OTT-DYM Mission 3: 19 January 2016 – Knowledge is Power {Stumptonian}
Leutnant Karsten Rüdiger was looking forward to getting back into action.
Although it had only been two weeks since his first unfortunate foray into the air in defense of a pair of balloons, he was hoping for a better experience this time.
Not only had he been knocked from the sky by his own reckless anti-aircraft gunners, he had been lightly wounded in the crash of his Fokker Eindecker and forced to miss the next mission by the medical officer. Squadron mate Till Huebner already had four kills to his credit, and even fellow rookie Günther Giesebrecht had one!
Rüdiger had also been impressed by Huebner’s E.III – it was not the boring plain coloured aircraft but had been modified by painting it a dark green.
He offered some ground crew half a crate of lager to modify his new machine. He had decided on the perfect colour – his mother’s favourite shade of green - and was ready for the ‘unveiling’. The crew were excited in anticipation of his reaction to their work and led Karsten to the airfield blindfolded.
As the blindfold was removed, the young Leutnant could tell that they had probably been into that promised barrel already ..
“Wunderbar!” he exclaimed as he saw their handiwork
ObLtn Bernhard Wienand did not have much to offer the eager young Leutnant this time.
A standard ‘bus route’ looking for any enemy reconnaissance aircraft foolish enough to enter our territory was the best he could do.
“Es wird eine Einzelmission sein.“ < it will be a solo mission >
„Wir erwarten heute nicht viel.“ < we don‘t expect much today >
Rüdiger was just glad to be back into the cockpit. It had not been fun watching the others in the unit come back bragging about their victories.
“Heute bin ich an der Reihe.“ < Today is my turn > he said to himself confidently.
„Ich schicke einen Zweisitzer auf Patrouille über unsere Linien.“ < I am sending a two-seater on patrol over our lines > added the Oberleutnant.
„Wiechers und Nixdorf nehmen eine Albatros C.III“ < Wiechers and Nixdorf will take an Albatros C.III >
“Sie werden nicht in deiner Nähe sein.“ < They wil not be near you >
„Denken Sie daran - nicht in feindliches Territorium zu gelangen!“ < Remember – do not enter enemy territory >
The RFC had other plans.
A pair of BE.2c are making their way across No Man’s Land with instructions to help the Royal Artillery take out a German battery that has been harassing the front lines.
A separate mission has a lone FE.2b with instructions to find and destroy any enemy recon patrol in the area – pretty much the same as that with which young Rüdiger has been tasked.
2Lt Douglas Winterbottom pilots the BE.2c on the right, along with AM3 Observer/Gunner Harry Bott who controls the Morse Key which will be used to send corrections to the artillery battery.
The second BE.2c, flown by Lt Alan Wood with Gunner AM3 Frank Wilkinson, is to provide escort cover. Wood has a second Lewis gun mounted to the left side of the fuselage, a similar arrangement as those used on the Bristol Scout. Not the best, but “better ‘n nowt”.
The FE.2b is flown by Australian 2Lt Arthur Allison, with AM3 William Holder in the gunner’s seat.
Approaching from the opposite side are Fwbl Siegfried Nixdorf and Ltn Leonard Wiechers in the Albatros C.III of which Rüdiger had been advised.
Nixdorf and Wiechers got right down to business, Wiechers snapping his first photo of the trench line.
Wiechers is startled by incoming fire.
Holder is standing upright in the FE.2 nacelle and firing over the wing.
Nixdorf struggles with the C.III controls. “Ich kann nicht nach links abbiegen!“
He is unable to turn to the left.
Rookie pilot Karsten Rüdiger approaches the battle area in his freshly painted E.III
As Nixdorf struggles with the Albatros controls, Wiechers takes another photograph.
Winterbottom turns toward the intended target, but Wood in the escort did not see any warning of the maneuver and comes very close to ending their joint mission!
“&$@#*%! “
Obscenities fill the air from both aircraft.
Rüdiger takes advantage of the confusion and fires at Wood, who bemoans the placement of the second Lewis gun.
