Weighing the situation, after the deceptive attack on Grammos, the commander-in-chief Papagos decided that the time had come to launch the first main attack targeting Vitsi, the main defensive support of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE). The Air Force (PA, then Royal Hellenic Air Force – EBA) was again called in to prepare the ground.
The 335th, 336th and 337th Squadrons led by Squadron Leader Sinouris, Squadron Leader Athanasopoulos and Squadron Leader Loukopoulos, respectively, as well as the Dakota "bomber" squadron , under Captain Papoutsis, were in full combat readiness (Dakotas were transport aircraft that were converted, with "patents" into improvised bombers). On the afternoon of August 9, a meeting was held at Kozani airport.
There it was decided that each squadron would perform at least 4 sorties mainly for the benefit of the III Commando Division. The aim of the plan was to drop the largest possible volume of aircraft in a limited space, for as long as possible. In this way the material, as well as moral results against the opponent would be overwhelming.
Dakota
The next day,August 10th, before he had carved well – well, the converted Dakotas started first. A few minutes later the first Spitfires followed. Their target was the main telephone center of the DSE in Karyes Prespa, which had been identified by aerial photographs. Soon there was nothing left standing of it. But the Dakotas also carried out their mission with honor, except for one.
This one improvised bomber was aimed at the precision bombing of the headquarters of the 102nd brigade of the DSE. During the approach phase, however, the aircraft received a shower of anti-aircraft fire. A 20 mm projectile. he severely damaged it in the right wing, puncturing the fuel tank and rendering its hydraulic system useless. The situation was critical for the crew, pilot pilot Tsitsoglou, pilot Giannatos and chief bombardier Pirasmakis.
The aircraft was in danger of catching fire from moment to moment. Nevertheless when the pilot realized that the plane could still fly he decided to continue his mission! He turned towards the target and flying obligatorily straight, practically ignoring the enemy fire, he dropped his bombs on the target with great accuracy.
The soldiers looked in awe at the lone Dakota as it now, clearly strained, turned for its base. The spokes of the wheels had become useless and hung limply. Nevertheless, with excellent composure, its operator "landed" it on its belly in Larissa.
The Spits are coming
While this was happening, 32 Spitfires loaded with bombs and rockets were already in the air, ready to support the Hellenic Army's attack against the heavily fortified Polenata Hill and Hill 1685. Of these, 20, led by Ensign Katsimouris attacked the hill Polenata and the rest, led by squadron commander Loukopoulos, on the hill 1685.
The attack on Polenata had a terrifying force. Machine guns, artillery, command stations of the DSE are broken into pieces, shaken in the air. Huge clouds of smoke cover the mountain. From the ground, at the same time, the 22nd Infantry Brigade rushed out.
Aircraft do not rest. After the first exit, they returned to Kozani, refueled, re-equipped and prepared for the next exit . Polenata is the goal again. This time the two waves of Spitfires were evenly matched, with 16 aircraft each, half with rockets and the others with incendiary bombs. The leader of the "rocket shooters" was squad leader Sinouris and the "arsonists" was the well-known Ilias Kartalamakis.
In the meantime the ground forces, taking advantage of the first air attack, had reached within striking distance of the DSE fortifications. But there he got stuck in the line of machine guns. Based on the fire plan drawn up the previous day, the air force would carry out the second attack at 09.30 exactly. But the pinned down 22nd Army Brigade requested an hour's postponement of the bombardment, to reorganize and be ready to take advantage of the results of the air attack.
The problem was that the Spitfires didn't have enough range to stay in the air for that long. But even if they stayed they would not be able to return. Struggling inside their aircraft, the leaders asked for instructions and received the order:“Hold on to the air, even with your teeth” . The aviators barely accepted the cross, which for many of them could mean death.
Fortunately the 22nd Brigade managed to get ready in half the time and 25 minutes late the Spitfires were ordered to attack. This is how the pilot Ilias Kartalamakis describes the moment:"Before I dive, I give one last necessary instruction to my formation. “Black formation. Black formation from Black One. Take offensive positions. Bomb location switches. Ready". Without waiting for an answer, over the Hoods I turn my guns and fix the light cross (of the sniper) on the left bow of the target, according to the attack tactics.
"The needle of my speedometer takes a turn towards the big numbers while the altimeter shows that I am descending quickly at high speed. It doesn't take long for the anti-aircraft guns to greet us with their radars. They hit us from the sides because the rocket launchers that came through swept away any organized anti-aircraft defense. When I get to 500 meters I hit with my cannons, scattering me in the trenches, and I reach hitting up to 15 meters above the target, where I leave the incendiaries.
"As I had my eye fixed on my target, at the speed of 450 km I see the ground coming towards me... Leaving my bombs I continue to machine gun until Polenata II and from there I take the exit runway Roto - Bikovik and turn again over the Vichy. In this time I have a chance to look at the target again and see the work of the other Spitfires. I feel satisfied and proud because all the planes in my formation dropped their bombs according to the promise I had made them, i.e. below 15 meters, defying all danger and all anti-aircraft action...
"On the first ride, flying low over Polenata which is still burning, I see on the southeast side our infantrymen climbing and entering the target area through the trenches. The feeling I felt at that moment I cannot describe. It takes over me just fine and passing over the heads of our infantrymen I step on the machine guns and cannons towards the target pyramid...Two or three more walks over Polenata I and the flare falls, a signal that the purpose of the Brigade has been achieved" .
On the first day of the Battle of Vichy – 10 August 1949 – the EBA flew 164 combat sorties, rendering enormous service to the Army in every way. A relatively unknown aspect of the air battle was also the dropping of dummies, in the form of paratroopers, from the Dakotas in the Prespa area, to distract the attention of the DSE.