Captain Boniface "Bon" King MC breathed in the fresh French country air as he walked around 52 Sqd's airfield & admiring the sleek lines of his new Sopwith Pup scout which had arrived from St Omar a week ago.
He had flown the new aircraft many times & had fallen in love with its handling & performance but wished it had two machine guns like all the new German fighters. As he strolled along he heard the familiar growl of a Crossley staff car arriving at the aerodrome.
Shortly after a breathless Sgt Mills arrived calling "Sir!, Sir! there's a Frog Officer wanting to see you at the Flight Office"
Following Mills he found a dapper French Aviation Captain waiting in the office.
" Ahh, Bon Jour mon Capitaine! I 'av zee honour to present myself. I am Capitaine Jean-Pierre Grosjean & I am, ow you say? your liaison officer for zee Verdun mission. You 'av received dispatches from your 'eadquarters no?"
" Yes--wee Capitaine I received the request to provide you with two observation aircraft & 2 escorts to carry out Artillery ranging tomorrow". "Perhaps we could retire to the Officers Mess & discuss the mission over a glass of Cognac?"
"A capital idea mon Capitaine! I 'av zee map to show to you zee strong points we need obliterated"
In the Mess, Grosjean spread out a wonderful map of the Verdun area in what was almost 3D.
" Now mon Capitaine, I vill mark out on zee map the target strongpoints we must destroy. I need not tell you zee importance of this for the success of your French allies attack". "May I vish you every success in your efforts & France is eternally grateful for your assistance!"
To Bons great embarressment the French Captain now reached forward & planted a kiss on each cheek!
After Grosjean had left Bon called a meeting of the pilots he had chosen to fly the mission.
2nd Lt. "Mac" MacCaverty would fly the flights Spad VII whilst 1st Lt Ralph Medium DSO & Observer 1st Lt. Lionel Rare DSO would fly their venerable 1 1/2 Strutter & 2nd Lt George King with 1st Lt James Earl in the gunners seat would take the new RE 8.
Early the next morning the 4 British aircraft set out & the two scouts flew ahead of the 2 seaters who after checking the position of the targets commenced to circle the objectives & radio back to the French Artillery the fall of shot.
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Meanwhile over at the Eagles aerodrome Oblt Harry Von Bukard who was still recovering from his wound briefed Ltn Kurt Walz who he had nominated to lead the morning patrol in a brand new Albatross D.III.
"Kurt it is vital we stop the Frogs from ranging their Artillery on those two remaining strong points because if they are destroyed it will give the damn Frogs an easy path through our lines. I want you to take Wilhelm, Gerhard & Georg in our 3 D.II's & shoot down any enemy 2 seaters trying to range those guns!"
The 4 German Aircraft took off & flew towards the front line spread out in a line so as to cover the greatest amount of area.
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The British 2 seaters commenced their circling whilst the observers transmitted morse corrections to the French Guns.
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The German formation saw the British Scouts ahead as they had immediately headed towards the German Aircraft to try to protect their Recon planes.
Mac MacCaverty was the first into action against Georg Steltzmier's D.II but the exchange of fire did little damage to either aircraft.
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Bon had zeroed in on the new Albatross of Kurt Walz & whilst not a lot of damage resulted the German planes engine commenced to smoke!
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Bon now came under attack from both Walz & Brunig's Albatross & returned fire to Walz however both German pilots guns jambed.
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Bon manoeuvred onto the tail of Walz's D.III but his long range shot missed & to add insult his gun also jambed!
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The 2 British 2 seaters had continued to circle uninterrupted due to the efforts of Bon & Mac & they continued to send corrections to the French Artillery.
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Walz meanwhile had cleared his guns & Immlemaned towards the British Strutter & the pilots exchanged fire at close range. A German bullet struck Ralph Medium in his left leg but it did not feel like a serious wound.
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Wilhelm Ulmer had broken past Mac's Spad & exchanged fire with the RE 8 but the British shots set the Albatross on fire!
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Bon & Walz continued their duel & again both pilots guns jambed! "Bugger" shouted Bon "these Vickers are no better than our old Lewis guns!"
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The British 2 seaters continued their mission with Ulmer's burning Albatross following closely on the RE 8's tail but too close to get a fireing solution.
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Brunig damaged Bon's tail while Mac returned the favour!
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The two German planes now collided but fortunately for the Pilots neither aircraft suffered serious damage.
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The RE 8 & Steltzmier's Albatross now exchanged fire but no great damage occurred to either aircraft.
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Bon & the Strutter now attacked Walz's D.III which was starting to get rather second hand & he reluctantly decided to head for home as the wings of the Albatross were starting to creak alarmingly.
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Ulmer continued to shadow Mac's Spad but the fire was not increasing & Ulmer thanked the Gods of War for the Ply fuselage which was nowhere near as flammable as the usual doped fabric ones.
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The RE 8 had finally managed to range the French guns correctly & a direct hit destroyed the target.
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The Strutter & Ulmer's Albatross brushed wings but neither aircraft suffered damage!
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As Walz headed for home he took an opportunistic shot at Bon's Pup & although he hit the British plane his guns immediately jambed.
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AS Bon tried to out manoeuvre Walz, Gerhard Brunig got in a telling burst on the Pup & Bon felt a stunning blow to his left shoulder & the British aircraft spun down to a hard crash landing behind the German lines.
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Whilst the other pilots of the Bulldogs were dismayed to see their flight leader shot down there was success for the Strutter's pilot Ralph Medium who in spite of his wound had continued to circle his target & finally saw success as a succession of heavy shells scored direct hits on the German strongpoint.
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The RE 8 had already headed back to its drome & now the Strutter accompanied by Mac's Spad turned towards safety & home, hoping for some good news on their flight leader.
Ulmer had already headed back to German lines when the fire finally died out & he again gave a prayer of thanks to the Albatross' workers who had provided him with such a robust aircraft.
The remaining Germans having seen the strongpoints destroyed also decided to return to base as they were running low on both fuel & ammunition.
When the British aircraft returned to their Aerodrome they were greeted by Capitaine Grosjean with a bunch of flowers & 2 crates of the finest French Champaigne as thanks from a grateful France for the success of this most important mission.
The whole of C Flight now waited anxiously for some word on Captain King.
Butchers Bill will be posted tomorrow!
I sited the Trench line 2 1/2 rulers from the British end so the German Aircraft would reach the combat zone a little quicker.
I also used flash's D8 charts for all the AI aircraft & they worked a treat!
I flew Bon's Pup & was no match for all those German AI pilots!
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