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Pre Game notes.
All Aircraft commenced at Alt 4 & the 2 opposing Photo Recon Aircraft dived to level 3 to commence photos & then remained at that level.
Both sides rolled a dice to determine set up & both drew the centre of their edge.
The British Photo plane was the Strutter "comic" as proxy for a standard Strutter & the back up was the CDL Strutter.
The German Photo plane was the Roland with back up the Albatross C.III.
The Aviatik was equipped with both forward firing MG & the Observers MG
The FE 2b was equipped with forward firing & rear firing MGs.
I decided to allow the Trench fire to reach level 4 to spice things up a bit but they could only fire once per turn at any aircraft within 1 ruler length.
Prequel
52 Squadron Aerodrome Bentangles 5.30 am 27th March 1916
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CRUMP---CRUMP "Rattle--Rattle"
"Bloody Hell, What was that!" yelled 2nd Lt. Jonathon Downton who shared a hut with Lt. "Lofty" Hill who drank & knew things.
The unflappable Hill sleepily replied "Probably just those mines the sappers have been digging for weeks so go back to sleep, we are not due for a mission today so enjoy it while you can".
About half an hour later their slumber was disturbed by the Orderly Sargent calling out "Wake up you chaps! Briefing in the Squadron Hut in 20 minutes!"
They stumbled into the hut where they found the other two Recon crews already waiting. Uncle soon strode up to the front of the Hut & called out "Quite men! No doubt you were aware of the large explosions this morning. Well our chaps set off some big mines right under the Hun trenches & caused a right scatter I can tell you. What we don't know is what the situation is along the front line. Have our chaps captured the Hun lines or has the Hun managed to hold position?"
"That's where you all come in. GHQ wants photos now!" Lofty you & young Quartermain will act as escort to Evans & Entwhistle in a Strutter equipped with a camera. 2nd Lt Downton with AM2 Abbey will also fly a Strutter & if the main camera plane has trouble they can take over but in the meantime they can also act as an escort!"
On the other side of the lines the Eagle Kette were on high alert after their breakfast was disturbed by the uproar & confusion following the explosions.
Their 2 seater crews had been briefed to carry out the very same mission as the British pilots. Oblt Helmet Dahlmann would lead the mission with Ltn Max Manschott as his observer whilst Ltn Julius Gilly with Ltn Hans Schobinger as Observer & cameraman would be the main photographer in a Roland. Dahlmann would also act as backup. They would be accompanied by the older Aviatik crewed by Vzfwbl Schlieff & Ltn Franz Theiller as additional escort.
The MISSION
The 3 British aircraft took off & headed towards the front lines.
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The German crews did the same.
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As the British aircraft approached the front lines they could see the profusion of cratered & broken ground caused by the mines.
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The Roland was the first to approach the craters & was welcomed by rifle fire from the nearest crater. Julius Gilly thought " Hope that's not our troops firing at us! Cant they see the Eisencrosses?"
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As the green Strutter manoeuvred to commence photography it too came under fire from a crater.
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The Roland had dived & took its first photo taking further damage from a trench while Oblt Dahlmann's Albatross had its engine damaged from trench fire. "Verdammit" muttered Dahlmann " Dis is not a goot start!"
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The CDL Strutter also came under attack but fortunately suffered no damage.
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The opposing Aircraft were now in range & Alex Quartermain lost no time in raking the Roland with his height advantage.
The green Strutter came under attack from the craters it was intending to photograph & it caused some rudder damage.
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There was now a general exchange of fire with the Roland & the green Strutter suffering the worst. The observer of the green Strutter was busy taking photos & could not return fire.
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Further fire from the craters continued to do damage to the aircraft flying overhead particularly the Albatross which was making its way home with a damaged engine.
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The general exchange of fire continued with the Germans only succeeding in jamming their guns whilst Max Abbey had a lucky shot hit the fuel tank of the C.III & it plunged to the ground in German territory.
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The green Strutter now took another photo of a Crater.
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The CDL Strutter took slight damage as it flew over one of the craters.
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The FE 2b & the Aviatik exchanged shots with Alex Quartermain succeeding in wounding the observer of the German Aircraft.
However disaster struck the British when shots from a crater wounded AM3 Harry Entwhistle & damaged the photographic Strutter fatally, loosing the photos as it crashed in enemy territory.
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A further exchange of shots between the FE 2b, Strutter & the Roland resulted in no damage except the Fee's Lewis gun jammed.
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A further exchange of shots between the CDL Strutter & the Roland resulted in both their guns jamming but not before the Strutter damaged the Rolands engine & the German aircraft could take no more & crashed to the ground in British territory its precious photographs lost. Max Abby punched the air in delight! He had just scored his second victory of the day.
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The Aviatik & the Fee exchanged shots causing minor damage to the control surfaces of each aircraft.
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With a wounded observer & the only German Aircraft left in the Sky & running low on fuel the pilot reluctantly turned for home knowing they had failed in their mission but also knowing the British had also failed to obtain photos of the craters.
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Well what can I say! The trench fire from the craters was certainly deadly. Great fun to play but damned hard to get any photos back home. (Thanks Mike for a "Bang Up" final mission!)
At least we bagged a couple of Hun aircraft.
Can only hope Taffy Evans & Harry Entwhistle survive the crash in German Territory!
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