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Thread: OTTCYM - Mission 11 - Attack Plane Surprise - 19th Sep 1916 (Vagabond)

  1. #1

    Default OTTCYM - Mission 11 - Attack Plane Surprise - 19th Sep 1916 (Vagabond)

    The Blood Bath - Sorry - Attack Plane Surprise

    Dear Sis
    I’m bored, I’ve been in hospital for a week now but it seemed like 2 months at least, I’ve had a wigging from Matron for organising wheelchair races along the corridor, but as I’ve only one useable arm I kept going in circles and running into the wall. I didn’t win any of the races but maybe when my arm recovers a bit I’ll do better, I did find the steeplechase the hardest but I’ll tell you about that another time.

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    You may remember I mentioned that Bob was in hospital when I arrived but I was refused permission to see him, no one would explain why but that didn’t daunt me one iota and I snook out of my ward one night with a fine bottle of malt but the bally wheel chair squeaked and I kept running into the wall, the noise brought the staff and I was sent back to my bed, so I didn’t make it to his room.
    Anyway Bob came and visited yesterday, he even brought some grapes but was very coy when I asked why he’d been in isolation. He’s been discharged now and so I’m here on my own.

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    Well not quite, there are some fine looking nurses tending to our every need and this morning I had the surprise of my life when The Honourable Bunty Hamster-Crust, walked into my ward in a nurse’s uniform, you remember the Gloucestershire Hamster-Crusts, I don’t know if you ever met Bunty.

    I’ve not seen her for quite a few years, I don’t think I ever told you but when we were young we used to play Doctors and Nurses together behind the servants quarters at Crust Hall. I have to say she’s turned into a jolly pretty nurse and we are getting on famously, she seems to think I am some sort of Flying Ace, maybe I over egged my exploits a little but – well you know a chap has to advance his cause sometime and there’s a lot of competition for Bunty’s favours.

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    There’s another interesting Nurse here, Eva Schultz, she’s very keen on aeroplanes and asks me all sorts of questions about them, where we keep them, how fast do they fly, do we have many of them, she makes my head whirl with all her questions. She seems jolly well informed on the war, and is very respectful, even to Kaiser Bill, whenever anyone mentions his name she adopts a stiff formal stance almost as if on parade, then she smiles and laughs it off if anyone mentions it. She’s a jolly good sport even if she is a bit of a disciplinarian.

    Last night I had a visit from the boys of C Flight and Uncle came along too, it was good to see them walking down the ward but they looked very sombre and came bearing some really bad news. Do you remember my old Flight Commander George Drummond, he’s been recuperating in some hospital in Blighty, well apparently he had something called Neuresthsomething or other, it’s quite common among the chaps but sometimes it can have a very bad effect and – well the long and short of it is, he hung himself in his room one night, couldn’t stand the strain of living when so many of his mates had died. Sometimes I think I can understand what he was going through, not of course that you need to worry about me but all the same, things are tough here at the moment. Unfortunately this was not the only bad news they brought though.

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    When I saw Uncle, that’s the Adjutant, it’s just what we call him, I don’t really know why, he’s not like any of our Uncles but there you have it, he was walking down the corridor with Taki and Berry. I’m sure I’ve mentioned them before, Taki is Japanese, a very nice chap but he sleeps with a sword, something called a Katana and Berry, well we call him Bouncer Berry because he can’t land a plane without bouncing up and down on the landing strip. Sometimes my heart is in my mouth as he does it, he’s written off more of our planes than the Germans have and that takes some doing.

    Anyway I was surprised that Rory and Henry weren’t with them, both jolly nice chaps, Rory took over from me as Flight Commander after my one week in the top job, he and Henry transferred from the French Armée de l'Air very recently and I was hoping to get the latest info from them, but as I said they weren’t there.

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    As the chaps arrived, Uncle pulled out a bottle of Bunnahabhain you know it’s my favourite malt and I knew something serious was amiss. “Do you have glasses he asked or shall we drink from the bottle”. “Nurse Schultz is on duty tonight and she’s rather strict” I replied, his eyes lit up at that but he just said “well the bottle will have to do then, we have some bad news”. “C Flight were on patrol today and Rory and Henry were both shot down in flames, Rory behind the lines and Henry over the Trenches, we don’t know if they made it or not” My jaw dropped and I felt a constriction in my throat, it might have been the malt or it might not. Good grief, tell me about it was all I could splutter before taking another gulp of the amber nectar to sooth my throat.

