OTT FYM - Mission 3 – Flash’s Bloody April – 19th April 1917
Past mid-April 1917 and times had been hard on men and machines so far in what the chaps had already started calling bloody April amongst themselves.
Lt Bill Foldes had been tasked with leading the escort for the Bull Terriers on a recon mission behind the German lines, and to that purpose they had gathered whatever machines were available and between them had created a very odd looking formation to get the job done. Foldes felt they were jumping into the pickle barrel and wasn't optimistic for the outcome.
Foldes is on the left of the outbound formation in his silver Nieuport 17 with twin mounted Lewis guns over the top plane. RHIP and all that !
Just to his right is Ltn Justin Hale with AM.2 Reg (Ar) Sole, his observer, in a Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, aka a Big Awk.
To their right is 2lt Chris Packett with AM.3 Ric(hard) Shaw as his observer in a RAF RE.8 and outside of them on the right flank, piloting a SPAD VII, is 2Lt Bobby Pynne, he of sharp eye and numerous kills
A they entered no man’s land Foldes spotted a kette off to his left heading in the opposite direction, this did not bode well.
L-R: Ltns Franz Werner (Roland D.II); Max Manschott (Albatros D.III – black tail); William Pozner (Albatros D.III – white trim); Obltn Georg Pütter (Albatros D.III – red stripe) kette leader
Behind the kette at some distance Foldes also spied a returning recon flight from other squadrons containing a mixed bag of Quirks and Fee’s, probably hoping to get away unnoticed by the receding kette before them.
Ahead of him entering from the right Foldes also spotted another brace of Albatrii one mostly red. Could it be..?
Fortunately they seemed to have their eye on the Quirks, no doubt hoping for quick victories.
L-R: Ltn Kurt Wolff (Albatros D.III – green trim); Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen (Albatros D.III - red).
The kette had clearly spotted them as it soon slanted in their direction, but they mis-calculated, or, mis-timed their approach and presented Foldes with an easy target as the Roland slid across his nose. His twin Lewis chattered and damaged some controls.
Reacting immediately the Roland rolled around Foldes’ Nieuport only to meet a close-range burst from Hale’s Vickers.
Pink mist ! Hale sees pink mist and the Roland’s pilot stiffen, he’s sure he’s clipped the pilot. His Big Awk rocks under the Roland’s return fire before one of its Spandau’s jams.
Pynne turns his SPAD to meet the attack, catching the Roland at short range too, leaving it trailing dirty Hun smoke before his Vickers momentarily jams.
His initial target having evaded him leave Foldes with a long-range exchange with a black tailed Albatros, his Nieuport takes a blow but he feels he’s giving nearly as good as he’s got when one of his Lewis jams. Damn !
Hale can’t believe his luck as he gets a close-range burst into the black tailed Albatros as it slips under Pynne’s SPAD.
It doesn’t seem to do too much damage but it does feel so good to have a go !
The Quirks are understandably somewhat disconcerted by the attention of the brace of red Albatrii seeking to get into position on their rear quarters, narrowly avoiding a collision between each other they still managed to get an oblique snap of one of the targets as they passed over it.
As he works to clear his jam Pynne narrowly avoids a collision with the black tailed Albatros as it slips beneath him, but he takes a squirt from the white trimmed Albatros that sets his machine ablaze. Foldes immediately settles his hash with a close range effort from his remaining Lewis that sends the Hun plummeting toward the ground.
Ric Shaw gets off a long range shot at the Roland as it passes them, setting it on fire also.
In the background the German leader wisely tries another way in an effort to get behind their formation.
Wolff gets a shot into one of the Fee’s but even with his sniper skill it doesn’t have much effect.
Sole’s gun chatters for the first time as he targets the Roland reversing behind them and Shaw has a go at the black tailed Albatros as it clears the other machines.
Foldes nods with satisfaction as his victim falls away from the fight, but there’s still much work to be done.
Sole’s gun falls silent on the follow up shot, Shaw has better luck leaving the black tailed Albatros trailing smoke.
Positional shot: The outbound team have seemingly broken past their enemy who attempt to follow them. Foldes takes the opportunity to fix his jammed Lewis.
The inbound team have a way to go and seem unlikely they’ll make it without contact with the Red Baron.
The Roland closes on the Big Awk but does little damage as Sole frantically works on his gun; he then getting the better of the exchange as he re-engages.
Sure enough the Jasta 11 machines close to the attack but they get an increasingly hotter reception than they could ever have anticipated and enough to send both pilots back to their lair rather than face certain destruction.
Werner turns his Roland for home in similar condition as Manschott’s black tailed Albatros attempts to cover his retreat by turning into the Big Awk. Foldes, now with both guns functioning, reefs his Nieuport into a turn to cover both tandems in his charge, he has no idea where Pynne has gone since he caught fire.
Though burning, Pynne had hoped to engage the Baron, but he’d wisely dived away by the time he got in position
Wolff, meantime, his engine rattling like a bag of spanners & trailing vapour managed to slip onto the tail of the Fee that had done the damage but his reward was small.
Foldes tried a snaps shot on the Roland but it seems impervious to his efforts, as does the Albatros to Sole's.
As the Roland slips out of the battle space Foldes has better luck with Manschott’s black tailed Albatros, hitting it hard at close-range and leaving it trailing smoke.
Shaw grabs a snap of a designated target as the Big Awk seeps past their tail.
