Scenario Four: The Best Part of Valour - November 5th 1917 - Jasta 2f 'The Falcons'
The Falcons:
Sidweg had been missing for 6 days now Oberleutnant Biettrutoffen could not believe the reports coming in from the front line units. All confirmed seeing a German triplane crashing in flames about 2 miles behind enemy lines.
He knew it had to be Sidweg. They were the only unit operating the new triplane. Ludwig still had a limp but strode out of his office with purpose. On reaching the hangers he enquired if his aircraft was ready. “A little wet as we only finished painting it an hour ago, sir”. “No matter. Is it fuelled and armed?”. “Yes, sir.” “Then push her out and start the prop on my order”.
5 minutes later Ludwig von Biettrutoffen was climbing into the sky looking for revenge.
The Terriers:
“Listen ‘George’, you might have been here longer but I’m flight leader ok!”, “Yes Lawder, you are right Lawder”. George smiled sarcastically. “Right then, we’ll take off, stooge around over St Caronne and see what’s in the offing. Might bag ourselves a few Hun’s, eh, what”. “But Lawder we should stick together and come back together”. “You chicken, George? We know most of the Huns are north around Ypres and what’s left are ours for the taking. So come on”. Lawder raced for his camel closely followed by Hamilton. The two Scotsmen feared nothing whilst George knew just how dangerous the Hun could be!
Later:
William Hamilton was lost. Lawder and Johnston had flown into a cloud formation, he had followed but only he came out the other side. Now he couldn’t make out any landmarks that were familiar to him.
Von Biettrutoffen was flying with determination making good use of the clouds.
Neither pilot had spotted the other. Hamilton was trying hard to get to grips with the camel as it went this way and that, climbed and dived at its own device. Any touch to the controls made it veer in what seemed the opposite of what he wanted it to do. He just wanted to get back to the airfield.
Hamilton popped out of a cloud as a black and white blur sped past him. He pressed the gun trigger but nothing happened. He forgot the safety.
Ludwig had spotted the camel bursting out of the clouds, cockpit still shrouded in whisps of mist. He flipped the Dr1 over and barrelled in guns blazing.
The camel sped past and he maneuvered to get a better shot.
Ludwig fired instinctively before the camel darted behind a cloud.
Hamilton threw the camel to the right and it wheeled into the clouds. He couldn’t see a thing but the dark flash passing him in the cloud could only be the Hun.
Coming out of the cloud and banking hard to get on the camels tail Ludwig fired as the light of day made his target easy to see....and hit.
Hamilton popped into another cloud but came out right in front of Ludwigs guns. Bullets crashed into the camels airframe and Hamilton felt he was punched in the stomach.
Hamilton squeezed his hand in pain not realising the safety was off and his twin Vickers chattered away.
Hamilton felt dizzy and turned the camel to the right trying to turn towards the Dr1. Ludwig spotted the turn and flashed in guns blazing again.
Hamilton’s engine coughed, spluttered and died. The camel spun earthward at the last moment levelling out and crashing near a road.
Ludwig didn’t even look down as his eyes scanned the skies for more targets.
Young Lawder, the flight leader was looking for his friend as he popped out of a cloud. Damn a Hun. He’s mine!
Ludwig was on Lawders tail in a flash, guns firing, then click click click. Damn his guns had jammed!
Turning into the clouds Ludwig un-jammed his guns as he popped out the other side the camel shot past.
Lawder turned the wrong way and Ludwig fired. Bullets slammed into the camel. Lawder was beginning to regret his bravado on take-off and wandered where his two wing men where.
Again Ludwig fired. And again more bullets shredded lawders canvas airframe.
Both aircraft turned away from each other and when Ludwig had turned 180 his opponent was gone!
Lawder was making a break for home! Ludwig spotted the camel and tried to cut him off.
Missing with his first shots he lined up again and fired a more controlled burst. Smoke poured out of the stricken camel.
Ludwig watched as it plunged earthward. Hamilton having lost altitude managed to correct the spin and land the camel in a field but smashed the undercarriage. He would have to walk home. And he was behind enemy lines.
The butchers Bill:
2Lt Hamilton: SD/ET/EXP/WIA 19 damage
Crash rolled: 10-3(exp)-1(WIA) = 6 injured rolled 5 = miss 3.
Escape & Evasion rolled: 6-1(WIA)-1(WIA)-1(BEL)= 3 captured and escaped rolled 2 miss 2.
Miss 5 missions in total.
2Lt Lawder (wrong pilot card shown): SD/ET/16 damage
Crash rolled: 8-1(SD) = 7 injured rolled 2 = miss 1 mission
Escape & Evasion rolled: 7-1(smoke)-1(WIA)-1(BEL) = 4 Captured and escaped roled 2 miss 1 mission
Miss 2 missions in total
2Lt George Johnston: RTB
Oberst Biettrutoffen: RTB/2 damage/2 kills
Summary
1. These were the gallant men of C flight, The Terriers. 2 rookies Lawder & Hamilton.
2. Follwing the original guidelines they were fed into the meat grinder one by one.
3. Upgunning the British planes to A firing I made them rookies to compensate and stay with the original guidelines.
4. von Biettrutoffens was sated with 2 kills but could have maybe got all 3. But Johnston is not a rookie and a marksman himself to boot.
5. Johnston has been put in charge of D flight!
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Originally Posted by flash
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