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    Well I’ll let Taki and Berry tell the story because they were on the patrol as well and it’s always better to get it from the horses mouth, he looked hard at Berry when he said that. Sis I don’t think there’s any love lost between Uncle and Berry, probably due to the plane losses although Berry once went up as an Observer in one of the 2 seaters and I think that caused some problems with the paper work. It would have been alright but Berry shot down one or two of the enemy and Uncle didn’t know which column to put the victories in, Pilot or Observer, he’s very strict about such things.

    Sis I’ll tell you about the combat I know it’s pretty boring stuff as a rule, you know “I flew at 8,000ft met 3 enemy, shot one down and returned to base, that sort of thing. However it will help if I write it down because Nurse Schultz has asked for a first hand account of an aerial combat and I can refer to this to jog my memory.

    Anyway Sis this is what Taki and Berry told me.

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    Taki started, “We were flying using the old hammer and anvil tactic, Rory was in the centre flying in Gladys and Berry and I were on either side of him in the Nieuport 11’s. I think mine was a cast off French postman’s plane because it was painted red white and blue with a French Horn, on the side, you know the symbol they have on their Postman’s bags and boxes, Berry had one painted a sober green camouflage.

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    We were the hammer and Henry was the anvil and we had caught a pair of Rumplers between us, it just remained for our hammer to smash them against Henry’s anvil.

    I interjected at that point asking why Rory was still flying the Morane monoplane when we had better planes available now. Berry took up the tale, “Well Henry had pretty strong words along the same lines and Rory as you know has a soft spot for Gladys.” “Yes, named after his mother” I interrupted “but even so.” “That’s pretty much what Henry said he even reminded him about the fault on the machine gun but you know Rory, he can be stubborn at times”.

    I remembered the time he had let me fly Gladys and I had brought her back in pieces, he was not pleased at all, but she had saved my life if I remember correctly although it seemed like a long time ago and she had been through a lot since then.

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    Well Taki continued we dove down on the Rumplers, all three of us, and gave an accusing glance at Berry who went red in the face.

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    With the extra speed from the dive we were catching the Rumplers and I opened fire, it was quite long range but I was pretty sure I could get him.

    It was pretty good shooting said Berry and then I realised why Rory had been waving his left hand in my direction.

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    I’d not seen him because of the clouds but there was a brown Halberstadt high up and off to our left, Rory obviously wanted me to hold him off while Taki and he went for the Rumplers. I pulled to my left and started to climb.

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    He was way above me but as you know the Bebe climbs like an angel ascending to heaven, and I think he saw me as easy meat and so was coming down on me like the devil himself. I remember trying to convince myself this was a good thing and that it took the pressure off Rory and Taki but it was a hard sell.

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    To make matters worse there was another of them coming straight for the melee around the Rumplers, but I could see Henry turn in his direction and concentrated on my man.

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    Taki took over the story “I saw Henry and the CDL plane exchanging shots but then we were into the last Rumpler”.

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    I could see that my shots were hitting home but there didn’t seem to be much coming from Rory, and the Rumpler gunner seemed to be concentrating his fire on the Morane, what I didn’t see was the Rumpler pilot was side slipping his plane without using much rudder so I assumed he has still moving in a straight line.

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    He completely fooled me and before I knew it I’d overshot him, he was still firing on Rory but his gun must have jammed but I could see that Rory wasn’t doing any damage to the blasted Rumpler, I couldn’t understand it because he’s normally such a good shot and I thought back to Henry and Rory’s conversation before we took off.

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    Up ahead of me I saw Henry and the CDL plane almost collide, it turned out the pilot of the CDL plane was “Crasher” Rosenfeld, someone to stay well clear of in a dog fight.

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    Give him his due though he can fly, he’d Immeled and was on Henry’s tail fast as lightening. Mind you so was Berry, and Berry beamed. “Yes” Berry said “the Brown plane and I didn’t get to fire on our first pass although we nearly collided but I Immeled as soon as he had gone and was on his tail, getting a clear shot. I was pretty buoyed up by that until I saw that Rory had smoke coming from Gladys, never a good sign.

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    There were planes all over the sky said Taki, it had resolved into 3 separate fights, Henry and the CDL plane were duelling it out highest where Henry was getting a reprieve because he’d thrown the Hun off his tail.

