OTT-BYM Mission 01: Tom Blazin’ Denies the Enemy, 5th October 1916 by gully raker:
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FSL John ‘Jack’ Wilde (Canadian) – X Squadron, RNAS
Jack sat in the corner of the wardroom nursing some Canadian rye whisky – spirit favoured in X Squadron only by Jack and his fellow Canadian, Al Smith. All the more for himself, thought Jack. The squadron personnel in the wardroom steered well-clear of the normally good-natured, Canadian ‘cowboy’. He was in a foul mood and had been ever since the disastrous, artillery spotting mission the previous week when the squadron lost all three aeroplanes that had tasked with the mission. Two squadron members were dead and a third, Fergis O’Neil, was missing – perhaps dead, but might as well be as it was clear that Fergis was a traitor, with republican sympathies. Jack was supposed to be on that mission as the senior scout pilot but his Nieuport Bébé had been sabotaged. There could be no doubt that the saboteur was Fergis.
A group of misfits that bond and become a cracker-jack fighting unit would later be a trope of Hollywood war films, but that was later. It really was the case for the X Squadron. A previous commanding officer had evaluated Jack as “a good pilot but a poor officer”. When Jack had become one of the squadron’s three aces, Jack had thought that reputation had been left behind; as had the squadron with its enviable record – 26 kills in three months, but all of that seemed to Jack to have gone up in smoke…or rather down with the three aircraft lost the previous week. I’m not fit for command, thought Jack, that’s better left to those with the knack, like Flashman or Jock, but with Flashman laid up for a couple of weeks, Jock needed a 2iC and Jack, as the only one of their three aces fit for duty, was the obvious choice. Bloody unfair, thought Jack; although it wasn’t exactly clear what was ‘unfair’.
Not even the arrival of their new aircraft, the Sopwith Pups, to replace the fragile Nieuports had cheered Jack – so he sat wallowing in self-pity.
FCdr Nigel Flashman
Just then Flashman entered the wardroom – looking like ever so much like his time in hospital had involved as much champagne and pretty nurses and recuperating – but, for someone like Flashman, champagne and pretty ladies were
“Hullo, Jack, just the chap I was looking for – just got back and I’ve been chatting with the old Rumsbottle.”
Squadron CO, Sir Henry Rumsbottle
“You need to get yourself back ‘up on the horse’ as you cowboys would say. Have a go at the Hun, eh wot? There’s a Hun sausage that’s been causing the chaps in the trenches trouble. It needs some of our special attention. You and I will go up along with the new chap, Tom Watson, the Kiwi.”
FSL Thomas ‘Tom’ Watson
“I didn’t know we were recruiting babies.”
“Don’t let his looks deceive you. Tom’s been flying anti-zeppelin patrols. He’s got no confirmed kills but he’s got an excellent record. He’s got experience with Trace and Pomeroy rounds the naval service has developed. Those should work a treat against the balloon, but we’ve been forbidden to use those against aeroplanes, so you and I will need to keep the Hun off Tom’s tail.”
“What about Jock?”
“Jock’s going to be flying ‘shotgun’, as you’d say, for the Strutters. With Bruce still mending – picked up a bit of influenza – and Al on leave, there’s just the four of us to fly scouts.”
The next morning, the Flashman, Jack and Tom headed to where their new aeroplanes, the Pups, were waiting. When he saw the gaudy machines – painted according to the instructions of their pilots – Flashman sighed. He rather liked the subtle combination of overall PC10 with CDL fuselage sides for his Pup, but those of Jock, Jack and Bruce were a sight. Jock’s seemed to have extra target circles painted on to help the enemy. Bruce was not there so it must have been Jack who instructed the crew to paint that Pup the same light blue as Bruce’s Nieuport. At least Jack’s ultramarine fuselage was a bit better than his Nieuport’s teal blue – then he saw the underside of the wings. Oh my!
“The Hun is sure to see you coming with those colours, Jack.”
“I want them to see me coming,” Jack winked.
And with that Jack clambered into the spanking new aeroplane.
