AAR Uncle.jpg Views: 41 Size: 7.6 KB ID: 269373" class="thumbnail" style="float:CONFIG" /> Uncle called Lt Reginald Fife-Brand the Flight Commander & the other pilots of C Flight to the Squadron Briefing Hut.
"Attention Chaps!" "H.Q. have given us a curly one for tomorrow. Seems the French Partisans have reported a Hun build up on their side of the River Somme with new trenches being built, an Ammunition Dump in the main village, a concentration of troops near the river & a bridge over the river being repaired."
Now the distance to these targets is at the very end of our 2 seaters endurance & beyond the range of our two new DH-2 scouts so we will have to ad lib a bit to make it. This means the two 2 seaters will have to fly without Observer/gunners" At this a collective groan went up from the 2 seat pilots!
"Now the blue wheeled BE 2c has just had a full overhaul on its Beadmore engine so it will be in peak condition whilst our FE 2b's engine is still relatively new".
"I want Lt. Lofty Hill our most experienced 2 seat jockey to take the Fee & 2nd Lt. Ollie Hardie to pilot the BE". Lofty objected "Sir I will be a sitting duck with an empty front cockpit" "Any Hun will immediately see I have no defence!" "However if I might make a suggestion, young Gregory the Rigger trained as a Commercial Artist at his fathers business & I reckon he could cobble up a 3 ply replica of a gunner & a Lewis that would add no weight at all!" "All right" said Uncle "if he can have that done by 0700 tomorrow morning you have my permission" "How about you Hardie?" Oliver laughed. "They cant see any observer in a BE Sir with him buried between the wings & the rigging so I reckon I am OK."
Uncle now turned to Fife-Brand & 2nd Lt. Dusty Rhodes. Now we have 2 of the new Scouts on hand I want you Reg to escort them as far as you can & Dusty can meet them on the way back to try to keep any Germans off their tails". "Good Luck,oh & watch out for Flak & any German aircraft lurking in the vicinity but hopefully your early start will find them napping!"
The Mission
Early the next morning the 3 aircraft set off towards the target area with the FEE resplendent with its ply gunner which looked quite lifelike & should fool any Hun pilot from a reasonable distance. The DH-2 waited until the 2 seaters were on their way before heading after them ( started on turn 2 like the Fokker E.III)
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As they approached the River Somme Lofty spotted a Fokker E.III finished in CDL which was flown by Ltn Richard Arntzen on his dawn patrol.
He also noted the AA gun in the middle of the targets as he turned towards the first target on his side of the area.
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Fife-Brand also sighted the enemy scout & made full speed towards it.
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On the opposite side of the battlefield Oliver Hardie in the slower BE commenced his run on the first target he saw.
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The slower speed assisted his aiming as the altitude they were forced to fly added a new dimension to the task but he hit the target spot on!
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"Well that went better than expected" exclaimed Oliver "Hope my luck holds!"
Lofty now came under attack from both the German Scout & the Flak battery but fortunately both missed damaging the British aircraft.
However his first bomb fell well short of his target.
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Hardie's BE was also targeted by the AA battery on his side of the targets but their aim was also off & the shell burst well in front of his aircraft.
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He now carefully lined up on the next target & was again successful in obtaining a direct hit.
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Lt. Fife-Brand had manoeuvred into an advantageous broadside position to the Fokker but his shots did little damage.
"Damn! he swore "must have just gone clean through the fabric!"
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Lofty whose first bomb had missed his first target but he had caused minor damage with his second bomb & now released his third bomb which again hit the already damaged target.
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He again came under fire from the German AA gun & once again their aim was off perhaps due to the height of the British aircraft.
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The DH-2 again attacked the Eindekker but again only minor damage was caused.
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Hardie was now approaching the Ammunition dump in the Village & again his aim was spot on & it erupted in a sheet of flame & smoke!
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The DH-2 again got into a good position for a close range burst into the E.III but Reg's gun jammed & he hammered on the breach of the Lewis in frustration.
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Having passed over the destroyed target Lofty pulled an Immleman hoping his 3 ply "Gunner" survived the manoeuvre & then tried to line up a return run on the targets he had missed.
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This run was much better & his bomb landed right in the middle of the German Troops & killed or wounded the entire detachment!
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The Fokker had now turned the tables on the DH-2 as Reg reloaded his Lewis gun but fortunately the Germans aim was also off.
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Lofty now approached his last target.
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His final 2 bombs caused only minor damage.
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Fife-Brand had again got into a favourable position on Arntzen's Fokker but again no damage resulted. "Might as well be firing blanks" fumed Reg.
He had already reached his fuel point & was headed for home.
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Hardie had also turned back towards base & could only cause minor damage to his target this time.
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As Reg headed back towards the Bulldogs 'drome the Flak gun gave him a farewell but this time they fired way too high.
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The returning 2 seaters were warmed by the sight of Dusty Rhodes DH-2 heading in their direction but too late to be able to get into any action with the German Scout who was now way behind the River.
(For some reason this pic lodged itself at the bottom of my post & resisted all efforts to clear & & repost!)
Oliver Hardie now dropped his last 2 bombs on the repaired bridge & scored a direct Hit!
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The British Aircraft now all turned towards their home base pretty satisfied with their first high level bombing mission & having survived the German Flak without injury.
The German Pilot had also turned for home low on fuel & dismayed at his inability to deter the raiders.
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Uncle gathered the returning crews into the briefing hut to check the results of the mission & was gratified to learn of their success.The debrief showed that the Ammo Dump, Bridge, Troop Concentration & 2 trench systems destroyed whilst 2 partials hit another trench, another 2 trenches were damaged & only the Transport depot remained undamaged. Altogether a most successful mission!
12 Damage points achieved & only 4 points undamaged.
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Comments & Observations
Well that went way better than I expected! I hope I carried out the bombing correctly.
Once I played the Bomb Card I then put all three cards out before I moved the aircraft again as that way I did not need extra manoeuvre cards. I then released the second bomb after that next card.
I was surprised at all the low damage cards drawn as little damage was done to any aircraft & the AA was also ineffective.
My game was certainly very tame compared to John Vagabonds!
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