    Then there was the low level fight with Rory and I trying to stop the Rumplers getting home. Their pilots were good, they were throwing the big planes all over, first right then left and the gunners were crack shots. By this time in the action the one we had attacked first had sold us the dummy and was clear of us but we had managed to get within striking distance of the lead plane I’m sure Rory hadn’t hit anything at all but whatever was wrong his gun jammed at the same time as mine.

    It’s not a good feeling reaching for the mallet to find it’s not there, but I could see Rory using his energetically.

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    Then there was the middle level fight with Berry chasing after the Brown jobby, pouring an effective fire into it. Berry beamed again.

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    Yes Berry said, I don’t think I’ve ever flown as well before, even when he Immeled I was ready for him but then my gun jammed but I was sure I had the measure of him and as soon as we passed each other I Immeled and was on his tail, if only I could have fired I would have had him I’m sure.

    I looked at Berry and was surprised by his new found confidence, he had always been the runt of the flight, the one who could never do anything right, I wondered what had made the change happen.

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    The Rumplers continued weaving said Taki, Rory was ahead of me, he was still beating on his gun when they caught him in a crossfire. They were working brilliantly as a team, whoever they are I don’t want to mix it with them again. The smoke from Rory’s plane turned to crimson flames licking the whole length of Gladys body or should that be fuselage

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    He had no where to go, they just continued to pour fire into him and Gladys just gave up the ghost and fell to earth.

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    Crashing in a ball of flame.

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    The Rumplers continued to streak for home.

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    High over head the duel continued going badly for Henry.

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    I’d finally cleared my jam said Taki when the blasted Rumpler gunner put more rounds into my plane and she caught fire.

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    Then the engine took a direct hit, but rather the engine them me he said, at that I turned for home, but took more hits as I turned away, weaving about, being more worried about the fire than enemy bullets and that was the last I saw of the Rumplers and good riddance to them.

    I’ll let Berry finish because the only good thing to come out of this sorry story belongs to him. Berry beamed again and I wondered anew what had come over him.

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    Berry picked up the story in a strangely excited tone, well I was chasing after the brown jobby but he was proving a slippery customer, our planes were too closely matched in speed and I couldn’t gain an inch on him, I could see over my shoulder Henry still battling it out with the CDL chap who seemed intent on ramming him.

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    They broke apart and then flew back at each other, I think I was looking more at their fight and not my own.

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    Because the chap I was chasing suddenly Immeled and was coming straight back at me. We both fired but I didn’t feel any bullets hit my plane, and then we collided, just a slight touch and I didn’t feel anything slack or lose and so I Immeled again, but so did he.

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    Flying back on a reciprocal course I knew this would be my last chance because if I didn’t down him on this pass he would continue to run for home now that the Rumpler's were safe and I’d never catch him.

    I could see my bullets boring into his fuselage but then my plane caught fire, I think it was that damn potato alcohol we are taking up with us. My flask was leaking as usual and I think that’s what caught fire rather than anything on the plane but it gave me a fright. As you can see I’m here and with a lot of praying and flopping back and forth the fire eventually blew itself out.

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    When I looked back I could see the brown jobby on the floor and I must have got him with that last burst.

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    I could see Henry still battling with the CDL chappie and even though I was more interested in my flames and not barbequing myself I was impressed with the way the Hun was flying, he seemed to be having the best of it and then all of a sudden Henry’s plane caught fire, it’s those damn leaky flasks I tell you, I’ve ordered new ones for the whole flight.

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    Henry didn’t seem to be firing back and was taking a hammering. I was urging my Nieuport to go faster but the stubborn thing wouldn’t.

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    Then it didn’t matter because I saw Henry’s plane fall, landing in the trenches, I’m not sure which side because I was consumed by hatred for the pale plane of death and could only see him in my blurred vision. I was shaking with rage.

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    The fire had gone out on my plane as I reached the pale plane of death and I opened fire at long range.

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    I had the advantage of position but we were passing each other so fast that I couldn’t get a good line on him and I knew my bullets were missing, but I pulled up straight away into an Immelmann turn.

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    And there was a satisfying explosion as I hit something vital and at that Berry just sort of choked up. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a rage he muttered.

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    I flew over to make sure no one emerged from the pale plane and if they had, I do believe I would have dived down and murdered him, I just don’t know what came over me.

