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View Full Version : Billy Bishop's fine outing



rockyr
02-27-2011, 13:38
How much can one love an SE5a?

In the fall of 1917, Bishop went out in his Scout Experimental. He first encountered an improved V-Strutter. Using an approach to put his scout to the right, and angled to get a shot at the advancing German ended with a slight miscalculation as the Bosche raced through Bishop's arc of fire. Not too upset, Bishop circled left. Somehow (because the SE is so fast and distance are hard to judge), the Albatross eluded Bishop's sights, until he flipped the SE over and opened fire at close range with both guns. He witnessed a most rewarding explosion as the Albatross went to pieces.

Shortly thereafter, he encountered another DVa, far away and headed away. The Bosche turned a reversement to challenge our hero. A speedy approach lead to neither firing on the first pass, but then a turning battle ensued in which the SE showed both its maneuverability and its endurance, getting better than three shots to two of the German's return fire. Despite two jams, both of which were cleared by the time the speedy SE ran and then turned back to fight, the Albatross went down while the SE required only a little patching. The victory was all the sweeter as revenge because the German's first fire wounded Bishop, requiring him to carefully plot the SE's steep and fancy moves so as not to black out!


I am reminded from today's play how much I hate the rule where two planes approach for most of their movement, both in arc of fire and closing range, but neither fires at all because the stands end up overlapping.

MayorJim
02-27-2011, 14:19
Well...at the time/distance scale that we're playing with here; and, if you add in limited ammo...most shots would be taken at close range..of course overlaps are something all together different :D

Goering Ace
02-28-2011, 07:06
Thanks for sharing that bit of history, Rocky. :)

rockyr
02-28-2011, 07:12
Gaming history anyway...

Goering Ace
02-28-2011, 07:37
Oh, right. I forgot it was a mission discussion!! LOL!! :o

Archidamus
02-28-2011, 08:38
I trust the wound will not keep our hero grounded for too long!

Flying Officer Kyte
02-28-2011, 10:40
It might be worth taking a look at the thread on this forum entitled Bloody April that Rocky started yesterday. It deals with the overlapping stand conundrum.
Rob.

The Cowman
02-28-2011, 13:37
Nice AAR Rocky! I am envious of your ability to make it colorful without pictures.

Hunter
05-14-2011, 08:09
Nice AAR, I felt like I was up there with Bishop.