OTTBE Mission 16 - Breaking Point teaticket
(ace skills used, Acrobatic Pilot II, Quick Shot II and Marksmanship II )
Continued on from mission 15…
As yesterday’s fierce battle died down it was obvious that the American attack had been blunted. The contribution by the Eagle Squadron in turning the tide in front of Belleau Wood was significant. Celebrating a victory like this would usually run through the night but with one of their own confirmed to be lost in the action and two still MIA, the aerodrome was a somber place.
Even though the Americans had been repulsed the lines were still in close proximity, so it was not safe to try to recover the crashed aircraft and any of the wounded. The planes of Beck and Büttner went down into a depression 150 yards from the trenches so the actual contact with the ground was not observed. It was not known if either survived or the condition of the downed aircraft.
It was mid-day and back at the Aerodrome still no news of the whereabouts of Büttner or Beck had come in. Hans and Gunther tried to convince the others they should not obey the order to stay away from the front. They should go look for their comrades themselves. More eyes on the ground should be helpful they pleaded to the rest of the Eagles, “Büttner and Beck couldn’t be left out there”.
Lefty sat at the rear of the mess not listening at all, elbow on knee, chin in hand, his thoughts were miles away. At the front of the mess tentative search plans were made, changed, denounced, changed again and on and on. Lefty slipped out the back unseen.
He walked to the tent hangar that housed his Fokker and armed his machine guns with no thought on what he was doing. His body and mind were a shell filled with chaotic emotions of anger, fear, rage and despair. Wolf dead, Beck and Büttner missing, his closest family had been torn away, only an empty void remained.
Rage took over from the mix of emotions as he fueled his plane. The noise he was making drew the attention of one of the ground crew. Before he could voice any questions, Lefty barked the order to make ready. Without giving time for the engine to warm up Lefty sped down the runway. As his wheels lost contact with the ground the mess door flew open and by the time everyone was outside Lefty disappeared over the tree tops.
Upon reaching altitude Lefty’s rage fused him to the DVII making man and machine one synchronized fighting entity. Lefty scanned the sky ahead, flying unconsciously. He crossed the lines while above the clouds. When he was beyond the clouds well behind the trenches he dropped down a little looking for an enemy, any enemy.
Flying east with the sun above and behind, Lefty finds a 2 seater below, comfortably returning to it’s aerodrome.
Lefty turns right to get behind the slow RE.8 and dives in on his unsuspecting prey. Almost in a trance, he fires with more accuracy than his skill level would expect. The surprised observer reacts quickly but fires wildly wide of the mark. The RE.8 is riddled and starts to burn as the fuel line is punctured.
Immediately Lefty fires again but the burning RE.8’s immediate reaction to the fire by weaving caused him to miss.
As the Fokker DVII flew behind the RE the observer had recovered his wits and stunned Lefty with punishing fire. The white Fokker shuddered as it took a beating and it too began spouting flames.
Lefty turns away but the observer keeps ripping into the DVII as it flies away.
The RE’s fire burns a bit more brightly but Lefty keeps the flames from licking his Fokker.
Lefty instinctively keeps the fire at bay while scanning the sky. He sees the burning RE heading off as another plane comes into sight below to the right.
Lefty turns towards his new enemy and side slips well above the Strutter. He was determined to deal with the fire before engaging the Strutter.
As the fire fades out with a whimper he looks over his right shoulder to see where the enemy had gone.
The RE’s fire also goes out but the damage is too severe to stay in the fight.
As he keeps an eye on the Strutter and angles to engage he misses the fast moving SPAD VII coming straight for him.
With both eyes on the Strutter the SPAD seemed to appear from nowhere. His focus snapped on to the SPAD in a flash and every bullet hit home. The American, thinking he had snuck in an attack from behind the Strutter was shocked by the accurate fire from the Hun. His aim was thrown off and to add insult to injury his guns jammed.
Passing too close for comfort to the SPAD Lefty had to refocus on the Strutter. Pulling hard on the stick he somehow managed to avoid ramming into it. He Immel’d without knowing it and put a solid burst into the Strutter while it’s poor attempt at return fire stopped as soon as the observer pulled the trigger.
Lefty tightly turns just after he Immel’d even though he had never done so before. This kept his guns blazing at the defenseless Strutter.
He knew the SPAD would be on him soon so he turned wide off the Struttter to set up his next shot. The American obliged and flew right into his sights. Before the American could react Lefty fired again and the as the SPAD spiraled down into the ground as Lefty yelled, “Wolf”! His eyes watered for a blink or two, but then he set on the Strutter.
