Prologue
Bentangles Aerodrome 7.30 pm 4th January 1916
Uncle AAR Uncle.jpg Views: 59 Size: 7.6 KB ID: 261075" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" /> & "F" Flight Commander Lt. Reginald Fife-Brand AAR Flight leader.jpg Views: 60 Size: 34.8 KB ID: 261076" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" /> sat in the Squadron Office enjoying a Single Malt Scotch after another busy day in Squadron life. "So" asked Uncle "what do you think of our latest bunch of lads?" "Christ! they all look so bloody young" replied Reg from the lofty heights of his 22 years. "Look like they all should still be at Collage or University!"
"Well" laughed Uncle "They were last year but now they are what the RFC are sending us to see off the old Hun!"
"They are certainly keen as mustard. After we gave out the roster & briefed the chaps detailed for the mission they insisted having a photograph taken with me to celebrate" chortled Uncle.
"That young Australian Rhodes impresses me".
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"He is only 19 but worked as a Stockman on the family property at Cootamundra in New South Wales so he knows how to ride & shoot.
Finished in the top 3 of his Flying School course. Desperately wants to be a Scout Pilot but will have to be satisfied with flying a Gunbus until he proves himself" stated Uncle.
"Well" commented Reg "We have given him a good gunner in AM2 Macbeth so that should help & with the importance of this mission to neutralise those German observation balloons you have rostered
Lt "Lofty" Hill & AM1 Austin-Green in the BE with that front Lewis firing off to the left for the pilot & 2nd Lt. "Frosty" Snow in the Morane to try to keep the Hun off their tail. I told them all to get a good nights sleep & provided we don't have a fog or mist I want them airborne by 8.30am".
The Mission
The sky was surprisingly clear the next morning so the 3 British Aircraft turned into the wind, opened their throttles & took off towards the front lines.
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On the German side of the lines at the Eagles Aerodrome Ltn Victor Schoenebeck yawned & stretched as he walked towards his Fokker Eindekker waiting for him like a crouched lion. Off to his left the crew of Obltn Helmet Dahlmann the "Emil" & his Observer Ltn Hans Schobinger were already mounted in their Aviatik CII.
Schoenebeck climbed into his cockpit, the mechanic swung the prop & the rotary engine burst into life.
The two German aircraft took off & flew towards their Balloon line, their task was to protect their Drachins from marauding British Aircraft.
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The 3 British Aircraft climbed steadily as they approached the German Trenches. They had been warned repeatedly during yesterdays briefing that the Balloons would be strongly defended by German Anti Aircraft Guns fondly known as "Archie"!
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Sure enough as they approached the Balloon line a sharp crack came from below as the first Hun gun tried a long range shot at Snow's Morane but it was way off target!
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On the far side of the flight another AA battery had a shot at Hill's BE 2c but again the aim was way off.
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As Schoenebeck's Fokker flew below the yellow balloon the closest AA Gun had the temerity to shoot at the German aircraft. Schoenebeck shook his fist,, rocked his wings in case the gunners had not noticed the large black cross's on the white squares. "Dumbkoff's" he cursed! "Blind Schwine!" Fortunately they missed!
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The British aircraft were now in range of both the German Aircraft & the Balloons. Hamish MacBeth got off a telling burst from his Lewis which caused the rudder on the Aviatik to jam completely whilst Lofty Hill hit the balloon.
Off to the left hand side the Morane & Fokker exchanged shots but the only result was a jammed gun on the Morane.
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The Gunbus & the BE continued to shoot at the Balloon while the BE again came under fire from the Archie battery closest to it. Again their aim was way off.
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As Snow's Morane approached the balloon with its gun still jammed it was shot at by the AA Gun however as Jon grunted "Glad their having an off day".
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The German gunners continued to try long range shots but to no avail. However the Balloon Winch crews alert to the danger from the British aircraft had already commenced winching down their charges.
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The Aviatik which could only fly in a straight line because of its jammed rudder took a shot at the Vickers but it was just out of range thanks to Dusty's manoeuvring.
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Algie Austin-Green fired at the balloon causing it to issue black smoke but there was no sign of any fire & his Lewis then jammed.
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Jon Snow had preformed an Immlemann, after unjamming his gun, to attack the yellow balloon but his shots caused no visible damage.
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The German AA gun on the far side now again fired at the Grey Fokker much to Schoenebeck's consternation perhaps confusing it with the Morane. He would certainly be taking this up with Higher Authorities when he returned to base!
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On the other side of the battlefield the German Gunners had no luck in their efforts to hit the BE.
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The middle Archie gun now took aim at the Gunbus & although it came close it caused no damage. Dusty was now getting used to the smoke & noise of the AA Guns that seemed to be all "Froth & Bubble" but in a very noisy way.
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"Dusty" turned the Gunbus towards the Balloon but Hamish saw no result for his burst.
