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A lot of changes took place at Red Baron Fight this year, giving the event an old-time feel that we haven't seen in a
while. The eight-player field equalled the smallest turnout since 2001. For the first time in five years something other than
a true, silver-plated goblet was given to the winner. The game featured fewer out-of-town entries than usual with seven of
the eight players being established local pilots.
However, some elements were quite typical. Three aces were flown in a sky heavy with veteran pilots and the casualty
rate was predictably high with 50% of the pilots failing to return. Percentile dice were rolled for airplane choice
and the sides stacked up like this:
Teams for RBF XVIII |
|
Player |
Airplane |
Pilot |
M |
K |
British |
|
Rick Lacy |
Camel 130 |
2Lt Thaddeus Unger |
15 |
1 |
|
Dory Oda |
Camel 130 |
Lt Trent Scott |
2 |
1 |
|
Evan Lacy |
Camel 130 |
Unnamed |
1 |
0 |
|
Stephen Skinner |
Camel 130 |
Lt Peter Flanigan |
19 |
6 |
German |
|
Scott Jones |
Fkr DrI (red) |
Ltn Ray Ultz |
9 |
2 |
|
Rich Kapustanczeck |
Fkr DrI |
Ltn Wolfgang Jesner |
3 |
0 |
|
Stephen Dale Skinner |
Alb DVa |
Ltn Ralph Pheifer |
9 |
1 |
|
Ken Mrozak |
Alb DV |
Vz Fryc Wurstmeister |
48 |
24 |
Things started poorly for Rich Kapustanczeck, who drove down from Milwaukee with Ken Mrozak to participate in his second
RBF classic. Flying a DrI, Rich found himself targeted by Evan who was the only German with a chance to fire on the first
game turn. Evan performed a great service for the British cause when his burst smoked Rich's engine, which adversely affected
his shooting for the rest of the game. Several British pilots would later come under Rich's guns and suffer considerably less
damage thanks to Evan's attack.
On the second turn the "sixes" began to roll during the shooting phase with multiple misses by otherwise good marksmen.
Stephen Dale's aggressive Albatros pilot, flying his 9th mission, lined up for a good shot on Dory's Camel and missed by a
mile. Scott's red Tripe tried to double the attack and he missed as well.
Rick's aim, on the other hand, was dead on for most of the day. He poured seven hits into Ken's 24-kill Albatros ace
in a single turn while Dory added ten more. Ken took a critical hit, but not before putting nine shots into Evan's Camel and
giving him a critical hit, too.
On turn three Stephen moved first after rolling his third consecutive "11" for initiative, but even without his guns
the British were holding their own fairly well. Scott, who had missed Dory the previous turn, declared "tailing" and managed
to follow her Camel through a series of maneuvers and still score eight hits. Dory's Camel suffered a critical hit in the
left wing that put her on the defensive for the remainder of the game.
Ken was also being tailed by Rick, but Rick was a victim of his own success. The critical hit that he and Dory inflicted
on Ken the previous turn resulted in Ken's Albatros being stuck in a left bank... Rick had no way to anticipate that sort
of damage and Ken broke the tail by accident, probably saving the life of his quadruple ace in the process. Rick chose another
target and pumped eight hits into Rich's already-smoking Fokker DrI, including a No Effect pilot wound. Stephen Dale's 9-mission
Alb pilot surprised Evan's Camel with five hits from the bottom but couldn't manage to hit anything vital.
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| And what would RBF be without Dory's cakes? |
On the following turn two-time RBF champ Scott Jones hung onto Dory's tail and her situation was quickly becoming desperate.
Stephen finally rolled something other than an "11" for initiative and got to fire for the first time, diving to Dory's aid
and latching onto Scott's tail to score six hits. But help had arrived too late. Scott's red Tripe fired on Dory's Camel,
inflicting a fatal head wound that killed her pilot instantly. Dory's twelfth Red Baron Fight ended prematurely - she
is still seeking her first title.
Scott had jammed a gun during the engagement, however, he still scored a solo kill and the game's first casualty
spun down to crash in No Man's Land. The next casualty wouldn't be long in coming.
