OTTBE Mission 1, The End At Passchendaele, 10 November 1917 by Roland19
They all knew how important this mission was. They had all heard how badly the ground troops had it fighting in the hellish mud of Passchendaele. They wanted to play their part and help to end this carnage once and for all.
Lt Murdoch Seward climbed into the pilot seat of his DH4 with Sgt Aran Lindsay climbing in the seat behind him. Aran was busy getting his camera equipment ready while Murdoch went through his pre-flight checks. This mission was to get photo recon so we know where to hit them hard with our bombers. Murdoch looked to his left and saw his buddy Lt Alan O’Connor firing up his HD1. He cracked a smile knowing Alan would have his wing like he always has.
A similar scene was playing out to Murdoch’s right with 2Lt Erwann Hearn’s DH4 and Cpl Ethan MacGrory in the Observers seat. 2Lt Mike Griffith was climbing into his Sopwith Camel ready to protect Erwann’s six.
As they flew in formation over NML towards the enemy lines, Lt Seward’s hands tightened on his controls – here we go he thought. O’Connor’s HD1 was to his left and Erwann was to his right in his beige DH4. Mike Griffith was on the right flank in his Camel. (Note: I proxied the red DIII for one of the DVa’s!)
As they approached the line, a lone Albatross DVa approached out of the northern sky and two DvA’s approached from the south. Erwann and Mike Banked right to engage the Purple and Green DVa, exchanging shots with 2LT Griffith riddling the side of the DvA (3 Dam). The nearby trench fired at the enemy to no effect. Meanwhile, Lt Seward’s DH4 took some fire from the AAMG and with no other targets, Murdoch strafed the MG emplacement causing minor damage, the AAMG missed it’s mark and Murdoch could see the men struggling with their gun (0 DAM gun jam). The infantry opened up on the plane as it flew over to no effect.
As Murdoch aligned with his target for Sgt Lindsay to take his first photos, trench fire hit an oil line and black smoke started to billow from the engine of the two seater. (Smoke damage from trench fire – only special damage applies). Meanwhile, the black DVa approaching from the south opened up on Lt O’Connor’s HD1 and got a direct hit on his fuel supply and engine causing an immediate explosion!
On the right flank, the DH4 and Camel flew past the DVa and Cpl MacGrory managed to get some shots off from the rear, causing some more damage to the German Albatross.
As Lt O’Connor’s plane plummeted to the earth in NML, Seward kept his plane steady, allowing Sgt Lindsay to get a photo of the ground target (photo taken – STR, Not over red dot). The infantry fired frantically at the DH4 to no effect.
2lt Hearn banked his DH4 to align with a target while Mike Griffith’s Camel took some trench fire, causing some damage to his control surfaces (LT rudder damage), while the DvA banked to his left to circle back on the enemy planes.
Lt Seward executed a stall so that Sgt Lindsay could get another photo. He managed to get a photo just before feeling the bullets from the approaching red dVa riddle the fuselage and felt a sting of pain as some scrapnel ripped through his left arm. Seward heard and felt the enemy bullets and knew it could not be good when he heard the Sgt yelling in anger and pain. With what he hoped were some useful photos in the bag, the pilot decided it was time to head for the barn.
As Griffith performs an immelman with his Camel, CPl MacGrory shoots a photo of their first ground target (PHOTO taken – stall maneuver over the red dot)
Seward banks his DH4 to head for home while taking shots from the red DvA to no effect. Hearn pilots the DH4 towards his next target while Mike heads to intercept the DvA.
Looking over his right shoulder, Griffith sees two DvA’s hot on the tail of Seward’s brown DH4. He decides to break of the pursuit of the purple and green DvA and go help the smoking DH4. This was a mistake as he gave a clear shot for the other DvA , now on his tail.
The infantry fired furiously at the low flying Camel and were overjoyed to see flame start shooting out from behind the enemy plane (Fire damage from trench shooting!)
The red DvA continued his fire on Seward’s plan causing minor damage, as well as damaging his rudder control (right rudder damage)
Griffith continues his turn towards the enemy planes as he realizes he is in deep trouble and needs to head to the barn. He takes some AAMG fire, and fires back to no effect. That darn infantry gets a lucky shot on his engine – now he is on fire with a sputtering engine! Through all of this Griffith’s only regret is not being able to help out his DH4’s!
Meanwhile Seward’s DH4 takes some close range shots from the red DvA, luckily only causing minor holes in his fuselage.
Hearn has lined his DH4 up perfectly for his next target and Cpl MacGrory gets his second set of photographs.(Straight, not over red dot).
Hearn banks the DH4 left to line up one more target before heading out and sees the two DvA’s bearing down on him. He also looks left as he is banking and much to his dismay sees Griffith’s camel spewing flames, sputtering and losing altitude. He also sees Seward making a bee line for NML and home.
Seward takes a shot from the nearby DvA whose guns jam – just in time for Seward! The infantry opens fire on everything they can reach but to no effect.
As Hearn continues his bank he finds himself face to face with the german pilot in the black DVa. They trade shots causing serious damage to the DH4 (7 damage plus LT rudder). The DH4 shots miss their mark.
With no left rudder control, Hearn flies straight allowing MacGrory to get his last photo (stall, not over dot). MacGrory is too busy taking photos to fire any shots at the red Albatross as it flies across his tail!
Griffith continues his turn for home feeling the plane shuttering beneath him and his engine sputtering (2 damage from fire this turn)
Now it just time for the Brits to get out of there and return the photos safely home. The lone DVa in the pursuit is furiously working on unjamming his guns.
Suddenly the fire reaches Griffith’s fuel tank and his plane explodes in a ball of flame! As the DH4’s try to get out of harm’s way.
The green and blue DvA has unjammed his guns and fires a burst into the retreating DH4.(3 damage)
Meanwhile Hearn manages to get good alignment for one more photo on his way back to the lines! He shots at MacGrory – “Get the Photo!” as he executes a stall directly over the target! (stall, over red dot).
The infantry in the trenches fires furiously at the low flying DH4 to no avail. Hearn sees the brown DH4 of Seward disappear over the horizon and breathes a sigh of relief – at least one of them will get home – now he had to follow suit. Ramping up to full throttle he makes it across the lines, taking some more trench fire damaging his rudder . He doesn’t need it now – he just needs to fly straight home. He realizes the DvA’s will not be able to catch up to him and breaths another sigh – he is hoping the photos they are bringing back will be worth the lives of the two scout pilots!
BUTCHER’S TALLY
LT Alan O’Connor/ SD NML/0 kills
Crash: Rolled 6-3(EXP)-1 NML = 2 KIA!
2Lt Michael Griffith/SD NML/0 KILLS
Crash: Rolled 4-3(EXP)-1NML = 0 KIA!!
Lt Murdoch Seward/RTB/O KILLS
Sgt ARAN LINDSAY/RTB/WIA/0 Kills
Photos: 2 taken, 1 Straight, Partial; 1 Stall, Partial
Crash & Wound: Rolled 7-1 Wound+3 Landed safely = 9 All’s Well that ends Well!
2Lt Erwann Hearn/RTB/0 Kills
Cpl Ethan MacGrory/RTB/0 kills
Photos: 4 taken, 1 Straight, on target; 1 Straight, Partial; 1 Stall, Partial;1 Stall, on target
German Scouts:
Obltn Fritz Zorn/RTB/0 kills
LTn Heinrich Gille/RTB/1 kill
Ltn Gunther Ehmann/RTB/0 kills
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Originally Posted by flash
Good show Joe.
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