Flying Officer Kyte
06-08-2012, 05:08
KoTA 7A. Destroy the train, (Or out in a a blaze of gory)
McQueen and Rooke had done this type of mission dozens of times before over the last 18 months.
Cross the lines, avoid the flack, and beat up the Hun’s back area with bombs, and strafe anything that moved along the road. This time it was a bit different. As they dropped down from 1200 feet, they spotted the smoke from a train making its way across the countryside below them.
48945
McQueen gesticulated to Rooke, and warmed up his Lewis to attract the attention of Finesse and Horsley who were flying the other Bristol alongside them. Jim Finesse gave a thumbs up to show his acknowledgement of the situation, and both aircraft banked as one and descended towards the railway line snaking its way across the landscape.
Before they could even complete the turn for the run in, a pair of unidentifiable aircraft emerged from the cloud base to their right and opened up a furious withering fire on McQueen.
48946
With a rending noise clearly audible above the staccato rattle of the Spandau machine guns, the “Biff” lost all power and much of its fabric as it stalled and dived to the ground. Only McQueen’s superb piloting prevented an even sadder end to the story. As it was, the aircraft was a complete write off, and Rooke lay where he had been tossed out of the plane on impact, his head twisted at an impossible angle.
48952
McQueen barely had time to ignite the wreck with his very pistol before the German soldiers arrived to lead him away into captivity.
48947
Major Finesse was clearly shaken by the sudden demise of his wingman, but pressed on with his attack in spite of sustaining some engine damage himself.
Lining up his run parallel to the track and holding a steady course, he allowed Horsley to release his eggs perfectly, and watched the ammunition wagons erupt in a spectacular firework display.
48948
He now decided to take the attack to the enemy, and executing an Immelman which took his pursuers completely off guard, attacked head on through the clouds of smoke from the devastation which he had already wrought.
48949
All to no avail however, for with the first exchange of fire, the same strange aircraft which had destroyed his wingman, struck his engine again.
48950
As it stuttered to a stop, Finesse was forced to glide down not far from where McQueen had crashed, and both he and his observer, Frank Horsley, very soon joined McQueen as PoWs.
48951
The whole sad episode had taken scarcely more time than it has taken to read this report and resulted in the death of one British Observer the capture of three other airmen and, the desruction of two Bristol Fighters.
The unknown German fighters, the new Fokker DVIIs returned to base with very little damage although one pilot was lightly wounded.
48953
48955
No wonder Herr Hauptmann Stormkahn enjoyed his stein of Bier with extra relish in the Officers' Mess that
evening.
48956
Rob.
McQueen and Rooke had done this type of mission dozens of times before over the last 18 months.
Cross the lines, avoid the flack, and beat up the Hun’s back area with bombs, and strafe anything that moved along the road. This time it was a bit different. As they dropped down from 1200 feet, they spotted the smoke from a train making its way across the countryside below them.
48945
McQueen gesticulated to Rooke, and warmed up his Lewis to attract the attention of Finesse and Horsley who were flying the other Bristol alongside them. Jim Finesse gave a thumbs up to show his acknowledgement of the situation, and both aircraft banked as one and descended towards the railway line snaking its way across the landscape.
Before they could even complete the turn for the run in, a pair of unidentifiable aircraft emerged from the cloud base to their right and opened up a furious withering fire on McQueen.
48946
With a rending noise clearly audible above the staccato rattle of the Spandau machine guns, the “Biff” lost all power and much of its fabric as it stalled and dived to the ground. Only McQueen’s superb piloting prevented an even sadder end to the story. As it was, the aircraft was a complete write off, and Rooke lay where he had been tossed out of the plane on impact, his head twisted at an impossible angle.
48952
McQueen barely had time to ignite the wreck with his very pistol before the German soldiers arrived to lead him away into captivity.
48947
Major Finesse was clearly shaken by the sudden demise of his wingman, but pressed on with his attack in spite of sustaining some engine damage himself.
Lining up his run parallel to the track and holding a steady course, he allowed Horsley to release his eggs perfectly, and watched the ammunition wagons erupt in a spectacular firework display.
48948
He now decided to take the attack to the enemy, and executing an Immelman which took his pursuers completely off guard, attacked head on through the clouds of smoke from the devastation which he had already wrought.
48949
All to no avail however, for with the first exchange of fire, the same strange aircraft which had destroyed his wingman, struck his engine again.
48950
As it stuttered to a stop, Finesse was forced to glide down not far from where McQueen had crashed, and both he and his observer, Frank Horsley, very soon joined McQueen as PoWs.
48951
The whole sad episode had taken scarcely more time than it has taken to read this report and resulted in the death of one British Observer the capture of three other airmen and, the desruction of two Bristol Fighters.
The unknown German fighters, the new Fokker DVIIs returned to base with very little damage although one pilot was lightly wounded.
48953
48955
No wonder Herr Hauptmann Stormkahn enjoyed his stein of Bier with extra relish in the Officers' Mess that
evening.
48956
Rob.