fiebichpvApril 6, 2013, 3:20pm
When Huns Attack !!
The Selby Airdrome's air raid siren's slow, deep-throated wailing tone immediately caught my attention. It increased in pitch until reaching an ear-splitting scream signaling all available pilots of an incoming Hun attack. My AirBike was the only serviceable plane in the hangar; others were either undergoing annual condition inspections or making repairs from previous missions. I would be the sole responder.
Following a pre-flight inspection, a can of fresh petrol, and all nine yards of ammo belts, I was soon rumbling down the sod runway to meet the challengers. Climbing out over the "aromatic" horse manure compost pile and clearing the trees bordering the runway, I banked to the east and anticipated confrontation.
Remaining below 500 feet AGL to minimize my presence in the sky, it didn't take but a minute to see where trouble was. Or, as I approached, where it had been. Billowing white smoke on the near horizon told me I was already too late.
In the spring, the previous year's grasses, now dead, still covered the fields making them brown and tinder dry. The fields, adjacent homesteads, villages, and barns are particularly vulnerable to fire in the springtime. This season represents an opportunity for the Huns and reflects on their cunning and savagery.
Using incendiary bombs, the Huns had decimated almost a square mile of farmland. Once fire started nothing could be done to put it out, all the farmers could do was contain and prevent it from burning more than grass. While scanning the area for casualties, I avoided flying through the ember-laden smoke. Thankfully, the damage was limited to the fields.
While searching the area, I did see another AirBike that had been removed from its hangar and pushed onto a cultivated (non-burnable) field. Fortunately the fire did not reach its hangar. The AirBike must be a newcomer; the last time I saw this one, it was 500 miles away in Illinois. Further investigation is necessary; we may have been sent a reinforcement! There will be more on this discovery later.
There wasn't much I could do now as the damage was already done and the Huns had departed before I arrived. With a wing waggle to those on the ground and their raised shovels in reply, I returned to the Selby Aerodrome with my same ammo load but less fuel.
Photos below taken from my reconnaissance camera tell the burning field story.
AirBike Ace
The Selby Airdrome's air raid siren's slow, deep-throated wailing tone immediately caught my attention. It increased in pitch until reaching an ear-splitting scream signaling all available pilots of an incoming Hun attack. My AirBike was the only serviceable plane in the hangar; others were either undergoing annual condition inspections or making repairs from previous missions. I would be the sole responder.
Following a pre-flight inspection, a can of fresh petrol, and all nine yards of ammo belts, I was soon rumbling down the sod runway to meet the challengers. Climbing out over the "aromatic" horse manure compost pile and clearing the trees bordering the runway, I banked to the east and anticipated confrontation.
Remaining below 500 feet AGL to minimize my presence in the sky, it didn't take but a minute to see where trouble was. Or, as I approached, where it had been. Billowing white smoke on the near horizon told me I was already too late.
In the spring, the previous year's grasses, now dead, still covered the fields making them brown and tinder dry. The fields, adjacent homesteads, villages, and barns are particularly vulnerable to fire in the springtime. This season represents an opportunity for the Huns and reflects on their cunning and savagery.
Using incendiary bombs, the Huns had decimated almost a square mile of farmland. Once fire started nothing could be done to put it out, all the farmers could do was contain and prevent it from burning more than grass. While scanning the area for casualties, I avoided flying through the ember-laden smoke. Thankfully, the damage was limited to the fields.
While searching the area, I did see another AirBike that had been removed from its hangar and pushed onto a cultivated (non-burnable) field. Fortunately the fire did not reach its hangar. The AirBike must be a newcomer; the last time I saw this one, it was 500 miles away in Illinois. Further investigation is necessary; we may have been sent a reinforcement! There will be more on this discovery later.
There wasn't much I could do now as the damage was already done and the Huns had departed before I arrived. With a wing waggle to those on the ground and their raised shovels in reply, I returned to the Selby Aerodrome with my same ammo load but less fuel.
Photos below taken from my reconnaissance camera tell the burning field story.
AirBike Ace