OTT-CYM Mission 4: A Hunting We Will Go – 27 July 1916 – by ShadowDragon
OTT-CYM Mission 4: A Hunting We Will Go – 27 July 1916 – by ShadowDragon
Original scenario by Stumptonian
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...by-Stumptonian
Two elderly men are seated on the veranda overlooking a vineyard somewhere in the Hunter Valley. They puff their pipes and sip a glass of red wine. Shortly an attractive elderly woman joins them.
“Oh, Jacques, that’s such a disgusting habit. How can you taste the Cabernet?”
“Never you mind, Angélique. I can taste it just fine,” responded the man seated closest to Angélique. He turns to the other man. “A penny for your thoughts, Bruce.”
There’s a long pause.
“Thinking of the old days in the RNAS.”
“Yeah, I am Jack. Did I ever tell you about that strange mission – near the end of July ’16?”
“Nah, you never did. I suspected it had something to do with the events that happened afterwards, but I wasn’t sure.”
“Well, it started when those two chaps in plain clothes visited, the CO - Rumsbottle. Special intelligence group something or other.”
Angélique looked at Bruce quizzically.
Jack replied, “Spies, ma chérie, spies.”
Bruce went on, “Shortly after that Sir Henry summoned Flashman. The next thing you know Flashman tells Fergis to suit up – the two of them are going on a patrol. That was a surprise to all of us. Rumsbottle always had an excuse why Fergis couldn’t go on regular missions – things like ferrying that pompous excuse for a mustache, General Melchett, around or giving flying lessons to his cousin, Lord Flashheart.”
“Yeah, I remember. The rest of us were trying to figure out if Fergis had compromising information on the Old Man and how we could get in on the cushy jobs.”
“I weren’t that at all.”
“As we found out.”
“As we found out. What I never told you was that Flashman came to me before their mission and asked me the shadow the two of them but that if I should see anything that looked like trouble I was to intervene. Otherwise I was to just shadow them.”
“Trouble like what?”
“I asked him that and he just said that I was to be the judge of that. So there I was trying to hide in the clouds so Fergis wouldn’t see me yet still able to keep an eye on the two of them. They were flying on our side of the front – parallel to it with Fergis closest to the NML. Soon enough there was an Albatros two-seater heading our way – likely on a photo recon mission.”
“Fergis saw him first and waggled his wings to get Flashman’s attention. Then Flashman did the most curious thing. He signaled Fergis to attack but he kept flying the same course as if the Hun wasn’t there at all.”
“After a short bit, Flashman turned to follow Fergis at a distance. Well that seemed okay enough, but I wondered why in blazes did Flashman wait so long to turn towards the Hun. It’s not like Flashman was a coward or anything. Quite the opposite. He was usually first into the thick of things.”
“That’s ‘struth,” said Jack – all ears for a story of the olden that was news to him.
“Struth?” said Bruce. “Jack it’s not like you’re a genuine Aussie. There’s still a bit of that Alberta cowboy in you.”
“There wasn’t time to figure out what was up as Fergis engaged the two-seater. I just hung back – two scouts against a sole two-seater seemed like fair odds.”
“Fergis was flying well and got a really good burst off against the Hun. The Hun fired back but from my perspective it was the Hun that got the worst of round one.”
“As soon as the Hun passed Fergis, there was Flashman. I was thinking at the that Flashman had a new, clever flight tactic with his unusual first reaction to the Hun. But if that was the case it didn’t work out as the Hun needed to do some flying to avoid Fergis and that must of spoiled Flashlman’s aim.”
“That left both Fergis and Flashman flying away from the Hun who seemed focussed on his mission and flew on away from our chaps.
"Both Flashman and Fergis zipped around with Immelmann turns. Flashman was closest to the Hun. He and the Hun observer exchanged fire but both soon went silent.”
“Jammed guns?”
“That’s what I figured.”
“The Hun flew slowly over a spot that looked like it was something important for our army and then turned to fly parallel to the NML. I figure that he had another spot to photograph but Flashman was on the Hun’s tail – he was flying really well. It looked like Fergis anticipated the move and flew a course to head the Hun off.”
“As I was saying, Flashman was tailing the Hun like a shark was onto a bleeding whale. I’m sure his guns were jammed because he had that Hun dead to rights – flying up close in the Hun’s blind spot. I figure those Huns must have been praying and soiling their pants at the same time.”
“The Hun pilot what looked like a clever turn but maybe he was just homing in on his next target. Which ever it was, Fergis was waiting for him.”
“Fergis got as beautiful a shot at the Hun as one could want. It looked like he hit the Hun’s engine as the Albatros started to fly a little bit erratically.”
“By then the Hun had turned and was heading for home. I don’t know if he had his quota of photographs but even if he hadn’t the engine hit put an end to his mission. That must of surprised Fergis as he had to do quick duck under the Albatros or they would have collided.”
“This left both Flashman and Fergis somewhat behind the Hun who was approaching the frontline. Flashman was closest and had the best chance of catching the Hun. There would have been no chance at all if the Albatros if Fergis hadn’t hit its engine.”
“Sure enough Flashman caught up and started to exchange fire with the Hun observer.”
“After his initial bursts, Flashman had the measure of the Albatros was doing a fair bit of damage. The Hun’s gun went silent – another jam.”
“They hadn’t figured out the trick with the mallet? You know the one that RFC chap showed us.’
“Nah, at least not then. Our secret weapon was still safe. The Hun then disappeared into a cloud bank and none of us saw him again. So that was that.”
“Why didn’t you intercept the Albatros?”
“I would have but I was having my own fight. Just before the Albatros reach its first target another one appeared – a Roland. Two of those robust Hun two-seaters versus two of our Bébés – agile but a little bit fragile – seemed like trouble to me.”
“So I dropped down out of my overwatch holding pattern.”
“I didn’t know if the Roland was after bombing or photographs or just protecting the other Hun from Flashman and Fergis. I was determined to get to that Hun first.”
“The Hun pilot and me had our first how-do-you-do. I don’t doubt that I hit that pilot. He jerked and then slumped into his seat.”
“That Hun pilot must have been hurt badly. Whatever mission the Roland was on it wasn’t going to happen and the Roland turned to head back to their side of the lines.”
“I tailed the Roland and got another good try at him.”
“But it wasn’t enough. The Hun followed his comrade into the same cloud bank. He hadn’t done that well. Both Huns got away and one likely with photographs.”
“So what about the purpose of that mission?”
“I don’t know. When we got back to the station Flashman headed straight to the Old Man’s office. Don’t know what was said. I walked over to Fergis and told him whatever problem the Old Man had with him, he sure wasn’t afraid to have a go at the Hun.”
“There was more to that story.”
“Sure enough. That came later but it was the first inkling I had that there was a black mark on Fergis.”
“We all had our black marks as far as the RN was concerned.”
“Yeah, we did but Fergis had the blackest of them.”
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Well that was a bit of a Non Event Paul with both Huns exiting due to FRTB.
Originally Posted by gully_raker
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