Marechallannes
03-31-2012, 08:47
October 23th 1917 – My name is FO Pit Mannecken – Beligan pilot, assigned to a RFC squadron, The Bulldogs. Our Mission today: Patrol the frontline in our sector. After the terrible losses over St. Caronne, we’re waiting for reinforcements while the mechanics fix the damaged planes and our wounded pilots lying in the near field hospital. So our patrol isn’t that big today. Only me and FO Bushmill. It’s the first time I’m flying with Bushmill. He doesn’t talk much, mostly concentrated on the things he’s doing at the moment.
Squadron commander Major Colonel Kyte instructed us very clear – we are not allowed to cross the frontline and have to stay away from bigger German formations. So my instructions for FO Bushmill were clear, too.: “Stay on my side – don’t break off to attack enemy planes on you own!”
15 minutes after takeoff we spotted a German twoseater escorted by two enemy planes, right behind our frontline. Cause of their altitude level, it seems, they are on a recon mission.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38193&d=1333207905
The escort planes, a Fokker Dr.I and an Albatros D.Va started immediately the attack. Bushmill stayed on my side and I managed to fire a short burst without result at the Fokker.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38195&d=1333207905
With the Fokker in front of us and the Albatros on the left, I gave Bushmill the sign to leave the formation and attack. A kind of misunderstood let our Camels collide with the wing tips and heared a cracking sound. Merde! I could imagine the big grin of the Fokker pilot passing by, watching two idiots trying to attack him…
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38190&d=1333207756
But our intention was right. The twoseater, a Rumpler C.IV engaged the fight to support his comrades. While his front gun hammered a few holes in my fuselage, I was able to give him a good burst with my twin Vicker. His rear gunner wasn’t a lazy one, too, ripping parts of Bushmills rudder. What a lucky guy, I thought, watching a trail of smoke pouring out of my engine…
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38191&d=1333207756
Now it was time for our curving fight advantages. Bushmill forced his camel in a hard right curve while I tried to get behind that twoseater. A short burst in the direction of the Fokker and I get into the Rumplers range. The rear gunner fired at me, but his machine gun jammed.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38189&d=1333207573
Our Camels came in perfect shooting range and ripped the Rumpler hard.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38188&d=1333207571
I saw the gunner hang motionless over his machine gun, following the Rumpler to finish him off.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38187&d=1333207569
Bushmill recognized, that I was in better chasing position and continued his curving maneuver to get in shooting position for the still undamaged Fokker. I needed two long bursts, to bring the twoseater in a dusty, smoky cloud down.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38185&d=1333207564
The same moment the Albatos came from the left, angry shooting, hitting my fuselage hard.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38184&d=1333207562
Meanwhile it seemed that my short burst vs. the Fokker before, caused him rudder problems, so he wasn’t able to follow me, or fly an evading maneuver, when Bushmill finished his hard curve and gave him a burst with his Vickers. In opposition to the first harmless hits – Bushmill hit the bullseye know. With a loud cracking sound, the wings of the Focker broke apart and the rest of the plane fell to the ground like a rock.
Mon dieu, what a quick and rough dead!
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38182&d=1333207557
Maybe the Albatros pilot was distracted of this action, because he didn’t managed to hit Bushmill serious.
Within moments the luck turned the balance of superiority to our side. With a sharp camel style curve I tried to follow the Albatros.
Bushmill realized that a curve wasn’t the best way to engage an enemy in his rear, prepared an perfect Immelmann and managed to shoot a the Albatros.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38180&d=1333207507
His maneuver fitted perfect to the uncoordinated maneuvers of the lone Albatros and his next burst set the German plane on fire.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38179&d=1333207497
Le Allemand was doomed. Instead of turning away, he performed an Immelmann with his burning plane and tried to attack again. Facing two approaching Camels he had no chance and I gave him the burst that sealed his fate.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38176&d=1333207492
I don’t know about the German plans in this sector today, but the Eagles have so send more planes to fulfill this mission.
Bushmill rejoined the formation, waved with his arm and grin about his first air victory. It was time to return to the home airfield.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38175&d=1333207490
Squadron commander Major Colonel Kyte instructed us very clear – we are not allowed to cross the frontline and have to stay away from bigger German formations. So my instructions for FO Bushmill were clear, too.: “Stay on my side – don’t break off to attack enemy planes on you own!”
15 minutes after takeoff we spotted a German twoseater escorted by two enemy planes, right behind our frontline. Cause of their altitude level, it seems, they are on a recon mission.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38193&d=1333207905
The escort planes, a Fokker Dr.I and an Albatros D.Va started immediately the attack. Bushmill stayed on my side and I managed to fire a short burst without result at the Fokker.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38195&d=1333207905
With the Fokker in front of us and the Albatros on the left, I gave Bushmill the sign to leave the formation and attack. A kind of misunderstood let our Camels collide with the wing tips and heared a cracking sound. Merde! I could imagine the big grin of the Fokker pilot passing by, watching two idiots trying to attack him…
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38190&d=1333207756
But our intention was right. The twoseater, a Rumpler C.IV engaged the fight to support his comrades. While his front gun hammered a few holes in my fuselage, I was able to give him a good burst with my twin Vicker. His rear gunner wasn’t a lazy one, too, ripping parts of Bushmills rudder. What a lucky guy, I thought, watching a trail of smoke pouring out of my engine…
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38191&d=1333207756
Now it was time for our curving fight advantages. Bushmill forced his camel in a hard right curve while I tried to get behind that twoseater. A short burst in the direction of the Fokker and I get into the Rumplers range. The rear gunner fired at me, but his machine gun jammed.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38189&d=1333207573
Our Camels came in perfect shooting range and ripped the Rumpler hard.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38188&d=1333207571
I saw the gunner hang motionless over his machine gun, following the Rumpler to finish him off.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38187&d=1333207569
Bushmill recognized, that I was in better chasing position and continued his curving maneuver to get in shooting position for the still undamaged Fokker. I needed two long bursts, to bring the twoseater in a dusty, smoky cloud down.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38185&d=1333207564
The same moment the Albatos came from the left, angry shooting, hitting my fuselage hard.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38184&d=1333207562
Meanwhile it seemed that my short burst vs. the Fokker before, caused him rudder problems, so he wasn’t able to follow me, or fly an evading maneuver, when Bushmill finished his hard curve and gave him a burst with his Vickers. In opposition to the first harmless hits – Bushmill hit the bullseye know. With a loud cracking sound, the wings of the Focker broke apart and the rest of the plane fell to the ground like a rock.
Mon dieu, what a quick and rough dead!
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38182&d=1333207557
Maybe the Albatros pilot was distracted of this action, because he didn’t managed to hit Bushmill serious.
Within moments the luck turned the balance of superiority to our side. With a sharp camel style curve I tried to follow the Albatros.
Bushmill realized that a curve wasn’t the best way to engage an enemy in his rear, prepared an perfect Immelmann and managed to shoot a the Albatros.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38180&d=1333207507
His maneuver fitted perfect to the uncoordinated maneuvers of the lone Albatros and his next burst set the German plane on fire.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38179&d=1333207497
Le Allemand was doomed. Instead of turning away, he performed an Immelmann with his burning plane and tried to attack again. Facing two approaching Camels he had no chance and I gave him the burst that sealed his fate.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38176&d=1333207492
I don’t know about the German plans in this sector today, but the Eagles have so send more planes to fulfill this mission.
Bushmill rejoined the formation, waved with his arm and grin about his first air victory. It was time to return to the home airfield.
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38175&d=1333207490