The Strutter pilot cursed and he witnessed the SPAD falling while the observer set his Lewis straight and readied for action again.
The observer steadied his Lewis and fired true. Lefty wasn’t expecting such accurate fire from this enemy as bits of his cowling flew past his head. Lucky for him the Lewis again quickly failed.
Immediately Lefty Immel’d and set the Strutter into a vertical dive. As it fell he yelled, “Beck”!
No sooner had Lefty looked up from the diving Strutter he spied a DH.4 ahead.
He swung right and set up his attack without thinking. As he closed in on the DH’s flank he let loose a murderous hail of bullets setting the 2 seater on fire. He almost didn’t notice that his windscreen and left goggle were shattered, it was the trickle of blood into his eye that made him aware.
He fired again immediately before the DH left his firing arc with the observer paying the price and slumping down out of sight. Even though his Spandaus were not firing Lefty kept pulling the trigger. His focus was only on taking the enemy out, all else was superfluous.
The fire shows no mercy.
Lefty clears his jam while keeping watch on the DH. As he turns to re-engage he watches as the fire finish off his foe. “Büttner”!
To the right a flash catches his good eye, “Ah, another target”, he says under his breath.
Another American SPAD came on straight and fast. Lefty flew wide so to take advantage of the SPAD’s speed. He turned tightly to the right squeezing the blood out of his eye while squeezing the trigger.
With only one open eye he didn’t notice another American moving in on his left.
Lefty kept on the SPAD inflicting serious damage.
The SPAD surprised him and reversed as he passed in front of it’s guns. Lefty’s luck kept with him as after only one tracer flew past his head there were no more to follow.
Lefty Immel’s and has the SPAD right where he wants it, but the blood in his eye is too much and he flinches, missing the opportunity.
The SPAD tries to shake him but it is Lefty noticing the new enemy American Salmson that sends the bullets wide of the SPAD.
Without thinking Lefty knows he is out of arc of the 2 seater and stays on the SPAD. He hasn’t quite cleared the blood from his eye making aiming difficult.
Knowing he better finish off this one quick before the Salmson can get into it, Lefty shows no pity in letting as many bullets fly into the SPAD as he can.
One more tracer flies by Lefty’s head, but only one. Lefty finishes off the SPAD with one last burst. ‘You bastard”!
Before the SPAD can hit the ground the Salmson swings around and the observer’s twin Lewis guns shred the Fokker and Lefty falls from the sky. (oops, I mistakenly drew from the B deck, which was enough to do Lefty in but I did redraw from the A deck and it only got worse!)
Butcher’s Bill
Entente
RE.8 barely survives the fire and makes it back home.
RAF Strutter, DH.4, American SPAD VII and SPAD XIII are downed (last 2 on SPAD XIII should be a +1)
American Salmson 2A2 ends Lefty’s rampage and returns home.
Kaiser's Raging Eagle
(I missed a +1 from the Strutter observer bit it made no difference to the final result)
Ltn Rudolf Schmitt SD ET WIA 4 Kills TOTAL - 3 Missions
C 10 -1(sd) -1(wia) = 8 injured, 4 = -2 missions
E 7 -1(bel) -1(wia) -1(wic) = 4 captured, but escapes, 6 = -3 missions
As the white Fokker lost power it quickly fell out of control. The ground was approaching quicker than hoped. Lefty did all he could, then all went black.
Büttner positioned himself, with Heinz on his back, so the closest defender could not get to the ball. Lefty swung the polo mallet and hit the ball squarely. It flew like a rocket past the defenders and clattered into the wooden goal. Beck let Lefty slide off his back and padded him on the shoulder for scoring the winning goal.
Lefty stretched slowly in pain on the litter and woke. He looked around, was he lying on the polo ground after a hard fall? Beck and Büttner were there, each with a hand on a shoulder. No, no polo ground but a dimly lit room, a barn stall, and Beck and Büttner! What?
“How you feeling buddy?” Beck softly asked.
“We were quite surprised when you were left with us last night”, Büttner added. “We had planned an escape but then couldn’t do it with you just brought in unconscious”.
“We’ll go tonight if you can walk”, Beck said looking directly at Lefty with a finger over his lips, motioning for him to be silent.
Lefty just shook his head yes as tears of joy streamed down the sides of his face.
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- better than a wooden one !
Originally Posted by Stumptonian
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