OTTED Mission 14 - February 14th 1917 - Retrieve the Spy !
12 February 1917. The low overcast day had grounded the Eagles. “We’ll take the break”, thought Obltn Büttner. The Eagles had been flying 2, 3, even 4 flights a day trying to keep prying eyes away from the engineering going on to the rear. The boys needed the rest and it showed. The mess had been empty all day, No drinking, no card games, no boasting of tales of glory, no lingering after the meals. Yes, the boys are tired.
The latest dispatch arrived and Peter read it intently. Looks likes they were to be up early tomorrow. Something was up.
The infantry in the front line reported hearing a plane fly across the lines just after midnight. Less than an hour later it flew back to the west. HQ surmises a spy drop had been made. A spy had been caught 20 miles south last week.
The Eagles were to be up before dawn and in the air to intercept the expected retrieval attempt. Engineers also would lay a direct communication line to the front tomorrow so reaction to new reports could have immediate response.
Peter called the squadron to the briefing room and gave out assignments. Two newcomers would get in their first flight. Hermann Beck would keep Rudolf Schmitt near and Reinhardt Richter would get the new observer, Horst Zimmermann.
13 February 1917 was a glorious morning. Cold as February is, but beautiful and clear as a front passed through during the night. If the enemy put to the sky, they could not hide. The whole squadron was sent aloft, scouts as well as two seaters. If everyone kept to their search sector no one could sneak through. White flares would be the signal if an enemywas spotted. All that could see it were to converge and make sure the plane was downed at all cost.
After an hour and a half there was nothing of note. The first flight headed back when the second flight came in to replace them.
Hermann was relieved as he signaled Rudolf to turn back to the aerodrome. Getting that first flight under his belt will help Rudolf settle in with the Eagles.
At least the second flight got to see an wonderful sunrise. Not to be enjoyed beyond a second or two, if it came known the enemy had slipped through there would be hell to pay. Reinhardt turned and smiled at Horst nodding toward the new dawn, then immediately gestured for him to get back to looking for a plane.
Another flight with nothing to report. After the return of ‘B’ flight normal patrols were scheduled as a spy retrieval would not happen in broad daylight. Thats not how the British did things like this.
13 February 1917, 15 miles to the west of the Eagle’s aerodrome... Lt Agustus Owen felt good to be back. Better to be back and to fly. He couldn’t wait to see the men again. Gus returned midday from 4 months in the hospital and recovery. When the patrol returns, he’ll be waiting in the mess with a pint. It will be sooooo good.
As the pilots returned there was much rejoicing as there was an excuse for many pints! Lots of back slapping, lots to catch up on, quickly though as a new mission briefing was in Gus’ back pocket.
After a few pints but not enough to really enjoy, Gus sat the men down.
“Seems the French had gotten word of some curious work going on well behind the German lines. So the French squadron down the road had dropped off a spy to check things out. Unfortunately they lost their last two seater this morning and the spy retrieval is just at dawn tomorrow. They convinced HQ that we should do the pick up”.
There was a bit of grumbling but Gus put a quick stop to it. “The French have helped us out in the past so we can’t let them down”.
He looked at William Tuffield and curled his finger gesturing him to follow him to his office.
“How is 2Lt Stone? Does he have a good head on his shoulders? I know Noel is available but he is a bit too aggressive for this mission”.
Tuffy thought for a moment, “ Lance is quite mellow and has a good eye, he should do fine”.
14 February 1917, predawn. Büttner led the first flight up. He didn’t feel they would encounter the enemy as the new land line didn’t ring earlier when expected. The ground was still dark as the sun began peaking over the horizon up at altitude. Taking a quick look around to see if he could spot Rolf or Hugo, he saw something else. Peter noticed two shapes heading east in the murky light. As he closed in a little he knew it was the enemy and shot off a flare. As he got a little closer he noticed a third plane. He turned towards the closest but it turned away.
Rolf saw the flare and sped towards it.
Peter was amazed at the speed of the British plane. There was no way he would catch it so he thought to turn on the lead plane.
Hugo also noticed the flare and came straight in.
Gus reversed his fast SPAD VII and missed a long shot as did Peter in return.
Lance dives down towards the village where he was to make the pick up. He feared this may not go well as he noticed the Germans above him.
Gus and Peter have a close pass not able to get off another shot at each other.
Rolf starts to dive after the two seater with Hugo and Peter moving in.
Gus, not having been in the air in one before, wasn’t expecting the speed of the SPAD and starts his long turn to get back.
