Mike Backstrom and Rich Moyer enjoy the new Paradise airfield as the 8th Air Force grows again to fill the room.	No wonder Paul Risner wins so much - he has Reverend Keith as his wingman. A little help from the chaplain never hurts.
Flight Officer Michael Lam shows Roger Covington and Earl Schultz the ropes.	Peter Pollard brings in a Me-109 attack out of the sun and through the dice roller.

8th Air Force Grows Again!

The 20th Annual B-17 Tournament:

Record Set as the Air War over Germany Intensifies!
HEADLINES FROM ENGLAND, midsummer 1943

B-17 again flummoxed the CD with a record turnout and posted its seventh straight attendance increase as 77 daring pilots, including our first-ever "all-female" squadron, turned out for "Black Thursday:" the climax of 20 years of tournament planning, gaming and history!

Our three missions again took us to the heart of Nazi Germany, but in numbers never seen before.

Mission 1: Marienburg; an 11-zone mission that pushed the planes and crews to the limit! Losses were light due to good fighter cover and poor Luftwaffe response!

Mission 2: Munster; a 7-zone mission where losses were low and opposing fighters fell victim to concentrated fire from the gunners of the100th Bomb Group (H).

Mission 3: We saw the end of the milk runs as we returned to Schweinfurt, to bomb the ball-bearing factories. This mission simulated "Black Thursday" the bloodiest day in the history of the 8th Air Force. For the first time, the "Bloody Hundredth" faced the Luftwaffe's new night-fighter, the twin-engine, cannon-firing Me-410! The combination of heavy fighter cover and intense flak caused severe losses.

After all was said and done, B-17 crowned a new champion, Steve Sabatino and a new Sand Man: Roger Covington. I'm not sure who was envied more.

On Friday Night, we assembled again in record numbers with 60 present at the Officers Club for our After Action Party featuring a debriefing, the awarding of medals and honors, a trip to the prize table and refreshments. Among the gathering were eight past champions, representing 13 past events.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR 2012:

2012 will be our 21st year, as a group, with the same GM and game system. Word has it we will put 100 flyers into the air for our biggest missions yet and, later at the O-Club, we are expecting a visit from the USO!

As always, we owe a debt of gratitude to the "Command" structure of the B-17 tournament:

"Col." David Terry, Gamemaster;
"Capt." Mike Lam, Assistant Gamemaster;
"Maj." Keith Hunsinger, Assistant Gamemaster;
"Capt." Mark Yoshikawa, Assistant Gamemaster;
"Maj." Paul Risner O-Club OIC and Morale Officer; and...
...of course all the other B-17 players, our friends all, who are the cast of fliers that make this such a fun experience each year. Thanks to all and see you in 2012!

Humorous sidenote: As the convention drew to an end I sent Harry Flawd off in search of four "young studs" to carry our display case to its storage area. Being a recent and reluctant initiate into the Senior Citizens club, I emphasized "young" having already had my share of struggles with said display case. Anyway, Harry comes back a few minutes later with a few volunteers who included none other than B17 GM Dave Terry. Now Dave and I go waaay back—having thrown dice at each other before a lot of these young whippersnappers were born. I look at Dave and then I tell Harry: "I thought I told you to bring back YOUNG studs." Harry blurts back apologetically: "he was all I could catch". Dave took umbrage at this and with great bravado hoisted the case and off we went. He was moving a lot slower when we came back, though.

The Mafia's blackshirt squadrom is out in force again. Chris Daly, Ken Richards, Gus Collars, Tim Rogers, Bill Beckman and Daniel Lawall fly again.	Paul Weintraub and Ruth Evinger struggle through the flak as Ace Of Aces champ Joe Belyeu observes this less chivalrous form of air combat.