Mission 14 Retrieve the spy. 52 Sq. Bulldogs.
The airfield was unusually quiet save for the sound of frantic work emanating from the hangers.
The Squadron had been taking quite a bashing recently as the Germans put up every machine they could muster to prevent the Allies spotting the new entrenchments of the Hindenburg Line being constructed some miles behind the current Front. Despite this attempt a few intrepid machines had returned with photographic evidence to show that something important was underway.
The upshot of the matter is that a French Spy with vital information about the German intentions is trapped behind the new lines in the British Sector of the front.
HQ in cahoots with Major Raymond of Intelligence have decided to dispatch a rescue mission to extract the spy before he can fall into enemy hands.
To this end 52 Sq. The Bulldogs are to fly a two seater supported by two Scouts to get the spy out. A piece of cake with all the German Scouts tied up by the French.
As dawn breaks over the lines a lone One and a half Strutter trundles its way towards the French Village where the spy is hidden. Lurking 1000 feet above and behind it are two Spad VIIs of the Bulldogs waiting for the inevitable German response.
Nor is it Long in coming, for as the Strutter starts its decent toward the village a trio of Albatros DIII aircraft emerge from the haze and dive towards the hapless two seater.
Kyte in his Spad immediately starts to climb to intercept the attackers whilst new boy Ginger Hawkwood continues to cover the tail of Oliver Brownlow's Strutter as it descends.
Hawkwood is first into action catching the leading Albatros before it can descend to the altitude of the Strutter. He immediately opens fire and damages the Hun's rudder.
Turning behind the German he rips into the machine again, but as smoke starts to issue from its engine compartment his guns jam.
Meanwhile, Kyte was opening his own account stooping upon a brown green and cream Albatros crossing his path.
With on bust of his gun he set it smoking which rapidly transformed into fire licking along the side of the machine.
As the Sopwith lined up its landing approach with the village street one Albatros finally got into long range, but its shots went wide as the experienced Brownlow continued to descend.
Kyte's adversary continued to burn.
As it turned violently in an attempt to douse the flames he got another squirt at it, doing more damage to its structural integrity.
However yet another Albatros was lining up an attack upon Brownlow. the odds were starting to tell. Neither Kyte nor Hawkwood could be everywhere at once.
As the Hun moved in for the kill, Brownlow put his machine into its final approach dive and thus dropped far below the enemy. Unable to dive quickly enough it was forced to pull out and go around for another circuit.
Hawkwood seeing the danger now tried to support the Strutter, whilst Kyte continued to harry the burning machine.
As Brownlow put his machine down the Albatros was still diving across his stern.
Kyte homed in on the burning Albatros.
Having made his landing Brownlow now taxied towards the figure running up the village street towards his aircraft.
At long range Kyte opened up once more on the Burning Albatros.
The spy now reached the Strutter and as he clambered aboard several villagers helped turn the Strutter ready for its take off.
Kyte was now forced to abandon his pursuit of the Burning DIII as another attacked him from the side.
Kyte Immelmanned, but this only served to put him in an even worse position as the enemy came straight for him.
It now started to chew up his Spad quite badly.
Brownlow was in no better position as he strove for height after taking off. Despite the arrival of Hawkwood to defend him, the Albatros which had dogged his every move thus far was now low enough to deliver a strafing attack whilst the Strutter was gaining altitude but slowly.
Having shaken his second adversary, Kyte was now intent on finishing the first machine, whose fire had now extinguished itself.
Over the village Brownlow was in serious trouble. Hammered by the pursuing, Albatros his passenger was hit even before he could swing his Lewis into action, and Hawkwood was not yet in a position to retaliate.
At the other end of the dog fight Kyte was in so much trouble that he had to invoke all his skills as a lucky git to avoid being seriously compromised. This was the first time he had ever needed to use this skill.
With young Hawkwood played offside, the DII closed in on the goal that was Brownlow.
Unfortunately for Brownlow so did two other Albatrii.
Using all his piloting skills he slipped through the closing net with only superficial damage.
Kyte now got back into the action, putting in a short burst before his gun jammed.
However, the Strutter was still under the cosh as there were just too many enemy machines.
Brownlow was now hit again and feeling a searing pain in his side, slipped into a merciful unconsciousness, as his Strutter side slipped, and cart-wheeled into the ground.
Having seen their comrade's demise, Kyte and Hawkwood threw caution to the wind, and attacked the Albatrii remorselessly, giving no consideration to their own mortality.
Kyte was first to score, bringing down the machine which had been on fire.
Then Hawkwood Flamed his bird, before his guns jammed in their turn.
As the fire took hold Hawkwood stuck to the DIII's tail like glue and toiled on restoring his gun to working order.
Even when the burning Albatros turned and finally gave Hawkwood the slip, Kyte was on his wingman's shoulder to take up the chase.
The fire seemed to be petering out.
Kyte, therefore, continued to follow the Hun machine down.
The German aviator showed spirit, and whilst screwing about the sky to try and contain the fire, showed great skill in throwing Kyte off, whilst also getting a telling shot at Hawkwood, which disrupted his steering.
With the fire finally petering out, he finally made off toward his own lines, whilst Kyte and Hawkwood took on the last of the enemy machines.
Kyte got off the first round, but Hawkwood literally ripped the enemy aircraft to bits, wrecking the engine in the process, totally undaunted that in it's death throes the German pilots return fire wounded the young Hawkwood and set his aircraft ablaze.
As Kyte and Hawkwood, banked away from the German machine blazing on the ground, young Hawkwood ruefully reflected on the fact that his very first kill may well turn out to be his last.
The flames grew in intensity, and even as he threw his aircraft into a banking turn, and his Lambswool gloves started to smoulder, he knew that it would take a miracle to save him.
His only recourse was to try to land, which he did, leaping from the plane, he threw himself to the ground as the aircraft was engulfed in a ball of flame.
The next thing he remembered was the sound of a dying Aero engine, and then Kyte calling his name. After that he fainted.
The Butcher's Bill.
52 Sq. Bulldogs.
F.O. Kyte RTB. One Kill. Aircraft severe damage.
2nd Lt.Hawkwood. Landed FT. Wounded. Aircraft written off.
2nd Lt. Oliver Brownlow. SD Enemy territory. Wounded.
French spy SD enemy territory wounded.
The Kaiser's Eagles.
Two aircraft SD. One R.T.B.
Kyte.
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I thought that your outing was going much better than mine Rob, but the odds really told in the end.
Neither side can easily sustain such rates! 
Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte
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