“Fat lot o’ good this Lewis is, mounted on’t wrong side!”
“Got the bastard for ye!” shouts Wilkinson to Wood.
Rüdiger is shocked to see the holes in his newly-painted fabric and realizes that the stories of the helpless BE.2 are perhaps overblown.
Wiechers takes another photo, keeping an eye on the FE.2
Da Da Da Da Da
Holder’s Lewis confirms the reason to be wary.
Da da da da da
Wiechers puts the camera aside and fires his Parabellum back at the FE.2, doing a fair amount of damage.
The ‘Fee’s simultaneous return fire has no effect.
Wood finally has an opportunity to fire his left-mounted Lewis.
Da da d …
“Damn and blast it’s jammed!”
Wiechers takes a second shot at the FE.2b
Da da da da da
Allison’s turn for control issues.
Rüdiger has been just a bit slow getting his shot off against Winterbottom and Bott.
Tikka tikka tikka
BOOM!
The BE.2c erupts in flame!
A lucky shot gives the young rookie his first kill!
Rüdiger is as stunned as his English counterparts as the BE.2 falls to the ground, trailing smoke and flame.
“Mein Gott! he exclaims.
“Ich würde das niemandem wünschen ....“ < I would not wish that on anyone >
Over near No Man’s Land, pursued by the Englanders, Wiechers calmly takes another photo.
Rüdiger circles the second BE.2, nearly helpless with its only offense jammed.
Da da da da da
Holder reminds the C.III crew that he is still in the game.
More damage to the control cables.
DA DA DA DA DA
The Parabellum and Lewis fire in perfect synchronization, damaging their targets equally.
Da da da da
Wilkinson’s Lewis does some slight damage to Rüdiger’s Eindecker
Rüdiger returns fire at the BE.2
Tikka tikka tikka
“Flamme!”
The rookie pilot sees a wisp of smoke and flame begin to stream from the BE.2
Back to business, Wiechers calmly takes another photo.
Nixdorf is impressed by his observer’s steady nerves.
Rüdiger gets too close to his now-flaming target and is unable to add to the Britishers’ worries.
Conversely, AM3 Wilkinson cannot fire either.
The fire continues to eat up the fabric of the BE.2c
While the Albatros continues to photograph the trenches, Wiechers wondering where the British have gone.
Allison has seen the plight of the BE.2 and has decided to help his brothers in arms.
Rüdiger is having trouble getting into position against the slow-moving British machine.
“Das verdammte Ding ist eine Schnecke!“ < the damn thing is a snail! >
“Watch out!”
A very near three-way collision is narrowly averted.
Rüdiger continues to follow the BE.2 too closely for any shots to be fired.
The BE.2 crew is struggling to keep the flames under control.
The turning maneuvers seem to be keeping the damage under control.
Nixdorf and Wiechers get a last photo before turning to retrace their flight across the trenches.
“zu verdammt nah!” < too damn close >
So many opportunities missed.
Da da da da
Holder fires at the Eindecker, being careful to miss the BE.2
Perhaps too careful …
As Rüdiger tries to slip beside his target, Wilkinson squeezes his trigger as hard as he can.
Da da da da
“ ‘ere, ‘ave some fire yerself!”
Wilkinson has seen flames on the E.III
Rüdiger realizes his Eindecker is also on fire.
Rüdiger is rattled by the flames, but manages to finally fire at the flaming BE.2c
Tikka tik ….
“Meine Waffe ist gestaut!” < my weapon is jammed >
Fate can be so cruel.
Allison sees that both aircraft are now on fire.
The Eindecker flames are not as damaging as the ones consuming the hapless BE.2
Da da da da
Holden empties his Lewis with nothing to show for it.
Nixdorf and Wiechers doggedly continue their trip back across the German trench line.
Rüdiger has been swaying to the left and right as he had been taught in an effort to control the fire.
He cringes in anticipation of another withering blast from the BE.2’s Lewis but none is forthcoming.
