Preamble:
Captain Boniface "Bon" King M.C. limped across the 'drome from his hut to C Flights office breathing in the bracing French Spring air.
It felt so good to be back with the Flight after the drama of being shot down over German territory then being rescued by French partisans & nursed back to health by the lovely Yvette in a French field hospital after he had been spirited to safety by the partisans.
Another 2 weeks according to the Squadron M.O. & he would be ready to resume flying duties.
He was still humbled by the way the Flight members welcomed him back & the incredible Knees Up that followed that night.
The newly promoted Captain Frederick Kyte from A Flight had enlivened things even more when he arrived carrying 4 bottles of Sapphire Blue Gin. A new drink had been invented, a mix of Champers & Gin! He wasn't sure about the taste but the results were spectacular!
As he seated himself at his desk he thought what a great job 2nd Lt. Tiny Large had done in his absence & the two important missions the Flight had successfully completed.
He now had some decisions to make as GHQ was calling for a maximum effort as the new Arras Offensive was warming up.
He opened the folders with the records of the two new replacement pilots who had arrived just days after his return. He still keenly felt the loss of the ebullient Scot "Mac" McCaverty but at least Mac was a POW & should survive this crazy War.
Bon thought back to the arrival of the two pilots who were accompanied by a new AM Rigger for the Flight. They had arrived in a Sunbeam Staff car & were in full voice of some popular song as they approached the gates to the Aerodrome.
Bon opened the folder for 2nd Lt Frederick Fish & studied his photo.
Fish worried him somewhat with his Gung Ho attitude. All "Jolly good Sir", "Can't wait to get at the bally old Hun!" & "Need to bag an Albatross jolly quick,eh!" etc, etc. Still he had performed well at flying school but had only 16 hours flying, mostly on Avro 504's but had 4 on Pups & 2 on Spad VII's which he would be flying here. He had been a Cricket Blue at Harrow & distinguished himself in the annual match against Eton. Bon wondered just how that would help him when he came up against the experienced pilots of the Eagles Jasta.
The other pilot was altogether different.
Older than Fish by 2 years Simon Short who was the first Sargent Pilot to join the Flight had an interesting background.
His father ran a successful engine tuning business at the Brooklands Racing Circuit which also housed a number of Aircraft factories. He had learnt mechanicing from his father who had also paid for him to take some flying lessons which had resulted in him being accepted into the RFC. He had graduated from the old MF Shorthorn to Avro's, Pup's & had actually more hours on Spads than Fish. He seemed a very steady type & took things seriously. He reminded Bon of his old acquaintance Jimmy McCudden who was now a celebrated Ace!
C Flight had been tasked to accompany a flight of RE 8 recon aircraft tomorrow as well as performing the usual Dawn Long Reconnaissance.
Bon decided to detail the experienced Anthony March to lead the group to support the RE's with Algy Smyth-Browne & Mick O'Leary whilst Tiny Large would take the two Rookie pilots on the Dawn Patrol. Tiny had already taken them on a shakedown flight around their area & a look along the front lines. He also had them doing Circuit & Bumps in their Spads to accustom them to their aircraft.
Tiny called his two pilots to a briefing & told them of their first combat mission. "Spiffing!" exclaimed Fish "cant wait Sir!"
"Now listen carefully you chaps!" said Tiny. "This is no flight over the park". "We are likely to come across a patrol of the Eagle Jasta Huns & they are all experienced pilots". "We have found the best way to survive if outnumbered is to fly straight at them & try to split up their formation then when you have passed through do your reversal or turns & hot foot it for home taking any opportunity for a shot on the way"." Your Spad can outrun an Albatross but if you pull an Immlemann before you engage they will get on your tail & its Goodnight Nurse!" "Do you understand?" A chorus of "Yes Sir!" said they did.
"Now one other thing! If for any reason I decide to abort the mission I will fire a Red flare & you will immediately turn & fly back to our 'drome!" "Rightho then see you at 0530 in the morning & be sure you get an early night"
As the false dawn lightened the Eastern sky Tiny Large in his Sopwith Triplane let the two rookie pilots in their Spad's towards the Front Lines.
Sgt Short was on his Port side whilst Lt. Fish was off to Starboard both slightly behind their leader.
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They were approaching the front when there was suddenly a terrific clang from the Clerget engine of the Triplane. "Damn!" exclaimed Tiny as the Sopwith lost power & oil pressure. He put the stricken aircraft into a shallow diving turn to his right as he had noticed a forward airfield just behind them.
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As he lost height he fired off the Red flare to signal to abort the mission.
To his amazement the two Spads continued to fly towards No Man's Land. He fired another Red flare in case they had somehow missed seeing the first.
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What he had failed to see that when the first flare went up Lt Fish had turned to look over at Sgt Short & signalled to continue ahead. When Short had shook his head Fish pointed to his rank pips & again signalled ahead. Simon Short was perplexed. Fish was pulling rank! Should he ignore a direct order or follow his Flight leaders signal to abort. Not wanting to be thought a coward he reluctantly continued towards the front lines.
