AAR .
All that Captain Mario Valbella knew was what he had been told by Magiore Largo that morning. As van Der Maren was still wounded and in hospital he would have to meet and escort three agnelli perduti, ferrying three new Spads for the Squadrigglia, and that the most promising of the trio would be a replacement for the late Giacomo Pinnichi.RIP.
Heading away from the Front Line seemed strange, but not an unpleasant change. At least there would be no marauding Austrians to worry about. The enemy had kept to their own side of the Front since the new Italian offensive had begun, and with the steady stream of British and French squadrons reinforcing the Front matters had got even better.
His musings came to an abrupt end when three small dots appeared in the distance. his charges no doubt, and right on time. Not agnelli perduti after all then. Mario banked slightly and headed straight toward them.
Acting Flight Lt. Dave Cosby was relieved to see Mario in the distance.
Flying over Italian landmarks seemed different and more difficult than the training flights in Dear old Blighty. He was glad not to have made any major faux pas. Glancing across at Charles Rainworth and Andy Carmichael , he waggled his wings in what he hoped was a most professional way and headed towards Mario's Ansaldo.
Even as the aircraft approached each other, they were spotted by a couple of Austrian Phoenix which should not even have been there, save that they had been searching along the coast for enemy shipping and spotted the Spads further inland.
They immediately made a beeline for the unsuspecting trio.
As they homed in Mario reached the Spads, and also spotted the enemy machines.
Too late to give a warning, he pulled an Immelmann and attempted to get the attention of the trio's leader.
The three Spads flew on oblivious to the danger.
That was until the rattle of a Schwarzlose machine gun awoke their interest.
Mario exchanged fire with the leading Austrian, but both their guns jammed at the same instant, which was bad news for the Austrian pilot who had no means of unjamming his gun.
As the three Spads broke formation in blind panic at the unexpected onslaught, Andy Carmichael in the rearmost machine came under fire from the other Phoenix diving down from above.
With no foe in reach, and furiously trying to get his guns working, Mario also dived after his little flock.
The remaining Phoenix was now joined by two Aviatacs who had been on a recon mission but were intent on getting in on the act.
Seeing them closing in and approaching the airfield Dave signaled to Charles Rainworth to follow him in. This was his first ever landing under fire and was by no means going to be a piece of cake. with a slight cross wind making things even more difficult he started his approach.
Meanwhile Mario was trying to keep the Phoenix off Andy's tail.
Getting in a good burst, he saw the nose of his adversaries machine flick upward for a second, a sure sign that the pilot had been hit.
Meanwhile, Dave had made a perfect touch down on the airfield, but Charles following him in had been blown off course by a sudden gust of wind.
Piling straight into the hanger, he wrote off Pete van de Maren's favourite Camel which had just been wheeled out for a gun alignment test.
Then the whole front of the hanger erupted in flames.
Although thew fire crews quickly had it under control, Charles was in a real bad way by the time they dragged him out of the wreckage of the two machines.
Dave climbed out of his Spad and dashed across the field to see if he could be of any help, but the rescuers were already carrying Charles off on a stretcher.
Interest now focused on the air above the field, where Mario had just written off the second Phoenix with style.
Another flamer added to the chaos on the periphery of the Drome, as fire trucks rushed hither and thither.
Having had the Phoenix shot off his tail, Andy was now getting unwanted attention from the two Aviatics.
In the nick of time Mario returned to the fray.
Nevertheless, one Aviatic broke away and got onto Andy's tail.
Mario left his original antagonist to its own devices and chased after to one now hounding Andy.
Andy Immelled, but could not recover his orientation quickly enough to get a shot off at the Aviatic now diving in front of him.
However, Mario was once again homing in.
Andy turned away trying to get into a position to try a landing, but this set him up for an attack by the other Aviatic.
Once again Mario found that he could not be in two places at once.
This time, however, his two birds were converging on the same bit of sky, as Mario closed in.
He ripped into the first machine and missed completely.
Holding his nerve he settled for its companion and hosed it as he approached wrecking its maneuverability.
Behind both machines for the first time, he now had his choice of targets, as they followed Andy down.
Andy approached the field blinded by smoke from the burning Phoenix and the smouldering hanger. Taking his life in his hands he made his final approach, as bullets started to sing past his head.
Mario had picked his target, and although it was just out of range of Andy's landing aircraft it was close enough to give him trouble.
Andy ploughed on through the smoke regardless.
Mario clung on to the tail of the Austrian, and hit his man.
Following it up with the Coup de grasse.
Just as Andy touched down.
As the rescue tender raced alongside his aircraft.it all suddenly went awry. A gust of wind got under his wing and lifted him several feet just as he reached stalling speed.
Poor Andy was tipped unceremoniously onto his nose.
Unaware of this the remaining Avatic was approaching the field.
As Mario pounced it turned away, and attempted to exit stage left pursued by bear.
Pecking away at long range, Mario gradually closed.
Then bingo, a hit in the engine and he had it dead to rights.
But with a crafty side-slip, and some inept shooting from Mario, it managed to slip into a cloud-bank and escape.
A disconsolate Maro having just missed out on a hat trick of victories, turned back toward the Drome wondering what sort of a mess he would find on his arrival.
Rob.
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