OTT-DYM Mission 5: Adler Tag-Team - 5th February 1916 {Stumptonian}

[Stumptonian]

Leutnant Till Huebner had decided to give green livery on his Fokker Eindecker one more try.
“Es hat mir bei den ersten beiden Patrouillen gut getan ...“ <it served me well for the first two patrols>
“Vielleicht war das letzte Mal eine Anomalie.“ <Maybe the last time was an anomaly>


Now approaching the edge of German-controlled territory he looked to his right to make sure rookie pilot Giesebrecht was keeping up.
He was.

Leutnant Günther Giesebrecht had performed well in his previous outings, claiming a kill his first time flying an actual mission.
Nervousness was starting to be a thing of the past, although he hoped to avoid the flames that had terrified him last time he flew with Huebner.
His Eindecker had been repaired, but to remove traces of the fire that had scorched his aircraft he had had the fuselage repainted a dark burnt ocher.
The irony of that choice was not lost on Huebner.

The Fokker pilots scanned the air looking for their compatriots who should be returning from their patrol at any time.

Rookie pilot Leutnant Burkhard Baumann, flying a grey E.III, and his wingman, recent arrival Leutnant Felix Eisenhardt, were in fact following the German trench line, about to turn south toward the Adler airfield. Eisenhardt had replaced Leutnant Herbert Fiedler whose foolhardy action caused Onkel to relegate him to the Zweisitzer company. Two-seater pilots were regarded as second class by the flamboyant scout flyers.

Eisenhardt was keeping an eye on Baumann who was flying his first actual mission in harm’s way.
Scanning the sky around him his blood ran cold when he noticed a pair of biplanes approaching from his right.
He did not recognize the type, but he knew they would not be displaying the Eisernes Kreuz ….


The British aircraft were the new De Havilland DH.2 and were looking ready to pounce!
Pulling back on his stick to try to get up to the same altitude, Eisenhardt hoped that Baumann was paying attention.
He was, but in an instant the Britishers were on them!

Da da da da
The Lewis of Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald sent a stream of lead through Eisenhardt’s E.III damaging the rudder controls.
Tikka tikka tikka
Eisenhardt’s LMG08/15 spat back, much to Fitzgerald’s chagrin.


Da da da da
2Lt Duncan Moore fired at Eisenhardt but saw no sign of any damage


Da da da…
Fitzgerald gives Baumann his first taste of enemy fire, damaging his rudder controls before his Lewis stops chattering mid-stream.

The action takes a time-out while all the pilots sort out their bearings.

Suddenly the Giesebrecht realizes that the count of their opponents has doubled!
Another pair of DH.2 has joined the fray: 2Lt Barry Campbell in the DH.2 with CDL tail, and 2Lt John Moncrieff in the all-PC10 livery.


Giesebrecht takes on Campbell but his excitement affects his aim.


Da d ….
“Damn this cursed piece of %$&!”
Moore’s frustration with the Lewis reflects that of Fitzgerald, although with an audible difference.


Tikka tikka tikka
Giesebrecht’s gun is working fine, but his aim definitely needs some work.


Was zum Himmel …?” <What in heavens ...?>
Giesebrecht is stunned my the maneuverability of these new British aircraft as Moore swings his DH.2 around

Da da d … “For $%*&$@! sake!” Campbell is pleased at first but then joins Fitzgerald and Moore, and especially the latter, in his displeasure with the reliability of his Lewis.
His Scottish grandad would be proud.

Moore, in perfect position to do some serious damage to Giesebrecht’s Fokker, is left to pound on his Lewis to try and clear the jammed round.


Not even noticing the DH.2 behind him Giesebrecht finally remembers to offer some return fire to Campbell.
Tikka tikka

Campbell feels the bullets strike his nacelle.

“Watch out!” / “Achtung!”
Giesebrecht and Campbell have very nearly managed to run into each other, but luckiiy Campbell turns at the last moment.


Tikka tikka tik ….
Huebner sees his bullets chipping of bits of the DH.2 in his sights, but then …
“%$#$%!”

