OTT EYM Mission 4 Bombs and Blondes 4 February 1917 Hu Rhu
Lt Douglas Caulfield looked out of the cockpit of his Sopwith Pup at the formation of planes that the Bulldogs had put into the air. Leading the formation was an RE8 of 44 Squadron loaned to the Bulldogs for the mission piloted by 2Lt Tom Gray and his Observer AM 2 Reg Dwight. Off to his right was another Bulldog pilot 2Lt Huw Evans also flying a Sopwith Pup.
Their job was to escort the RE8 on its bombing of the submarine pens at Zeebrugge.
Bringing up the rear was newly joined pilot Lt Fraser Norris flying a two seater Sopwith 1 ฝ Strutter without an observer. His job was to use the cover of the Zeebrugge raid to pick a Belgian Spy called ‘La Dame Blanche’. Hopefully he would be out and away before the Germans cottoned on.
On a bright sunny morning Ltn Dieter Roth was flying an aerial patrol over Zeebrugge in his Albatros D.II. Alongside him and to the left was Ltn Helmut Von Bauer in a D.I and to his right was Hans Neumann in a D.II. They were flying these slightly older planes due the grounding of the Albatros D.III due to wing issues.
The British planes having taken a circuitous approach, turned north towards Zeebrugge. , whilst Norris in his Strutter carried on further eastward towards his rendezvous.
Von Bauer caught a flash from a planes wingtip inland and spotted the British planes closing in on Zeebrugge from inland. He alerted his flight leader who indicated to the flight to turn and intercept the British planes.
Norris in his Strutter carried on further eastward towards his rendezvous with the spy.
The RE8 carries on towards the port whilst Caulfield turns towards the German aircraft.
The Adlers climb to intercept the bomber, who was flying high to avoid the threat of anti-aircraft guns known to be around the port.
The RE8 continues on its course, whilst the Pups climb to protect the bomber but are still too far away to assist at this stage. Von Bauer fires at the RE8 at long range and scores some damage.
Gray spots Roth in his sights and fires but misses. (+1 for height)
Meanwhile Norris has been losing height on his approach to the airstrip.
As the RE8 lines up on the submarine pens, both Neumann and Von Bauer swoop in and fire at close range, damaging the RE8’s rudder controls, preventing it from turning left or right.
Roth (Alt 5) has flown under the RE8 and exchanged long range shots with Caulfield (Alt 5). Caulfield’s rudder is also damaged but Roth’s machine starts to smoke.
AM 2 Dwight fires into Von Bauer at close range but misses and jams his gun at the same time.
Evan’s long range shot causes Von Bauer’s D.I to start smoking.
Gray lines up the RE8 onto the docks and announces his intention to bomb, preventing White from unjamming his guns. Sadly his bombs fall a fraction short missing the submarine pens but damage a lot of the of the dock infrastructure which will hamper the German building process for a while. (Partial bombing success).
Neumann gets a close range shot against Evans scoring heavily but jams one of his guns in the process.
Evans sights Roth and fires at long range but misses and jams his gun.
Caulfield also tries a long range shot against Von Bauer but also misses.
In the confusion of the swirling dogfight Neumann and Evans collide, but whilst the Pup is unscathed, the D.II is badly damaged.
As AM3 Dwight frantically tries to clear his gun, Von Bauer fires into the RE8 at close range scoring well but also jamming one of his guns.
However Caulfield is still tailing the D.I and fires a heavy burst into Von Bauer’s plane.
Not giving up, Von Bauer fires a devastating burst into the RE8 bringing it down just beyond the port. (Kill to Von Bauer)
Caulfield is still trying to protect the bomber and fires at close range into Von Bauer’s D.I but jams his guns at the same time. However, there is enough damage to force Von Bauer to head back to the aerodrome.
Caulfield would have been in a great position to shoot down Von Bauer but curses his luck and his jammed guns.
Neumann swings back to help but is still jammed as Roth Immelmans and flies above Evans, who was fooled by the manoeuvre.
Meanwhile Norris turns and lines up his Strutter onto the airstrip but realises with the crosswind he will land on the extreme edge. Nevertheless he is determined to get down, whilst the air battle rages over Zeebrugge.
Roth is now heading back towards the airstrip albeit at Alt 6 as is Neumann whilst Evans is temporarily out of the picture.
Meanwhile Von Bauer chased by Caulfield with his guns still jammed, is heading out to sea but then executes a split-S which puts his right under the jammed guns of Caulfield who again curses his luck.
Meanwhile both Roth and Neumann who have spotted the Strutter preparing to land are rapidly closing in and losing height.
Norris has managed to land safely albeit on one edge of the airstrip and sees a number of people running towards his aircraft, hoping they are not Germans.
