March 27h 1916.
Adler airfield – Zweisitzer hangar tent
Oberleutnant Bernhard Wienand makes his way to the Zweisitzer hangar tent where several officers and pilots have been asked to assemble.
“Meine Herren, ich habe gerade einen Auftrag von höchster Priorität erhalten.“
< Gentlemen, I have just received an order of the highest priority.>
„Die heimtückischen Engländer haben unter unseren Schützengräben in St. Eloi gewaltige Minen gesprengt!“
<The insidious Englishmen blew up huge mines under our trenches in St. Eloi>
“Kommunikationen sind in einem Durcheinander.“
<Communications are in a shamble>
“Die Verluste müssen schwer gewesen sein. Wir wurden beauftragt herauszufinden, wie schlimm die Dinge sind.“
<The losses must have been heavy. We have been tasked with finding out just how bad things are.>
“Ich schicke drei Mannschaften, um den Schaden zu beurteilen.‘
< I am sending three crews to assess the damage. >
„Oberleutnant Wiechers wird das Kommando übernehmen. Das Hauptaugenmerk liegt darauf, Fotos so schnell wie möglich wieder hierher zu bringen.“
< Oberleutnant Wiechers is in command. The primary focus is to bring photos back here as soon as possible.>
“Leutnant Dietrich-Daimler wird eine zweite Kamera mitführen, falls Wiechers seine Fotos nicht liefern kann.“
< Lieutenant Dietrich-Daimler will carry a second camera in case Wiechers cannot deliver his photos.>
Wienand looks straight at Dietich-Daimler. “Aber der Schutz von Wiechers ist Ihr Hauptaugenmerk.“
< But protecting Wiechers is your main focus.>
He then addresses Leutnant Justus Raucheisen: „Raucheisen - sie und der neue Nachfolger Jungbauer werden auch Wiechers.“
< Raucheisen - you and new replacement Jungbauer will also provide escort for Wiechers.>
Now addressing the whole group, “Die Engländer werden zweifellos eine ähnliche Mission aufgeben.“
< the British are very likely to send up a similar mission.>
„Das Jagdstaffein ist nicht verfügbar, um Ihnen zu helfen. Viel Glück, meine Herren.“
<The fighter squadron is not available to help you. Good luck, gentlemen.>
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There are 6 craters to be photographed.
Entente infantry occupy 4 of them.
The German counter-attack recaptured 2.
But which 2?
Reichausen and Jungbauer lead the Adler formation in the Roland.
Wiechers/Nixdorf in the brown Albatros C.III are following the river and setting up their camera.
Himmel-Spaziergänger and Dietrich-Daimler are in the light blue C.III
Just as Wieland suspected, the Brits have sent a trio of Bulldogs from 52 Squadron to mirror the Germans and get much-needed photos back to HQ.
Canadian 2Lt ‘Gus’ Mase and British AM3 Frank Wilkinson lead their formation in the Fe.2b
Aussie 2Lt Arthur Allison flies to the left in a recently acquired Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter with Brit AM3 Harry Bott preparing his camera in the observer seat.
A second ‘Strutter’ is piloted by newly-arrived American, 2Lt Charlie Hall with another British AM3, Bill Holder.
Holder fires a test burst from his Lewis, startling Hall for a moment.
Raucheisen sees silhouettes approaching and waggles his wings to get the attention of the Albatros crews.
“Ay up!”
Holder has seen movement across the waste of No Man’s Land and gestures to the Fe.2b crew.
“Watch out, ya flamin’ idiot!” Holder shouts as Mase very nearly plows his ‘Fee’ into the ‘Strutter’.
Wiechers taps Nixdorf and indicates he wants to get closer to their target and the C.III drops slightly in altitude.
“Was zum ?!”
Nixdorf reacts as bullets rip through the Albatros.
Ground fire. But is it coming from Friend or Foe?
