aka OTT EYM Mission 2 – Cloud surfing - 12th January 1917 - Hu Rhu
Ltn Hans Neumann peered through the clouds looking for his first target, cursing his luck that he had caught the CO ‘s eye, when he was looking for a victim.
“It’s an easy job” said ObLtn Koch. “The bombers claim that they hit all their targets yesterday but HQ wants confirmation. You need to get eyes onto the three targets in our sector and report back what damage has been inflicted. Oh and don’t get shot down whilst you’re at it” he chuckled.
Now Neumann observed the heavily clouded sky and realised that this was going to be hard work especially as he was expecting that the British were flying patrols over the area. He decided that he would use the cloud cover to hide his approach to the targets.
2Lt Denis Giles flying a Nieuport 17 and 2Lt Redford Pugh, flying a SPAD VII were flying Eastward on a routine patrol pattern.
The cloud cover was giving the British pilots a headache too as they carried out their patrol pattern. 2 Lt Hugh Evans, flying a Sopwith Triplane was having trouble maintaining his northward course in the heavy clouds.
As he exited a particularly large one he found that he had deviated almost 90 degrees and was now heading West.
Neumann was also having a little trouble navigating in the clouds.
Giles and Neumann found themselves on opposite sides of the same cloud, blissfully unaware of the other’s presence.
Then as the clouds shifted, Giles spotted an Albatros on his left side before moments later losing sight of it as he plunged into another cloud. Neumann also spotted the Nieuport and dived into another cloud to avoid him.
Meanwhile Evans had reached the end of his patrol pattern was preparing to turn round.
Pugh was still heading due East but caught up in more cloud.
Unable to Immelman in the cloud, Giles wrenched his machine around and circled back in the direction of the last sighting.
Neumann emerged from his cloud having evaded the Nieuport and found himself perfectly aligned onto his first target.
Evans in his Triplane had by now got himself back onto his original course and was heading Northwards but was plagued by clouds obscuring his view.
Passing directly over the target, Neumann could see that the bombers had destroyed almost all of the target. He now lined himself up with his second objective.
Suddenly a Triplane emerged from the clouds in front of him and both pilots spotted the other, although were out of range.
Giles meanwhile was still chasing the Albatros but was blinded by the clouds.
Pugh reversed his course and was heading back West, when emerging from a cloud spotted an Albatros off to the North.
Both Neumann and Evans turned towards each other and opened fire. The Albatros didn’t seem to take much damage but was left smoking, whilst the Triplanes rudder was damaged.
Giles also spotted the dogfight as he exited the cloud and turned towards the combat.
Neumann and Evans passed by each other as the Albatros headed for the next bank of clouds. Neumann realised that was the only way to shake off his pursuers.
Then disaster struck the British. Evans was having trouble with his rudder and was not paying attention as Giles was too hasty in following the Albatros. There was a sickening crash and both planes were badly damaged, with the Nieuport taking the worst of it.
Emerging from another cloud, Neumann lined up his next target. (Although the SPAD is in the shot, it is still in the cloud and can neither be spotted by or spot the Albatros at this point.)
Flying directly over the target, Neumann sees that the bombers have hardly touched the objective. Glancing up he is surprised to spot a SPAD suddenly burst from the cloud in front of him and sends a quick burst into it, but misses. Pugh’s SPAD has deviated in the cloud and has no target.
As the two planes flash past each other, Neumann again heads into the cloud.
Unable to Immelmann, Pugh turns as quickly as he is able, although realising that the SPAD is quite slow to turn, however fast it was.
Meanwhile recovering form the shock of the crash, Evans has Immelmanned and is heading back towards the last sighting of the Albatros, whilst Giles is nursing his battered plane back towards his own lines.
Suddenly the Nieuport exits a cloudbank to find the Albatros right in front of him and fires a quick burst but misses.
Pugh is still slowly turning.
Losing the Albatros again, Giles heads back to base as Pugh is still slowly turning back to the fight but can’t spot Neumann who is still in the cloud. Evans is also masked by another cloudbank.
With heavy cloud cover all the combatants are unsighted both from each other and the target.
The as both planes emerge from the clouds, Evans has a perfect shot at close range on the Albatros and succeeds in damaging his rudder controls. However Neumann has a good view of the heavy damage the bomber has inflicted on the target.
The two planes pass each other as Neumann puts his nose down and starts the journey home. He has all the information needed, he just needs to get home to tell HQ.
Again he dives into a cloud to escape the British planes who are closing in on him.
The two remaining British scouts are now on either side of the cloud and are giving chase.
Emerging from the cloud allows Evans to spot him and he closes the range.
Evans opens fire at long range but does no damage but jams his guns. With the SPAD still some way away and with his nearest opponent frantically trying to clear his guns, Neumann turns for the lines, escaping safely back to his own aerodrome.
Butchers Tally
Adlers:
Ltn Hans Neumann: Albatros D.II – RTB – No Kills Viewed all 3 Targets
Bulldogs:
2Lt Denis Giles: Nieuport 17 – FRTB-D – 0 Kills
C&W Rolled 5+6. Landed safely.
2Lt Huw Evans: Sopwith Triplane – RTB – 0 Kills
2 Lt Redford Pugh: SPAD VII – RTB – 0 Kills
Victory to the Adlers.
I planned to use pictures of clouds printed on A4 paper but half way through printing it packed up. Instead I used sheets of kapok cut to rough shapes as they were flat enough to allow the cards and planes to rest on top of them easily.
The variations for exiting the clouds worked well with only one plane wildly off course and the rest with a relatively minor course corrections. However these were to have an effect throughout the game with some deviations allowing planes to get in a shot and others preventing one. All in all very enjoyable.
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