Flying Officer Kyte
06-27-2013, 13:42
It was young Peter Bouncer-Smythe’s first OPP.
Ever since he was a young sprog, he could remember his Uncle Nigel telling him stories of his exploits in the R.F.C. during the Great War.
Now here he was flying his Hurricane over the fields of Kent trying to spot a couple of bandits reported by the Opps. room to be in the area.
As he cleared the clouds over Ashford he was joined by what he recognised as a Spitfire from a Recon Unit.
They flew in company for a few minutes, before the RT barked.
96009
The Spit pilot pointed out the two specks at 10 o’clock which Peter had not even noticed.
96010
As they closed they could make out two ME 109s just below them heading east.
96008
Banking over the two RAF machines dropped down onto the unsuspecting German aircraft.
Being keen to open his account Peter fired first but did little damage at long range. The ME Pilot, however, was not as surprised as Peter had thought, and his return fire shook the airframe of the Hurricane severely.
96011
As the two protagonists passed each other, the Spitfire Pilot got much closer to the second ME and a two second burst was all it took to send him spinning down with a stream of Glycol vapour behind to mark his passage.
96012
The pilot stayed with his machine as it descended and managed to regain enough control to crash land in a nearby Hop Field.
96013
Smythe, by this time had banked and turned the tables on his own attacker.
96014
Just avoiding the oncoming Spitfire, he poured a quick burst into the tail of the ME.
As it turned to avoid the hail of lead, Peter closed and practicing his deflection shooting got in a good few hits around the cockpit area.
96015
Having had enough of this rough usage the ME pilot ducked into a nearby cloud for refuge.
96016
Banking hard and reducing speed Peter followed him into the murk but lost sight of him almost immediately.
Emerging on the far side he spotted the Hun making off and gave chase.
96017
The Spitfire was also closing from ahead,
96018
so the ME pilot choosing to face Peter rather than the Spit, dodged into another cloud and pulled an Immelmann turn whilst concealed, hoping to take the Hurricane by surprise.
His ploy worked too well for as he emerged Peter was already into the cloud and missed him totally.
96019
The Spitfire pilot was not deceived, however, and circled around to get on the MEs two o’clock.
96020
Turning to meet each other, both aircraft opened up, and did a considerable amount of damage to each others airframes as they passed.
96021
It was the Spitfire who won the day, with a lucky glancing shot that nicked the ME pilots skull temporarily rendering him unconscious.
96022
By the time he came to, he had run out of altitude and the only option left to him in his foundering machine was to put down in a meadow.
As he sat in his cockpit still stunned, the obligatory farm hands ran towards him brandishing a variety of agricultural implements. For you the war is over Fritz.
The war was far from over for our two victorious pilots, however, for no sooner had they rejoined each other than they spotted an ME BF. 110C. rapidly approaching.
96023
Dipping into a cloud to try and avoid a confrontation with two enemy machines, it emerged on the other side only to discover that the Spitfire pilot had out guessed it and was sitting on its 3o’clock ready to take a squirt at it.
96024
96025
The damage was insignificant, and the ME tried to outturn the Spitfire whilst the rear gunner took an unavailing pot shot at it.
96026
The Spitfire came around rapidly behind the ME.
96027
Whilst this manoeuvring was going on Peter seized his chance and attacked broadside on, giving the German a good hosing and wrecking his steering.
96028
Once again return fire from the rear gunner proved ineffective.
96029
The German now made a run for it with the Spitfire some way behind but catching up steadily on the Hun machine which still could not deviate from its course because of the steering damage.
96030
Peter now pulled a banking turn and this placed the German in the invidious position of only being able to turn away from the Spit but directly into the line of fire of Peter’s Hurricane.
96031
Both British machines now took a severe toll on the Zerstorer and inevitably it finally lost all control and also crash landed in another field.
96032
96033
Running quite low on ammunition by this time, the Spitfire pilot waggled his wings at Peter, and both headed off to their respective airfields to file reports on the patrol.
Later that evening Peter received a message to say that he had been credited with the Zerstorer. His account was opened.
