OTT BE Mission 12, 21 Apr 1918, Another Day over the Somme - teaticket
Late in the afternoon when Theodore Schwarz returned early from the patrol wounded, he claimed to have saved the famous von Richthofen. No one believed him of course. While he was being bandaged up he received endless ribbing.
“Are you sure it wasn’t the other way around?” joked Franz.
Konrad Schroeder landed a few minutes after Teddy. He hesitated to back him up. He said he didn’t see the Baron at all. “But, I was on fire when I pulled out of the fight. I’m sure if the Baron was present we would have seen him and his comrades. Herr Büttner would surely tell us when he returns”, he added.
“Be careful about boasting or the Baron will give you your next wound”! burst out Rudolf (Lefty).
Amadeus almost fell out of his chair, “That’s one way to get your silver wound badge”.
“You have to believe me”, pleaded Teddy. “An enemy plane was on the Baron’s tail and I shot him up helping the Baron shake him”.
Hans rolled his eyes, “And soon Richthofen will come here to personally thank you, ya-ya”.
Teddy turned red with anger that his comrades didn’t believe him.
Later that evening the Eagles were all present in the mess well before the appointed hour. The mess was surprisingly clean. “What’s up with that”, they all thought. They hadn’t seen Büttner since the patrol and all were curious why he summoned them all together. To pass the time they kept up teasing Teddy.
Franz let out “I bet you’ll be invited to fly with the 11th and will become the Schwarze Baron”. They all roared. Franz continued, “Oh no, sorry, there’s already one, so you’ll have to be the Schwarze Ente”! (Black Duck)
Amadeus and Lefty held each other up so not to fall they were laughing so hard.
Major Büttner strode in and everyone went silent. Without saying a word he set out all the shot glasses and poured everyone a round of Schnapps, gathered them to the front table and raised his glass, “Gentlemen, a toast, to our honored guest, Manfred von Ricthofen.”
All eyes turned to the door and to their disbelief, there stood the Red Baron. Mouths opened, not a word came out. Von Richthofen walked to the group and thanked Büttner for the invitation. He downed a shot and then looked around, “Theodore Schwarz”?
Teddy pulled down on the hem of his jacket briefly and stepped forward.
“The Major tells me it was you who got me out of a fix, I want to thank you”. As von Richthofen put out his hand towards Teddy you could have heard a pin drop.
“So I hear you have a good piano player here in the Eagle’s Nest”, Richthofen said as he looked around the mess at everyone.
Büttner called out, “Lefty, can you get this celebration started”?
A cheer went up and Teddy was carried to the piano and plunked on top of it. Before he could get down Lefty was already pounding out a marching song that they all joined in on. In no time at all it seemed as if Manfred was an old friend and the stories and songs lasted into the morning.
As the Baron and Büttner talked, the Baron asked how the Eagles were faring keeping their planes air worthy. Büttner hesitated at first but then told of how new planes were slow in coming. The ground crew did an exceptional job patching up the old Albatros and Dr1s. The brief experience with the Siemens Schuckert DIIIs was wonderful but they were recalled quickly. Replacements were sorely needed.
“Don’t fret Herr Büttner, I’ll put in a word to see some of the newest planes come your way. There are some new planes soon to come out that will finally best what the Entente have”.
Büttner thanked his guest several times over knowing that no one would have more pull at getting new planes for the Eagles than he.
“So, you did some excellent flying this afternoon”, the Baron looked Büttner in the eye with a smile. “When my engine went bad you took on the enemy with great courage”.
Büttner fought not to blush, “The enemy were avoiding engaging you and I was the only other plane for them to play with. Thank goodness the two you brought into our scuffle left straight away”. After a brief pause, “I was quite surprised to see you in out sector today”...
“There we were, the three of us on our daily afternoon patrol. Konrad Schroeder on my right, Thedore Schwarz on my left. We were all in Fokker Dr1s. A very agile plane to say the least but not nearly as fast as the Entente planes”.
