Early Doors Mission 15: March 1917. ‘Beware the Hun in the Sun’
Late march, actually the last day March and the weather was finally starting to throw off the cold of winter. A fine day for flying and a pair of routine patrols took off at dawn. Hptn Peter Büttner lead one flight while Vzfw Rheinhardt Richter the other. Richter headed north while Büttner south.
A half hour to the north Richter flew into a weather front that buffeted his planes about like last month’s snowflakes. He looked to the other pilots, Hermann Beck was solid and ok to fly on, but Reinhardt could see uneasiness in the face of the newest to the squadron, Heinz Wolf. Heinz tried his best but it showed he was struggling to keep in formation. Reinhardt knew this would not be a good time to run into the enemy and flew them out of the turbulence and back to base.
To the south Büttner and crew flew their patrol without contact. 2 ½ hours later they returned to the aerodrome looking forward to something warming and a little rest.
On the landing approach Büttner noticed a motorcycle dispatch rider heading away, leaving a trail of dust along the road.
Reinhardt was readying the squadrons 2 seaters as Büttner came to him with dispatch in hand.
“Why is everything an emergency! Why don’t we ever get advance warning? How are we going to win the war running around like chickens with our heads cut off?” Büttner fumed. Richter shook his head, “We (the 2 seaters) will leave as soon as we are fueled up”.
“Is this real? Does HQ think this is possible”? Büttner kept rambling on. “If the Austrians actually do this we are kaput”!
Büttner’s three available scout pilots were ready in no time. As the scouts were readied, Hermann Beck (red DIII), Theodore Schwarz (yellow DIII) and Rudolf Schmitt (white tail DIII) were informed of the situation. An Austrian splinter group was trying to send a diplomat to France, possibly to negotiate a separate peace, taking Austria out of the war. He was to be a passenger in a large bomber, most likely with heavy escort. This plane must not be allowed to pass through the lines at all cost. The dispatch repeated in bold print, AT ALL COST.
Still deep behind enemy lines, Lt Augutus Owen (yellow SPAD) flying off the left wing of the Caproni, was starting to relax a little thinking they might just get home with their charge. 2Lt Frank Barlow (grey SPAD) and 2Lt David Haines (camo SPAD) were feeling the same. 15 minutes ago three Germans had attacked but were kept away by the other escort flight. Things were looking good…
Above some light clouds the hunting patrol climbed to 12000 feet and leveled off, Büttner in his Albatros DII and his 3 accompanying pilots in the new DIIIs. Their search sector was not far behind the front.
Soon Büttner spotted something moving down to the south and signaled the others. They kept themselves above and between their target and the sun hoping not to be seen.
As they got close enough to see, an Italian Caproni bomber was heading west escorted by three British SPADS.
Büttner signaled that he and Beck were to go after the bomber. Schwarz and Schmitt were to cover them.
Barlow thought he saw a glimmer towards the sun and his fear came true! They were bounced by four Huns! As he turned towards them he was hit hard by three of them. Schmitt and Beck scored solid hits but Beck’s guns went silent. Büttner’s careful aim also hit home.
Büttner lead the way straight in at the Caproni. His marksmanship showed as he poured lead into the bomber. So much so that the return fire was ineffective. One of his rounds knocked the drum off of the front Lewis gun while the rear gunner suffered a jam.
Turning as fast as they could was not fast enough. Barlow and Haines could not get their guns to bear as the Huns swept past to attack the Caproni. The Caproni had turned into the attack, throwing off Büttner and Schmitt who missed due to the unexpected maneuver.
Buttner now got on the Caproni’s tail and hitting the left engine setting it ablaze. As the sparks ignited the leaking fuel Büttner’s guns jammed.
Owen was kept busy having to avoid Schwarz’s aim, which frustrated Owen to no end as he saw two Huns closing on the Italian bomber.
Beck now dived out of the sun and kept up the attack on the Caproni while Büttner worked at clearing his guns.
Beck was relentless and hit the bomber again while the Italian rear gunner cleared his gun and peppered the closer target, Büttner, only to have his Lewis again jam.
Barlow and Haines Immelmanned and hoped their speed would get them back to stop Büttner and Beck. Schmitt positioned himself to intercept them.
Owen turned the tables on Schwarz, hoping to shake him and get back to the Caproni.
The fire eats away at the bomber.
As Haines flies blindly towards the Huns attacking the bomber Schmitt lines up a shot and riddles the SPAD from end to end.
Owen puts the slip on Schwarz and heads towards his charge.
Beck is unwavering in his attack on the Caproni as Büttner keeps working at his gun jam.
Barlow and Haines feel helpless as they see the Caproni getting severely punished.
Before Beck can fire again, Büttner finally frees his jam and in a blaze of point blank fire sends the bomber to the ground. Both the pilot and diplomat are struck by bullets as their burning plane tumbles down.
With the Caproni falling out of control, Beck and Büttner turn to see two SPADS quickly coming after them.
Owen, having putting the slip on Schwarz, uses the clouds to get back to the action without being seen.
Taking on two SPADS, Beck slips around one and his bullets striking the engine of the other, setting it on fire. Barlow immediately takes evasive action to keep the flames from his fuselage.