He joins his enemy in the cursing of his jammed armament.
So much for checking his bullets before boarding his Eindecker ….

Jammed guns be damned!
Moore very nearly causes a three-way collision which would likely have seen the end of at least one of them.


Crowded air space is becoming a real issue.
Eisenhardt, deftly avoids the rookie Baumann, not without some profanity to suit the situation.
He will definitely have some choice words when they are back at the airfield.


Huebner furiously pounds on his gun.
A perfect opportunity missed.


Tikka tikka tikka
Finally there is noticeable damage as flames start to flicker from Moncrieff’s DH.2


Flames eat at the wing of Moncreiff’s aircraft.
He madly flips from side to side to try to minimize the damage.


Tikka tikka tikka
Eisenhardt adds to Moncrieff’s distress.
The Gnôme Monosoupape 9-cylinder rotary engine begins to misfire badly.


Giesebrecht nervously tries to perform an Immelmann and very nearly takes down his target, but not by firing at it!
The rookie would not have had the presence of mind to fire even if he had not been so close to the DH.2
Moore, still working on his Lewis, does not realize how lucky he is.


Tikka tik ..
Huebner’s gun has jammed again!
“Warum habe ich mir die Mühe gemacht?!“ < why did I bother? >
Huebner really begins to question the effort he puts into checking his ammunition.

Da da „Damn and Blast!“
Fitzgerald‘s language is not nearly as colourful as his squadron mates as his Lewis jams for the second time, but that is the least of his worries.

Tikka tikka
Eisenhardt has set a second target on fire!



Huebner sees the flames pouring from Fitzgerald’s aircraft.
“Habe ich das getan?” < did I do that? >


Moore sees Moncrieff’s flames and is reminded that there are worse things than jammed guns.


Campbell has Immelmanned but is unable to take a shot* at Baumann’s E.III

(*photo notwithstanding … the stand shifted while taking the picture)

Moncrieff’s predicament is worsening.
For a moment he considers the alternative to burning alive.


Fitzgerald’s flames are reacting to his flying skills.


Huebner again finds himself in the perfect position to finish off his enemy, but can do nothing about it!


Tikka tikka
His guns finally functioning again Huebner hits the burning DH.2


Moncrieff’s actions finally get the fire under control.
With a slight flare-up the flames are extinguished.


This time it is Fitzgerald who ponders alternatives as his flames appear to be getting worse and the Fokker is on his tail


Tikka tikka
Huebner takes out Fitzgerald’s rudder.


And that is it …. The DH.2 can take no more and Fitzgerald drops to No Man’s Land streaming flames all the way down.
Huebner has his 5th victory at last and becomes the first Adler ace!


Remembering that this was not the first patrol of the day, Eisenhardt has been watching his fuel level and decides it’s best to break off and head home.
He hopes the young rookie is doing the same …


Baumann sees Eisenhardt pulling away and follows suit.


Oberleutnant Bernhard Wienand has decided to get some air time and flies out toward the ongoing battle.


Wienand finds himself in the thick of the engagement and is receiving fire from a diving aircraft, wondering what this one is.
It looks like the RAF FE.2b but smaller?

His fires instinctively as he climbs to meet his opponent.
Tikka tik ..
Jammed on his first shot!

But what a first shot!
BOOM!
The aircraft explodes in front of him.

Moore’s day is done.

Things have definitely not gone in the RFC’s favour on what was supposed to be ‘payback time’ for the Eindeckers.

Moncrieff’s flames may have gone out, but he still has a wonky engine to deal with.
Giesebrecht spots the DH.2 heading for some low clouds and gets off a feeble parting shot.
It looks like at least one DH.2 will ‘live to tell the tale’.


Moncrieff licks his wounds and limps back to the Bulldog airfield


Campbell comes to realize he is alone against the Fokkers.

Wienand and Giesebrecht see the DH.2 and head toward it.

Tikka tikka tikka
Wienand fires a deflection shot, leading his target.

