RFC
2Lt Quinten Marsh Nieuport
S/Lt JP Badard ( Eagle eye ) Tricolour
Res 2Lt Charles Parrot DH2
Central Powers
Hans Weis P Lozenge Halb CLII
Frank Clauss O
Jann Bitten P Yellow Halb CLII
Steff Grasse O
Hans Dorff P Alb CIII
Eric Cammann O
With the chance to fly back to Blighty to have there crates tinkered with at Farnworth by the mechanical boffins and 2 days furlough while they did the work Bedard and Marsh could hardly believe their luck. Never having crossed La Manche JP was particularly looking forward to the culinary experience his fellow pilots described as "Fish and Chips "
washed down by something referred to as "Ale".
Deciding to take the shortest route across the sea they headed to Calais ,before striking North across the Channel towards the distinctive White Cliffs close to Dover.
Some 8 miles ahead of the Bulldogs 3 of the Eagles newest Tandems were about to line up for a daring raid on Dover harbour, in particular the piers which were used to load the constant stream of enemy ordinance and troops headed for France.
Due to their payload the Halbs and Albatross movement was sluggish to say the least. It wasn't long before Marsh caught sight of the lurid yellow of Bittens Halb.
Glancing at his fuel gauge he estimated he had enough to give the 2 seaters a run for their money and still have some left to get to Farnham, or land on the cliffs!
The lead Halbs chugged towards the docks oblivious to Marsh and Bedard The RFC flight dived to get behind the tail gunners blind spot.
Both observers were concentrating on aiming their bombs so could not return fire even if they wanted
Clauss loosed his bomb directly into the town centre,
Cammann was less successful , missing the town and docks completely but killing several cows.
Grasse shots were equally bad (0) but Dorff piloting the Albatross got a clear shot at Marsh, rounds ripping into the cockpit and wounding Quentin (3+Pilot,1) Marsh fired as he slumped forward (2)
. Badards rounds simply jammed his gun (0+GJ)
Grasse pounded Marsh as he passed on his starboard side till his gun jammed (3,0+GJ)
Coming from his recent refit Parrot saw the plume of smoke that had gathered over Dover. flashes from gun muzzles confirmed the presence of the German bombers
Marsh his plane and body in tatters glided towards the cliff tops surrounding the town. The Germans were more interested in getting home than chasing a wounded pilot.
The Halbs appeared to be faster than the RFC planes but Parrot and Badard managed to get close enough to pump a burst into Dorf, the Frenchman clipping the tandems rudder (2+LRD) Parrots DH2 took some well aimed rounds in the wing (3)
Weiss gracefully disappeared from sight a tail wind helping his return to friendly lines.
Parrot was gaining on Bittens Albatross when Dorf unexpectedly swung to starboard. Cammanns gun chattered then stopped abruptly (1+GJ,0)
Grasse joined in at long range Badard hit an oil line on Dorfs yellow Halb (1+Smoke)
Parrot inadvertently blocked JPs line of fire as he crossed behind the Halb
. Unfortunately the DH2 strayed into the Albatross field of fire Fire from the Albatross added another RFC pilot signed on the WIA list (1+Pilot)
Bedard opened up the throttle to max in the hope he might catch the nearest German plane before it escaped.but to no avail as the more powerful tandems left the the Nieuport in their wake.
Butcher's Tally:
RFC
2Lt Quinten Marsh: (Nieuport) FRTB-W / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 5 +1RTB -1WIA = 5 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1 (lucky lad)
S/Lt JP Badard: (Sharp eye) (Tricolour) - RTB 0 kills
2Lt Charles Parrot: (DH2) RTB / WIA 0 kills
Rolled 7 +1RTB -1WIA = 7 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 1
Central Powers
Ltn Hans Weise: P2 Lozenge Halb CLII - RTB 0 kills - hit on target
Ltn Frank Clauss: O RTB 0 kills
Ltn Jann Bitten: P2 Yellow Halb CLII - RTB 0 kills but 2 kills (livestock)
Ltn Stefan Grasse: O RTB 0 kills
Ltn Hans Dorff: P2 Alb CIII - RTB 0 kills - 1Hit
Ltn Eric Cammann: O RTB 0 kills
Well if you want to hunt those Halbs and Albs don't take Nieuports They were out gunned and slow and as a result there are 2 more RFC pilots in the hospital ( your role of the dice Ton Ton) A short but most enjoyable game Peter which fitted into my timeline nicely. And rep for picking up the slack when needed.
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