OTT Mission 4: Santa's little Helpers - 24th December 1917
OTT Mission 4: Santa's little Helpers - 24th December 1917
Late December 1917. For some of the soldiers at the front it would be their fourth Christmas in the trenches. A very somber and depressing mood was spreading as the 25th approached.
The weather conditions were poor at best and ground access to the front was mostly impossible. Army HQ in one of its twinges of humanity decided to make sure the front line troops received letters and presents from home for Christmas. The morale of the army would benefit greatly but ground deliveries were mostly not possible. Ernst Von Hoeppner, Kommandierender General der Luftstreitkräfte (Commanding General of the Air Service) came up with the idea that his heavy bombers could make the Christmas deliveries. Word was sent to the Jastas to organize escorts for the morning of the 26th.
15:22, 24 December. Buttner dismissed the dispatch rider, Hans, telling him to see the mess attendant where he would be taken care of. The message was supposed to get here yesterday but because of the horrible ground conditions it was lucky to have arrived at all. The dispatch rider had to abandon his motorcycle and make his way on foot for the last 15 miles.
“Poor sod”, Buttner thought to himself. “Hans would not be getting back to his own unit and friends for Christmas now. Hopefully he can enjoy himself a bit tonight here with the Eagles”.
The chief mechanic, Gunther, raised his bushy eyebrows and shook his head. “We only have two scouts that can be readied by morning. Most have had their engines removed for overhaul as they have been over worked lately. We thought the Fliegers would enjoy their Christmas on the ground.”
“Have the two readied for dawn if you can,” Buttner looked Gunther in the eye. With a hand on Gunther’s left shoulder, “I am sorry to do this to you and the crew on Christmas Eve but we all must remember, the war does not stop for holidays.”
Buttner didn’t have time to finish telling the details of the mission to his pilots when chaos broke out with everyone jumping out of their seats, raising a hand and asking to fly.
Theodor Schwarz and Wilhelm Fischer volunteered the loudest and got the job.
After taking off they buzzed the mess and then headed to the rendezvous with the bombers.
Teddy and Wilhelm were more than happy to get to fly the new Fokker Dr.1s. When the first Dr.1s arrived they were fought over until it was realized that a structural flaw made them as deadly to the pilot as to the enemy. Now that they were returning with the flaws fixed everyone wanted one of their own. Flying the units first two Dr.1s was a Christmas present to Teddy and Wilhelm.
Agustus Owen (SE5a19) lead the morning flight. Volunteers were not easy to convince that a morning patrol on Christmas Day was a good idea. (Archie Joslyn-SE5a, Edward Stimpson-Camel w/red chevron, Bertram Mason-Camel w/blue circles)
Flying over the lines heading east Gus could make out a pair of large specks, ‘Looks like the Hun are up to something,” he thought to himself.
He waved his wings to get the flight’s attention and pointed. The flight formed up.
Teddy (yellow band) and Wilhelm(red/white/black stripes) found the Gothas and each took a wing on the leader.
As they got closer to the lines they noticed a flight heading towards them from the west.
Gus made a bee line towards the lead bomber but was intercepted by Teddy and Wilhelm.
Gus felt the stick seize as he blew past the triplanes. He engaged the bomber but could not turn right after it. As soon as he made his pass he headed for the 2nd bomber.
The rear gunner was relieved that the British plane turned off as he worked on the jam with his freezing fingers.
Wilhelm held his breath as an SE5a closed in on him. Two flashes from the gun barrels were all he saw, then nothing.
Evading the SE5a, Wilhelm forgot Teddy was on his left and almost collided with him.
Both of the two new British pilots chose to go after a bomber but crossed paths and almost flew into each other.
Gus swept straight into the rear bomber through a hail of bullets. He placed a line of lead all the way down the wings causing great damage. (14 points for a boom on Gothas)
The lead Gotha lines up to drop on the collection point.
Edward Stimpson follows Gus to the 2nd bomber.
Never having attacked a Gotha before, the sheer size of it overwhelms him and Edwin’s Camel glances off of the bomber. He didn’t feel much of a jostle but there is a lot of canvas flapping that a moment before was firmly attached.
Before turning off, the Gotha crew watch the packages parachutes open and drift down to the waiting arms of the troops below.
Gus’s speed sends him well past the bomber while Edwin sets to reverse and get on the bomber’s tail.
Archie and Bertram take their time engaging the lead bomber.
Unhindered a second successful drop is made.
Wilhelm tries to close on the British but their faster planes leave him behind after one long shot.
Teddy gets in between a Camel and a Gotha. Both let loose and punish each other with Teddy getting wounded as an outcome.
Edwin curses his guns jamming as he sees the bomber getting closer.
Staying on the bomber’s tail Edwin can only receive fire as he works to clear his jam.
As the lead Gotha turns for home a SE5a swoops in. Shots are exchanged, canvas ripped on both planes but the Brit quickly goes silent.
Archie immediately hammers at his Vickers ignoring the hulking Gotha that barely misses him.
Teddy lines up a Camel as does the Gotha’s rear gunner while the pilot lets one load of presents drop. Both score telling shots and the Gotha observer gets the kill.
Another happy unit receives it’s Christmas mail while the bombers battle above.
The Gotha’s rear gunner takes aim and Archie is hit in the shoulder.
The last load is released as Bertram warily closes in on the bomber.
Teddy and Wilhelm fly a bit too close. As Teddy waves Wilhelm off Gus returns to the fray and surprises them. Teddy taking a few rounds through the wings.
As Archie turns for home he lets loose into the Gotha. The rear gunner keeps up his shooting and sets the SE5a on fire.
Bertram wanting to make his presence known takes a long shot.
Shaken by Gus’ appearance Teddy and Wilhelm almost collide again.
Archie, feeling a bit dizzy from his wound keeps focused as he watched the fire grow.
He does his best to guide his plane home while dealing with the flames.
Wilhelm and the Gotha tear into poor Bertram’s Camel, who’s dismal fire barely puts a hole or two into the Gotha in return.
Teddy’s sharp turn catches Gus with a close range burst.
Gus, coming to Bertram’s aid focused on Wilhelm nearly colliding with Teddy.
Gus punishes the triplane, damaging it’s engine in the attack. Wilhelm’s shot on Bertram is wide as he vainly tries to evade Gus.
The Gotha’s rear gunner hears no sound as he pulls the trigger on Bertram.
Teddy doesn’t miss the opportunity and calmly fires accurately into the Camel.
Bertram forces himself to fly straight at the bomber and rips into it, sending it lumbering down into the ground. The Gotha’s forward gunner, shooting at him while on the way down, not wanting to watch the ground getting closer.
Wilhelm, gets right behind the Camel and with no hesitation renders the airplane into a broken mass of canvas, wood and wire.
Will the surviving Gotha make it home? Will any more brave pilots get shot down on Christmas Day? To be continued...
(Dave, I added Bertram Mason and Edwin Stimpson as I was short of pilots for the Bulldogs.)
Paul, look at the drop photos, I think I have 2 at 25% and 2 at 50%, your call!
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Originally Posted by gully_raker
Saturday when I am back home with all my planes I'll finish this up. The Gotha should get away as it has a big head start but the triplanes are so slow...they won't be out running Gus in the SE5a and the oncoming Bristol Fighter!
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