“If we don’t stop the British balloons and spotting aircraft we will lose the battle of the Somme”.
“I understand your argument Jacob, but I have to send Bergarbeiter up. He’s the only fresh pilot I have. The rest are flying none stop and need a rest, even if it’s just for a few hours. Now you and Maas have just returned from a weekend pass so you two will fly the 2 seater and Bergarbeiter will fly cover.”
“Jahwoll, Herr Oberleutnant. Of course but we are not baby sitters”. With that Lt Jacob Sturm left the CO’s office for his plane. It was still dark and the briefing was fresh in his mind. “What did he say Jacob?” “Come Jurgen, we have balloons to kill”. He shook his head and waved to 2Lt Rudolph Bergarbeiter sitting in the newly arrived Halberstadt. ‘He’d better know how to fly that thing’ he said to himself as he climbed into the familiar rear gun position. He had already checked through the special ammunition but he couldn’t be sure in the poor light if he had missed any bad rounds.
The Halberstadt roared into life and Sturm gunned the Rumpler. Both aircraft took off into the half light of dawn.
Both aircraft flew a course and pattern that they hoped would throw off any hint of their intended target. But the Tommies always knew and would be ready. Sturm had gone over the plan meticulously with Rudolph, ‘stay in front, drive away any enemy planes and let us do our job in shooting down the balloons’. Rudolph got the picture he was the shield and they were the lance. Well he would protect his charge and show them he could fly too.
2Lt Wheeler and his rear 2Lt Tonkin were in the process of taking pictures of the effect of the barrage the day before. Two observation balloons were already up registering new targets and stopping the Hun responding to the renewed offensive along the Somme front.
The German pair peeled off left and Bergarbeiter kept in front. It wasn’t long before they spotted the BE2c spotter and it them. They closed rapidly and bullets filled the air, in fact that’s all they filled. Maas refused to fire as he thought it unsporting to fire incendiary ammunition at an aircraft, well he needed it to bring down the balloons not aircraft. Bergarbeiter closed with the BE but the rear gunner kept him at bay as the pilot kept the BE out of his guns sight!
Eventually turning the right way, Bergarbeiter closed but the rear gunner held his fire until he thought he wasn’t going to. Bullets zinged through his airframe and one nicked his left shoulder. He thought he had hit the BE but wasn’t sure.
Bergarbeiter closed in, the other German plane forgotten. Closing he let the BE fill his gun sight before firing a close ranged burst. He saw the rear gunner fly backwards, wounded, and smoke began to pour from the engine area.
Claud was hit in the head, blood cascaded down over his eyes. He wiped them clear, took aim and fired off a burst as the German pilot fired. He didn’t even feel the round that killed him. Bergarbeiter knew he had the BE. The rear gunner was slumped over his gun, head lolling this way and that. The he realised his engine was misfiring. Damn the Tommy had got off a burst and it had damaged his engine. Still ,he would go for the kill, he said to himself.
Keeping on the BE’s tail he closed again and fired, the British pilot jinked at the last moment and his bullets passed harmlessly by. ‘Next time Tommy, next Time’.
Strum and Maas had closed with the first balloon and Sturm fired a sustained burst into it. He was rewarded by seeing a small spark ignite but not quite catch, yet!
Wheeler outfoxed the Halberstadt pilot again he out turned him and headed for home and safety. He knew something was seriously wrong with Tonkin because he could see him slumped over his gun every time he turned to see where the Hun was.
Sturm and Maas fired short range bursts into the balloon. A second fire was started but the flames refused to billow outwards. The observer climbed onto the side to jump but before he could jump he was hit again and killed.
As they flew past the Rumpler came under ground fire. A bullet smashjed through the floor and into Sturms leg. He dipped the nose and returned fire. A small ammunition box caught fire.
Again the Rumpler came under ground fire, this time starting a small engine fire! Sturm again returned fire as Maas fired into the stricken balloon now fully alight and finished.
Maas recognising the danger from the AA MG let rip and blasted it to pieces as the return fire missed everything vital.
Both German planes attacked the 2nd balloon.
Balloon 1 succumbed to the fire and blew apart.
Sturm saw the BE nipping under balloon 2 and turned and fired. And fired again. Wheeler could do nothing with the stricken BE as it hurtled towards the ground in a low flat spin.
The wounded observer in balloon 2 had already jumped as the ground crew started to wind down the balloon. Maas fired a burst sideways and was rewarded with his gun jamming.
Frantically he worked at clearing the jam as Bergarbeiter flew under the balloon and gave them a wave.
Circling round with no enemy near Maas worked to clear his gun as Bergarbeiter looped over and both aircraft fired at the balloon. Bergarbeiter was faster on the draw and Sturm’s bullets passed through the exploding balloon showering Bergarbeiter’s aircraft in burning debris. Luckily it all missed.
Butchers Bill:
Balloon 1:
17 damage Observer killed balloon exploded.
Balloon 2:
11 damage observer wounded then exploded.
AA MG 6 damage destroyed
Allied points:
BE2c = 6 points
Balloon 2 = 6 points
Balloon 1 = 5 points
Total 17 points
BE2c:
SD/FT/13 damage/Obs 2 WIA
Rumpler CI: 8 damage
Jacob Sturm RTB/1 WIA/1 kill BE2c +15
Jurgen Maas RTB/1 kill Balloon +25
Halberstadt: 4 damage plus engine damage
Rudolph Bergarbeiter RTB/1 WIA/1 kill Balloon +25
Central Powers 65 points
Entente 17 points
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