Mission 6 - She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain - 21st Jan 1918. Cane Corso.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

It looked like just another simple job, The train was in steam and the weather was fine. not a snow cloud in the sky.

With plenty of fuel, and a promise of overhead cover, in addition to that offered by the mountains themselves this journey should be a piece of cake, or to be more exact "ein Stück Kuchen" as engineer Gruber remarked to his Fireman. Opening the throttle he began the long journey from Graz to Trieste. All went well, and the snows in the high passes were very picturesque at this time of the year.




Gruber felt that he could enjoy this journey now that he was at last free from running the gauntlet of the Russian front.




Besides had he not got coaches full of armed soldiers and two Anti aircraft guns mounted on the flat cars further down the train.



After an hour or two he had reached the limit of the snow line,and the train was now running out into a verdant valley between the lower slopes of the Skof ja Loca.





Suddenly above the noise of the Locomotive he heard a strange almost unearthly screaming and whining noise.

Kyte.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

AAR,
She'll Be Comin' Round The Mountain - 21st Jan 1918. Cane Corso.


Magiore Antonio Largo glanced around the sky to acertain the position of his polli.





They were exactly placed as he had ordered , To hs right Tenente Pinnichi. To his left Tenente Gambrelli, and to the rear, and slightly above, Sotto Tenente Rizzotto with his observer Sgt. Giacomo De Manio. flying the Pomillio.

The burden of having the Nieuport with the Rockets did not phase Largo at all. He had flown many missions against the Austrian Palloncini before with success. This was however his very first attempt at a ground attack upon a treno ferroviario.






Then as if by magic there it was wending its way through a ravine in the mountains.
As they approached Largo turned to avoid a nearby peak, before straightening up for his run.





Just at that moment the train started to turn through a defile.





Cursing, Antonio was forced to adjust his approach once again before
he began his dive, but was pleased to see that his Polli had anticipated his moves and were still in formation.




Sparking the electric ignition switches, he felt the accustomed G force as the eight rockets started on their course with a whoosh clearly audible above the aircraft's 110 hp Le Rhone 9J engine.





Engineer Gruber heard a strange almost unearthly screaming noise, and was trying desperately to place its source in his mind just before his world ended in a fearful turmoil of ripped pipe work and scalding steam.




The Rockets for once, had not only kept together but struck the Locomotive with unerring accuracy.








Whilst the Italian pilots were trying to take in the scene of devastation below them, the Aviatiks of Flik 60J struck, led by none other than Oberleutnant Frank Linke-Crawford.





At exactly the same moment the AA fire from the now stationary train burst amongst the Italian aircraft, causing them to buck and rear under the force of the detonation.












Within seconds all hell was let loose as the machine guns from the train and the dogfight commenced.







Railway coaches were hit, machine guns jammed and Pinchinni was not only hit but a splinter wounded him in the leg.




At the same moment Magiore Largo felt a round from the train go through his hand. With a series of gun jams and the Flight broken up things were not looking a mosey as they had done a few minutes before as the train was destroyed.





Finally Pinnichi managed to get Crawford in his sights and delivered a telling burst of gunfire.





Crawford was intent on bringing down Rizzotto, who had just strafed the coach behind the Loco, and shrugged off the insult. With a jammed rear gun De Manio was unable to respond.





As Largo tried to extract his Nieuport which was now out of Rockets and had jammed guns,
Pinnichi fell on the tail of the Aviatic covering Crawford's tail and with a well place burst wrote off its engine, the machine glided down without any power.








Unaware of this, Crawford was once again on the tail of Rizzotto and de Manio, who were attempting to drop their bombs onto the train.





Ignoring the incoming fire they turned in a circle loosing him for a time.


As Crawford again found his mark their bombs were let go.





Even as Crawford fired again and the AA machine guns opened up a direct hit wrote off one of the AA guns and associated machine gunners.












Incoming fire from the other flat truck mercifully missed the Pomillio which was by now rather the worse for wear.




Meanwhile a head to head was taking place between Pinnichi and a third Aviatic. Pinnicheti coming off worst with a damaged rudder.




Suddenly, for the first time in the dog fight Gambrelli took a hand, catching Crawford broadside on as he tried to catch up with Rizzotto once more. pieces were seen to fly from the Austrian's ailerons, an oily smoke billowed from his engine.





Within seconds he was also earthbound with a faltering engine, coughing and smoking.





Unfortunately at that moment the Pomillio was hit by fire from the ground and immediately caught fire.







Largo was heading for home, and Rizzotto tried to emulate him.





Gambrelli was now taking fire from the remaining Aviatic and the ground. It was this latter which caused him to become the third wounded pilot of the day.





Pinnachi repaid the Austrian in kind although failing to wound him.





With two Italian aircraft now on his case the Aviatik pulled an Immelmann in an attempt to extricate himself.





This almost resulted in a three aircraft collision.
Now in an impossible position he ran.