In a few minutes the three of them – Flashman, Tom and Jack – were withing sight of the Hun balloon as it wasn’t far from the aerodrome.
Across No-man’s-land, Jack spotted a CDL Albatros (Fwbl Vicktor Quandt). His blood ran cold. It was one of Hun’s latest scouts – equipped with two machineguns. It was Albatros that had devastated the squadron the prior week.
On the other flank, Flashman, spotted the second Hun scout – another Albatros, a brown one (Reinhold. Flashman had heard about these new infernal machines of the enemy and had a similar reaction to Jack.
In the middle Tom seemed as ‘cool as a cucumber’ and focussed on the yellow, Hun balloon.
In now time Tom was firing his mixed ammo of ball/Tracer/Brock/Pomeroy at the balloon.
The enemy scouts broke left and right to circle around the balloon. Tom continued firing at the balloon while Flashman and Jack joined in – just to confuse the Huns as to which as the balloon-hunter; or so Jack told himself when he really knew he wasn’t concentrating which put his aim was off. I have to stop thinking about the past and focus on the here and now or I’ll be a dead man, he thought.
Jack focussed, or tried to focus. The CDL Albatros pilot (Vicktor) wasn’t fooled. He knew all about the new incendiary ammunition and headed for Tom. Jack got a passing shot at the Hun. Not good enough, thought, Jack. Tom, meanwhile, seemed to be oblivious to the enemy scout and continued shooting at the balloon – well, he was forbidden to fire on an aeroplane.
On the other side of the balloon, Flashman and the brown Albatros (Reinhold Piechulek) had a nose-to-nose engagement. Although not obvious to Jack at first both had scored hits on their opponent’s engine and both would be returning to their stations.
Tom’s Vickers must have jammed as Jack spotted Tom smacking the gun with a wooden mallet. Where did he pick up that trick, Jack wondered. Jeez, wouldn’t catch me doing that with explosive ammunition on board. Tom was so focussed on unjamming his Vickers that he didn’t notice the Albatros until the last second, but with a swift, evasive manoeuvre Tom was safe.
Whatever Tom did with that mallet, it worked wonders. With the next burst, the incendiary bullets found their mark and flames flickered from the side of the balloon. In now time, the two Hun observers had exited their basked and two parachutes opened.
Jack jerked his attenetion back to the CDL Albatros (Vicktor). Stay focussed, Jack, stay focussed, Jack repeated to himself in his mind.
Jack was rewarded with black smoke pouring from the enemy (Vicktor); although the Hun had got a bit of his own back at Jack’s Pup. Meanwhile the fire flared up on the balloon.
Flashman and his foe (Reinhold) were returning to their stations. Flashman was fortunate enough to get a passing shot at the Hun. Not much damage, but every little bit helps, though Flashman.
Tom dove down to the level of the now descending balloon (forgot to take a peg out) and lined up for another pass. Jack could see that the young New Zealander was on-mark. Must be his experience firing at zeppelins.
Unfortunately Tom hadn’t seen the brown Albatros (Reinhold) off his right side. The Hun might be heading home but an opportunistic shot got the Kiwi. Jack saw Tom jerk up in his cockpit. ‘tarnation he’s been hit, thought Jack.
The flames on the balloon seem to die out a bit. Jack cursed at that. With Tom hit and Flashman now apparently heading back to the naval station, they needed luck. Jack hauled out the rabbit’s foot he picked up just before the mission on which he had gotten his ace status. Come on, you dud of a talisman, it’s time for you to work your magic, the thought to himself.
Just then the CDL Albatros (Vicktor) misjudged Tom and flew right past the Pup without firing a shot. On the other hand, whatever Tom had done with the mallet on the Vickers, it had worked. Two more fires burst out on the Hun balloon. Well, I’ll be, thought Jack. Good job, he mouthed to the rabbit’s foot. It would be tough for the Huns to safely recover a balloon with three fires.
Tom kept at – another fire! Jack focussed on his task – keeping the CDL Hun (Vicktor) away from Tom.
