15 Attachment(s)
OTT-CYM Mission 7: Snap the Trap! - 19th August 1916 – by ShadowDragon
OTT-CYM Mission 7: Snap the Trap! - 19th August 1916 – by ShadowDragon
Original scenario by gully_raker
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...by-gully_raker
Evening was a sacred time on the Dundee-Wilde Winery & Vineyard. The extended family would gather on the veranda of the large house that dominated the estate to chat, tell stories, sing songs, play games. It was an Australian wintery evening, which is not like a Canadian wintery evening, was a little different as most of the family had retired. The only current resident of the veranda was Tom Dundee but he was waiting to be joined by his brother. Bruce Dundee. and his father-in-law, Jack Wilde, both veteran pilots from the Great War. Bruce and Jack has these occasional rituals and this evening was one of them. Most of the family was banned but Tom was allowed in as an ‘observer’ as he was an former fighter pilot from WW2. Soon enough Bruce and Jack appeared in the RNAS kit. “Still fits the both of them pretty well”, thought Tom.
“Hi, Tom”, said Jack, “How come you didn’t let on to Angelique that one of your passengers on that flight up north as Bing Crosby? You know how much she adores the man.”
Tom chuckled, “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell her. You know how she would have rushed down to the airfield and fawn all over him. Sort of like an elderly version of one of those Beatles fans.”
Jack, nodded.
“Say, do you mind telling me the story behind tonight’s ritual?”
“Naw, that’s Bruce’s job. I was still making my way back to the station from the Dover fiasco.”
“Yeah, Jack”, interjected Bruce, “Having a lark, swimming in the channel while the rest of the squadron had work to do.”
“Ouch!”, replied Tom.
Ok, here’s the tale. While Jack and Jock were coming down the Dover hill with Fergis, the CO, ole Rumsbottom…er, Rumsbottle, called me and the two flight commanders, Flashman and Arthur, into his office. It seems that he had been chatting with some of the RFC squadron CO’s who had been trialling a new tactic and Rumsbottle was all keen to show the RFC chaps that the RNAS was equal to the task. The plan was that one of the two-seaters would pretend to be on a photo-recce mission while two scouts hid in some clouds to bounce any Hun scouts that would take the bait. That seems all well and good but the tactic was totally new to the us and little did we know that the Huns had new scouts – Halberstadts. Rumsbottle explained what he wanted and requested that I, as the squadron’s only ace, be one of the two scout pilots. He asked Flashman and Arthur to pick ‘volunteers’ from their respective flights.
Arthur responded first, “I wouldn’t ask one of my chaps to do a job that I wouldn’t take on. I’ll fly the Strutter and see if any of the observers will volunteer or else they’ll draw straws.”
“Art, I’m no more a slouch than you. I’ll fly the second scout”, offered Flashman.
As for the ‘volunteer’ observer, Reggie Simpson, who was Arthur’s partner, wouldn’t let anyone else fly shotgun. So that was that and soon enough we were flying this new-fangled tactic when a couple of Huns showed up in their new Halberstadts.
Attachment 292733
We didn’t have much time to be on the Huns before they’d be on the Strutter, but I was fortunate. I dropped out of our cloud cover right behind a CDL Halberstadt.
Attachment 292734
I was on his tail trying to get a bead on him. I was doing some damage but not nearly enough to at least chase him off. Flashman was a bit further back and doing his best to catch up to the Halberstadts.
Attachment 292735
These new Hun planes looked pretty robust and while they didn’t seem faster than our Nieuports they were closer to Arthur’s and Reggie’s Strutter. So Huns were on the Strutter before we could take them out.
Attachment 292736
Reggie was firing back like mad but it didn’t seem like he was doing much damage but at least he got the CDL Halberstadt smoking.
Attachment 292737
I kept focussed on the Hun I was tailing; I was starting to get the range and doing some damage.
Attachment 292738
Finally, I took a deep breath – and thought, “For Art and Reggie”. A burst of fire and the CDL Halberstadt exploded. (I remembered at this point that Bruce had the sniper ace ability – this was the only time the skill was used and to deadly effect.)
Attachment 292739
Now for the second Hun. My aim was in the groove and I got a good shot in on the camouflaged Hun. I think I did some engine damage as he headed home – well, either it was that or he didn’t fancy the odds.
Attachment 292740
But as he turned he fly past Arthur and Reggie and gave them a farewell shot that set the Stutter on fire. We could see Arthur struggling to keep his crate going long enough for a safe landing but it was a long shot as it was No-man’s-land beneath us.
Attachment 292741
The Hun still had to get past Flashman and me though.
Attachment 292742
We did our best but all Flashman could do was to shake his fist at the Hun as they passed each other.
Attachment 292743
Then it was a chase. We would have had no chance of catching him except that it seems that I likely did some engine damage as the Halberstadt was noticeably slower.
Attachment 292744
I had no chance but Flashman got a good burst from his Lewis.
Attachment 292745
The Hun pilot was good and his manoeuvring spoiled Flashman’s aim.
Attachment 292746
Finally close enough to fly down under the protection of his air defences, the Hun dove down and was beyond our reach.
Attachment 292747
We didn’t know what had happened to Arthur and Reggie until a few days later when Reggie showed at the station. Reggie only had a scratch and got out quick enough – avoiding the Hun fire from the trenches but the enemy fire kept our boys from rescuing Arthur. He didn’t make it. It was our squadron’s first loss.
With that Jack poured them each some of the estate’s brandy. He raised his brandy snifter. “To a brave and gallant comrade, Arthur Percy Hastings”. With that they all tossed back the brandy and without another word retired for the night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCkGnQ0AZv0
Victory Points
Seadogs = 1 X 6 (enemy scout shot down) + 1 X 4 (enemy scout FRTB) = 10 points
Eagles = 1 X 10 (two-seater shot down) = 10 points
A DRAW