Nixdorf slows the Albatros
<Click>
Wiechers has taken his first photo of the crater below.
It is still difficult to see exactly what lies below them.
Allison drops the ‘Strutter’ so that Bott can get a closer view of the crater ahead.
Tikka tikka tikka
Himmel-Spaziergänger fires at the closing Sopwith while Charlie Hall fires his Vickers ‘in anger’ for the very first time.
Neither does any damage – but an unorganized volley of bullets from below damages the Albatros rudder controls.
Allison and Bott do not even realize that they are receiving ground fire as well.
<Click>
Bott has taken his first photo.
Da da da da
Jungbauer fires at the Fe.2b and does some damage.
Tikka tikka tikka
Nixdorf fires his LMG08/15 at the ‘Strutter’
“Goldarnit!”
Hall’s engine starts making a racket and the power drops significantly.
“We’re gonna haveta call it a day!” he shouts over his shoulder to Holder.
Tikka tikka tikka
“Take that, Hun!” Hall shouts as he fires back at the Albatros.
The C.III rudder slackens and Wiechers lets out a cry of pain as he is hit in his right side.
From behind Hall’s Sopwith, Dietrich-Daimler lets of a burst at the Fe.2b
Da da da da
“Flammen!”
Flames begin to flicker from the ‘Fee’.
Unperturbed by the fire, Wilkinson fires at the Albatros.
Da da d….
“Bloody ‘ell!”
His Lewis has jammed.
Suddenly, unheard ground fire hits the C.III fuel line and the Albatros is on fire!
More ground fire finds the ‘Stutter’ and it’s Harry Bott’s turn to cry out in pain.
He will be unable to handle his photographing duties for a while, but at least the bullets didn’t wound Allison and force a return to base.
Meanwhile ….
Da da da da
Bill Holder fires at the flaming Albatros as they pass.
The wounded Wiechers can only duck behind the limited cover provided by the wall of the C.III (not that the canvas and wood would actually protect him)
Da da da
Jungbauer fires at the ‘Flaming Fee’ and adds some more significant damage.
More pesky ground fire adds even more control damage to Nixdorf’s Albatros.
He will barely be able to turn to the left anymore.
The view from above.
A reprise as no one can fire for a moment.
Mase is relieved to see the flames on the Fe.2b are not progressing as much as he feared.
Likewise, Nixdorf sees the same.
Tikka tikka tikka
Raucheisen uses his ‘Sharp Eye’ ability and damages Allison’s ‘Strutter’.
Tikka tikka
Da da da
Might as well be Nada Nada
Nixdorf and Wilkinson trade equally ineffective bursts.
Tikka tikka
Raucheisen hits Allison’s ‘Strutter’ again – this time the Sopwith controls are damaged.
Two flaming birds pass by so close they might transfer some of their fire, but neither can take advantage.
Wiechers is still trying to get himself back into position, while Wilkinson is madly swapping his Lewis drum.
The flames accomplish what the airmen cannot – at least against the Fe.2b
Wiechers finally drags himself into position and lets go with the Parabellum.
Da da da
BOOM!
A fiery explosion erupts from the ‘Fee’.
Mase is unable to control what’s left of his ‘Fee’ and the blazing aircraft hits the ground with a ‘Whump!’ projecting him out of his seat.
Wilkinson hurriedly extracts himself from the wreckage.
Not far away, Raucheisen narrowly averts catastrophe.
Back to business, Bott takes a second photo.
[While writing this up I realize that this aircraft should have been subject to more ground fire]
Tikka tikka
Tikka tikka
Himmel-Spaziergänger and Allison fire steady streams of lead at each other, causing equal damage.
The ‘Strutter’ starts to smoke …
The last bit of damage was just too much and the ‘Strutter’ is sent south …
“Oh mein Gott …”
Nixdorf sees the flames expanding the damage to his C.III
Waving back at Wiechers he indicates that they must forgo the rest of their mission while they still can.
