Daylight Raid
Our three Dr.1 pilots, Manfred, Bruno, and Hans are heading toward the front lines, hunting....
Approaching from the west are a pair of SPADs and a lone Camel, the SPADs to he left, the Camel to the right.
Their hasty plan is to attempt to keep the enemies split in two, keeping the sturdy SPADs to the left and doubling or tripling up on the lone Camel in hopes of quickly bringing it down and gaining the numerical advantage.
Seeming to anticipate this strategy, the SPADS shift left while the Camel barrels ahead.
Almost wingtip to wingtip the two SPADs hurtle straight for the triplanes, apparently looking for a head on pass
Seeing their opponents barreling heedlessly toward them, the triplanes split, Hans breaking right toward the Camel, still out of range, Manfred and Bruno going left, and increasing their spacing, hoping to get into a series of deflection shots. The SPAD pilots must have become too focused on their prey, or miscommunicated, as one crossed over the other seeming to touch only for an instant when one exploded in a ball of flame and plummeted downward. Unfortunately for Hans, both SPADS riddled his craft before they collided, causing him to plan a return to friendly airspace, nursing his wounded craft.
The odds seemingly evened, Manfred and Bruno kept trying to stay left and snap turn to the right to get a deflection shot or get on the tail of their opponents. Guns jammed and unjammed.
Bruno exchanged fire with the Camel while Manfred tried to concentrate on the remaining SPAD. Stachel was giving better than he got, but the fragile Triplane was beginning to suffer, and staying in the fight was increasingly risky. As the planes swirled in an attempt to get a clean shot Manfred found himself behind the Camel where a well-placed burst set the plan afire. Unbeknownst to him, it's engine was also hit, and the pilot attempted to head for friendly lines and had just about reached them when the fire must have reached the tank and the plane disappeared in a ball of flame.
Score one more for the Red Triplane. Risking it all, Bruno kept after the lone SPAD, using his maneuverability he delivered to it's pilot a second wound, after which they saw him slump forward at the controls and his plane go into a steep dive for the ground.
It fell just beyond the enemy trench line, but must surely have been witnessed by German troops on the ground as they were fighting right over the trenches!!
This time it MUST be confirmed!
The air cleared, the two remaining tripes headed back to base. So much seemed to depend on luck - if the SPADs had not collided, if Hans had not had immediately to leave, if, if , if ......yet a well prepared man seemed to improve his luck. Best get rested, get the plane patched up, and prepare for the next sortie.
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Some great action in that one!
Originally Posted by Willi
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