The Camels of Rick and Evan sandwiched Rich's smoking DrI and delivered a combined fifteen-hit punch that finished off
the Fokker's lame engine. Now powerless, Rich's Triplane glided silently down from the fight to land safely behind German
lines. After grabbing a third-place finish as an RBF freshman in 2004, Rich would walk away empty-handed in his second appearance.
|
| Scott had to abandon his shot at a 3rd title |
Both the Germans and the Brits had now lost an airplane. Ken's Alb was severely damaged and couldn't afford another big
hit, while the wings on Evan's Camel had taken a beating. Rick and Evan had a kill to split between them while Scott had the
game's only solo victory, although he now had to worry about Stephen's Camel ace who was glued to his tail. Stephen Dale was
shooting well but couldn't close a fight when he really needed a good die roll.
At this time the first of two major swings in the fight took place. Ken's Albatros ace flew back into the fight and delivered
the coup de grace on Evan's ailing Camel, blowing his right wing off for a solo kill and reducing the British strength to
two airplanes - the Sopwiths of Stephen and Rick. Ken then turned to Stephen's pristine Camel and scored another solid burst
that inflicted five left wings hits and one of the worst wing criticals in the game. Stephen's Sopwith lost 30 mph of turn
speed and could no longer perform any fancy maneuvers, banks or rotary rights, instantly turning him from an ace contender
to a sitting duck. With two attackers on his tail Stephen was forced to put his crippled Camel into a shallow dive to shake
the DrI and Albatros fighters of Scott and Ken. Rick did what he could to help by sending five hits through Scott's red Fokker.
Then, the second and final major momentum swing took place. Ken rolled a poor initiative number and rather than risk
another burst in his already-shot-up Alb DV, he turned east and made a bolt toward German lines in the hope that the
rest of the fight would follow him.
It didn't.
Scott, who still suffered from a jammed gun that he couldn't clear, was forced to finally escape from the combat
due to work obligations that evening, leaving the game as a two-on-two battle. Stephen Dale finally rolled a decent initiative
number and took what he believed to be his best opportunity to win the cup... he attacked. There was only one available target,
so he fired four times into the bottom of Rick's Camel, again without result.
Stephen, who was waiting on the outskirts of the fight with a severely damaged Camel, took advantage of Ken's absence
and flew back into the fight for a "free" shot at Stephen Dale's Albatros. He scored only four hits but was able to tail the
next turn and score six more. Ken was still too far away to help and rather than turn toward German lines, Stephen Dale pressed
his attack one turn too many. Stephen's Camel fired again, this time bumping up one table for acehood and another for successfully
tailing, and scored nine hits. That was more than the Albatros' left wing could take... it crumpled against the fuselage and
the DVa slammed into the mud of No Man's Land. Stephen Dale's 9-mission pilot had no parachute and died in the crash.
Only three planes remained... Ken's Albatros against the Camels of Stephen and Rick. All three had battle damage. Ken
had recovered from his critical but Rick and Stephen both had drastic performance losses.
Ken, who had spent the last two turns trying to rejoin the combat, moved first and without hesitation turned east
once again. Rick and Stephen decided that enough was enough. They turned west and Red Baron Fight XVIII was over.
|
| L-R: Stephen, Ken, Rick with their winnings |
Four kills had been tallied: Ken, Stephen and Scott had scored solos but none had been able to shoot well enough to back
them up. Evan had scored half a kill but didn't survive. Rick had earned half the credit for Rich's engineless DrI, but
he had also kept his guns from jamming, scored solid hits and stayed in the middle of the action for the entire fight, and
racked up 76 points on shooting alone. The result was a 109-point total in a game plagued by missed shots and lost opportunities.
This was the lowest winning point tally by any RBF champ in the last six years.
Rick, Ken and Scott emerged as the stars of the day. Ken's ace changed everything with just two bursts - one that killed
Evan's pilot and another that trashed Stephen's Camel. Two-time RBF champ Scott Jones is always a factor in Red Baron Fight
and had a good chance at his third silver cup had he not had to leave early for work. And Rick, who claimed the first major
title of his seven-year Dawn Patrol career, led from the front by flying his best Camel jockey, refusing to leave combat
even after collecting significant damage, and etching his name in the Indy Squadron history books by becoming the ninth person
to ever hold the title of "Red Baron Fight Champion."
