Goering Ace
12-30-2010, 18:50
The Staaken plodded through the sky, its lone escort limping along side. The bombing raid was a success, but not without a cost. Two out of the five Staaken gunners were dead (one in each of the rear left and right) and the D.VII had sustained engine damage. Helmut Vicus, the pilot of the D.VII, was battered and weary, much like his plane. "Just make it home", he kept telling himself. "We're almost there". He could see the faces of his comrades in the bomber and he knew they were feeling the same. The mighty beast had taken heavy damage delivering its payload, and the crew were bloodied and tired. "Just make it home", they all thought again . . . it was then that their worst nightmare came true.
Through the grime on his goggles Vicus could see the three small specks on the horizon. They were growing larger with each passing second and soon he recognized them as Nieuports. Healthy Nieuports. Two 17's and one 16 returning form a routine patrol near the front lines. For Vicus there was no time to lament their bad luck, and with a quick gesture of his hand he signaled for the bomber to break left. He'd try to get the Nieuports to follow him in hopes that the bomber could escape. But this was not his day. One of the 17's broke off to engage his D.VII, but the others chased the bomber. The fight for survival was on. Quickly Vicus closed on the 17 and opened fire as the two planes soared past each other. The 17's bullets ripped through his fuselage and the plane shuttered with the impact, but it held together. "I can't take to many more of those", he thought. Glancing quickly over his shoulder he could see the 17 as it burst into flame, the pilot desperately trying to extinguish the fire. Using the D.VII's superior maneuverability, Vicus swung his plane around to pursue the flaming Nieuport. The two planes dodged and weaved through the air, neither able to gain a clear advantage. Vicus had to get back to the Staaken, and finding an opening, made a break for the besieged behemoth . . .
The bombers crew watched as the two Nieuports closed on their lumbering plane. The remaining gunners, with grim determination, held their guns at the ready as the fighters approached. One young gunner, having only arrived at the aerodrome two weeks prior, sat behind his gun, knuckles white and fear in his eyes. Not 30 minutes earlier he had watched his friend die as a bullet pierced his heart. He himself had pulled his lifeless body from the gunner seat and covered it with his jacket. The vision of his friend was shaken from his mind by the sound of Nieuport gunfire! He took aim and fired, strafing the 2nd 17 as it closed on the bomber. Suddenly he sees the 17 pilot pounding his gun! He has a gun jam! As relief pours through him, he pulls the trigger again . . . and his blood runs cold. His own gun has jammed!! As the bomber continues its desperate attempt to escape, the D.VII closes from the right, quickly gaining the six of the slower 16. One quick burst and Vicus screams in anger as his guns also jam! For a few brief moments, the gunfire ceased as pilots on both sides desperately cleared their guns . . .
The Staaken pilot tried every trick he knew to try and force the fighters to overshoot. Turning, stalling, turning again. It was helping, but the Nieuports were still getting shots in on the plane. He could hear gunfire erupt from his front and rear gunners as the onslaught continued. As he executed another stall it was then that he saw the 17 closing from the left. He saw the plane open fire and a moment later his front gunner went silent. He knew then another comrade had fallen, but he had to stay focused. He had to get the rest of his crew home . . .
The battle raged for what seemed like hours as the stricken bomber slowly made it's way to friendly territory. Repeated gun jams had plagued the Staaken, and the Nieuports had delivered heavy damage to the already weakened plane. Vicus and his D.VII were barely in one piece, yet he continued to fight. Finally, home was in sight. With the 16 closing fast and the 17 on his tail, the Staaken pilot made one final turn to give his only remaining working gun a shot on the 17. It was this move that saved their lives, for the gunners bullets hit home and the 17 fell from the sky, allowing the bomber to fly safely into home territory.
And what became of Vicus? It was his day after all. Avoiding a critical hit with his final pass with the remaining 17, he also managed to escape to friendly territory. And as he landed his battered plane at the aerodrome, only one thought went through his head - "I made it home".
Game notes: This was a mission Hunter designed. The Staaken and the D.VII were returning home from a bombing mission and were both damaged. The Staaken had two dead gunners and only 18 hit points left. The D.VII had only 10 points left with engine damage. The Nieuports (played by Hunter) started at the center of the playing surface while my planes started at the back edge. My goal was to make it to the other side intact. I must say that Hunter's estimates for the damaged planes was dead on, as the Staaken escaped with only 5 points left and the D.VII had only 3. It was a fun mission that we'll try again, only next time we'll do the bombing raid as part 1 and the Nieuport confrontation as part 2. Part 3 will be a follow up photo mission.
