OTT-FYM Mission 1: First Outing – 5th April 1917 {Stumptonian}
Mission Briefing: https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...1917-by-Hu-Rhu
During the buildup toward the Spring offensive, British High Command was pressing for updated photos of the German front lines.
Accordingly, several sorties were sent to get confirmation of the situation.
One such sortie was assigned to 57 Squadron RFC.
Led by the most senior pilot of the group, Lt Douglas Winterbottom (and his Observer AM3 William ‘Bill’ Holder) the unit had been allocated with the most recent two-seaters available: the Bristol Fighter B.F2A
Conditional to their acceptance of these new aircraft was the instruction that the flight follow the doctrine that they remain in close formation if attacked, in order to inflict the most damage possible to the enemy.
The other aircrews assigned were 2Lt Harold Mulock & AM1 Patrick McNeaney and 2Lt Neil Stead & AM3 William Holme.
All were eagerly looking forward to trying out these new machines.
Rumour had it they were far better than the old R.E.8 ‘Harry Tate’ or the Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter.
The Flying Doctrine neutralized some of the benefits of the more powerful engine, so at first the crews were not particularly impressed by their new chariots.
As they crossed from No Man’s Land into enemy territory, Winterbottom noticed some by now familiar aircraft approaching and waggled his wings to attract attention of the other pilots.
On the other side, three Albatros D.III of Jasta 24 ‘Adler’ were eying the approaching Brits.
Ltn Felix Eisenhardt and Ltn Dietrich Oelker were in fairly close formation, while Ltn Jens Höfer was a short distance off to their right.
Oelker is over-anxious and darts toward the Brisfits.
Now that he is closer he ponders if these are new machines as their silhouette is a little different from ones he has fought in the past.
Tikka tikka
His Sniper skill is put to good use and he does some decent damage to the F.2A of Winterbottom/Holder.
Ratatatat
Winterbottom’s return fire sets Oelker’s D.III aflame!
Ratatatat
Stead adds more lead to the Albatros but does not further damage.
Eisenhardt jumps in to help his wingman.
Tikka tikka
Stead’s Observer, Holme is cursing his Lewis as it jams when he is hit hard by Eisenhardt’s bullets.
"Arrrgghhh!"
Tikka tikka
Höfer gets a close range shot at Mulock/McNeaney and sees some bits of fabric and wood flying from the Bristol.
Oelker is distracted by the flames and nearly collides with Höfer!
Da da da da
McNeaney gets a short range burst on Oelker and damages the Albatros rudder controls.
[That’s a ‘gimme’ for the Brit: should have been in the Bristol’s blind spot.]
Da da da da
Holder adds his ‘two bits’ to Oelker, but jams his Lewis.
“Bugger” he mutters under his breath.
Tikka tikka tikka
Eisenhardt’s sniper skill is not up to his usual.
[He does manage to avoid a gun jam but his ‘Plus 1s’ are for naught.]
Oelker’s fire is spreading and, again, he nearly plows into Höfer.
He will have to think about breaking off the attack and heading home.
Tikka tikka
Eisenhardt changes target and fires at Mulock/McNeaney.
Serious damage at last.
Da da da da
McNeaney is lucky he checked his Lewis pan before they set out this morning or he would have been cursing about now ….
Eisenhardt changes targets again
Tikka tikka
Winterbottom’s rudder controls are hit.
Holder is cursing his Lewis as Eisenhardt flies past.
Oelker pulls off a Split-S
Tikka tikka
Höfer takes a long range shot and hits the jackpot!
Or, at least, the fuel tank ….
Mulock appears lifeless as the Bristol plummets.
Oelker is drifting side to side trying to keep the flames under control.
Holder has cleared his jam and tries a long range shot at Eisenhardt.
The Brisfits are just out of range of the Albatrosses.
Tikka tik….
“Verdammt!”
Höfer has jammed his guns.