Tom still kept firing at the balloon which now ‘sported’ four fires. Get away from there, Jack thought, it’s gonna go. He worried that this would be their new, young comrade’s first and last mission with the squadron – wounded and skimming alongside a balloon that might explode any second.
And go it did. Jack had never seen a balloon burst like this one – rather like the 4th of July in the US. Tom’s Pup rocked. Jack was sure that no one could fly away from that conflagration, but, amazingly, the Kiwi flew out of the smoke and flaming debris – seemingly safe.
Jack turned his attention back – yet again – to his CDL foe (Vicktor). Jack was on the Hun’s tail. No doubt, if he’s got any sense, he’ll flip his machine around in an Immelmann turn, thought Jack.
By now Jack had the height advantage on the Hun (Vicktor); and, as Jack expected, the Hun had come around in an Immelmann turn. Got you, thought Jack, but fate is fickle. The Hun fired back – a bullet hit the heavy metal clasp on the side of the cockpit and from which dangled the rabbit’s foot and deflected just enough to hit Jack in his right arm. With the pain in his arm, Jack was having trouble controlling the Pup, which fortunately was easy to fly – later in the war with a Sopwith Camel, Jack would likely have crashed. I want my money back, thought Jack.
(Note: only one damage card due to altitude difference; the first 5-wound card was nullified by the 'Lucky Git' ace skill only to see a 2nd 5-wound card drawn. Yikes. Should be glad it wasn't a boom card. I shouldn't have drawn the 2nd damage card. I got confused with the Sniper rule where if you don't like a result you draw another cards. The nullified card isn't supposed to be replaced with the 'Lucky Git' rule - oops. Anyway the 2nd 5-Wound card was the next one in the deck and if Jack had continued to dog-fight, he'd likely have gotten the 2nd 5-wound. i've asked that the result stands as it's my mistake so my Seadogs suffer. LoL)
Jack headed back to the station. He hoped he get back to within range of the Archie before the Hun (Vicktor) would be on his tail.
However, the Hun (Vicktor) was no novice and soon on Jack’s tail. Jack had done the same to enemy enough times, but not often was he the hunted. He did not like the feeling. Fortunately the height advantage was with Jack and he kept the Pup well above the Albatros.
The Hun (Vicktor) choose not to pursue Jack into range of the British AA guns and turned towards Tom’s Pup which was now approaching safety. He would not catch Tom. The new Sopwith Pups were a great improvement upon the Nieuport 11 Bébés they replaced.
The mission was a success and except for Jack crashing his Pup on landing they were all safe. Jack’s wound, while painful, was only a flesh wound. The doc said he’d be back up in no time. Tom’s bullet wound was just a graze but he may have suffered a concussion from the balloon’s blast. The doc wanted Tom grounded for a while longer.
However, whatever the doc’s advice they all felt like celebrating Tom’s glorious victory. Rest could come a little later; and with his dark mood broken, Jack would not be denied some of Flashman’s bubbly. Nor could Flashman deny his comrades dipping into his reserve – although he wasn’t happy with the implications for his purse.
FSL Allan 'Al' Smith
While the drinkin’ and singin’ was going on, Al Smith burst in to the wardroom.
“I saw him.”
“Saw who”, said Jack.
“Saw whom”, corrected Ian, one of the Strutter pilots.
“Fergis.”
ex-FSL Fergis O'Neil
“Fergis?”
“I’m sure it was him. He was in the uniform of an flying corps major. I reported him to the military police. They kept me for several hours. Finally they told me to go and forget all about. That I had seen a Major Pickle who only resembled Fergis, but I don’t believe it. We’ve been wardroom mates for three months. I’d recognize that aloof Irishman anywhere.”
That quietened the wardroom as they all mulled over what that meant.
Finally Flashman broke the silence, “It’s been a long day, chaps. Let’s all get some rest.”
Victory Points:
Seadogs:
Balloon destroyed = 20 points
Scout FRTB = 5 points
Total = 25 points
Adlers
Scout FRTB = 2 X 5 pointds = 10 points
Total 10 points
Seadog Victory
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