OTT-EYM Mission 4: Bombs and Blondes - 4 Feb 1917, by ShadowDragon
OTT-EYM Mission 4: Bombs and Blondes – 4 February 1917, by ShadowDragon
EYM Scenario by Baz:
https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...ry-1917-by-Baz
Disclosure – I had some major errors (note not moving the Short 184 and CDL Halberstadt on turn 5.2) on this one. I tried to fix retroactively but that made the write up worse and the end results were the same. So, to help with the reading, I've re-written the story for the action as shown in the photos.
The Story
It is the 1960s. Five men, ages ranging from the early 40’s to late 60’s, are gathered in a Hunter Valley pub. The three older men are all WWI Royal Naval Service scout pilots – Jack Wilde, an ex-Albertan, Bruce Dundee and Bruce’s cousin, Baz Lanister. The younger men are Tom Dundee, Bruce’s much younger – by 22 years – “accidental” (it happens) brother (and a WWII fighter pilot) and Jack’s son-in-law, and Harry, Bruce’s son-in-law (not a pilot but a doctor – someone has to patch these chaps up).
Invariably, on an occasion like this, either Jack or Bruce would start a tale of their days of flying crates of wood and paper held together by binder twine. Tom and Harry suspect that it would take several lives to include all their doings – if true. Baz never said much, but he sat out much of the war in a German prisoner of war camp and those are different tales.
This time, no real surprise, Jack starts.
“Say, chaps, here’s a story we never told you”.
Tom rolls his eyes. Harry bites his lower lip.
“Seeing as they ladies aren’t around – this one involves a femme fatale.”
That gets a little bit of attention from Tom and Harry; if only to see how tall the tale might be and how fatale the femme.
“It doesn’t involve an Irish double agent or was that a double-double agent and a rather sturdy Nurse Schultz, does it?” asks Tom.
“Nah”, replies Jack. “And, it was a major, an Irish-born British agent, pretending to be a flight-sublieutenant spying for the German. So, a double…or maybe it is a double-double agent. Well, that’s a different story.”
The scene flashes back to early 1917. It’s the briefing room for the X Squadron of the RNAS – somewhere in northeastern France. The scout flight commander, Nigel Flashman, is briefing Jack and Bruce.
“Here’s the plan chaps. As you know the Kaiser has approved unrestricted U-boat warfare are threatening to starve Britain into submission. The navy has information on the location of U-boat pens in the port of Zeebrugge and will be sending a bombing force of Short 184s launched from seaplane tenders. We are to rendezvous with them to the southwest, near De Haan, and provide escort over the target area.”
The mission seemed a reasonable one to Jack and Bruce. They had flown the area many times and knew it well.
“There’s one more thing,” says Flashman, “They want us to pick up a spy from a makeshift airstrip.”
“Crickey,” the other two both exclaim – or, with unrepeatable words to that effect. They had memories of rescuing a certain Irish major.
“It seems this spy is a woman,” Flashman goes on, “and before either of you volunteer I will fly the rescue aeroplane. Jack you’ll provide cover for me while Bruce here will make sure the Hun doesn’t both the Short 184.”
The rendezvous didn’t go as planned. The X Squadron planes nearly decided to proceed with rescuing the spy when a lone Short 184, the Viking from the HMS Vindex, hove into view. (Yes, “hove”! It is the navy after all.) After that the, now four, planes proceeded to Zeebrugge.
The scene is now the skies over a cloudless Zeebrugge.
There was opposition. Three Hun scouts are patrolling just off the shoreline. Some pilots from the hard-luck Jasta are doing some cross-training with a coastal jasta. Ltn Emil Hess is SA Leader; Fwbl Hans Schobinger is SA 1 and Fwbl Joachim Büttner is SA 2.
Bruce and Jack signal that they will engage the Huns. Flashman waggles the wings of his plane in agreement and indicates he is ready to start his descent in preparation for landing. [The Strutter is at altitude 3.]
The Huns apparently haven’t spotted the British.
But that quickly changes as and all three German scouts head inland towards the British while Flashman’s Strutter descends. It is now at altitude 2.
A closer look at the Halberstadts – the lead camo one has a “B” and the trailing one an “S”.
Jack and the lead Halberstadt are the first to engage with both planes taking some damage; Jack’s plane takes more damage but the German plane is on fire.
The Huns continue on – the lead two heading towards the Short 184. As they pass, both Jack and Bruce deal out a fair bit of damage to the CDL Halberstadt. The trailing Halberstadt follows the Strutter descending to altitude 3.
While Bruce circles around, Jack flips the Tripe about with an Immelmann to get a decent shot on the lead, flaming Halberstadt.
Meanwhile, the Halberstadt fires rather ineffectually at the Short 184. The Short’s observer, focusing on the target, forgets to return fire. (Note: this photo is the same phase as the last photo. I just forgot to draw a damage card for the Halberstadt before taking the previous photo.)
