GHQ were very concerned with how the German Fighters were now ganging up on our Two Seaters who were performing the all important Photography & Gun Ranging duties.
They had sent a memo to all the front line squadrons to consider how they might interrupt the German predators who were calling the Two Seat planes "Cold Meat"!
C Flight commander Lt. Reg Fife-Brand had a plan. With heavy cloud forecast for the next couple of days he planned to send a decoy 2 seater out along the enemy trench line while he & C Flights Ace pilot Brandon Stark would lurk in the cloud cover waiting to pounce of the German Scouts who would no doubt be waiting to stalk the British 2 seaters.
He had asked for volunteers to fly a Strutter as the bait & 2nd Lt "Taffy" Evans the genial Welshman & his Observer/Gunner "Ossie" Loane had been the first to put their hands up.
the 4 Aircrew discussed the mission & Reg ordered the Strutters pilot to fire a Red flare as soon as they came under attack as the cloud cover would obscure their view of any attack. Once our De Havilland's arrived the Strutter would head for Bentangles aerodrome & safety.
Early the next morning the 3 British aircraft set off to set the trap.
Over at the Eagles Nest, Ltn Albert Heldmann was warming up the grey Halberstadt & Ltn Julius Schneider his grey Fokker E.III in preparation for the mornings patrol over the German trenches & looking for some easy pickings!
Soon all these aircraft would come together & battle would be joined.
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As expected it was not long before the German Scouts took the bait & attacked.
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Both Hun planes fired at the same time causing the engine of the Strutter to start to emit black oily smoke. Taffy fired off the flare while Ossie returned fire but caused no damage.
The DH-2's broke cover with Fife-Brand narrowly avoiding a collision with the Halberstadt but Bran got a good burst into the Fokker.
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The E.III got a close range burst at the Strutter but only succeeded in jamming its guns. Ossie's shots again went wide but Reg's shots slightly wounded the pilot of the Fokker.
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Fife-Brand pressed his attack on the grey Fokker whilst the pilot struggled with the shock of his wound. (this should have been +1)
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Reg was relentless in his pursuit of the German aircraft & fired off the last of his Lewis Drum at close range doing good damage to the German Machine.
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Meanwhile the Strutter had made good its escape whilst the German pilots were engaged by the British Scouts although the Halberstadt had broken away to try to chase down the Strutter but it was a forlorn hope.
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Having reloaded his Lewis gun Reg had manoeuvred around to again attack the Fokker & this time managed to damage its rudder.
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Bran Stark had followed the Halberstadt after the Strutter & when the German pilot gave up the chase they commenced manoeuvring for advantage.
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As the circled each other Bran found he was just out of Arc to hit the enemy plane.
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Continuing his harassment of the grey Fokker Reg now set the unfortunate German on Fire!
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This was just too much for the fragile E.III & it crashed to the ground near the rear German Trenches. Reg punched the air with his fist. "Yes! that will teach them" "One less Hun to prey on our chaps!"
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Having dispatched the Fokker Reg now flew towards the ongoing battle between Bran Stark & Heldmann's Halberstadt, changing his Lewis drum on the way.
Bran had managed to get in a burst which damaged the German's rudder.
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Reg really had the bit between his teeth & now latched onto the tail of the Halberstadt & caused its engine to emit black smoke.
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Like a Hound after a Fox he followed the German Scout giving more damage.
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Reg was determined not to let the Halberstadt off the hook & again caused more smoke to billow from its engine. This time however there was a glow of red at the source of the smoke.
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Heldmann realising his plane was almost done for, tried a desperate measure & pulled an Immleman, perhaps thinking to take the enemy aircraft out in a collision or against hope to fly for home. They fired one last burst at each other which emptied the DH-2's Lewis drum however the stress on the Halberstadt was just too much & the Fire caused his aircraft to fall below the De Havilland & crash behind the British lines.
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With the sky now clear of German aircraft the 2 DH-2's returned to home with the knowledge they had indeed "Snapped the Trap"!
VICTORY POINTS
2 seater returned safely = 10pts
2 German Scouts shot down = 12 pts
TOTAL = 22
German Points = NIL
BRITISH VICTORY!
Well that turned out to be a lot of fun. It seemed that Lady Luck had deserted the Germans after their successful raid on Dover the previous week.
I flew Fife-Brand's C1 & for once it seemed I could do nothing wrong. All other aircraft were AI
I used Dave's D8 charts which always come up trumps.
It was great to achieve a total victory for once!
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