Fee #4 shakes Wolff with a quite terrifying move for both pilots! Time Wolff made good his escape as Fee #6 turns back to cover his Quirk charges
Sole gets an oblique snap of the designated target as Shaw takes on the black tailed Albatros once more
As Hale makes the turn for home they see Shaw duking it out with the black tailed Albatros
With Richthofen gone and Wolff making off the homebound team have a free run for home, they just have to get themselves pointed the right way. Pynne, fire now out, looks to get back in the fight and looks for the outbound team.
Sideslipping Manschott can’t get the RE8 just above him in his sights, but no matter, Pütter’s Albatros is at their level and puts the hurt on, strafing the cockpit area from range causing severe damage and knocking Sole off his feet (6 on the D6).
Moments later Foldes is on Pütter’s tail giving him grief with a solid blow; Pynne’s SPAD is also in range but adds nothing to the pile. It does not put the Oberleutnant off his task one iota as he hoses the big Awk once more, this time wounding Hale and shattering the machine.
Shaw sets Manschott’s machine on fire as their grudge fight continues, meantime Wolff makes off unimpeded.
It's too much for the Big Awk and it’s wounded crew and it falls away from the fight.
Foldes veers away, Pynne, however, falls onto Pütter’s rear quarter at close range and whilst not causing serious damage to the machine he does cause some damage to the pilot.
Shaw’s fight with Manschott continues but this time the German strikes something in their engine and the RE8 begins to noticeably shudder and shake but the Albatros has had more than it can take.
Back on course Foldes manages to damage Pütter’s motor from range as Packett hauls the nose of the RE.8 nose round for home and Pynne adjusts his position for another pass.
Pütter must head for safety immediately, he turn for home only to meet an onrushing SPAD. Pynne and Pütter fire in the same instant, something breaks in the SPAD and the Albatros is beyond it’s endurance. Foldes’s contribution is merely extras.
All enemy seen off, Shaw grabs a final snap of the second target and escorted by Foldes they head for home
Butcher’s Tally:
Eagles:
Obltn Georg Pütter: (Albatros D.III – red stripe) SD- FT / WIA / 2 kills (Hale; Pynne)
C/W: 9 -1SD -1WIA = 7 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario, rolled 5 = Skip 2
Ltn Max Manschott: (Albatros D.III – black tail): SD-FLM-FT / 0 kills
C/W: 12 -2FLM = 10 - All well when you land well ! (lucky, lucky bas..!)
Ltn William Pozner: (Albatros D.III – white trim): SD-EXP-FT 0 kills
C/W: 7 -3EXP = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios, rolled 3 = Skip 3
Ltn Franz Werner: (Roland D.II): FRTB-W-D / WIA / 0 kills
FRTB rolled 5+2 = Stuck the landing.
C/W: 6 +1RTB -1WIA = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 1 = Skip 1
Jasta 11:
Ltn Kurt Wolff: (Albatros D.III – green trim): FRTB-E / 0 kills
FRTB rolled 4+3 = Stuck the landing
Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen: (Albatros D.III - red): FRTB-D / 0 kills
FRTB rolled 6+1 = Stuck the landing
Bulldogs:
Lt Bill Foldes: Nieuport 17 #4: RTB / 1 kill (Pozner)
2Lt Bobby Pynne: SPAD VII: SD-EXP-ET / 1 kill (Pütter)
C/W: 7 -3EXP = 4 - injured - skip 1D6 scenarios, rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: 6 -1EXP -1WIC -1BEL = 3 - Captured & escaped - rolled 1 = Skip 1
Ltn Justin Hale: (P2) AWK FK8: SD-ET / WIA / 0 kills, 1 probable FRTB-W (Werner)
C/W: 11 -1SD -1WIA = 9 - All well when you land well!
E&E: 9 -1WIA -1BEL = 7 - Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario
AM.2 Reg (Ar) Sole: (O) AWK FK8: SD-ET / WIA / 0 kills + 1 photo
C/W: 11 -1SD -1WIA = 9 - All well when you land well!
E&E: 8 -1WIA -1BEL = 6 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios, rolled 5 = Skip 2
2lt Chris Packett: (P2) RAF RE.8: FRTB-E / 0 kill
FRTB roll: 1+3 = Stuck the landing
AM.3 Ric(hard) Shaw: (O) RAF RE.8: FRTB-E / 1 kill (Manschott) + 2 photo
FRTB roll: 1+3 = Stuck the landing
Other allies:
All were RTB and 1 photo obtained.
Victory Points:
I only accounted for those attributable to the Bulldogs themselves:
Bulldogs:
5 points for a photo that makes it back to base: x2 = 10pts
3 points per scout shot down: x 3 = 9pts
2 points for any aircraft FRTB: x 1 = 2 pts
Total = 21pts
Eagles:
3 points per scout shot down: x 1 = 3pts
5 points per recon shot down: x1 = 5pts
2 points for any aircraft FRTB: x1 = 2 pts
Total = 15pts
Bulldog victory 21pts to 15pts
A long played game but worth the effort, the AAR was nearly harder than the game ! (long story)
Looks like it played out in a similar way to the other Bulldogs games - we won - Yay !
Not the aim I'm sure, but with even numbers or less the Jerries were up against it I feel, even against lesser aircraft.
Reply With Quote
on occasion of his tenth victory obo the King & the old country. 
Originally Posted by ShadowDragon
And a Roland DII to boot in the ranks of the opposition. Nice - I still do not have one of those 
And what a result with that lot of out of date crates! Impressive run of the B deck against the A deck. Gave the Hun a bit of a pasting, although the losses were almost as great. A good long set to - well played 
Bookmarks