A couple of troublesome Arty positions had been giving our trenches a bit of a strafing, after a bit of recce their positions had been found on the far side of the town opposite. Now knowing roughly where they were our Arty chaps were in the mood to reciprocate and our Bulldogs were tasked to do a bit of spotting for them.
To that end 2Lt Chris Cross and AM.3 Richard Shaw jumped into a 'Strutter and set off in great hopes for a show.
They were accompanied on their travels by 2Lt Evan Keel to keep an eye out for them which filled them with some confidence
They were not destined to be alone that morning as Ltn Otto Hengl (left) and Rave Busse (right) had been dispatched to the area to clear away any nosey airmen looking for their gunners
The chaps saw the threat almost immediately - unfortunately the Hun had spotted them too and were headed in their direction, closing rapidly !
Keel reefed his machine into a climbing turn to head off the lead aircraft with the red spinner but his first burst had no obvious effect. Shaw's Lewis also barked briefly before jamming. Incoming rounds pattered through the Strutter without causing any significant damage.
Keel somehow manages to avoid the unrushing Albatros by a gnats whisker, meanwhile it's wingman with the blue spinner pumps an accurate damaging burst into the unprotected Strutter while Shaw's working on his Lewis
As they separate the Germans turn after the tandem, their intention is clear
Keel throws his machine about in an attempt to cut them off or get behind them; at least to put them off and give the Strutter a chance
As he makes his turn the Albatros with the red spinner turns into him, spandaus chattering and shattering the fabric of his fragile Nieuport and his windscreen - Keel feels his face showered with shards and a blow to his body....
Meanwhile, as cross turns the Strutter back toward their lines, Shaw pumps a few rounds into the chap with the blue spinner, damaging his controls.
Shaw begins keying his message to the Arty chaps as rounds crackle past his cockpit
The other pair disentangle
Shaw takes up his gun once again as bullets thud into the Strutter, though it appears one gun has stopped. His shots do nothing and he empties his pan.
As Cross makes his turn for the return leg toward the second position the Strutter becomes the meat in an Albatros sandwich; using his one working spandau with supreme skill Busse laces his burst through both cockpits and their occupants. Shaw falls to the floor stunned and bleeding.
Cross barely makes out the fall of shot from their first effort - close but no cigar. (9)
Busse wrestling with his controls and his jammed gun can only slide past behind the Strutter. Hengl passes close aboard - almost too close as he deals with his jam
Hengl breaks away and deals with his jam
Both British machines, their pilots and crew wounded, must head for the barn
The Germans, out of position cannot chase them down before they slip away
Butcher's Tally:
2Lt Evan Keel: FRTB-W 0 kills
Rolled 6,2 landed safely
Rolled 10 -1WIA +1RTB = 10 All well when you land well. (A section of strut was found in his cockpit which explained the blow he felt)
2Lt Christopher Cross: FRTB-W 0 kills
Rolled 1,2 - landed safely
Rolled 8 -1WIA +1RTB = 8 - Injured Skip 1D2 scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 1
AM.3 Richard Shaw: FRTB-W 0 kills
Landed safely
Rolled 6 -1WIA +1RTB = 6 - Injured Skip 1D3 scenarios. Rolled 5 = skip 3
Uncle decided not to send another tandem out on its lonesome, he'd wait another time until he could send some protection with it.
I flew the Strutter, ended up jiggling the turn where needed as the simplest solution, it didn't need much.
All scouts were randomly placed - the Albatrii came on together on the side nearest the Strutter hence they were up in my grill so fast.
Maybe they should start on their base edge, at least they'd take a bit longer to get on the spotter. If I'd used slower less well armed craft that may have helped too as the jams would have stopped the shooting for a moment.
That said - two crippling WIA hits out of two separate decks did the job, at least the boys made it back.
I was going to do a second leg but 'Aunty' put a paint brush in Uncles hand so that was 'break over' !
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