Tiny Large was horrified to see the Spads continue to head towards No Man's Land as he guided his Sopwith to a safe landing. "What were they thinking the stupid idiots! Did they not realise their danger without an experienced pilot to guide them"
Meanwhile over on the German side of the lines Oblt. Harry Von Bukard in his Albatross D.III led a Kette of 3 more Albatross towards the Lines. High Command had alerted his Jasta of increased British activity & ordered him to attack any Allied Aircraft crossing over into German Territory. Harry was particularly pleased as his old friend Wilhelm Schuster had finally returned to duty & was flying the black fuselaged D.III whilst Kurt Walz was in his Edelweiss marked plane & Wilhelm Ulmer in the one with the Red dragon painted on the sides.
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Looking ahead he noticed two British Spad VII's at a lower altitude just approaching No Man's Land.
Signalling to his fellow pilots he put his aircraft into a shallow dive to intercept the oncoming enemy aircraft.
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Fish & Short soon saw their danger & despite his previous bravado Fish panicked & commenced a turn back to his own territory.
Simon Short however remembered Lt.Large's advice to meet the enemy head on & try to disrupt their formation.
He exchanged fire with the German leader whose experience showed as though Simon scored a hit Von Bukard's volley crippled the engine of the Spad.
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However Short's brave action did enable Frederick Fish to gain a valuable head start on the pursuing Huns.
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As the German aircraft completed their dives Simon Short narrowly missed Von Bukard's plane as it passed over him but unfortunately Von Bukard's wingman Wilhelm Ulmer was perfectly placed to put a close range burst into the side of Short's Spad. Simon had been able to get a snap shot at an Albatross that passed in front of him but he suddenly felt a hard blow to his left shoulder & realised to his dismay that he had been wounded by the German pilots bullets.
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With the damage his aircraft had suffered & with his wound making him faint he realised he had no choice but to try to land the stricken Spad & he searched for any flat spot near the German edge of No Man's Land.
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Frederick Fish, his bravado forgotten opened his throttle and made full speed towards the safety of the British lines. As he glanced back to check on the pursuing Hun aircraft he realised he could not see Short's aircraft & he had a sudden attack of conscience. Had his action in ignoring Large's signal to abort the mission resulted in the loss of his Flight companion?
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His mind was in a whirl, what had he done? Would he be able to make it back to safety? Would he be caught by the German aircraft & riddled with bullets?
What if he did survive? What would his flight commander say & do? He would at least be in for a right Bollocking! What could he have been thinking? Bloody well to fixated on Glory that was the problem! Well he would just have to take it on the chin like a man but first he had to survive. He also realised that the brave action of Sgt Short who had followed Large's suggestion of charging the enemy had probably saved him by engaging the Huns & confusing their formation.
He sincerely hoped that Simon would survive!
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Meanwhile Simon Short had managed to land his Spad but its landing wheels had hit a shell hole & ground looped!
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Before he came to realise he had survived the crash landing two burly German infantrymen had pulled him from the wrecked aircraft & made him a prisoner.
The German Kette now went flat out in an attempt to catch & deal with the remaining British Aircraft.
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However the superior speed of the Spad opened the distance between Fish & his perusers & he finally felt he had a chance to escape their clutches.
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The German pilots did not give up easily & continued to chase the British aircraft but it was looking like a lost cause!
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Finally the German leader realised it was all in vain & he signalled his Kette to turn back to their home base leaving Lt. Fish to contemplate the welcome he would receive when he landed at the Bulldogs aerodrome. It was something he did not want to even think about!
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The Butchers Bill:
2nd Lt. Frederick Fish
RTB
No Damage
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Sgt Simon Short
Crash Landed ET/Wounded (attempted landing as per scenario rules --over 50% damage & wounded)
9 damage points
Rolled to Land--2xD6--Rolled 4+2=6 =Crash Landing.
Rolled 5-1 wounded = 4--Rolled 1 = Skip 1 scenario
Escaping Enemy Territory---Rolled 4 - 1 wound =3 Captured & Escaped
Rolled 3 on D6 = 2 Skip 2 Scenarios
Skip total 3 scenarios
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Oblt H Von Bukard
RTB
1 damage point
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Ltn W Schuster
RTB
No Damage
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Ltn K Walz
RTB
2 Damage points
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Ltn W Ulmer
RTB/ 1 probable Sgt Stone (awaiting confirmation)
No damage
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Thoughts & Observations
Well that actually went better than I thought it would!
I decided one Pilot would turn away & one would attack which fit the "Twist" I inserted with having the rookies continue the mission after Tiny Large shot the flare to abort after he suffered engine failure.
The Albatross could have got closer to Fish except due to his proximity to the edge of the short playing surface I had to intervene to stop 2 of the Albatross actually flying off the mat edge. (see pic below!)
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All in all a great scenario to play (Thanks John!)
I think that results in a partial Entente Victory.
I will now leave it to Dave (flash) to write the aftermath of Mr Fish's interview with Capt King & Tiny Large!
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