Still on fire Rizzotto realized that he was not going to make it to the lines, and dived to make a landing.








He put down just short of a rocky outcrop, and due to flying straight took more damage on landing.




As he and de Manio stumbled for cover a muffled explosion signaled the end of their aircraft.





Revenge was swiftly metered out, for at the other end of the battlefield Gambrelli was just setting fire to and putting paid to the other Austrian machine.





It crashed just south of the railway track.





Free from interference, Gambrelli now proceeded to strafe the entire length of the train.
















He then headed off to join his two consorts who were making their way back towards the lines.









On the following day the Austrians sent a relief train through the mountains to try and salvage what remained of the Munitions and rescue the stranded troops.





What befell that train is, however, another story entirely.

Kyte.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

The Butcher's Bill.

Cano Corso.


Maj. Antonio Largo: RTB / WIA. Destroyed Locomotive.
Rolled 6 +3RTB -1WIA = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 2 = Skip 1 (W)

Tnt. Giacomo Pinnichi: RTB 1 Kill (Mario Valbella is already out of action for M.6 & 7 )

Tnt. Luigi Gambrelli: RTB. WIA. Two victories. Shot up train.
Rolled 6 +3RTB -1WIA = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 3 = Skip 1 (W)

Pomillio had 17 points of damage - adjudged to have crashed on landing:
S.Tnt. Coisimo Rizzotto: Forced Landing. FLM ET. Bombed Train.
Rolled 7 -2FLM = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 12 -1FLM -1WIC = 10 They didn't even see me !

Sgt. Giacomo de Manio: Forced Landing. FLM ET. Bombed Train.
Rolled 12 -1FLM = 10 All well when you land well !
E&E: 4 -1FLM = 3 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 3






Austrian Eagles.


Three aircraft shot down.





Railway train.

Locomotive destroyed.
One coach destroyed = 5pts
One AA Flatcar destroyed = ?
One wagon damaged = 2pts
3 Scouts shotdown = 6pts

Central Powers:
Two seater shot down = 3 pts





Rob.

[gully_raker]

Oh you tease you, Rob.

[Stumptonian]

Oh you tease you, Rob.

In stereo!

Looks like a good one building up - looking forward to the playout.

[gully_raker]

Oh Rob you have outdone yourself!
What superb scenery & that train set--just perfect.
Great effort & worthy of much Rep!

[Stumptonian]

Great job, Rob.
The 3D scenery and train (and of course your background) really add a lot to the experience.
The rocket effects are spectacular!
I love seeing planes I have had for nearly 3 years actually being used.

When I get a chance I will try them out in one of Carl's scenarios.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Great AAR Rob, superb scenery and action packed.

[Teaticket]

Great 3d scenics and train. Great as they were the battle and it's telling was even better. Another train fails to make it through the pass...good work.

[Setarius]

Excellent job. Epecially on the mountainous terrain.

[flash]

Top notch Rob, well worth the wait - I'm sure Zio will be along once the Tally is posted.

[Dowters]

Great read indeed and fantastic action shots. This game at its very best.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks for all the nice comments chaps.
The Butcher's bill is now posted.

[Setarius]

From what I see the Bulldogs have another victory 13-3.

[flash]

Zio says:


Ciao Roberto ! Well done my brave boys, shame we lost the Pomillio but we have stopped the Austrians in their tracks, literally !
I have replaced Mario Valbella in this mission Tally with Tnt. Giacomo Pinnichi who you actually wrote into the text ...!
(Mario is already out of action for M.6 & 7)
I had a go at the victory points - I think you won this one

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks Zio.

Sorry I slipped up in the Butcher's Bill with Valbella by mistake for Pinnichi.
All these Italians look the same to me! (Senza offesa per i miei amici italiani.)

Kyte.

[flash]

Che errore fare, or, in the true 'Allo 'Allo style of Captain Alberto Bertorelli: "What a mistake-a to make-a"


RIP Gordon Kaye, Rene will always be in our hearts.

[gully_raker]

Che errore fare, or, in the true 'Allo 'Allo style of Captain Alberto Bertorelli: "What a mistake-a to make-a"


RIP Gordon Kaye, Rene will always be in our hearts.

[tikkifriend]

Another Italian classic Rob. Lovely scenic set ('grandkids would love to play with that)
These mission AARs you are narrating are getting me interested in the Canalone Front and that camera of yours was a worthy purchase, every shots a cracker.
one thing though , stop shooting the Germans from the skies

[Flying Officer Kyte]

one thing though , stop shooting the Germans from the skies

I promise you that I will stop shooting your aircraft down before the end of this year.
Kyteoni.

[mikeemagnus]

Really lovely Rob. Great scenery and an excellent AAR. I love the Pomillio. Got to get me one of those! Sorry this is so late, but I'm way behind with things right now. Rep on the way. Cheers, Mike