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    Looking back I could just see burning planes, I didn’t know Taki had made it back, I saw his plane catch fire and assumed I was on my own.

    Just then Bunty appeared at the end of the corridor and I gave her a wave, but so did Berry and she waved back. Looking quizzically at him I asked “do you know Bunty” he turned with a big smile on his face, “oh yes” he said, “we met yesterday when I was sent by the MO for a check up. We got on famously and she’s agreed to go out for dinner with me tomorrow night” “I couldn’t be happier” “Right oh, could you pass me the Bunnahabhain I need another drink” was all I could manage in reply.

    Well Sis I’m sorry it was a bit of a rambling letter but there was some good news later, apparently the Hun dropped a letter on the Drome informing us that Rory and Henry were alive and in one of their hospitals and would we like to drop some clothes off for them, I believe Berry did that, so a good show in the end.

    Well apart from Berry and Bunty, but there’s always Nurse Shultz and I’m here for another 4 weeks .
    Last edited by Vagabond; 03-08-2021 at 09:24.

  2. #2

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    Butchers Bill

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    A/Lt Ruairidh “Rory” MacNair - FLM. ET. No Kills
    C&W – Rolled 11 -2FLM = Alls well when you land in soft mud.
    E&E – Rolled 4 -1 Flames -1 BEL = 2 Captured.

    As Rory climbed out of his burning plane he was surrounded by a squadron of Uhlans, The chaps with the silly helmets and the long pointy spears, what they were doing so near to the front was unknown but there were a lot of them and so reluctantly he surrendered. The war is over for this pilot.

    It looks to be a kiss of death being made Flight commander of C Flight, even if it’s only Acting commander.

    2Lt Henry De Lacy – FLM. WIA. NML. No Kills
    C&W – Rolled 7 -2FLM -1WIA -1NML = 3 Injured in Crash miss 1D6 scenarios, rolled 2 miss 2 Scenarios.
    E&E – Rolled 3 -1 FLM -1WIA -1WIC +1 NML = 1 Captured.

    Henry landed in a shell hole close to the German trenches just as they were starting to advance and attack the British lines. As he jumped from the flaming aircraft he slipped and twisted his ankle, the Germans were on top of him before he could get away. Not badly wounded either in the air fight or the landing he was escorted back to the party of Uhlans and together with Rory they were escorted to the nearest field hospital for a check up. The war is over for this pilot.

    When they met Rory asked him why he was hanging around when his engine was obviously defective, Henry with one or two choice expletives explained that he was waiting for that damn fool Berry to come back. He’d gone haring after the brown Hun plane and was way over their lines and I couldn’t really leave the idiot behind because he’d never find his way back to the Drome.

    Well that’s my two steadiest pilots gone in 1 mission and the backbone of C Flight with them. They have flown with distinction in C Flight for 1 year and 11 months and I’m gutted to lose them.


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    2Lt Ichiro “Taki” Takahashi F-RTB Engine – No Kills
    Landed with 1 and 3 = OK

    Limping back to base he saw and was able to confirm Berry’s 2 kills.
    The fire damage are the black edged counters.

    F/Sgt Wilfred “Bouncer” BerryRTB – 2 Kills (Rosenfeld and Dehmisch)
    How Berry managed to shoot down 2 obviously experienced German Pilots is a complete mystery to me, the fact that he didn’t get lost or crashed on returning to base is another mystery and the biggest mystery is how he managed to pull Bunty from under my nose. Maybe he’s like a good malt whiskey, un-drinkable at first but then matures into the nectar for the Gods.


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    Ltn Dietrich Beer O – RTB – 1Kill (MacNair) - Dave Dietrich Beer was the closest of the 2 planes that fired the fatal shots so I think he gets the kill if you could confirm I've got that right. Cheers.

    Fwbl Karl Fischer P2 – RTB – No Kills

    Ltn Bertram Hohendorf O – RTB – No Kills

    Vzfwlb Wilhelm Heinrich P2 – RTB - No Kills



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    Ltn Christian “Crasher” Rosenfeld – EXP. ET. – 1 Kill (De Lacy)
    C&W – Rolled 12 -3EXP -1NML = 8Injured Skip 1D2 Scenarios = Rolled 4 = skip 2 Scenarios
    E&E – Rolled 3 -1EXP -1WIC +1NML = 2 Captured.
    There was no one back in our Mess that night and so Christian “Crasher” Rosenfeld spent an uncomfortable night in a holding cell in the local police station before being transferred back to a POW camp. The war is over for this pilot.