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Through the grime on his goggles Vicus could see the three small specks on the horizon. They were growing larger with each passing second and soon he recognized them as Nieuports. Healthy Nieuports. Two 17's and one 16 returning form a routine patrol near the front lines. For Vicus there was no time to lament their bad luck, and with a quick gesture of his hand he signaled for the bomber to break left. He'd try to get the Nieuports to follow him in hopes that the bomber could escape. But this was not his day. One of the 17's broke off to engage his D.VII, but the others chased the bomber. The fight for survival was on. Quickly Vicus closed on the 17 and opened fire as the two planes soared past each other. The 17's bullets ripped through his fuselage and the plane shuttered with the impact, but it held together. "I can't take to many more of those", he thought. Glancing quickly over his shoulder he could see the 17 as it burst into flame, the pilot desperately trying to extinguish the fire. Using the D.VII's superior maneuverability, Vicus swung his plane around to pursue the flaming Nieuport. The two planes dodged and weaved through the air, neither able to gain a clear advantage. Vicus had to get back to the Staaken, and finding an opening, made a break for the besieged behemoth . . .
The bombers crew watched as the two Nieuports closed on their lumbering plane. The remaining gunners, with grim determination, held their guns at the ready as the fighters approached. One young gunner, having only arrived at the aerodrome two weeks prior, sat behind his gun, knuckles white and fear in his eyes. Not 30 minutes earlier he had watched his friend die as a bullet pierced his heart. He himself had pulled his lifeless body from the gunner seat and covered it with his jacket. The vision of his friend was shaken from his mind by the sound of Nieuport gunfire! He took aim and fired, strafing the 2nd 17 as it closed on the bomber. Suddenly he sees the 17 pilot pounding his gun! He has a gun jam! As relief pours through him, he pulls the trigger again . . . and his blood runs cold. His own gun has jammed!! As the bomber continues its desperate attempt to escape, the D.VII closes from the right, quickly gaining the six of the slower 16. One quick burst and Vicus screams in anger as his guns also jam! For a few brief moments, the gunfire ceased as pilots on both sides desperately cleared their guns . . .
The Staaken pilot tried every trick he knew to try and force the fighters to overshoot. Turning, stalling, turning again. It was helping, but the Nieuports were still getting shots in on the plane. He could hear gunfire erupt from his front and rear gunners as the onslaught continued. As he executed another stall it was then that he saw the 17 closing from the left. He saw the plane open fire and a moment later his front gunner went silent. He knew then another comrade had fallen, but he had to stay focused. He had to get the rest of his crew home . . .
The battle raged for what seemed like hours as the stricken bomber slowly made it's way to friendly territory. Repeated gun jams had plagued the Staaken, and the Nieuports had delivered heavy damage to the already weakened plane. Vicus and his D.VII were barely in one piece, yet he continued to fight. Finally, home was in sight. With the 16 closing fast and the 17 on his tail, the Staaken pilot made one final turn to give his only remaining working gun a shot on the 17. It was this move that saved their lives, for the gunners bullets hit home and the 17 fell from the sky, allowing the bomber to fly safely into home territory.
And what became of Vicus? It was his day after all. Avoiding a critical hit with his final pass with the remaining 17, he also managed to escape to friendly territory. And as he landed his battered plane at the aerodrome, only one thought went through his head - "I made it home".
Game notes: This was a mission Hunter designed. The Staaken and the D.VII were returning home from a bombing mission and were both damaged. The Staaken had two dead gunners and only 18 hit points left. The D.VII had only 10 points left with engine damage. The Nieuports (played by Hunter) started at the center of the playing surface while my planes started at the back edge. My goal was to make it to the other side intact. I must say that Hunter's estimates for the damaged planes was dead on, as the Staaken escaped with only 5 points left and the D.VII had only 3. It was a fun mission that we'll try again, only next time we'll do the bombing raid as part 1 and the Nieuport confrontation as part 2. Part 3 will be a follow up photo mission.
737873817380737973767377