|
| The best prize table in Dawn Patrol |
RBF's legendary prize package was divided up as follows: Rick took home the champion's purse with the engraved Silver
Tankard, Russell Smith's "War Birds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator" print, induction into RBF Hall of Fame, Mark Bryant's "Cartoons of WWI" book, and a World War II airplane book donated by the society (with thanks to Mike Carr
and the whole gang). Stephen won Norman Franks and Greg VanWyngarden's book "Fokker DrI Aces of WWI" as well as a second World War II airplane
book, again donated by the society. Ken won an autographed copy of Darren Whiteside's "Rampant Lion" book and a Gamerz
gift certificate that he donated to Evan. And Scott won the "Last Flight of the Red Baron" book and a rack of 48
new dice.
|
Red Baron Fight XVIII
April 21, 2007 |
|
Rick Lacy |
Camel 130 |
109 |
|
Stephen Skinner |
Camel 130 |
95 |
|
Ken Mrozak |
Albatros DV |
93 |
|
Scott Jones |
Fkr DrI (red) |
77 |
|
Evan Lacy |
Camel 130 |
52 |
|
Stephen Dale Skinner |
Albatros DVa |
42 |
|
Rich Kapustanczek |
Fkr DrI |
22 |
|
Dory Oda |
Camel 130 |
14 |
 |
|
|
Silver Goblet Becomes
Silver Tankard
A change in our supplier's inventory has forced the Indy Squadron to slightly alter its conventional award to the winner
of Red Baron Fight. Instead of a silver-plated flute, this year's champion received a silver tankard made of polished black
nickel. It actually turned out quite nicely.
Things Remembered, the store that supplied our silver goblets in the past, no longer carries the flutes that became
the standard award between 2002 and 2006. The next best choice in their inventory was awfully pricey, running some ninety
bucks for a pair of flutes after engraving.
So we opted to spend one-third that much for a silver tankard instead. For 2008 we'll try to restore tradition with a
true silver goblet but prices and circumstances made it too difficult this year.
The new tankard was to be picked up this past Wednesday, but it was rejected because the engraving was so faint that
it could hardly be noticed. Instructions were left to deepen and enhance the engraving for later pick up.
A return trip was made on Friday and the new tankard (they had pitched the old one and started again with a new cup)
turned out beautifully. Not only had the engraving been made deeper, wider and more noticable, but they used silver flake
paint as a micro-filler inside the engraving itself to make it brighter and easier to see. We were wary of this award at first,
but the cup is truly on par with the silver-plated goblet and makes a top notch prize.
Indy Squadron Game Reports
for April 21, 2007
by Stephen Dale Skinner
Game #1: German Lines, Low, Clear Skies, (10/21/18)
The first game of the day was a very interesting setup. Stephen Dale and Rick took off in Fokker D VII’s with Mercedes
engines against Rich, Stephen, and Ken in Breguet 14’s. On the first turn, two of the three Allies rolled high and were
immediately followed by both Germans. Unfortunately the two Bregeuts were 600 feet above the Fokkers so Stephen Dale and Rick
simply reformed a few squares away. They weren’t far enough though, and Rich flew in for an easy top shot on Stephen
Dale. With only two hits in his engine Stephen Dale managed to obtain a critical hit which caused his aircraft to start smoking.
With one of the two Germans severely paralyzed the Allied team dominated the rest of the mission. Rick escaped and Stephen
Dale managed to land with the kill going to Stephen.
Game #2: Front, Low, Clear skies, (4/21/18)
The second game of the day was a hurried one. Rick, Ken, and Stephen took three Pfalz Dr1’s on a balloon busting
mission while Rich and Stephen Dale were given the task of defending it in their SE 5a’s. Stephen and Ken knocked the
balloon out of the sky within the first three turns and the game quickly dissipated afterwards. Ken got credit for downing
the balloon.
(The next game of the day was RBF XVIII )
Game #3: Allied, Low, Clear skies, (11/21/16)
Ken, Rich, and Dory in Nieuport 11’s surprised the German team of Stephen, Stephen Dale (Alb D II's) and Rick (Fokker
D II). The Allies took complete dominance after their surprise and Stephen Dale was the only casualty, dying of a light wound
in the hospital.
