Report from the Front----Air battle 01-08-09

Warning words from the French underground reached Selby Aerodrome stating that the Huns were digging in on the northern border of Valley Center pending a surprise attack to overrun the Highpoint Airfield.  It is vital for us to defend this airfield, the launching point for the Allied aircraft during sorties to the Western Front.  It must be protected at all costs!

The message was discretely relayed to AirBike Ace who was in a French Bistro sipping Chardonnay wine while entertaining the gentler sex. Catching a ride on a smoking, backfiring motorcycle he arrived at the aerodrome and prepared his plane "The Hun Hunter" for battle.   Fueled and loaded with ammo and bombs he taxied out to the field where he aimed his fragile and heavily laden airplane into the wind.

Flying less than 300' he nimbly weaved his way north while following the Big Ditch that wound through Wichita.  His plane was below the building tops which provided cover and was occasionally so low his wheels sprayed water  from the river.  It was later learned that radio contact had been made to the old Aviation Museum recently captured by the Huns but they were too far away to launch an effective defense to aid their northern comrades.

Two other defenders joined AirBike Ace when he landed at the Highpoint Aerodrome 20 minutes later;  "Ace of the Base" Doug Moler with his AirBike and "SkyRanger" Dwayne Life.  After much arm waving and wild gesturing the pilots fixed their helmets, goggles, scarves, cocked the Lewis machine guns and boarded their aircraft.  Radio silence would be maintained, a situation enabled by only one plane having a working radio, one had no radio and the third could only transmit static.  Hand gestures and ground shadows would be used to direct the attack.  Engines were started, belched smoke and the planes took off.  Doug's mistress, shapely Sabrina, closed the aerodrome door then blew kisses to each departing pilot wishing them Godspeed and a safe return.

The ensuing battle north of Valley Center was furious, the AirBikes flew a staggered formation low over the terrain while the SkyRanger flew top cover. The AirBikers opened fire strafing the trenches, blowing up trains, bombing bridges and laying down smoke screens.  The air battle raged for almost an hour and covered the area West from Bentley where Gary Phillips manufactured ammunition in his "chicken barn" and East to the coliseum that served as a hiding place for all of France's artistic treasures (both completed coloring books).

Time seemed to stand still while the aerial and ground battles raged on.  Finally with the bomb crater smoke drifting south the ground troops could be seen retreating north while trying to control the frightened horses that pulled the wheeled field artillery.  Several of the smoking holes contained remnants of Fokker Triplanes and D-7s.  As the English would say "It was a bloody mess".

Landing the unscathed aircraft at Dwayne's remote airfield the  two 65-year old attack pilots and the 80-year old cover pilot compared notes and declared the area safe from the Huns--for now.  They know the Huns will be back again someday.  But they did their job well today, repelled the enemy, saved France and now the women and children can sleep snugly for another night.  Most assuredly the pilots will reap yet undisclosed individual benefits back at the bistros later in the evening. Such are the rewards of those dashing WW I combat pilots.

Below are gun camera and reconnaissance photo records of the sortie.

AirBike Ace--Paul Fiebich
Ace of the Base--Doug Moler
SkyRanger--Dwayne Life
Ammo Plant Superintendent--Gary Phillips & his mistress Ann

Photo credits: Paul, Doug & Sabrina
PS  If you fly a dinky little plane it helps to  have a vivid  imagination!

Great story and pics as always.

Chris

Bloody Well Done!!! VeVaVi------  ;D ;D

Good work boys.....we owe you!
The Norwegian Airforce are going to buy a number of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). May be it would be better to choose AirBikes.... Wonder how many AirBikes we would have for one JSF?
Knut A

The JSF will run between 29 and 34 Million each so at a fully battle equipped price of er $7000.00 (cost overruns ya know) that comes to about 4200 Airbikes. That should take care of the problem. Each Airbike with a 10 pound bomb and a full load of ammo, A full clip in the .22 hangun, and full fuel will be a awsome machine indeed. Dictators, to your bunkers! The 1600 gallons of gas for an hour mission must be accounted for tho. That would be probably about the same as one JSF for an hour mission not to mention the fuel needed for the KC 10 to fuel it and we have a significant savings. The politicians will never buy off on it tho because the current kickbacks to them of 12% is not worth their effort, so alas another good program scrubbed.
Tom

You forgot to count the stealthiness with the uncovered tailboom and all, will prevent much battle damage with the "shoot through" design. 8)

Yeah i did forget about that, and the fabric covering and the wood prop will make it hard to see on radar. We might just be able to pull this off!