Above and hidden in the sun were three Sopwith Dolphins heading east. Roy Morrow lead the flight with two new Bulldog out on their first contact flight. Morrow flew his checkered deck with #3 flown by George Malley bon his left. On the right is #2 flown by Charles Trescowthick.
It had been a long day, this being the third flight for some, the fourth for Büttner and the rest. Fatigue was setting in. Büttner could feel it and wanted to get back to the aerodrome as soon as their last pass over the sector was completed.
Then, out of the sun came diving down three very fast Entente craft. Büttner was embarrassed and angry that he and his flight had been jumped by the British. Büttner and Konrad got off a shot at one while tracers zipped past Büttner’s Tiger.
Theodore was not so lucky as his triplane was struck hard. Pieces of the top wing ribbing were torn off and hit him in the chest and shoulder along with the offending round. He wasn’t sure if it was just from the pain of being hit but he could not breathe. He didn’t know that it was just that the wind had been knocked out of him by the debris. He instinctively went into survival mode and planned his maneuvers to head back home as he gasped for breath.
The flight of Dolphins, lead by Roy Morrow flew past so fast no one could get off another aimed shot.
Büttner immediately Immelmanned but could not get any of the Dolphins in his sights having to shoot beneath Teddy passing between he and the EA.
Konrad and Teddy did catch one as it turned back over the lines.
Teddy, still sluggish after being hit was still recovering his breath when his Dr1 was hit again. At least Konrad returned some hurt to the enemy plane. Unfortunately for Konrad he jammed his guns helping out Teddy.
Teddy, still wheezing catching his breath, didn’t have the control he needed but took a shot anyway as he had to try to help his Major.
Roy Morrow lined up for a shot at the Tiger but he was distracted and missed. Morrow recognized this enemy. He had been trouble for the Bulldogs since before Morrow joined them.
Büttner quickly turned the tables on Morrow and keen marksmanship inflicted some serious damage to the flight leader’s Dolphin.
Konrad, desperately trying to clear his guns has his tail shredded by George Malley. Malley was thrilled as this was his first flight with the Bulldogs, fresh out of training. Getting in a good hit on an enemy plane increased the level of his excitement, if that was possible for a first flight combat.
With all involved in the melee above no one noticed the Camel down below heading west.
On it’s tail was a plane familiar to all, a red Dr1. Only one pilot flew a plane dressed like this, the Red Baron! The Baron’s marksmanship was second to none and he scored a devastatinging blow from extremely long range. Normally he would prefer to do his dirty work at close range but this fellow was getting away.
Büttner cursed his luck as his Spandau’s did nothing while the oncoming Dolphin of Charles Trescowthick picked away at his controls.
Konrad’s Dr1 ignited under Charles’ well timed shot. The surprising ignition startled Konrad so that his return fire went wildly wide of the mark.
Büttner didn’t notice the Camel below as he was consumed clearing the jammed round from his Spandau.
Teddy’s eyes were wide open as he thought he saw a red Dr1, ‘THE’ red Dr1, fly past below. He just caught in the corner of his eye a Camel diving down after the Dr1. He nosed up and traded a passing shot hoping this would deter the Camel or at least warn the Red Baron below.
Konrad, doing what one must when one’s aircraft was on fire, twisted, turned and dove to extinguish the flame. Consumed in the fight for his life he missed seeing the Red Baron pass by ever so close.
2Lt Brown, not deterred buy Teddy’s one shot, kept on the tail of the red triplane.
The Baron, trying his best to keep on the fleeing Camel he was chasing had an opportunity to fire on a Dolphin just above. Taking aim, he shot up Morrow’s rudder.
After clearing the jam and working his stick and pedals, Büttner's ailerons and rudder regained some control.
Malley sees his leader scuffing about with the red triplane and closes in to help. Being a rookie he failed to look around to see if it was safe to do so.
Büttner takes advantage of the rookie and gets behind Malley, dealing some serious damage to the Dolphin.
Konrad breaths a sigh of relief as the fire sputters out. With the bad condition of his triplane he decides it best to head back.
