2 tuned into 41. This is so the group leaders can communicate with the flight commander as to what is going on. The reason for having each group member on the command frequency is simple. If their group leader is shot down someone has to assume the role, and that is the next in the chain of command. If you hear Zulu 4 on the radio then things have really gotten bad; he's the second to last friendly pilot in the air. If you hear him then you are THE last friendly pilot.
 

    Weapons deployment: This is completely up to you, but arm your aircraft accordingly. If they are assigned to attack hangars then don't have them armed with just guns. Send them in with bombs, if possible, rockets if necessary. I say that because rockets only have about 5 pounds of explosive in their warheads. Bombs have most of their weight devoted to pure destruction. If you expect heavy enemy opposition (which you should) then send in cover fighters before the attack itself. This will keep the enemy fighting your fighters and not your low and slow attack aircraft. It also does something most commanders overlook; it burns the enemy's fuel. Fighters guzzle gas in a dogfight, mainly because it's best to leave the throttle at full while you're turning and shooting.
    Fighters that are low on gas will have to come home, and when they do all they'll find is you waiting with a loaded gun. This is another use of a blocking force. Use your fighters to block the returning enemy aircraft, and even a 2 minute delay helps you blast more enemy structures. If you are flying Allied aircraft and have B-25 H models available then arm them with para-frags. You will do your self a real favor by doing this. How? Simple, when a para-frag hits the concrete runway it makes a rather nice crater. Aircraft can't land when the runway is littered with craters.

    Always remember to take out the supply structures before you take the field. Every airfield in Aces High has a supply base close by, and a road leading to it. Send two aircraft out after that supply base; one to hit the base, the other to watch that road for any truck convoy. Hit the trucks the instant you see them, and utterly plaster the supply depot to prevent rapid respawning of guns or hangars.

   Deployment: Send your fighters in 10 minutes a head of the rest of your group, 20 minutes if you can afford the losses. This will keep enemy fighters busy saving their own butts and not messing with the strike package. Once the fighters are busy send in the flak hunters to take care of the triple A guns. But send them in from a different direction the fighters came in. Flak hunters take some time to clear an enemy airfield of all the flak guns. Don't expect instant results. If the flak hunters run into trouble have a few of your attack aircraft come in and take care of it. And at all costs, keep the enemy away from that field. Once they find out what you're up to, everyone of your strike aircraft is toast.
    When you get the all clear from the flak hunter group have your B-25 Hs come in. Just remember that surprise is your best friend, and sending aircraft in from 3 or 4 different directions is best for you. Tell them to come down each runway with their para-frags. Here's where they really pay for themselves. Set the salvo size to 2 with a delay of 540 milliseconds, and drop 2 pair on each runway. You want to hit only 1 of the runway junctions and leave the other alone. This will deny the enemy aircraft the ability to land if they should overtake you or drive you off. You should, of course, leave 1 runway and the junction intact for your own use. If the enemy starts to drive you off have one of the B-25s drop para-frags on that last runway and the junction.
    Now the enemy can't even land at their own airfield, the runways are littered with craters. They will have to fly over to another field, and like I say; fighters low on gas aren't fighters, they're target drones. Since they can't use the airfield you can take it over. How? Simple again. Have the Ju-52 come in at about 500 feet and pull a hard, vertical turn. Your goon driver should nearly hammerhead the thing as he drops the drunks. Once this is done have the Ju-52 land on a runway with the farthest spacing craters. You see the Ju-52 was the first STOL (short takeoff or landing) aircraft ever made. I've personally come in with an airspeed of only 63 mph, and landed within 300 feet of my touchdown point.
    Once the field is yours then send the enemy a message. Strike their remaining fighters while they are still enroute to the other field. You might want to have some energy fighters on stand-by just for this. This is the reason for finding airfields close to the fight. When you choose to attack an enemy airfield pick one that is a good distance from the other fields an enemy can use. If your fighters have enough gas, they should be able to down every enemy fighter. When you find your nearest field and a back up field station energy fighters at the back up. Radio them before the fight itself breaks up, this should give them enough time to get in place and intercept the enemy aircraft.
    If everything goes as planned, you are the proud owner of a trashed airfield. If you get driven off then try again before the enemy can rebuild it and damage your planes further. Some alternate ways to do things are:
 

Multiple airfields: Attack from several of your airfields. This will make sure your aircraft approach from different directions and instill confusion. Confusion is your best friend, if you use it to attack at the right time and from the right places the enemy will have no chance. If the enemy turns to attack one group they will leave their 6 o'clock open to attack. The enemy planes will have no choice to pick one group and attack it, praying they don't end up with another one of your aircraft behind them. That will happen, especially if you have several groups comming in from every dircetion.
    It also helps you complete the objective. By confusing the hell out of the enemy you can get your ground attack aircraft in without being noticed. This definitely helps when it comes to those low and slow Ju-52s, loaded with troops. If the enemy planes spot one, it is dead.

Hard hitting: When you decide to attack with firepower, beware. Heavy fighters are just that; heavy. They don't maneuver all that well, and most of them are very slow to accelerate. But they have one thing the enemy doesn't have; artillery. Heavy fighters and energy fighters are packed to the canopy with cannons, machine guns, and rockets. When used correctly these aircraft are better than anything. With just a few hits enemy aircraft are missing wings, have blown engines, and are turned into flying scrap heaps. They have no equal when it comes to vaporizing flak guns, they can hunt bombers with little trouble, and very few of them will be lost.
    Energy and heavy fighters are both well armored, and can take a real pounding before going down. Just don't use them as bait for enemy planes, mainly because they don't turn very well. They need to use speed bleeding maneuvers to come around fast enough to engage other aircraft. Which leaves them with little airspeed, and without airspeed energy fighters are just flying tanks. And they become easy prey for cannon armed aircraft that turn well at low speeds.