AAR: Birthday Balloon Busting - Ypres, August 1916
On Sunday I went to see my father who was celebrating his 77th birthday. After a very Teutonic lunch of Schweinebraten, Wurst, Sauerkraut, Sempf and Schwarzbrot washed down with a few bottles of good Bavarian Oettinger beer, followed by a rousing round of "Hoch soll er leben, drei mal hoch!" we decided it was time to break out the Wings of Glory.
Being the birthday boy Dad elected to fly for the Fatherland, choosing his Halberstadt D.III in the colours of Ltn. Hans von Keudell.
I then suggested we make it a mid-1916 balloon busting mission, with von Keudell defending and yours truly fielding my custom-painted, rocket-armed RFC Nieuport 16 in the colours of Lt. Albert Ball.
With our mounts selected and Reservistenkrügen charged the battle commenced!
Lt. Ball got the better of the starting position at altitude 4 with Ltn. von Keudell still climbing at altitude 3. It did not deter the bold Prussian officer from attempting to goad the Britischer into joining battle, giving the ground crew time to winch in the balloon. Intent on bagging a 'German Sausage' however, Ball banks his nimble Nieuport away from the Halberstadt.
By the time von Keudell had come around after the Nieuport the rocket armed machine had already closed to firing range on the balloon. Judging his range too close for rocketry, Ball gave it a burst at long range with his over-wing Lewis Gun and was pleased (and somewhat surprised) to see flames licking the side of the gas-bag!
Banking away to port Ball was hoping the balloon would go up in a ball of flame but the conflagration had yet to take hold. About this time the German observers decide discretion is the better part of valour and bail out of the burning Drachen.
Ball brings his Nieuport up and around reversing back towards the balloon, igniting and firing his Le Prieux rockets. They streak unerring towards the balloon which explodes in an ever-expanding ball of flame! Lt. Ball was still a little close for comfort to the stricken target and was very fortunate not to sustain any damage to his own crate.
With the balloon destroyed Von Keudell was determined to make the Tommy pay for his impudence! Ball was not resting on his laurels and soon he and the Hun were involved in a turning fight.
Ball manages to get behind the Halberstadt, but still out of range.
Ball gets close enough to fire a long range burst at the Hun, emptying the first drum on his Lewis gun (gun jammed)!
As Ball changes magazines Von Keudell reverses and fires on the Nieuport.
Hans von Keudell and Albert Ball pass each other at close range, Ball finally getting his Lewis gun working.
The turning battle goes on until Von Keudell banks away to try and break the dead-lock. Ball sees his chance and riddles the German scout.
Von Keudell breaks to port but Ball has correctly judged his opponent's move and sideslips over to put another long burst of fire at close range into the Halberstadt. But now his Lewis gun has another stoppage!!!
Ball works feverishly to get the next magazine on the over-wing Lewis. His practised hands get the gun going again just in time as the German performs another reversal and makes a head on run at the Nieuport. Both aircraft open fire at close range, bullets smashing though wood and fabric. One of Von Keudell's rounds grazes Ball's right arm (1 damage, pilot wound). Ball's burst peppers the nose of the Halberstadt and black smoke begins to pour out of the engine.
Ball throws his Nieuport into a split S but he is unable to fire on the Halberstadt as his blood soaked arm doesn't seem to want to work properly.
Fighting through the pain of his wound Lt. Ball fires his Lewis gun at the Halberstadt. This time it is Von Keudell who is hit as the burst peppers the cockpit, gravely wounding the young Prussian and fatally damaging his aeroplane.
Still streaming smoke Von Keudell's Halberstadt crashes to the ground east of Ypres, just inside the German lines. Wincing in pain, Lt. Albert Ball looks on hoping his opponent at least escaped with his life.
Dad definitely got the worst of it this time around, after shooting me down in our last engagement (Gotha Raid). I am playing a more patient game these days, declining to rush into head-on exchanges and holding off until I get a good opportunity to have a crack. It makes for a longer game (3 hours playing time this one) but I managed to hit Dad with eight bursts compared to his two. Dad said he'd get me next time.
The best part.....just getting in a father-son game over a few beers.
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Originally Posted by Skafloc
Rob.
Must be making better Rockets & Ammo these days Carl!
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