Duty Stations

DUTY STATION 01:
ENGELS AIRDROME (АЭРОДРОМ ЭНГЕЛЬСА)
FEBRUARY–APRIL 1942

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THEATER OVERVIEW
The region around Saratov is dominated by the mighty Volga river, which is its most prominent aid to navigation. Beyond the valley of the Volga, gently rolling hills and steppe are the primary landform, with empty fields that await spring and cultivation. The auxiliary field at Tambov is in more densely forested country with fewer landmarks. Training is taking place during the wettest season in this otherwise dry region. The furthest German advance places their forward units southwest of Voronezh, with most training flights very unlikely to encounter enemy troop concentrations or reconnaissance.

Night: Flights out of Engels and the auxiliary field at Tambov happen nightly in cold weather, through rain and snow. The pace of instruction is relentless - three years of training are compressed into four months. Hanging over everyone’s head are qualification flights for piloting and navigation, as well as the specter of the final exam, an actual combat mission over German positions.

Day: Accelerated training under Major Marina Raskova has begun at the Engels Aerodrome, across the Volga river from Saratov. Classroom and ground-based instruction happens at Engels, with flight exercises and tactical problems conducted out of a rough field near Tambov that simulates combat conditions. The pace is brutal and the stakes are high—anyone falling behind is immediately washed out.

LOGISTICS OVERVIEW
Engels Airdrome is a major center for flight training, buzzing at all hours with fighter, bomber and transport crews learning to handle their aircraft. Many begin earning their wings in the front seat of a Po-2. Support is ubiquitous and resources are abundant; +1 ongoing for Scrounge and Repair at the well-equipped Engels Airdrome.MISSIONS
SPECIAL RULES: Accelerated training means half the missions of a combat duty station. Everyone must make at least one successful Wayfind and Attack Run move while in training to qualify for combat duty.
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