Squiffy Saves the Day
On returning from the clash with the Dornier, Squiffy was carried high in the air to the mess where Sq Ldr Featherprop was pleased to announce the awarding of an Infamous Flying Cross.
Squiffy also added up his experience Points and chose “Tally Ho” which would give him the edge in a bounce!
He also spent his paycheck on an Intimidating Paint Job for the Spitfire Mk2 he was assigned. And with all that done, he was ready for another clash with the cunning tutons. It did not take long!
For this game, I let Squiffy choose the matchup as long as I wasnt taking another bomber! I felt I needed a even chance!
Squiffs decided on his Mk2a Spitfire vs a BF10E4. The mission was a Rhubarb for Squiffy over the French Coast.
Using the random height and orientation rules, Squiffy fared badly for height being only 6000 ft, whilst Von Schnorbitz, my Pilot, was at 24000 ft. However squiffs ended up in my blind spot!
With plenty of time, Squiffy opened the throttle of his Merlin and added 5 power, curling upwards in a Right turn class C. Von Schnorbitz carried on oblivious ahead and straight, thinking about dastardly deeds and ominous plans.
Squiffy leveled off and his Spitfire which had lust 3 speed in the climb, gained one back through the powerful Rolls Royce.
Scnorbitz dipped his wing and looked below. His Monacle jumped out of his eye! “GroB Gott! Tommy! ….I did not see you there, but we shall soon…how you say…settle your hash!”
He rolled the Messerschmitt onto its back and pulled into a tight Wingunder manouver. Now at height 9 and Squiffy at height 5, Scnorbitz had the Plucky Briton below him and he was at diving pitch. He rattled of his machineguns only and missed at the long range. Squiffy flying level couldnt bear on the German.
“Cripes!” said Squiffs “This fellow knows what he’s about, but I’ll soon show him the form”
Schnorbitz pushed the Emil Red-6 into a straight shallow dive, racing towards squiffy.
Squiffy had an Idea he might do that due to his “Experten” skill and Schorbitz announced “No Break”.
“Thats your game eh, Fritz? “ said Squiffy, “well you reckoned without two things, My inherent pluck ….and my current inebriation!”
The two fighters raced towards each other at a closing speed of 650MPH (speed 11). Neither gave a inch and as the hex bases overlapped , collission dice were rolled with Squiffy squeaking inches over Schnorbitz’s canopy. At the last second though, both pilots let rip with corking bursts of rattling dice.
Squiffys Spitfire shuddered, a cannon shell smashed into the merlin and split the crankcase. Oil pressure dropped to almost nothing! His Throttle at all heights became 1.
Squiffys eight brownings did Fritz no favours. His BF 109 was reduced to 6 structure and his undercarridge was damaged. That was going to have to be a “Later problem”
Squiffy craned his head round, his “Experten” skill told him Jerry was going to brake left, but right at this moment he had serious problems! At speed 3 with a virtually dead engine, he needed speed! Dipping his nose again he pitched down into a shallow dive. He felt the spitfire shudder and rattle as it built up speed back to around 340 mph.
Schnorbitz, feathered back his revs and Pulled his 109 into the tightest turn he could. Avoiding the “weathercocking” of the 109, he kept control around the B left turn.
The two rivals were now very low down, and with Schnorbitz using full throttle, both had sufficient speed, but Squiffy couldnt regain any more like the German could.
Now in a “two circle” fight, the advantage would eventually go to the 109 with its full power engine. Both machines turning as tight as possible, the 109 keeping control as the pressure grabbed its icy fingers at the slats.
Both players fired again in a snapshot closing pass. Squiffy took hits in the wing and he was concerned his undercarrige had been damaged. No time for that now though!
Schnorbitz reversed his turn B class right turn at Airspeed 4. Squiffy however had a trick.
“Crumbs! Looks like Jerrys trying a fast one on me! Well, not today old carrot!”Squiffy announced a sideslip right at speed 3 and although this brought his Altitude to Angels 1 and his speed to 1, he slid the little fighter to the right and was rewarded with the 109 turning in front of him.
“Right where I want you, old fellow”! cried Squiffy and he let rip with all eight brownings. The flaps and emponage of the Messerschmitt were ripped to bits and Schnorbits knew the game was up. The 109 fell to pieces and the aristocratic pilot leapt into the slipstream.
Squiffy waggled his wings and nursed the Battered spitfire back to base.
“Hmm, I dont think i’ll get the old girl down today” Thought Squiffy. “Well…time to hit the silk”
He slowly and carefully nursed the spitfire up to height 4 then baled out over Tangmere.
He watched as he drifted down the sight of his Spitfire curving through the air to land and explode on Sq Ldr Featherprops Car.
“Oh Crumbs” he squeaked as Featherprop stood waiting his landing.