Ratatatat
Stead does some damage in return.
With a final flare-up the fire on Oelker’s Albatros flickers out.
His aircraft has taken a lot of damage, though, so it’s still an FRTB for him.
Da da d…
Holder can’t believe it.
Perhaps he should start checking his Lewis pan like McNeaney and Holme do.
Stead closes on Höfer but cannot get a shot off.
[Overlap]
Höfer is lucky – Holme is jammed and Winterbottom is out of arc.
[Holme is operating under the OTT rule for a wounded observer and is not yet ready to rejoin the fray]
Oelker limps his Albatros back over German lines.
Tikka tikka
“Aarggh!”
Eisenhardt hits Winterbottom in his right side.
Da da da da
Holder hits Eisenhardt’s engine and seriously damages it.
Da da da da
Holme has finally got himself into position to fire his Lewis again and hits Höfer.
Not much damage, though ….
Oelker gets himself out of harm’s way.
Tikka tikka
Höfer doesn’t realize he’s “letzter Mann, der noch steht“ < Last man standing > as he hits Stead‘s Bristol.
Höfer is too close to get Stead again so he fires at Winterbottom.
Tikka tikka
“Arrgghhh!”
Winterbottom is hit again, this time in his left side.
It’s too much pain and he is losing control of the Bristol.
Winterbottom struggles but gets the Bristol down into No Man’s Land in one piece.
Holme shouts at Stead “Winterbottom’s down!” as Höfer passes by the last remaining Bristol.
Stead realizes he needs to get his wounded partner home …
… while Eisenhardt struggles with his wonky engine as he works his way back to base.
Butcher’s Tally
57 Squadron
Bristol F.2A
2Lt Harold Mulock: (P2) Bristol F.2A (subdued): EXP-ET / 0 kills
C&W: Rolled 2 -3EXP = -1 - Dead ! KIA
AM1 Patrick McNeaney: (O) Bristol F.2A (subdued): EXP-ET / 0 kills
C&W: Rolled 7 -3EXP = 4 - Injured - skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 3 = Skip 3
E&E: Rolled 9 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 6 - In Hiding - skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 2 = Skip 1
Bristol F.2A
Lt Douglas Winterbottom: (P2) Bristol F.2A (day): SD-NML / 2WIA / 0 Kills, 1 Probable FRTB-D (Oelker)
C&W: Rolled 12 –1SD -1NML -2WIA = 8 - Injured - skip 1D2 scenarios, rolled 2 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 9 +1NML -2WIA -1WIC = 7 - Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario
He’s a tough bugger! 3 wounds and only skips one mission.
AM3 Bill Holder: (O) Bristol F.2A (day): SD-EXP-NML / 0 Kills, 1 Probable FRTB-E (Eisenhardt)
C&W: Rolled 7 -1SD -1NML = 5 - Injured skip 1D3 scenarios, rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 7 +1NML -1WIC = 7 - Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario
Bristol F.2A
2Lt Neil Stead: (P2) Bristol F.2A (subdued): RTB / 0 Kills
AM3 William Holme: (O) Bristol F.2A (subdued): RTB / WIA / 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 6 +1RTB -1WIA = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 (actual D3) = Skip 3
Adler
Albatros D.III
Ltn Jens Höfer: RTB / 2 Kills
Albatros D.III
Ltn Dietrich Oelker: FRTB-D / 0 Kills
Rolled 5+2 = Stuck the landing.
Albatros D.III
Ltn Felix Eisenhardt: FRTB-E / 0 Kills
Rolled 1+4 = Stuck the landing.
Victory Points
57 Squadron RFC
2 FRTB = 10 points
Adler
2 shot down = 20 points
Adler Victory!
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I enjoyed that one, Gary.
Nice to get some different machines to the table again.
Nearly six years since my Brisfits have flown.
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for his third & fourth victories for the Kaiser 
Originally Posted by Teaticket
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