Situational photo – there is no firing as plane bases either overlap (i.e., two Halberstadt’s beside the Short), targets are not in arc or, at different altitudes (i.e., the Short 184 is at ‘5’ while the Halberstadt in front of him is at ‘3’). Flashman’s Strutter continues to descend and is now at altitude ‘1’.
Jack is in position for another shot at the flaming Halberstadt but misses. The fire continues to flicker away. The Short 184 releases its bombs and the Strutter lines up for landing. The observer focusing on the bombing mission does not return fire.
Flashman is landing; the bombs are on their way (2nd phase) towards the target. In frustration the Short 184 observer fires but the target is not within the arc of fire - so the bullets strike empty airspace. Meanwhile, Bruce and the CDL Halberstadt are within range and arc of fire and blaze away at each other but to no effect. Jack seeing that he’s to high to provide cover for Flashman descends to altitude ‘3’.
The flaming Hun takes a pot shot at Bruce, but misses. The fire on his plane has other plans and flares up rather fiercely – as fire’s do. It’s time for the erstwhile flaming Halberstadt to head for home. It’s the 3rd phase for the bombs and they are right on target. A rather splendid explosion tells the British crews that at least that much of the mission is a success.
Another situational photo – Flashman has landed. Bruce is preparing for an Immelmann turn to get back into the action while Jack starts to chase the Hun lining up Flashman’s Strutter; and indeed the Hun has descended to altitude ‘2’ in order to strafe Flashman’s plane. Having competed the mission the Short 184 heads for the open sea and the seaplane tenders while the CDL Halberstadt is in pursuit. The remaining, heavily damaged Halberstadt is thankful it’s close to the “edge of the world” – aka “Home” – and heads for that mat edge.
The fire-damaged Halberstadt sees safety just within reach and fortunately for him Jack is at a lower altitude and can’t fire at him. The remaining camo Halberstadt strafes the Strutter while Flashman looks for the spy. Bruce has completed his Immelmann turn – reaching altitude ‘5’, but the Short 184 and CDL Halberstadt have stalled and seem to be “frozen in time” - even the Halberstadt' bullets seem to hang in the air. Such is how time slows in combat (i.e., this is the error I mentioned above).
Jack descends to altitude ‘2’ and is finally tailing the remaining camo Halberstadt. A quick burst at long range while diving finds a vital part of the Halberstadt’s engine – forcing the Hun to break off the engagement. Flashman is getting acquainted with the spy. The Short 184 continues heading for the west followed by the CDL Halberstadt. Bruce is now in pursuit of the SA Leader and does some damage to the Halberstadtl's controls.
The Short 184 turns so that the observer can fire at the pursuing Hun, while Bruce's fire causes the Halberstadt to smoke. The Halberstadt does no damage in return fire.
Continuing on with the action involving the Short 184, the pursuing Seeadler and Bruce…. The exchange of fire between the Short 184 and the Halberstadt sees no damage inflicted to either plane. Bruce's fire is more accurate and finally brings down the sturdy Halberstadt. Bruce had wondered how much more damage it would take to bring the SA Leader's plane down. It seemed more robust that other Halberstadts
Well, back to the other action. Jack continues to chase the camo Hun that dared to strafe Flashman, while Flashman and the spy are finally ready for take off.
The Strutter starts it’s take off while Jack continues firing at the Halberstadt, but the Vickers jams. Oops!
The Strutter takes to the air.
A photo showing an overview of the situation. Keeping in mind that the Short 184 should be one move further on. LoL
Jack finally clears the jammed Vickers. The Halberstadt has turned around and heading for safety. Flashman and his passenger are safely away.
Jack catches the fleeing stuttering Halberstadt and inflicts more damage on the hapless Seeadler.
One more shot….and just when one hardly needs it, a “boom” card. The last Hun is down.
The flight back is without incident. Flashman lands first and by the time Jack and Bruce land Flashman and the spy have driven off in waiting staff car. The next morning, in the wardroom, Flashman comes with a big smile. Jack and Bruce look at him quizzically.
“What can I say, boys? The de-briefing of the spy took all night.”
Just then Uncle comes in.
"Flashman, were you drunk when you wrote this report. It's a mess and completely unintelligible. Time standing still? Really?"
"Uncle, maybe I can re-write the report," offers Bruce.
"Make it so", replies Uncle.
Back to the pub in the Hunter Valley.
“I’ll leave to the two of you to decide which of us scored better on that mission”, said Jack, finishing his story.
Scenario Results
Sea Dogs
Hit target = 20 points
Scouts shot down = 2 X 5 = 10 points
Scout FRTB = 2 points
Spy returned to base = 10 points
Total = 42 points
Seeadlers
Total = 0 points
A resounding victory for the Sea Dogs after the last 2 missions!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Baz
I'll give it a go again today. I couldn't keep track of what was going on last night and gave up.
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