Over toward the British lines, Hall and Holder are making their escape from the devastation.
Perhaps the engine damage was a blessing after all …
Himmel-Spaziergänger drops the C.III so that he and Dietrich-Daimler and take over the task of photographing the carnage.
“Idiotische Infanterie!!”
Dietrich-Daimler reacts as more ground fire damages the Albatros.
For all he knows it his own soldiers doing the shooting.
< Click >
Dietrich-Daimler has his first photo.
More ground fire, but the airmen cannot hear it and there does not seem to be any damage.
Still more ground fire.
At least one soldier has jammed his machine gun, not that that will make any difference ….
< Click >
Second photo for the backup crew.
And yet more ground fire peppers the Albatros.
Himmel-Spaziergänger has lifted his aircraft out of ground fire range for a few moments.
As soon as he drops back down in readiness for another photo the bullets fly!
Quickly climbing out of range he shouts back to Dietrich-Daimler,
“Wir können keinen weiteren Schaden riskieren. Diese Fotos müssen zum Hauptquartier zurückkehren!“
< We cannot risk taking any more damage. These photos must make it back to headquarters.>
And with that he turns the aircraft toward their own lines.
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Butcher’s Tally
Bulldogs
RAF Fe.2b EXP ET
Pilot 2Lt Augustus 'Gus' Mase
C&W Roll: 4 -3 EXP = 1 : KIA
Observer AM3 Frank Wilkinson
C&W Roll: 10 -3 EXP = 7 : Injured 1D2(1) : Skip 1 mission.
E&E Roll : 11 -1 BEL -1 EXP -1 WIC = 8 : Almost home!
Total : Skip 1
Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter FRTB-E
Pilot 2Lt Charles Hall
Observer AM3 William ‘Bill’ Holder
Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter SD FT
Pilot 2Lt Arthur Allison
C&W Roll: 5 -1 SD = 4 : Injured 1D6(6) : Skip 6
Observer AM3 Harry Bott
C&W Roll: 12 -1 SD -1 WIA = 10 : All is well!
Adler
Albatros C.III [Brown] FRTB-D
Pilot: Fwbl Siegfried ‘Siggy’ Nixdorf – FRTB-D “Alles ist gut”
Observer: ObLtn Leonard Wiechers : FRTB-D WIA – 1 kill (Fe.2b) 1 photo
C&W Roll: 9 +1 Landed – 1 WIA = 9 : “Alles ist gut”
Albatros C.III [Pale Blue] FRTB-D
Pilot: Fwbl Lukas Himmel-Spaziergänger – FRTB-D – 1 Kill (Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter)
Observer: Ltn Roland-Reinhart Dietrich-Daimler – FRTB-D – 2 photos
Roland C.II
Pilot: Ltn Justus Raucheisen – RTB
Observer: Ltn Max Jungbauer – RTB
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Results:
Bulldogs
0 Photos - Eagles 3 Photos = -3 Total
Eagles
3 Photos – 0 Bulldog Photos = 3 Total
Eagles Point Differential : 6
Added bonus, 2 Bulldog aircraft shot down, with zero losses.
Adler Victory!
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Well that was much more enjoyable than I expected.
The ground fire was definitely a factor with 'A' damage occurring every time an aircraft dropped to level 3.
I used my altitude system, which worked pretty much the same as Dave's for this one, since there was just the occasional dip to Level 3 and back to Level 4.
My Adler performed well, and the Bulldogs had some unfortunate draws, but I think it worked how Mike had intended.
Looking forward to the next series, where our Daring Young Men get a little Cocky.
Off to rest my shoulder for a bit now. Using the mouse still aggravates it, but glad I got to post my AAR at last.
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Well I see that all of my photos have been duplicated at the end of my post.
Must be a glitch on the server still.
Doesn't look like there is any way to fix it? I don't see the duplicates when I Go Advanced / Manage attachments.
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