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The Fokker & Vickers now exchanged a close range burst but neither plane sustained much damage.
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The Morane finally managed to inflect some decent damage on the yellow balloon but still no sign of any flames.
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The FB-5 & the Morane continued to be harassed by Archie but so far they were fortunate to avaid any damage.
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The grey Fok E.III made a head on attack on the BE 2 & damaged its engine. The BE was unable to reply as the Port mounted Lewis' arc was beyond the German Aircraft.
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Snow in the Morane continued to attack the Balloon but damage was slight. Another close range shot also appeared to do no damage at all!
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As the BE 2 commenced its long journey home with a damaged engine it narrowly avoided a collision with its adversary but the Observer managed to shoot at the Fokker but caused no damage..
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Using its excellent forward firing arc the Gunbus again hit the balloon but caused little damage!
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Another close range burst only succeeded in Hamish's Lewis jamming! "Ach!" cried the Scot "They 'av looded the wee thing with blanks & duds!"
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Archie would just not give up but again they could not hit the Vickers. Another AA gun continued to target the Fokker Eindekker if it came within close range. Schoenebeck was now livid with rage! "I vill have them cashiered or face a firing squad when I get back to our Casino!
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Having narrowly avoided an earlier collision the Eindekker & the BE now brushed wings fortunately without any major damage.
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The Fokker closed in on the Gunbus causing some damage before its gun jammed but Snow's Morane returned the complement & set the E.III on fire. The pilot then cleverly "Threaded the Needle" between the Morane & the Vickers.
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The Aviatik which had strayed far from the action due to the severe rudder damage it had sustained had now returned to the fight & the Observer fired at the Gunbus but missed completely!
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The Observers of the Be & the Aviatik exchanged shots with little or no effect except the Germans gun jammed.
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Disaster now struck the British Be 2c as the Archie finally scored a direct hit & the 2 seater fell to earth to crash in German Territory.
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Meanwhile the Morane had finally managed to set the yellow balloon on fire!
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MacBeth who had reloaded his Lewis gun now got a good burst at the Eindekker damaging its rudder but his gun immediately jammed again. "*#@*#@" swore the Scotsman "Tis nor goood tryen to keel tha Hun if tha gun keeps a jammin!"
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Dusty continued to tail the Fokker while Hamish threw away the jammed drum & fitted a new one. However his spirits were not improved when a close range burst resulted in no damage to the Hun.
"**##@@ Ah mus be shootin bloody blanks" he roared in disgust!
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He only got wilder as his next burst also resulted in no damage.
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On the otherside of the action the German gunners finally got their aim right & a direct hit resulted in Jon Snow copping a red hot piece of shrapnel in his left thigh. "Bugger" that hurts" he cried as he tried to keep the damaged aircraft on an even keel. "Better head for the Barn in case I get light headed & pass out. Don't want to disappoint Uncle by loosing one of his precious Moranes!" His mood was not improved by Archie having another go at him from another AA position but this time their aim was off.
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During this time the Winch crews were continuing to lower the balloons as quickly as possible & the fire had not flared up to cause severe damage at this time & the Fire on the Fokker E.III had also puttered out.
As Frosty flew towards his home aerodrome the Avitak took a shot but it missed.
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Having changed drums Hamish now reopened fire on the Eindekker as Dusty had cleverly continued to shadow the German plane. At last some success!
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The German AA continued to fire at the German Monoplane but again missed.
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Dusty kept on the Fokker's Tail & after another burst Hamish had his first kill as the final burst from the drum caused the German aircraft to explode & crash to the ground.
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With the Balloons now safe on the ground albeit both damaged it was time for the tired crew of the Gunbus to head back to Bentangles where Frosty Snow would be waiting for them & hoping for news of the crew of the crashed Be2c.
OBSERVATIONS
Well what a marathon that ended up being. A highly enjoyable one but a marathon made very difficult with problems of the app trying to upload multiple photos from the halfway point of the mission. I have had that problem before & it seems to be triggered by posting large numbers of images.
I flew the aircraft at the Altitude required but made the British Aircraft climb to the same altitude as the Germans as they flew toward the front.
All Lewis guns were restricted to 3 bursts before requiring a drum change. No inherent Ace skills were used in this scenario. I flew the Gunbus & all others used Dave's D8 charts.
Thanks to Neil for an action packed mission although those double B Decks threw up an amazing number of Zeros & Jambs.
Just take a look at the Damage Draw for the Fokker Eindekker before it finally went down to the Boom card from Hamish MacBeth!
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Mission Results
British Forces:
+2 for Fokker Eindekker shot down
= 2 points
German Forces:
+3 BE 2c shot down
+10 for 2 Balloons winched down damaged
+1 for Morane crossed back to lines before game ended
= 14 points
GERMAN VICTORY
Butchers Bill will be posted tomorrow. (I am exhausted! )
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