That was one of your best yet, Paul!  I sure wish you had gun camera footage of destroying the "DR (Dreidecker) 7's".  :P ;D You never know what the Huns will come up with next!  :D

I missied that earlier, a DR 7?? must be some of that liquid wing leveler taking effect  :o I believe what was meant was either DVII or DR 1

Chris

Wow, you guys have vivid imaginations!  I am sure glad we are all on the same side.  

Chris, you are right about the excessive liquid wing leveler when filing my report, the plane should have been identified as a D-7 or more appropriately a D-VII; a German biplane.  Both were ferocious fighters but no match for the combined skill of teamed-up AirBikes flown by pilots each with six decades of war experience.  The pilot flying top cover for us kept the Jerries off our 6:00.

Dennis, I am glad you recognized another of the AirBike's great defensive characteristics--the uncovered "shoot through" aft fuselage.  If it aint there they can't hit it!  The wing roundels also serve as diversions because the enemy tries to hit the "targets" and not the pilot.  

As you have correctly noted Tom, stealth is another of the plane's fabulous characteristics.  In additon to the low radar image it has a high sound image.  Contradictory as this may appear the loud 2-stroke engine on the slowly advancing plane makes ground pounders think the plane is merely passing by in the distance and they get used to the sound.  Its intensity doesn't seem to change even though it is getting closer. Then suddenly it is upon them with their pants down (so to speak) and we get the jump on them.  Pretty neat eh?

The armament you identify are among the great assets and versatility of the AirBikes, even the .22 caliber revolver has been used in close quarters.  Kurt, be sure to mention  all these qualities as the Norwegian government considers its aerial defense systems.

AirBike  Ace

If it is possible to refill fuel in air from a SkyRanger for instance, a new deadly weapen is on the market.
I think JDT will get a new future from now on.
I'm also thinking about the cost of educating pilots...!
15-20 hours...and then in battle....
Knut A

even a mig is no match for the heroic ace and his trusty airbike

Got the captured Huns tactical map for their invasion of Asia and Europe. And with 4200 or maybe 8400 AirBikes fully armed I'm convinced that it is possible to defeat them. I don't think 1 or 2 JSF would do that.
Knut

(Map from Wikipedia)

Great story...but hey .....switch to decaf so it is a little believeable....next chapter will probably include Snoopy with some rocket launchers..!!

LOL

Great adventure...Thanks for sharing.

regards Arthur

Now that's what flying is all about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The photo below depicts what happens to the Huns who mess with AirBike attackers.  More photos of this recent saga are posted on Paul's AirBike Website at this link: http://www.geocities.com/pvfiebich/

AirBike Ace

Glad you got that Fokker!

Chris

I was there that day Paul.  What a magnificient display of combat you had with the Fokker.  And when he luckily made to the ground, so terribily wounded he just slowly rolled up on his nose in defeat.  If I hadn't been there to see it all, I would have thought that he just stuck a wheel in the mud and nosed over.

Terry

I am  glad you were there to witness the downing of this aircraft Terry, it wasn't a clean "Kill" as the pilot was only wounded and able to bring his plane in for an almost intact landing.  From my vanage point  in the air it looked like he lost control on rollout no doubt by being incapacitated from his mchine gun wounds.  

At any rate the pilot will be out of commission for several months recuperating from his wounds in a Red Cross field hospital.  We will  most likely trade him for one of our pilots when he is well enough to travel.  The plane however, will never see action again as it landed in an Allied airfield near the front.  It will probably be restored and used to train our fighters in aerial combat.  It is one less plane we need to be concerned about.  This will become a war prize.

Thanks for confirming this Kill.

Below is a photo taken from the Fokker's gun camera, it must have been set on telephoto because even in our close aerial combat we don't get close enough to poke each other with our fists!

AirBike Ace

Ace, how much oil residue does that system leave on your plane?

Randy, none.  There is absolutely no residue left on the plane, the stuff is environmentally friendly also.  You can purchase Super-Dri at any hobby shop catering to R/C gas engine modelers at about $13 a gallon.  Or you can order it from:   http://www.mdw-aviation.com/MDW_FS_customer_frameset.htm  Click this link to see photos of the guys I fly with.

I recently replaced my original 3/32 diameter injector orifice with one that is 3/16" dia.  See the photo below for the hardware store fitting that cost about a buck.  The photo above was a test flight with the new orifice.  I hope it looks as good from the ground.

Paul Fiebich

STOP THE PRESS!!!
The very first JSF F-35 is now delivered to the norwegian air force. I think the factory may have taken my thoughts about changing the order to AirBikes into consideration at the final construction......
Or maybe the financial crisis also made this happen?
So far it seems good, but will it fullfill the UL requirements? I suppose they allow some extra weights for BRS, and maybe the same for armour and weapons???
Watch the video from the delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJb8S3o2mnM
Knut A