Holder is madly working on changing the Lewis drum.
Just then a Whooosh of hot air and flame overcomes the right side of the E.III
Rüdiger struggles with the Eindecker’s controls as it plummets to the earth below.
A rough landing, to say the least, but he manages to avoid the trenches.
Wiechers hurriedly takes a photo and struggles with the camera to get ready for the return of the FE.2b!
Holder frantically works on getting his Lewis drum in place.
Meanwhile, Wood and Wilkinson have managed to control the flames and limp their BE.2c back toward their airfield.
Both realize that they were very close to ending their day in the mud of No Man’s Land.
“Damnit!”
Holder has replaced the drum but has missed the opportunity to fire at the Albatros.
Wiechers is ready but has no shot.
Wiechers calmly goes back to his camera since the ‘Fee’ is flying away from them, at least for now.
Just a few more photos and their mission will be complete.
The FE.2b crew come to realize that they have missed their chance to take down the C.III and will not be able to catch it now.
Allison swings the ‘Fee’ around and heads west across the expanse of No Man’s Land toward their home airfield.
They missed their opportunity to secure the mission by breaking off to help a friend in need. The BE.2 crew will be eternally thankful
Their C.O. perhaps not so much ...
The Butcher’s Tally
RFC Bulldogs
BE.2c Artillery Spotter
Pilot 2Lt Douglas Winterbottom : EXP ET
C&W Roll 10 -3 EXP = 7 : Injured 1D2(6) : Skip 2 weeks.
E&E Roll 8 -1 BEL -1 EXP -1 WIC = 5 : In Hiding 1D2(4) : Skip 2 weeks
Observer AM3 Harry Bott : EXP ET
C&W Roll 11 -3 EXP = 8 : Injured 1D2(6) = Skip 2
E&E Roll 10 -1 BEL -1 EXP -1 WIC = 7 Almost Home : Skip 1 week – Total Skip 2 weeks
Mission Failure
BE.2c Escort
Pilot Lt Alan Wood : FRTB-D*
Gunner AM3 Frank Wilkinson : RTB : 1 kill (Fokker E.III)
* it was originally FRTB-F but the flames died out.
FE.2b
Pilot : 2Lt Arthur Allison : RTB
Gunner : AM3 William Holder : RTB
Der Kaiser’s Adler
Fokker E.III
Ltn Karsten Rüdiger : FLM FT 1 kill (BE.2c)
C&W Roll 8 -2 FLM = 6 : Injured 1D3(6) : Skip 3 weeks
Albatros C.III
Pilot : Fwbl Siegfried Nixdorf : RTB
Observer : Ltn Leonard Wiechers : RTB
12 photos taken : Mission completed successfully.
Entente mission failed : Total Victory for the Central Powers!
Epilogue:
Rüdiger was drifting in and out of consciousness.
His arm hurt even more than before.
His hands and face had also suffered from burns while trying to control the flames on his Eindecker.
He lay in the grass waiting for his squadron to send for him.
“Meine neue Farbe hatte kein Glück für mich ..“ < my new colour scheme was not so lucky for me >
But then he heard his mother‘s voice inside his head.
„Karsten, du lebst noch.“ < Karsten, you are still alive >
He drifted off just as the stretcher bearers arrived to take him to hospital.
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Well, another new aircraft bites the dust on its first mission.
Rüdiger's freshly painted Eindecker will have to stay in its box for the next few missions.
But at least all combatants lived to see another day.
It was an interesting mission with so many two-seaters and just the one scout.
It looked as though my rookie was going to get two kills but the flames on the second BE.2 went out with just one point to spare.
The BE.2c is soooo slow they were having trouble using the AI moves to get into position. They were just getting ready to radio for the artillery when Rüdiger pounced on them.
Looking forward to next month's outing - hoping to get more of my newly painted Eindeckers to the table.
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Well that was a clean sweep for your Eagles Pete even though you lost a Fokker.
Originally Posted by Vagabond
Another fine entertaining 
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