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Thread: OTT DYM Mission 6 - Where's Flash's Gunner ? - 12th February 1916.

  1. #1

    Default OTT DYM Mission 6 - Where's Flash's Gunner ? - 12th February 1916.

    A long range mission - full load, no gunner, no gun. Straight forward he said - stay up high he said and the Hun might leave them alone. Run in, drop the eggs, run out, job done. Simple.
    Not overly convinced Lt Bull & 2lt Hale came up with a wheeze that may put off an enemy - straw dummies togged up in kit & tied into the front cockpit with a couple of broom handles as mock guns might give a Hun pause before setting about them.. At least they'd have an escort there and one to bring them back.

    2lt Alan Keye stamped his feet on the cockpit floor in a futile effort to warm them up, he tapped his fuel gauge and knew he'd have to turn back very soon but he'd got his charges to their target with little trouble so his job was done, hopefully 2lt Cameron Paine would be along on time to give them a hand on the way home.
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    He glanced to his left and eyed the pair of overweight Fee's wallowing toward their targets, Lt Terry Bull in number 4 on the left, 2Lt Justin Hale on the right; almost dead ahead now he saw they were aligning themselves to drop their eggs.
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    The first bombs separated cleanly from the racks slung under their machines.
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    Keye spots a Hun slipping toward his charges from the 1 o'clock position. Looks like a Frenchy type but no cockades, just big fat black crosses.
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    (Ltn Walter Gandert is trying out a captured Nieuport Bebe)

    Moments later the next bombs are being tee'd up
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    The crump of Archie momentarily catches his attention but luckily it's wide of the mark. He'd have keep away from that !
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    Terry Bull thinks much the same as his machine is rocked by a near miss.
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    Gandert closes the gap, adjusts his position & opens fire at long range, his rounds crashing through Hale's Fee and his silent partner in the front.
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    Pulling his nose left the young Eagle puts a burst into Bull's machine damaging the controls - that will cause problems later.
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    The bombs crash onto their second targets as the third load passes overhead - all direct hits so far but can this last ? With damaged controls it's highly unlikely.
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    Completing his turn Gandert empties his drum into the big Tommi crossing his path and sees splinters fly - no return fire - he must've killed the gunner !
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    Hale, swings his big machine left into the attack so as to help line up his turn to the right for the run back along the line of other targets - fortunately for him Gandert's out of ammo or that could have been a painful experience. Bull has chopped the speed of his Fee as he wrestles with his jammed controls.
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    "Oh, for a gun now" thinks Hale as the blue Nieuport slides alongside his aircraft but his straw companion cannot take advantage.
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    Circling back Keye takes some damage from Archie - that was close !
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    Keye roars back into protect the unarmed bombers, spattering the Nieuport at long range but taking no major damage himself
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    Hale releases the rest of his bombs as rounds patter through his wing fabric. Archie chimes in with a near miss & Keye turns back for base
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    Disaster strikes, busy watching his foe Keye misjudges his turn and collides with the Fee of Terry Bull - something breaks and Keye's DH2 falls away out of control
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    The last bombs of Hale's load obliterate the final target as the blue Nieuport jostles for position behind Bull's
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    The blue Nieuport cuts back into the attack and rakes Bull's Fee at close range
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    As there is separation between the foes the gunners below take a shot and knock some lumps from Bull's machine
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    The Fee's run for home, the blue Nieuport turns to give chase, Paine follows suit
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    Gandert opens up on Bull's machine and his rounds crash through the air frame. Paine opens fire but the burst has no effect.
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    Paine's second burst is more accurate and he sees the reward as the machine spews fire.. Gandert's last rounds seem to do no further damage
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    Paine puts a final burst into the blue Nieuport and its engine sound changes dramatically as the rounds find their way into the vitals of the engine
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    Bull follows Hale and leaves the table with Paine on his tail reloading his Lewis, Gandert looks to escape...
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    Gandert, his gun empty, on fire, engine damaged can only do one thing and so he heads for the deck - his overdive is enough to snuff out the fire and he manages to limp home
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    Butcher's Tally:
    Bulldogs:

    2lt Alan Keye: DH2 cdl tail - COL-ET 0 kills
    Rolled 10 -2COL = 8 - Injured skip D2 scenario. Rolled 6 = skip 2
    E&E: Rolled 7 -1WIC -1BEL = 5 In Hiding ! Skip 1D2 scenaro. Rolled 4 = Skip 2. Total Skips 2.

