Standing orders to destroy German observation balloons!
(Having added a Drachen to my inventory, I have been looking for an opportunity to shoot it down. Sunday open afternoon, check. Son available, check. Sitter for granddaughter, check. We are go....)
With Jerry having raised up a balloon on their side of our sector, we mustered the available kites and send them out to bring it down. 2 Camels and a DH-4 should do it, allowing for ack ack and likely defenders. We have been getting jumped by Jasta 5 recently, although rumors are we have seen a few sorties from Jasta 15 to the north, flying that new Siemens kite, which turns on a dime and climbs like a homesick angel.
We set out at mid day with the sun overhead, heading ~ due east and crossing no-man's land and the enemy trenches just ahead. You could see that fat sausage hanging below our altitude on the far side of the trench line.
We knew the archie would be defending so we put our trust in God, speed, and Good King George, and not a little to our Sopwith and De Havilland designed crates. We determined we would fly straight at her and rake it from above, come about, and hit it again. The wild card were the specks on the horizon which rapidly grew into two Albatros to the south and a lone biplane to the north. Holding our course at full speed we approached and let the ballon fill our sights, then nosed down and gave her a good burst each, while the huns began to maneuver toward us.
Just as (to be continued. Dinner calls)
Just as the ack ack started to blacken the sky in front of us, we saw that D.III heading straight toward us - I swear it was that devil Veltjens himself! - and fire straight at Barker, not flinching but coming straight through us. A few burst into the balloon from the DH-4 seemed to have no effect.
Given the priority of taking down the balloon, we determined that we would rush past, Immelman back and the Camels either make a second pass east to west, or see what our opponents did and react to that. With it's leisurely turning radius, the AIRCO would begin to orbit the balloon, allowing the rear gunner to keep steady stream of fire into the Drachen.
The Jerry AA fire was keeping us on our toes, but it simply couldn't be avoided, so no point in worrying.
Oddly, the two Albatros' had disengaged to the west and only now were starting to circle back to engage. Veltjens (Now we were convinced it was he, having seen his fuselage at no more than 10 yards) was already doubling back to chase us off. In order to improve the DH-4 chances, it dived down a level at what turned to be precisely the right moment, as a ack ack burst just above where it would have been had it stayed level, which surely would have blown it to bits had it not already descended....
As we brought the Camels' noses around once more and facing directly into the target, Stackard let loose a burst that nearly brought us all down. I can't say if it was just hot lead, a spark of bullet on a metal fitting, or an act of Providence, but the balloon disappeared in a huge fireball so close we could feel the wave of heat as it sank to the ground like a slothful comet.
The Albatros pair was heading towards us; Veltjens had peppered Barker in a head on pass (fortunately without serious effect!) as was heading south to turn for another pass, and the archie was getting the range, putting a few holes in my fabric but as yet hitting no important bits, and we had to decide - stay and try to take down the enemy fighters, or, primary mission accomplished, head back to base and get our next mission?
The decision was nearly made for us as one of the DV's made a head on pass at Barker so fearlessly, perhaps enraged at our taking out the balloon he was to defend, that the collision could not be avoided entirely.
Swerving at the last, I could have sworn Barkers tires struck the D.V's engine, and it seemed to start to sputter afterward, although the Camel seemed no worse for the wear.
That seems to settle the matter in our minds, and a fast return to friendly lines seemed the preferred course, as we could outrun the Albatros and the SS D.III was just coming around for a slow turn.
The trailing DV got off one more burst as we crossed it left to right, but to no great effect. Having accomplished the primary mission, we made all speed to our side of the trenches and back to base, and left our adversaries behind, no doubt sputtering in impotent rage!
Once back on the ground, it was time for celebration, coming back as we had with one Balloon down and no real damages to our own kites. We had shown Jerry we could poke him in the eye and get back with no harm done!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by BB401
Bookmarks