Albert Ross
07-01-2016, 16:51
Headquarters, Verdun Sector, le 30 Juin, 1916
The impudent Boches had raised a pair of observation balloons close to their front line, intent on spying on our troop movements and probably intending to direct their long range howitzers onto our brave poilus. Accordingly, a squadron of specially equipped Nieuport scouts, some armed with le Prier air to air rockets were sent to challenge them. The enemy balloons were heavily protected by mobile and static antiaircraft guns; additionally standing patrols of single and two seater aircraft prowled the skies around ready to ward off intruders. It was a formidable objective, and few of our pilots thought they would return alive.
The first sortie took the enemy completely by surprise, our brave airmen swooped out of the early morning haze, first dispatching a Fokker monoplane then unleashing a salvo of rockets that ripped into the gas filled giant which exploded magnificently! The boche AA gunners had their breakfast ruined as our planes were overhead before they had time to engage, and the second balloon joined its companion in a fireball of doom. All our aircraft and pilots returned to base safely and the ground crews quickly patched up the minor damage.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13584887_10209468345575534_2533367788299644983_o.jpg
The Huns were determined to see what was going on behind our lines and put up two more blimps. A second sortie was called for and our gallant aviators again took to the skies: this time the enemy was fully awake and expecting our visit. Flak was heavy and the Fokkers seemed to be everywhere at once, but the brave little Nieuports pressed home their attack so vigorously that another balloon exploded before it could be winched down, sadly taking our courageous pilot with it. Il mort pour la gloire de la France. The second blimp was also hit and began to burn while its ground crew hurriedly struggled to winch it to earth and safety.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13517456_10209468345095522_7890687588078666216_o.jpg
A boche monoplane, its pilot bent on vengeance swooped on the rocket plane's escorting Nieuport and sent it spinning into the ground over No Man's Land.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/13537702_10209468345015520_824404433728400732_n.jpg?oh=14fa5b9b69832e5a188428713b029934&oe=580474BA
The flak was heavy, hitting friend and foe alike - one Fokker was hit by a shell burst meant for a French aviator. A swirling dogfight ensued around the second balloon: at one point its ground crew were seen to scatter for their lives as a Roland 2 seater flew under the burning blimp, somehow miracalulously avoiding the tangle of cables and rigging lines! The balloon was badly damaged but the heroic efforts of the ground crew were enough to haul what remained to safety before we could finish it off. The threat has been neutralized for now, but at the cost of two brave pilots. We will remember them!
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13528598_10209468344975519_4578494337278882056_o.jpg
Mission 3a Result: Allied victory. Points awarded: Germans 10 points, Allies 13 points. Campaign total so far: Germans 24 points, Allies 36 points.. I sortie remaining to be flown in 1916.
The impudent Boches had raised a pair of observation balloons close to their front line, intent on spying on our troop movements and probably intending to direct their long range howitzers onto our brave poilus. Accordingly, a squadron of specially equipped Nieuport scouts, some armed with le Prier air to air rockets were sent to challenge them. The enemy balloons were heavily protected by mobile and static antiaircraft guns; additionally standing patrols of single and two seater aircraft prowled the skies around ready to ward off intruders. It was a formidable objective, and few of our pilots thought they would return alive.
The first sortie took the enemy completely by surprise, our brave airmen swooped out of the early morning haze, first dispatching a Fokker monoplane then unleashing a salvo of rockets that ripped into the gas filled giant which exploded magnificently! The boche AA gunners had their breakfast ruined as our planes were overhead before they had time to engage, and the second balloon joined its companion in a fireball of doom. All our aircraft and pilots returned to base safely and the ground crews quickly patched up the minor damage.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13584887_10209468345575534_2533367788299644983_o.jpg
The Huns were determined to see what was going on behind our lines and put up two more blimps. A second sortie was called for and our gallant aviators again took to the skies: this time the enemy was fully awake and expecting our visit. Flak was heavy and the Fokkers seemed to be everywhere at once, but the brave little Nieuports pressed home their attack so vigorously that another balloon exploded before it could be winched down, sadly taking our courageous pilot with it. Il mort pour la gloire de la France. The second blimp was also hit and began to burn while its ground crew hurriedly struggled to winch it to earth and safety.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13517456_10209468345095522_7890687588078666216_o.jpg
A boche monoplane, its pilot bent on vengeance swooped on the rocket plane's escorting Nieuport and sent it spinning into the ground over No Man's Land.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/13537702_10209468345015520_824404433728400732_n.jpg?oh=14fa5b9b69832e5a188428713b029934&oe=580474BA
The flak was heavy, hitting friend and foe alike - one Fokker was hit by a shell burst meant for a French aviator. A swirling dogfight ensued around the second balloon: at one point its ground crew were seen to scatter for their lives as a Roland 2 seater flew under the burning blimp, somehow miracalulously avoiding the tangle of cables and rigging lines! The balloon was badly damaged but the heroic efforts of the ground crew were enough to haul what remained to safety before we could finish it off. The threat has been neutralized for now, but at the cost of two brave pilots. We will remember them!
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13528598_10209468344975519_4578494337278882056_o.jpg
Mission 3a Result: Allied victory. Points awarded: Germans 10 points, Allies 13 points. Campaign total so far: Germans 24 points, Allies 36 points.. I sortie remaining to be flown in 1916.