He is not sure he has the range right, but does see the DH.2 jerk a bit.
Campbell has taken a bullet through his left shoulder and is having a hard time keeping his aircraft straight.

Wienand can figuratively smell blood and fires again.
Tikka tikka
The bullets fly between the wings of the DH.2 this time.

Tikka tikka tikka
Struggling to stay concentrated on flying, Campbell sees chunks of his aircraft flying off as Wienand closes for the kill shot.



Perhaps he was trying too hard.
Campbell suddenly lurches to the left again, pain searing through his shoulder.


“Jetzt gehörst du mir!” < Now you are mine! >
Tikka tik …
Perhaps prematurely Wienand claims his kill.
Another jam.


Seizing an opportunity, Giesebrecht fires at Campbell.
Tikka tikka tikka
No jam this time ..


Giesebrecht has his second kill, although it has not registered with him yet.
It appears his days as ein Anfänger < a rookie > may be behind him …

Campbell adds to his pain when he hits the ground, narrowly missing ending up in a stream.

Sill conscious he hears muffled voices approaching.
And they are not speaking the King’s English ….

Three Eindeckers regroup and fly toward the Adler airfield.
Each has a new kill to brag about in the mess tonight, especially Huebner.

“Die erste Runde liegt bei Ihnen!“ < the first round is yours! > Oberleutnant Wienand shouts ahead to Huebner.
He is certainly glad he decided to take to the sky today.

Butcher’s Tally

Bulldogs

Lt Edward Fitzgerald SD FLM NML


C&W roll 8 -2 FLM -1 NML = 5 : Injured 1D3(4) = Skip 2
E & E roll 5 +1 NML -1 FLM -1 WIC = 4 : Captured and Escaped
Roll 1D3(5) = 3 : Skip 3

2Lt Duncan Moore EXP ET


C&W roll 6 -3 EXP = 3 : Injured 1D6(2) = Skip 2
E&E roll 8 -1 BEL -1 EXP -1 WIC = 5 : In Hiding
Skip 1D2(4) : Skip 2

2Lt Barry Campbell SD ET WIAx2


C&W roll 6 -1 SD -2 WIA = 3 : Injured 1D6(1) = Skip 1
E&E roll 5 -1 BEL -2 WIA -1 WIC = 1 : Captured!
The war is over for Campbell

2Lt John Moncrieff FRTB-E



Adler

Ltn Till Huebner RTB 1 kill


Huebner is now an ace.
Perhaps his bullet checking skills will improve ….

Ltn Günther Giesebrecht RTB 1 kill


Giesebrecht has moved on from rookie status and has a second kill to add to his resume.

Obltn Bernhard Wienand RTB 1 kill



Ltn Felix Eisenhardt RTB



Ltn Burkhard Baumann RTB


The third Adler Anfänger has no kills but has survived his first enemy encounter.

Victory Conditions

3 DH.2 shot down = 9
1 DH.2 forced to retire = 1
Total : 10

Bulldogs were shut out : Total Adler Victory!



=========================================

Well that certainly did not turn out as I had expected!


I thought the new DH.2s would give our Eindeckers a shellacking!
I am sure they next time we meet things will not go so well.

Glad to see Huebner finally achieve his ace status, although his inherent Bullet Checker skill leaves a lot to be desired, and I doubt there will be enough time to gain another 'skill' before the campaign comes to a close.

Giesebrecht is no longer a rookie, so hopefully he will improve over the next few missions.
My primary rookie pilot, Rudiger, still has one more mission to sit out.
Not much chance for him to become an ace methinks.

I did enjoy a mission that I wrote this time, however.
Tried to utilize altitude more than usual - I think I am getting the hang of it.
I controlled the rookie Giesebrecht and used Dave's simplified altitude rules and his D8 charts (modified for Excel) as usual for all the others.
I definitely like the fact that his charts utilize the special maneuvers like the wide side slip in the P deck.

Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the group does with this one and getting some feedback on it.