    2lt Cameron Paine: DH2 PC10 tail - RTB 0 kills

    Lt Terry Bull: Fee #4 - RTB 0 kills
    3 direct hits , 1 near miss

    2Lt Justin Hale: Fee #6 - RTB 0 kills
    4 direct hits
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    Eagles:
    Ltn Walter Gandert: N.11 - RTB 0 kills
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    Seven targets took direct hits, one of them twice; two remained unscathed.


    Well it was different. I found the run in is easy(ish), making the turn and lining up for the last line was harder - particularly with rudder damage !
    In an effort to mix it up I staggered my attacking aircraft a little to prevent conflict when it came to the turn, as it happens the rudder damage did much the same thing.
    Managing the multi bomb high alt drop is a challenge & doesn't look pretty but can be done with care.

    Good luck everyone

    For the record I flew the bombers, both my escorts & enemy were AI driven, once the last bombs dropped the bombers reverted to AI & I took over as Paine for the run home.
    Last edited by flash; 06-12-2019 at 23:16.

    "He is wise who watches"

  2. #2

    Default

    Job well done, Dave! Only one plane lost too. Keye will have some story of how he got home so quickly from so deep in enemy territory.

  3. #3

    Default

    Think he jumps a train and rides the rails hobo style - it's a couple of weeks absence.

    "He is wise who watches"

  4. #4

    Default

    Well done, Dave.

    Yours is a lot neater (and more interesting) than mine will be.
    Out of 50+ photos, most of mine are of the bomb dropping process and get to be very repetitive.

    Again you made me chuckle over your pilot names - some new ones to appreciate.

  5. #5

    Default

    I left out most of the bombing bits as it gets a bit boring but most of it is in the background of - or at least beneath - the shooting war !
    Both sides got their licks in but were unlucky with the guns running dry at the critical moment due to the ammo restrictions - When Gandert gets down he might be having a word with his armourer to replace the Lewis with a parabellum... I know I would !
    As to names, well there's more to come - I've started a new list as most of my original roster in this campaign is hors de combat:
    Christopher Packett - Chris to his friends (Crisp packet) though for our cousins over the pond perhaps he should be known as Chip !
    Oliver Daye. Well every one likes an 'oliday but maybe not so keen on a Pearce Dart (pierced heart). We'll see who turns up.

    "He is wise who watches"

  6. #6

    Default

    I like the idea of the straw dummies, although it didn't keep the enemy away. Nice report, I didn't think about this but obviously the first run is a bit tight for space and we dont want to spoil it for others by showing how it should be done. I did notice that your target cards are long ways to the bomb run when they should be crossways. It only makes it a bit easier and direct hits would be the same. I probably didn't show this clearly enough and what the hell - it's only a game.
    I played this today, it was much easier in my trial run, although I didn't hit much then.
    Cheers

  7. #7

    Thumbs up

    Great result Dave so well done!
    I loved the idea of the Straw dummies. Sheer genius but it did not stop the old Hun from pressing his attack.
    I hope to play mine Sunday & can only hope I can get lucky with the Bomb Runs.
    Rep on its way.

  8. #8

    Default

    D'oh hadn't realised the cards were the wrong way round, hadn't picked up on that at all !
    That'll teach me to double check the pics before I set up the table,

    "He is wise who watches"

  9. #9

    Default

    Just posted my AAr. like you I eft out the bombing bits in favour of what was a short spat with the Hun.
    Good targeting though to get that many bunnies.


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  10. #10

    Default

    Well done dave - shame about the collision but otherwise a job well done. Your bombing was way better than mine. Guess I need a bit more practice. One up for the Doggies then - Congrats

  11. #11

    Default

    Odd that I missed this one unti a couple of days ago. But hey.

    Congratulations on the successful bombing, it's something that a lot of us have been having trouble with. Certainly displeased the Kaiser this time around.



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