As the Baron tangles with Morrow, 2Lt Brown finally gets in range and fires. His aim is true but his Vickers give out. Seeing the Camel he was escorting safely heading home, Brown decides to do the same. This is not his fight. The trio of Dolphins should be able to hold their own against a couple of Dr1s.
Malley also gets in a shot at the Baron but he is also cursed with a faulty round fouling his weapons.
In his brief moment of satisfaction knowing he has fired on the Red Baron, Malley ignored that he had another triplane behind him and only focused on the red triplane in front of him, a rookie mistake. This proved costly as he is hammered from behind again by Büttner. His plane cannot take the punishment and spirals down towards the ground.
The Baron crossed the lines at low level still with an eye on the Camel he was chasing. Avoiding the Dolphins he loses ground on his prey to the point he knows he will not catch him. One Dolphin shot down behind him, now to deal with the one directly above.
As the Baron and Morrow struggle for position at wingtip distance the troops below stop firing when their enemy is entwined with one of their own.
Büttner sees a Dolphin coming up at 5 O’clock, the Baron is scrapping with another to his 7, what to do?
The Baron can handle himself goes without saying, so deal with the unengaged plane.
He fakes a right turn and immelmanns hoping to catch the Dolphin in the hind quarter. The Dolphin is too fast and goes flying past.
Meanwhile the Baron has shaken off Morrow and decides to head home after the Camels disappear to the east. Groundfire again finds it’s mark.
Büttner sees blue smoke puffing out of the red triplane’s engine cowling. The Baron won’t be able to outrun the Dolphins to safety so he has to quickly engage the enemy.
The sharp turning Tiger surprises the rookie in the Dolphin. Charles thought he’d try that neat reversal maneuver to get on the Germans but Büttner’s determination and skill position him for a clean shot. He tears into the Dolphin’s engine with his great aim.
Charles panics and tries to turn away from the orange triplane and the veteran German does not let up. Charles feels the hammer of a slug hit him and crumples in his seat. Another round finds him and he passes out, his plane drifting down in a slow wide spin.
Büttner, knowing this enemy is done for, looks about for the Baron. He finds him flying low crossing the lines.
He catches up with the Baron above friendly lines. The Baron signals he is heading home. Büttner scans the sky and sees no threat. He keeps his position above and to the Baron’s 8 O’clock. They fly several miles together and then part ways to return to each own’s aerodrome.
By the time Morrow turns his Dolphin around he finds the sky empty. Two small dots crossing the lines east are too far away to catch. He then circles round looking for his downed rookies. He finds Malley sitting on the ground next to his crashed Dolphin. Malley waves energetically showing he is ok.
It takes a few minutes but he finds the smoking remains of Trescowthick’s crash. There are several infantrymen gathered around the wreck. Charles is not seen but a soldier waves thumbs up so Morrow takes that as he must be alive. He circles a few more times watching Charles removed from the wreck then heads back home.
BUTCHER’S BILL
Entente
Rookie Lionel Bateman RTB 0 Kills
Veteran 2Lt Brown RTB 0 Kills
2Lt Roy Morrow RTB 0 kills
2Lt George Malley SD FT 0 Kills
C 12 -1(sd) = 11 OK!
2Lt Charles Trescowthick SD WIA WIA FT 0 Kills TOTAL -2 Missions
C 10 -1(sd) -2(wiax2) = 7 injured, 5 = -2 missions
Central Powers
Ltn Thedore Schwarz RTB WIA 0 Kills
C 10 -1(wia) +3(rtb) = 12 OK!
Ltn Konrad Schroeder RTB 0 Kills
Maj Peter Büttner RTB 2 Kills
Manfred von Ricthoften RTB 0 Kills
Victory points
Entente Exiting Eagles +2
Rookie exits west +3
Veteran exits west +1 total +6
Central Powers Bulldogs shot down (2) +4
Ace Dr1 exits east +3 total +7
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by grumpybear
Like your Dr1s, nice repaints. And the Dolphins look very spry!
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