Tuffy, nowhere to be seen. While looking for the enemy he let up just so slightly on the controls and his Pup turned sharply to the right and temporarily away from the fight.
Gus tries to get on Peter’s tail but Hugo interrupts, both taking frantic shots with Gus’s guns going silent.
As Lance lands and a man in a black suit runs towards him. When the man in black is close enough Lance yells out, “Henry Des-noy-ears”?
“Oui, Aarii Denoyea”.
Faster than bad news the man in black turns the plane around and jumps in the rear seat.
Believing this must be his man, Lance starts to take off.
Rolf overshoots as he lost sight of the two seater in the village.
Peter spots the RE8 but is too high but begins to dive.
Gus has Peter in his sights below him but can’t yet fire.
Tuffy surprises Hugo with a shot from above peppering the Albatros engine causing a small flame to start.
As the two seater slowly rises everyone else is trying to get at or away from the enemy’s gunsights.
Hugo twists and turns keeping the flame off of his bird.
Gus tries to get a bead on Rolf but Rolf slips away beneath him.
Tuffy miscalculates where his flaming prey would go and Peter starts to stalk the two seater.
Peter takes aim and puts a few holes onto the RE8 while Rolf leaves Gus frustrated behind him and far from the fight.
The fire eats a little of Rolf’s Albatros and then goes out.
Peter keeps on the tail of the RE8 but the Frenchman has better aim!
Tuffy seeing Lance’s predicament, positions himself behind the preoccupied German.
The French spy Henri and Peter keep up a non-stop torrent of fire at each other.
The Tiger starts smoking as both planes take serious damage.
Peter blindly keeps on the RE8, finally watching it go down. Hugo gets a shot off at Tuffy but jams his guns, while Tuffy shoots up the Tiger’s tail and it spirals down making a thick black coil down towards the earth.
Tuffy feels the hair on his neck stand up as an Albatros is meters from his tail, but Hugo is hammering at his guns instead of firing.
Tuffy makes a tight turn to get a shot at Rolf but is jolted by Rolf’s twin Spandaus. Luckily for the Bulldogs they also to go silent.
While Hugo is clearing his gun jam Gus lines up a long shot and hits the fuel tank in spectacular fashion.
Rolf tries to avoid getting shot until he clears his guns, thinking it may be time to leave. Checking his plane and finding no damage he then maneuvers to get even with these British.
Gus and Rolf exchange fire with Gus not liking the result at all. Gus climbs to get away to clear a jam of his own.
Rolf passes under Tuffy and Immelmanns right on his tail. He rakes the Pup and tears it to pieces. Tuffy fights at the controls trying not to nose dive into the ground as he falls leaving Gus and Rolf above.
Gus reverses too soon. He thought Tuffy would occupy Rolf’s attention but with Tuffy falling Rolf gets right under Gus and adds a few more holes into the SPAD.
After the pass Rolf climbs to Gus’ level and they circle around looking for an advantage.
Around and around they go. Rolf feeling confident as his plane is still untouched. Finally another pass of the joust and bullets fly. More holes in the SPAD but Rolf is hit hard and knows immediately he must head home as blood flows down his left arm and covers his hand.
By the time Gus turns around the Albatros has dived beyond reach. Gus takes a quick look at Lance’s and Tuffy’s wrecks, seeing no sign of them he heads for home.
Butcher’s Bill
2Lt Lancelot Stone SD ET 0 kills
7 - 1 = 6 injured 5 = -3 missions
7 -1 -1 = 5 in hiding 4 = - 2 missions total -5 missions
French Spy Henri Desnoyers SD ET 0 kills
6 -1 = 5 injured 4 = -2 missions
4 -1 -1 = 2 captured and executed as a spy
2Lt William ‘Tuffy’ Tuffield SD EXP ET 1 kill
8 -3 = 5 crash lands in enemy territory injured 2 = - 1 mission
5 -1 -1 = 3 = is captured but escapes! 4 = -2 missions total -3 missions
Lt Agustus Owen RTB 1 kill
Obltn Peter Büttner SD FT 1 kill
8 +2 -1 = 9, avoids crashing and lands the plane in a farm field, all is well
Lt Hugo Werner SD EXP 0 kills
9 - 3 = 6 injured 6 = -3 missions
Lt Rolf Schafer RTB WIA 1 kill
5 + 3 -1 = 7 a rough landing but only a minor wound after all -1 mission
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That was a right royal set to, Peter.
Originally Posted by gully_raker
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