28 Attachment(s)
OTT CYM Mission 1 -- Back to Front -- 5th July 1916--gully_raker
Foreword
Lt. Reginald Fife-Brand, Flight Commander of "C" Flight 52 Sqd known as "the Bulldogs" smiled as he banked his brand new DH-2 fighter over Bentangles Aerodrome. He glanced to each side & gave the "thumbs up" sign to 2nd Lt Dusty Rhodes & Flight Sgt. Brandon Stark who were also flying new De Havilands. It felt almost like coming home after his flight had been on furlough in Blighty followed by some advanced fighter training. Now they would be joining the other flights & squadrons based at Bentangles to give it to the old Hun.
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He was also aware that awaiting them on the ground were two ex French Nieuport 16's which had been sent from St Omer for evaluation in preparation for the expected supply of the newer N17 that the RFC had ordered. He hoped they came soon as the Germans had already started to receive supplies of their new Biplane fighter the Halberstadt.
The two N 16's had been flown in by 2nd Lt Jon Snow & a new replacement Sgt Allan Foyle. It seemed the aircraft had been equipped with rockets which the French used to attack Balloons. He was not sure what they would do with those.
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2nd Lt Jon Snow Attachment 283882
Sgt Allan "Al" Foyle Attachment 283884
Meanwhile over on the other side of the lines at the Eagles Nest Obltn. Caul-August Schwartz strolled around the new Halberstadt D.II fighter that had just arrived at his Aerodrome.
It was a sleek looking biplane finished in a pale gray & fitted with a 120HP Mercedes engine promised to be a step forward from the Fokker Eindekkers his Kette had been flying for so long. He could not wait to see how it performed against the British pusher aircraft. Tomorrow he would find out!
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The Mission
Early the next morning Fife-Brand accompanied by Rhodes & Brandon Stark who was the flights only Ace with 6 victories climbed into their DH-2's which had been numbered C1 through to C3 on their top wings. Stark had C2 & Dusty C3. They would patrol towards the front line to check out any developments & seek an opportunity to engage any enemy aircraft they encountered.
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Obltn Schwartz would soon get his wish as he led his Kette of 3 additional Fokker E.III's with Ltns Richard Arntzen in a Green Fokker, Ltn. Wilhelm Thede in a plain CDL plane & Ltn Gerhard Brunig in a Dark Gray one. Off in the distance he spied 3 of the British "lattice tails" & he liked the odds so signalling to his pilots they flew on to give battle.
Soon the two groups of aircraft converged to shooting range
Fife-Brand exchanges shots with Thede & Brandon did the same with the Kette leader & although Schwarts damaged the De Haviland's rudder Stark hit the Mercedes engine.
Schwartz cursed "Verdammit! Gottdammerang!*@*#*" I cant believe this! My first engagement & I get my beautiful new Mercedes engine hit by an upstart Englander!"
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The aircraft now passed through each other & no other planes were in firing range.
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The two groups of aircraft manoeuvred for advantage in an almost Ballet dance & Stark took a shot at Arntzens green Fokker but missed.
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Brunig exchanged shots with Dusty & Reg & he came out the winner as neither British aircraft scored but he dealt some good damage to the Flight leaders plane.
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The aircraft again separated & Thede got a damaging shot on Dusty's rudder. Obltn Schwartz had turned back towards the Eagles Nest nursing the damaged Mercedes engine which was sounding like it had a handful of loose nuts inside!
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He closed & tried another shot but missed.
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Brandon Stark fired at the green E.III but did no damage. "How could I have missed him at that range" muttered Brandon.
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Thede continued to harass Dusty but only succeeded in jamming his Spandau whilst Fife-Brand gave the German pilot something to think about.
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The British Flight Commander closed on the Fokker & dealt it a damaging burst, damaging both its rudder & engine. He himself was attacked by the grey E.III but it caused no damage.
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Arntzen & Stark exchanged long range shots but neither achieved much result!
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Ltn Thede turned towards home with his misfiring engine as the other aircraft continued to maneuver.
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Fife-Brand got a long range shot on the green Fokker but did little damage.
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As Thede made for home he took an opportunistic shot at Dusty Rhodes but only succeeded in jamming his gun whilst Dusty did a little bit of damage to the Fokker.
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With the last shots from his Lewis guns drum Dusty wounded the pilot of the Grey Fokker whilst Brunig had his gun jam.
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Further away from that action Stark & Fife-Brand had cornered Arntzen's green E.III & with a lucky shot Reg set the Fokker on fire!
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The unfortunate Arntzen was now the only German aircraft left in the sky as the other 3 who had been forced to return to base with damaged engines or a wounded pilot had made their escape safely.
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The 3 aircraft narrowly avoided a collision while back on the far side of the Trenches the two Nieuport 16's made an appearance & headed towards the action.
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Fife-Brand & Stark continued to dog Arntzen's burning Fokker causing more damage but the fire had not increased in intensity to the German pilots relief!
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Brandon Stark took over the chase but had a number 2 jam to his Lewis gun which put paid to his chance of another victory & Arntzen realised discretion was the better part of valour & seeing the other 2 approaching allied aircraft broke off & fled for home leaving the British aircraft in complete control of the skies.
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Result: British Victory-- 4 German Aircraft forced to return to base = 8 points
Germans NIL points.
Thoughts & Observations: Well that was a lot of fun! A good set too between Fighters for a change.
Felt sorry for the jolly old Hun as he could not take a trick in a game where most damage draws were very low scores but he copped the engine damages, WIA & finally a Fire.
I thought I was never going to bring on the Nieuports as there were No Booms or Smoke & only got the Fire damage at the very end.
Unusual as well there were no Kills by either side.
I missed a couple of +1's for both sides which cancelled out any advantage.
Arntzen was very lucky to FRBF with only one damage point remaining!