The Butcher’s Bill.
96034
96035
Rob.
Ever since he was a young sprog, he could remember his Uncle Nigel telling him stories of his exploits in the R.F.C. during the Great War.
Now here he was flying his Hurricane over the fields of Kent trying to spot a couple of bandits reported by the Opps. room to be in the area.
As he cleared the clouds over Ashford he was joined by what he recognised as a Spitfire from a Recon Unit.
They flew in company for a few minutes, before the RT barked.
96009
The Spit pilot pointed out the two specks at 10 o’clock which Peter had not even noticed.
96010
As they closed they could make out two ME 109s just below them heading east.
96008
Banking over the two RAF machines dropped down onto the unsuspecting German aircraft.
Being keen to open his account Peter fired first but did little damage at long range. The ME Pilot, however, was not as surprised as Peter had thought, and his return fire shook the airframe of the Hurricane severely.
96011
As the two protagonists passed each other, the Spitfire Pilot got much closer to the second ME and a two second burst was all it took to send him spinning down with a stream of Glycol vapour behind to mark his passage.
96012
The pilot stayed with his machine as it descended and managed to regain enough control to crash land in a nearby Hop Field.
96013
Smythe, by this time had banked and turned the tables on his own attacker.
96014
Just avoiding the oncoming Spitfire, he poured a quick burst into the tail of the ME.
As it turned to avoid the hail of lead, Peter closed and practicing his deflection shooting got in a good few hits around the cockpit area.
96015
Having had enough of this rough usage the ME pilot ducked into a nearby cloud for refuge.
96016
Banking hard and reducing speed Peter followed him into the murk but lost sight of him almost immediately.
Emerging on the far side he spotted the Hun making off and gave chase.
96017
The Spitfire was also closing from ahead,
96018
so the ME pilot choosing to face Peter rather than the Spit, dodged into another cloud and pulled an Immelmann turn whilst concealed, hoping to take the Hurricane by surprise.
His ploy worked too well for as he emerged Peter was already into the cloud and missed him totally.
96019
The Spitfire pilot was not deceived, however, and circled around to get on the MEs two o’clock.
96020
Turning to meet each other, both aircraft opened up, and did a considerable amount of damage to each others airframes as they passed.
96021
It was the Spitfire who won the day, with a lucky glancing shot that nicked the ME pilots skull temporarily rendering him unconscious.
96022
By the time he came to, he had run out of altitude and the only option left to him in his foundering machine was to put down in a meadow.
As he sat in his cockpit still stunned, the obligatory farm hands ran towards him brandishing a variety of agricultural implements. For you the war is over Fritz.
The war was far from over for our two victorious pilots, however, for no sooner had they rejoined each other than they spotted an ME BF. 110C. rapidly approaching.
96023
Dipping into a cloud to try and avoid a confrontation with two enemy machines, it emerged on the other side only to discover that the Spitfire pilot had out guessed it and was sitting on its 3o’clock ready to take a squirt at it.
96024
96025
The damage was insignificant, and the ME tried to outturn the Spitfire whilst the rear gunner took an unavailing pot shot at it.
96026
The Spitfire came around rapidly behind the ME.
96027
Whilst this manoeuvring was going on Peter seized his chance and attacked broadside on, giving the German a good hosing and wrecking his steering.
96028
Once again return fire from the rear gunner proved ineffective.
96029
The German now made a run for it with the Spitfire some way behind but catching up steadily on the Hun machine which still could not deviate from its course because of the steering damage.
96030
Peter now pulled a banking turn and this placed the German in the invidious position of only being able to turn away from the Spit but directly into the line of fire of Peter’s Hurricane.
96031
Both British machines now took a severe toll on the Zerstorer and inevitably it finally lost all control and also crash landed in another field.
96032
96033
Running quite low on ammunition by this time, the Spitfire pilot waggled his wings at Peter, and both headed off to their respective airfields to file reports on the patrol.
Later that evening Peter received a message to say that he had been credited with the Zerstorer. His account was opened.
The Butcher’s Bill.
96034
96035
Rob.