OTT ED Mission 21---Strafe the Trenches...teaticket
“Listen up lads”, Büttner spoke with his best comical English accent. “King Willie is counting on us today to put on a good show. We will patrol the front, three planes to a sector, here, here and here. Each flight will take up one of the new Pfalz scouts because, one, HQ wants an evaluation and two, we have no other planes. Volunteers? Richter, good, Beck, thanks old boy”. Pointing to Theodore Schwarz who was standing behind the much taller Heinz Wolff, “Oh I think yes, you too Herr Schwarz have volunteered, thank you indeed, jolly good”.
A wide eyed Schwarz was slapped on the back with as many laughs from all the pilots in reach.
“So,“ continued Büttner, “Do take care of yourselves up there today and fly nicely chaps, the enemy will be watching. One last note, extra bangers and squeak to all that return with a victory. Cheerio ‘O”!
2Lt William Tuffield and 2Lt Roy Morrow were flying top cover for Reginald Parke and Alan Raymond-Barker. Parke and Barker were flying Camels and their mission was to soften up a trench line to weaken it before a ground attack.
Tuffy and Roy were impressed by the power of the SE5a. They had only flown then once or twice so they were still like a new toy.
“It was fast, sturdy, maneuverable and fast,” Squadron Commander Agustus Owen had told them of his flying a prototype months ago.
The two Camels headed for the lines they were to attack while the top cover kept a watchful eye from 3000 feet above.
Approaching the lines, the three German pilots all noticed two British planes diving down towards the German lines. They immediately turned towards them to intercept.
While keeping their eyes locked on the diving Camels Schafer in his Albatros DIII and Schwarz in a Pfalz did not notice the SE5as lurking above.
Barker gets into firing range first but his second round never leaves his Vickers.
As Schafer was timing his move on the Camels he was startled as rounds peppered his Albatros. He pulled up and and got off a few rounds but missed badly.
Parke wrecked a company of Germans in a trench that he had surprised with his attack.
Turning quickly Parke tore up another German infantry company. Büttner dove on to Parke’s tail and ripped into the Camel. The ground fire is minimal as the troops are mostly fleeing or wounded.
Schwarz, lining up a run on the strafing Camels, gets a passing shot at the Brit that had dove on Schafer.
As Parke concentrates on the ground target he is pummeled again by Büttner. Barker, himself toothless, flies in trying to distract the German. Luckily for Parke the Albatros’ guns go silent.
Schwarz was trying to fly behind the fast passing Brit when it reversed and turned the tables on him.
With a German arms length off his right wing, Parke had a right to be distracted and fired past the next trench.
Büttner can’t believe his lost opportunity and works on clearing his jam.
Schwarz passes under the SE5a and lines up a quick shot at Parke.
Schafer stayed high to deal with the top cover. As Tuffield passes over Schwarz he forgot about Schafer. Tuffield’s engine is hit and belched out a stream of thick black smoke.
Tuffield turns in to get under Schafer, Parke and Barker have another go at the trenches.
With the surprise gone, the Picklehaubes machine gunners in the mud take aim and bring down a Camel.
Barker finished off another section of trenches but takes serious damage from the ground fire in doing so. Schwarz also gets in a long shot and hits the Camel's engine causing it to vibrate wildly.
Schwarz keep firing on Barker. Barker’s sputtering engine now smoking as he turns to get away from the Pfalz.
Tuffy, battling the smoke pulls every trick he knows to keep the German guns off of him.
Barker takes more ground fire as he turns for another attack.
Schwarz keeps picking the Camel slowly apart.
Morrow dives down and surprises Schwarz with accurate fire.
Schwarz’ persistence pays off as he again hits the Camel, breaking it apart.
Barker fights his controls as his plane goes down hard in no-mans-land.
Morrow’s pass at the Pfalz brings him into range of the troopers on the ground and pays a price for it.
Büttner returns to the fight with guns flashing.
After downing the Camel, Schwarz engages a SE5a. His aim is true but Tuffy also hits home and Schwarz’ Pfalz ignites.
Schafer starts to dive down to get back into the action, too high to shoot at the Brit right below him.
Seeing both Camel’s down Tuffy fires a flair to signal to Roy to head home.
The Pfalz burns brightly.
Büttner comes to Schwarz’s aid but again jams his guns.
Schafer is frustrated as another Brit out maneuvers him and evades his guns.
Schafer acquires a new target and turns on Tuffy while Büttner once again works on a jam.
Schafer cuts Tuffy off from gaining the British lines and sets the SE5a on fire.
The fires are fading.
Tuffy slows and has Schafer fly just below him. Schafer curses as he can’t take aim to fire.
Schwarz has the same frustration as Schafer. The British tactics on defensive flying are excellent.
Just as Tuffy crossed behind the friendly trench lines Schafer delivers the killing blow to his SE5a. Tuffy fights as he can to lessen the crash and succeeds but is still thrown from the plane on ground contact. Running to his aid as fast as they could through the mud, the Tommies had a difficult time finding him. Lying covered in mud, if Tuffy hadn’t opened his eyes his rescuers would have sloshed on past him not knowing they had just trodden on his hand, inflicting more damage to him than had the crash.
Schwarz, while twisting and turning battling the fire, is surprised to find the SE5a in his sights and takes a long shot by instinct.
Morrow sees the burning Pfalz following him and quickly plans how to get by him.
The Pfalz’ fire goes out with a flare.
Morrow cuts in just above the Palz.
Büttner carefully approaches the dancing duet.
Schwarz gets a brief glimpse but misses well below the Brit.
Morrow’s full attention was with his dance with the Pfalz, he did not notice the orange Albatros move in until tracers were passing by his nose.
Büttner hopes Schwarz keeps low as he flies above his tail to get the shot at the SE5a.
As did Tuffy, Morrow finds himself just behind friendly lines his plane crumples and slips towards the ground.
Just behind the lines the Tommies pull Roy Morrow from the wreckage in one piece, but barely.
Butcher’s Bill
Lt Rolf Schafer RTB 1 Kill
Lt Thjeodore Schwarz RTB 1 Kill
Hptn Peter Büttner RTB 1 Kill
2Lt Reginald Parke SD ET 0 Kills
7 -1(sd) = 6, Injured 2 = miss 1 mission
3 -1(et) -1(wic) = 1, captured, the war os over for Parke
2Lt Alan Raymond-Barker SD EXP NML 0 Kills
6 -3(exp) -1(nml) = 2, KIA
2Lt William ‘Tuffy’ Tuffield SD FLM FT 0 Kills
10 -2(flm) = 8, Bruised, miss 1 mission
2Lt Roy Morrow SD EXP FT 0 Kills
6 -3(exp) = 3, Severely injured, 5 = miss 5 missions
3 trench sections destroyed, 2 survived
Twice I got to use Büttner's Marksman skill and both times I drew 2 Zeros! With his uncanny ability for jamming he better learn to check his bullets. I guess it was better for him to jam than Schwarz in the Pfalz!
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Iron Cross 1st Class awarded 
No promotion (rolled a 1 !) 
Originally Posted by flash
although the Brits did cream 3 Trenches!
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