    Rosenfeld has flown for my German foe for 1 year and 11 months, he gained a dubious reputation for downing more planes by collision than through gunfire and he will be sorely missed in the Jasta’s wheelbarrow races.

    Ltn Otto Dehmisch – SD. FT. No Kills
    C&W – Rolled 3 -1SD = 2 Dead

    Otto Dehmisch has also been on my German roster since the beginning, 1 year and 11 months, he leaves behind a wife and young daughter aged 3, they will miss him dearly.

    Well what a disaster, I’ve lost 4 pilots who have been on my roster since the start of the campaign 2 years ago as well as poor Drummond who never returned to active service, it’s a sombre time in the Mess, well apart from Berry who goes around with a beautific smile all the time. Mind you there are only 2 scout pilots left in the Mess.

    Mr Camel Beagle, I’m not sure what to say, a good scenario that went horribly wrong about sums it up, in the past all my suicide missions have been put down to some bod at HQ called Teaticket, I’m not so sure in the future.

    To sum up - a German victory, a British loss.

    Post script,- Uncle has banned the home distilling of potato alcohol and refused permission to take it up aloft. There were strong arguments against this including one that went along the lines that if we run out of fuel we can use the poteen to fire up the engine and get back on the fumes but Uncle was adamant.
    On my last mission all 3 of my planes caught fire, this time all 4 of them did the same, it has to be the common denominator.
    Last edited by flash; 03-09-2021 at 09:55.

  3. #3

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    Great Balls of Fire! What on earth are your pilots doing going up in Moranes against Halberstadts and such????

    Perhaps Nurse Eva has been whispering suggestions to squadron staff.

    Horrible to lose so many pilots from both sides especially when they've developed such...er, character.

    Well done - even if it is a loss. A real pleasure to read.

  4. #4

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    What an amazing drama with a sad ending. Those poor Bulldogs keep getting the fire and engine damages. Ouch! Surprised Bouncer was able to take out two superior aircraft. Great AAR. Sad to see such long lived pilots get knocked out of the narrative.

  5. #5

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    A terrific AAR, as usual, John, but a terrible outcome!
    I know how you feel about losing long-time characters, even from t'other side.

    In this particular campaign, for me, it's been all Bulldogs in the KIA and POW columns.
    Touch wood ...


    It will be interesting to see how Fräulein Eva Schultz weaves into future stories.
    Perhaps she's related to the Battenburgs and her interest in aircraft is purely personal.
    Yeah, right ...


    I'd raise a dram o' Bunnahabhain to you, but I don't have that particular brand at hand, so it will have to be Dalwhinnie or Scapa or Oban or
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    The pic is from 2019 but most of 'em still have at least a wee drop or two.


    Oh - and REP - mustn't forget about the REP

  6. #6

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    [QUOTE=ShadowDragon;549990]Great Balls of Fire! What on earth are your pilots doing going up in Moranes against Halberstadts and such???? QUOTE]

    For my original storyline I was going to have things as a shambles ( more so than usual) fielding a variety of planes is one reason, my nieuport 17's aren't painted yet is another and I wanted to get the maximum use out of the planes I bought specifically for this campaign is another. Anyway I quite like Gladys the Morane she has a nice red nose, probably the alcohol!

    I'm very disappointed about Rory and Henry, but maybe at some future date I can mount a rescue opperation, who knows, maybe a good story for my blog.

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    Quote Originally Posted by camelbeagle View Post
    What an amazing drama with a sad ending. Those poor Bulldogs keep getting the fire and engine damages. Ouch! Surprised Bouncer was able to take out two superior aircraft. Great AAR. Sad to see such long lived pilots get knocked out of the narrative.
    Bouncer was damn lucky - he's a rubbish pilot, a rubbish shot but obviously lucky with the ladies, maybe his luck is turning. He only took 1 damage from the fire and exploding the cdl Halberstadt is also lucky. As Napoleon said, give me a lucky general any day. Well he would have said it in French and more eloquently but you know what I mean.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    A terrific AAR, as usual, John, but a terrible outcome!
    I know how you feel about losing long-time characters, even from t'other side.

    In this particular campaign, for me, it's been all Bulldogs in the KIA and POW columns.
    Touch wood ...