To his relief most grab hold of his aircraft and start the process of turning it round but not before he catches sight of a slim figure, wearing a flying helmet smoking a cigarette. She takes a last drag, flicks the butt away and athletically climbs into the rear cockpit. Norris glances over his shoulder and sees her expertly familiarising herself with the Lewis gun. She gives him a thumbs up and he turns to see what the others are doing.
Meanwhile over the harbour Von Bauer is now headed back eastwards to his aerodrome, whilst Caulfield is attempting to clear his guns.
Norris’s plane is still being turned as he hears the full throated roar of an airplane flying above him and glances up as the Albatros overshoots the airstrip. Neumann is still too high but losing altitude fast.
Roth also dives but is further south. Evans makes a best effort to catch up but is still too high. Von Bauer is heading back to the Aerodrome but Caulfield is a long way behind.
As the Partisans manage to line up the plane, Norris glances up and sees both Roth and Von Bauer in position to strafe his plane and they score heavy damage but without hitting anything vital. Norris not wanting to hang around, opens the throttle and begins his take off.
Norris now accelerates down the runway but is caught in a hail of fire from both Von Bauer and Neumann (who had Immelmanned) with Neumann getting the fatal shot. (Kill to Neumann). Norris’s Strutter ends up a pile of wreckage at the end of the airstrip but despite both he and La Dame Blanche being injured in the crash, both get out safely.
However Von Bauer had forgotten about the other British aircraft and Evans closes to short range and fires a heavy burst into the D.I which explodes and crashes to the ground. (Kill to Evans)
Neumann and Evans now close on each other and fire at close range. Evans scores a minor hit but sets the D.II alight. However, Neumann must have hit the fuel tank and Evan’s Pup also explodes in mid-air. (Kill to Neumann)
As Neumann turns back to his aerodrome, Caulfield, who had by now caught up with the Germans, fires at long range, wounding Neumann.
Moments later as Neumann struggles to control his plane Caulfield again fires but misses.
Roth, attempting to cover his colleague, also misses.
Caulfield realising that he was low on fuel and with odds of two to one, sensibly turned home and moments later both D.IIs also headed home. However the flames were not going out and just short of his Aerodrome, Neumann’s plane succumbs and he crashes in flames (Kill to Evans).
Butchers Tally
Adlers
Ltn Dieter Roth: – Albatros D.II (Sand) – RTB 0 Kills
Ltn Hans Neumann: – Abatros D.II (Yellow) – SD-FLM-FT 2 Kills (Norris & Evans)
C&W: Rolled 9 -2FLM -1WIA = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
Ltn Helmut Von Bauer: – Albatros D.I – SD-EXP 1 Kill (Gray)
C&W: Rolled 8 -3EXP = 5 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = Skip 2
Bulldogs
Lt Douglas Caulfield: – Sopwith Pup (#S) – RTB 0 Kills
2Lt Huw Evans: – Sopwith Pup (#4) – SD-EXP-ET 2 Kills (Neumann & Von Bauer)
C&W: Rolled 5 -3EXP = 2 - Dead!
Lt Fraser Norris: (P2) – Sopwith 1 ฝ Strutter – SD-ET 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 7 -1SD = 6 - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 7 -1BEL -1WIC = 5 - In Hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
La Dame Blanche: (O) – Sopwith 1 ฝ Strutter – SD-ET 0 Kills
C&W: Rolled 5 -1SD = 4 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 7 -1BEL -1WIC = 5 - In Hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 1 = Skip 1 – Partisans managed to spirit her away.
Lt Tom Gray: (P2) RE8 – SD-ET-SEA 0 Kills, Partial bombing success
C&W: Rolled 10 -1SD -1SEA = 8 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 1 = Skip 1
E&E: Rolled 5 -1WIC -1SEA -1BEL = 2 Captured - The war is over for this pilot
AM2 Reg Dwight: (O) RE8 - SD-ET-SEA 0 kills
C&W: Rolled 10 -1SD -1SEA = 8 - Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenario. Rolled 4 = Skip 2
E&E: Rolled 10 -1WIC -1SEA -1BEL = 7 - Landed almost home Skip 1 scenario
Victory Points
Adlers
Bomber shot down after dropping bombs = 7 Pts
Scout/2 Seater SD x2 = 10 Pts
Total 17 Pts
Bulldogs
Bomber Near Miss = 10 Pts
Scout SD x 2 = 10 Pts
Total 20pts
Narrow victory to the Bulldogs but with Evans dead and Gray (44 Sqn) captured along with Norris in hiding it doesn't feel like one they will be celebrating.
Reply With Quote
for his victories & sacrifice this day, even if not quite an ace 
Originally Posted by Hu Rhu
I hope I didn't jinx the C&W roll! That's a really tough break - two kills closer to Ace really rubs it in.
REP inbound 
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