Game #4: Italian front, Low, Clear Skies, (10/21/18)
Stephen and Rich took up Italian Hanriot HD-1’s against Ken in an Oeffag Alb D III and Rick and Stephen Dale in Berg
D 1’s. The first third of the game was a somewhat slow cat-and-mouse routine. Then, all in the same turn, Stephen jammed
a gun and Rich flew in for a valiant attack on all three Huns. The game didn’t go too well for the Italians after that.
Stephen tried to unjam his gun for the rest of the game and failed and Rich was unable to escape and ended up losing the tail.
Stephen Dale won the cut over Rick for Rich's kill.
Game #5: German lines, Low, Mostly clear skies, (3/21/18)
The final game of the day pitted Rick and Stephen Dale in Halberstadt CL. II’s against Rich, Ken, and Stephen in
SE5a’s. The Germans stayed together for the first half of the game and kept in fairly close contention with the Allies.
Then the two Huns split up and Rick took a hard hit and turned his engine off. Thinking his teammate was dead, Stephen Dale
attempted to leave and two of the three allies gave pursuit. Next turn Rick turned his engine back on and flew to safety.
The final turns consisted of a long downward pursuit with Ken and Stephen hot on Stephen Dale’s tail. Stephen Dale managed
to land safely and Ken’s ace (Lt. Maxwell "The Atrocitor" Edison) racked up his second kill.
Book Review
Fokker DrI Aces
of World War I
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Authors: Norman Franks, Greg VanWyngarden
Pages: 96
ISBN: 978-1-84176-223-4
Price: 20.95 (US)
When you pick up a book that has the names "Franks" and "VanWyngarden" on it, how can you go
wrong?
This continuation of Osprey Publishing's outstanding "Aircraft of the Aces" series has all the
earmarks of a book that you'll want to read... its written by two of the truly outstanding WWI aviation authors of our time,
it discusses perhaps the most famous airplane of the entire war, and its fun!
Studying the DrI and its pilots is a bit of a guilty pleasure since the plane really had a minimal
effect on the air war. It was produced in relatively small numbers and was quickly withdrawn in favor of the faster Fokker
DVII, but it had the honor of being the airplane Manfred von Richthofen was sitting in when he made his final landing. And
did we mention that its fun? C'mon... this is the first plane any of us could identify when we first started reading on World
War I aviation. Even co-author Greg VanWyngarden admitted in an exclusive interview with ISD that the plane's attraction wasn't
entirely historical:
Yes, the attention paid to the Fokker Dr.I is certainly out of proportion to the limited impact
it had on the air war historically and the small number of machines produced. However, the type was flown by most of the leading
aces of Germany's three elite Jagdgeschwader during the crucial aerial battles of the great offensive of 21 March 1918. This,
along with the type's "glamour" and its association with Richthofen and Voss, resulted in the Triplane's legendary standing
among aviation buffs.
To many people with only a passing interest in WWI aerial combat or aviation history, the Fokker
Dr.I is (in many cases) the ONLY World War I aeroplane they can name, and is synonymous with Germany's air arm of the Great
War. In popular culture - from Snoopy to the D C Comics character 'Enemy Ace', to 'Flyboys" - the Dr.I remains an iconic symbol
of the era.
But this book stretches beyond the aircraft itself to the men who flew it, including
some rare quotes from the Red Baron transcribed from old German sources, an extensive overview of Werner Voss' last fight,
and some twelve pages of color plates outlining some of the greatest airplanes ever to take the skies.
Karl Bolle, Ernst Udet and the Richthofen brothers highlight the list of expected
stars, but all the aces who flew the DrI for any length of time are included in this indispensable volume as are each of the
fourteen different Jastas who flew the plane in strength. Scads of photos dot the high gloss pages, most of which reproduce
with reasonable clarity.
Unlike some other aircraft-oriented works whose preoccupation with technicalities dry them up
within a few chapters, Fokker DrI Aces of World War I never forgets to entertain. It includes riveting dogfight accounts,
lengthy diary and letter excerpts from pilots, and all the things that we always wanted to read about in an aviation book.
If there is a weakness in this tome, I didn't find it.
And if they had produced these things when I was a kid, I would have read them instead of comics.
Franks and VanWyngarden prove once again that there is still a place on our bookshelves for short-read
softcovers that are historically informative and a hoot to read.
Buy this book. It is way cool.
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