As Büttner tries to take on the distracted flaming SPAD and not seeing a second SPAD flying at him, Owen lines him up. Beck surprises Owen and shakes his SPAD violently throwing Owen’s aim off. "You owe me one"! shouts Beck to Büttner.
Büttner just noticing Owen reacts to him almost hitting Beck in the process.
Barlow does well at keeping the fire from spreading.
Owen signals Barlow to help Haines as the Huns are closing. Owen fears the Huns will cut Haines off from escaping
Beck takes a shot at Barlow but loses him in the clouds.
Beck is startled as Barlow pops out of the clouds right on top of him. Barlow doesn’t even see Beck as he concentrates on putting out the fire.
Schmitt, getting back into the fray, shoots into a yellow SPAD and sees the pilot jerk.
Beck momentarily lost his bearing while avoiding colliding with Barlow. Haines sees an opportunity and attacks him causing an oil leak, blinding him with smoke.
As Barlow just put out the fire he lifts his head and sees Büttner too late. The Tiger rips the SPAD to pieces, sending it spinning to the ground.
Beck, turning away from the clouds, sights the SPAD that just shot him and takes a quick shot.
Haines, in a tight spot, flies between the two Huns trying to make an escape.
Owen surprises Schmitt, turning at the last moment, making Schmitt dive out of the way. By using Schmitt as a shield he gets an unanswered shot off at Schwarz.
Schwarz was in the middle of an Immelmann and Owen stayed with him.
Büttner reverses to catch Haines’ tail while Beck circles round to see clear of the smoke.
Haines slips away heading for home as the Huns can’t catch him.
Owen seeing that Haines is clear looks for a way for his own escape. He is bleeding badly and had to get out of this mess soon. To make a straight run he would just be an easy target, so he would take a few swings on the way out.
As four Huns close in on him Owen rips into a red Hun. Beck can’t see his attacker through the smoke but instinctively fires anyway.
The four Huns are shocked that one British pilot would take them on! Schwarz gets caught off guard and Owen riddles him.
Owen next takes aim at Schmitt, hitting the engine and it starts to flame.
Schmitt’s Albatros seems impervious to the flame around it.
Büttner Immels and takes a long shot at the fleeing SPAD scoring a lucky hit. Smoke fills the cockpit choking Owen.
Owen can see the lines ahead, hoping to make it with help from the friendly AA waiting on his route but is having a difficult time seeing where to go. Büttner watching the SPAD stutter keeps his guns on it.
Just before getting in range of the British AA, Büttner fires the killing shot and the SPAD pummels downward in a ball of smoke.
Schmitt has success in putting his fire out.
Butcher’s Bill
Caproni
Pilot Franchesco Rinaldi SD FLM WIA ET
10 -2flm -1wnd = 7 bruised, miss 1 missions
E&E 7 -2wnds -1flm -1bel = 3 captured, escaped! 1 = miss 1 mission,
total miss 2 missions
Diplomat Whaddia Gonna Doo SD FLM WIA ET
7 -2wnds -1flm = 6 injured, 6 = miss 2 missions
E&E 5 -2wnds -1flm -1bel = 1, Captured!
Gunner 1 Ravi Oli SD FLM ET 0 kills
7 - 2flm = 5 injured, 5 = miss 1 mission
E&E 12 -1wnd -1flm -1 bel = 9 he sneaks away unseen and crosses the lines.
total miss 1 mission
Gunner 2 Manny Cotti SD FLM ET 0 kills
5 - 2flm = 3 severely injured, 3 miss 3 missions
E&E 9 -1wnd -1flm -1bel = 6 in hiding, 4 miss 2 missions, total miss 5 missions
2Lt Frank Barlow SD ET 0 kills
12 – 1sd = 11, ok, E&E 8 – 1bel = 7 landed behind enemy lines and got away, -1 mission
Lt Agustus Owen SD ET WIA 0 kills
10 - 1sd – 1wnd = 8, -1 mission E&E 8 -1bel -2wnd = 5, in hiding 1, -1 mission
total -2 missions
Lt David Haines RTB 0 kills
Lt Hermann Beck RTB 1 kill
Lt Rudolf Schmitt RTD 0 kills
Lt Theodore Schrarz RTB 0 kills
Hptn Peter Büttner RTB 2 kills
With the sky clear, Büttner signals to his flight to head back. He is very pleased with his pilots.. It felt very good to have everyone flying back to the aerodrome.
In the Mess there was a great party. When the 2 seaters returned all hell broke loose. Stories told, beers downed, boasting beyond the limits of believability. Beck joked toyingly, but not without some tiny bitterness about Büttner stealing his bomber kill. Rudolf, with singed eyebrows, ribbed Beck for flying behind Büttner letting their leader get shot up in the attack. Beck laughed heartily, “War is hell”, but thinking how Büttner could have left to clear his jam and instead stayed the course.
After one quick beer with the squadron Büttner was off to the office to write the report.
Beck had shown more than just his flying ability this day and duly noted. He will be leading flights in the near future. He will also get credit for downing the bomber. Büttner knows he had the kill shot but also that Beck put in the lion’s share of the damage. Keeping Beck’s loyalty meant more than one more hash mark on the score board.
Beck proved himself today to be a leader. The red Albatros fits him well.
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Originally Posted by flash
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