    It will be interesting to see how Fräulein Eva Schultz weaves into future stories.
    Perhaps she's related to the Battenburgs and her interest in aircraft is purely personal.
    Yeah, right ...


    I'd raise a dram o' Bunnahabhain to you, but I don't have that particular brand at hand, so it will have to be Dalwhinnie or Scapa or Oban or
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    The pic is from 2019 but most of 'em still have at least a wee drop or two.


    Oh - and REP - mustn't forget about the REP
    That's a damn fine bar you have there Pete, I could spend a happy few nights propping it up. I have a friend who has a similar range of malts in his cupboard, it's something I've never managed, once the corks popped evaporation sets in and before I know it the bottles empty. I try and drink as much of it as I can but most evaporates!
    I see you are a fan of the Speyside malts, my preference are the western ones, especially the Islands but not laphroaig or the other peaty one from Islay. Up in the north east of the island are Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila my favourites.
    I'll have to look up your Scapa malt, I thought there was only Highland Park on Orkney, anothrr one I'm partial to.

    Anyway aeroplanes - yes I think this was my worst ever game for losing pilots, I'd sort of got a bit blase about the rolls, this was a very sharpe reminder what is waiting for the unwary.
    Cheers

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    For my original storyline I was going to have things as a shambles ( more so than usual) fielding a variety of planes is one reason, my nieuport 17's aren't painted yet is another and I wanted to get the maximum use out of the planes I bought specifically for this campaign is another. Anyway I quite like Gladys the Morane she has a nice red nose, probably the alcohol!

    I'm very disappointed about Rory and Henry, but maybe at some future date I can mount a rescue opperation, who knows, maybe a good story for my blog.
    Yeah, I do understand using planes done up for this campaign. It's of the reasons I went with the Halberstadts for the scout planes in my scenario. I've got Ares Albatros DII and DIII, of course, but will do a couple of Jasta 30 Albatros DIII repaints for the next campaign.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    That's a damn fine bar you have there Pete, I could spend a happy few nights propping it up. I have a friend who has a similar range of malts in his cupboard, it's something I've never managed, once the corks popped evaporation sets in and before I know it the bottles empty. I try and drink as much of it as I can but most evaporates!
    I see you are a fan of the Speyside malts, my preference are the western ones, especially the Islands but not laphroaig or the other peaty one from Islay. Up in the north east of the island are Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila my favourites.
    I'll have to look up your Scapa malt, I thought there was only Highland Park on Orkney, anothrr one I'm partial to.

    Anyway aeroplanes - yes I think this was my worst ever game for losing pilots, I'd sort of got a bit blase about the rolls, this was a very sharpe reminder what is waiting for the unwary.
    Cheers
    Lovely place, Islay. Not that fond of Laphroig but the distillery tour is the best there is since they do their own maltings and typically, at least when we were there, one of the brew masters did the tour. It was excellent. You got to sample the product from beginning to end.

    I like Scotch but my wife's the real Scotch fan. I got her a bottle of Ardbeg 10 Year old for Christmas. She bought a bottle of their 18 Year Old when we were on Islay. The distillery had ceased operations for a while and had just started up again. They used to do 18 Year before closing but were going to do 10 Year with the re-opening so the 18 Year old supply was limited, which is why my wife's been hoarding it. At least she's opened the 10 Year - just as well as a bottle of the 18 Year Old will set you back a few hundred quid.

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    Cor lummy mate what a carve up ! What did you do to upset the wargame Gods ?! Sad to see so many well known squadron and Jasta members buy the farm in one mission.

    Uncle says:


    Ye Gods chaps ! That all went horribly wrong, two down behind the lines that won't do at all. At least we bagged a couple ourselves, well done Bouncer, you'd better get the beers in, I'd better get an invite to the sergeants mess.
    Last edited by flash; 03-09-2021 at 10:13.

    "He is wise who watches"

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    - Dave Dietrich Beer was the closest of the 2 planes that fired the fatal shots so I think he gets the kill if you could confirm I've got that right. Cheers...
    He gets the kill if his damage is sufficient to knock the target down on it's own. If it isn't the kill would go to Hohendorf. Let me know who got him !

    "He is wise who watches"

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    Wonderful AAR, John! Enjoyed it. Well except for all that death and destruction.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowDragon View Post
    Lovely place, Islay. Not that fond of Laphroig but the distillery tour is the best there is since they do their own maltings and typically, at least when we were there, one of the brew masters did the tour. It was excellent. You got to sample the product from beginning to end.

