Special: End of Operation Flax

Pilots,

1943 was a decisive year for the Allies as they managed to defeat the Axis forces and end their North African campaign. However, in order to permanently squeeze the enemy out of Africa, they had to disrupt the German supply and evacuation lifeline through the strait of Sicily. For this, a massive joint operation between the British RAF and American USAAF was mounted, called ‘Operation Flax’. The success of the mission inflicted a grave blow to the resources of the Axis, limiting their capability to perform urgent evacuations by air until the end of the war.

Remember this important mission with us as you benefit from the following offers this weekend:

Triple XP for the first victory of the day

What is better than double XP? Triple XP of course! Use it while it lasts!

50% discount on the following planes:

						Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
						Messerschmitt Bf 110 E
						Bristol Beaufighter

Many of the planes that participated in ‘Operation Flax’ are already available in the game. Use your chance to get them at half price!

30% discount on the following aircraft:

						Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5
						Supermarine Spitfire V
						Messerschmitt Bf 109 F
						Supermarine Spitfire IX
						Messerschmitt Bf 109 G

German, American and British escort fighters clashed in the air over Tunisia in WWII. Make them clash in World of Warplanes as well!

20% more credits for every battle with one of the following aircraft:

						Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
						Messerschmitt Bf 110 E
						Bristol Beaufighter
						Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5
						Supermarine Spitfire V
						Messerschmitt Bf 109 F
						Supermarine Spitfire IX
						Messerschmitt Bf 109 G

The special runs from Friday 25^th April at 08:00 until Monday 28^th April at 07:30 CEST (GMT+2). 

When U.S. troops landed in Morocco in November 1942, the Axis forces, who were already on the retreat since the Second Battle of El Alamein, found themselves trapped in Tunisia – the last significant territory they had left on the African continent. While the British 8^th Army was advancing on them westward, the U.S. forces started closing in from the East, forcing the Germans further towards the coast and the city of Tunis. Their survival became heavily dependent on a steady stream of war supplies from Italy, which was sending troops, weapons and ammunition by plane through a narrow, safe corridor from Sicily.

‘Operation Flax’ was an Allied interdiction mission aimed at disrupting this stream of supplies and, at the same time, preventing the Germans from withdrawing their increasingly outnumbered troops. The operation began on April 5^th when B-17 Flying Fortress bombers began carrying out coordinated bombing runs on Axis airfields. Later the Allies proceeded to trick the Germans into thinking their escape routes were safe, by sending decoy B-25 Mitchells that were escorted by P-38 Lightnings, which then disconnected from the bombers to attack the unsuspecting transport aircraft flying through the strait.

The most violent of such clashes above the Mediterranean Gulf was an engagement that came to be known as Palmsonntag-Massaker (Palm Sunday Massacre). During this massive aerial battle between all kinds of fighter aircraft, several flights of P-40 Warhawks and Supermarine Spitfires downed 52 of the 90 Junkers Ju 52 aircraft that were evacuating German troops. This crippled the capability of the Axis forces to carry out evacuation missions in a long-lasting fashion, which led to other serious consequences such as the shortage of transport aircraft. ‘Operation Flax’ continued until 27^th April 1943, shortly followed by the final surrender of the Axis forces in Tunisia on 13^th May.

Did you know that with Version 1.3 you now can fly P-38 Lightnings in the game, pilots?