    I like Scotch but my wife's the real Scotch fan. I got her a bottle of Ardbeg 10 Year old for Christmas. She bought a bottle of their 18 Year Old when we were on Islay. The distillery had ceased operations for a while and had just started up again. They used to do 18 Year before closing but were going to do 10 Year with the re-opening so the 18 Year old supply was limited, which is why my wife's been hoarding it. At least she's opened the 10 Year - just as well as a bottle of the 18 Year Old will set you back a few hundred quid.
    Islay's a long way from home for you, was it a trip to the Auld Country?

    You reminded me of the time we were storm bound in Port Ellen so I looked out the pictures of the Distilleries we passed.

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    Who says the Scots don't have a sense of humour.

    It was all Mrs V's fault, we were sailing to Greece and she wanted to go via Scotland, the day we arrived in Port Ellen is was as calm as the pictures show, the following day we had storms roll in and stayed for a few days, it p***ed it down all the time we were there apart from a couple of hours when we took the last photo.

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    Quote Originally Posted by flash View Post
    He gets the kill if his damage is sufficient to knock the target down on it's own. If it isn't the kill would go to Hohendorf. Let me know who got him !
    Hi Dave, looking at the photos Rory would have gone down with the hits from Beer, Hohendorf's were all over kill.
    Cheers

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    Quote Originally Posted by malachi View Post
    Wonderful AAR, John! Enjoyed it. Well except for all that death and destruction.
    Thanks Chris, yep, I wasn't keen on the death and destruction either but it will allow new blood into the Flight and I have one or two ideas for the characters.
    Cheers

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    That's a damn fine bar you have there Pete, I could spend a happy few nights propping it up.
    The bar is open any time you (or any other Forum member for that matter) can make it to Portland, John.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    I see you are a fan of the Speyside malts, my preference are the western ones, especially the Islands but not laphroaig or the other peaty one from Islay. Up in the north east of the island are Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila my favourites.
    I'll have to look up your Scapa malt, I thought there was only Highland Park on Orkney, anothrr one I'm partial to.
    Not fond of Laphroig or other such peaty ones. SWMBO and I prefer the clean, crisp ones.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    Islay's a long way from home for you, was it a trip to the Auld Country?
    We lived in the Netherlands for 9 years. Did a road trip to Scotland during that time.

    Funny story about travelling through Heathrow. We were at Whiskey's of the World or some such duty free place, discussing whiskey. With my wife being quite knowledgeable about Scotch, the chap asked if we were in the industry. I said, "yes, at the consuming end".

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    Ye Gods & Fiery Fighters! What a set too that was.
    A wonder any pilots survived at all John!

    Great the way you weaved the story from the Hospital bed & visitors. \

    Bit worried about that Nurse Schultz! I think we need to check out her credentials.
    Shame she is a rather ugly specimen though.

    Have some deserved rep old son.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    Hi Dave, looking at the photos Rory would have gone down with the hits from Beer, Hohendorf's were all over kill.
    Cheers
    Thanks John - still, gotta love overkill

    "He is wise who watches"

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    Quote Originally Posted by gully_raker View Post
    Ye Gods & Fiery Fighters! What a set too that was.
    A wonder any pilots survived at all John!

    Great the way you weaved the story from the Hospital bed & visitors. \

    Bit worried about that Nurse Schultz! I think we need to check out her credentials.
    Shame she is a rather ugly specimen though.

    Have some deserved rep old son.
    Thanks Barry, the wheelchair races came from some chance comment by Pete, it seemed too good not to run or at least wheelchair with it.
    Cheers

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    Rory and Henry captured Well I never. That's a blow. (Definitely a rescue mission going to have to be written for the next campaign.) But I think you more than made up for that bad news with the rest of your tale. You did it again John - brightened up my day Laughed loads at the beginning and that nurse Schultz is something don't you agree? As for Bob - well, I don't know Oh and go Bouncer go
    Anyway , its all been said already, but I'll add my pennyworth of advice - keep away from the potato alcohol, no matter how much of a burning desire you have to wreck your guts with it.
    RIP Drummond sad way to go! Ditto RIP Ltn Otto Dehmisch Always sad to say goodbye to old friends. Which means I'm sure we haven't heard or seen the last of Rory and Henry - I wonder if, during their captivity, they will come across a certain Dr Schultz.



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