Chapter 3

The clouds stood white and motionless, all joined together in a large blanket. It was this opaque layer that gave the pilot of the military biplane occasional reassurance that he would approach his designated target unseen. Navigation was difficult when the ground couldn't be seen, only sparse gaps in the misty blanket allowed it to be seen briefly. Only a single mountain peak rising above the white layer provided a central compass point for determining where he was. A look back revealed that the two fighter planes sent to follow and support him had dutifully maintained their tail.

James Bigglesworth was the chief pilot's name, though he was known to his friends as Biggles. All his friends were at his former post though; he had been recently transferred to a different part of the front as a punishment, after being found out giving unauthorized flying lessons to Phrynne Fischer, an amourous Australian nurse, . He virtually knew no-one in his new airfield, including the pilots of his current support aircraft. They were just known to him as B1 and B2; yet they followed him loyally, clearly trusting his navigational judgment.

Major Gresham, the airfield commander had ordered James Bigglesworth to destroy two enemy observation balloons before they spot an allied infantry advance in that area. The target's location was pinpointed on a strategic map and Biggles was confident he could get within strike range unnoticed if he flies his plane above the clouds. So far, so good.

Biggles drew a compass circle in his head noting the estimated distance the protruding mountain peak ahead was. He turned his plane left and the two support craft followed. After a minute Biggles gave the signal to dive under the cloud carpet, then turned his course down. The misty white vapour enveloped him for an instant then cleared to reveal the landscape beneath.

The two observation balloons were before him. His sense of direction worked better than he hoped, it was near perfect. The target's were close and would be in strike range in seconds.

What defences present were: barrage balloons whose mooring cables would be the end of a plane if it flew into them; anti-aircraft artillery on the ground; machine gun fire from the ground,if you flew low enough to get in its range and two patrolling fighter planes with more to come when needed. Biggles surprise entry into the area had caught the enemy off guard, including one of the patrol aircraft, After leveling out of the dive, he approached its rear side without being noticed then maneuvered behind it.

With a level flight trajectory, Biggles fired his twin Vickers machine gun; the interrupter gear preventing any shots from hitting his own spinning propeller. All bullets seemed to hit home. The German Albatross plane began its downward smokey dive to the ground.

B1 and B2's planes appeared on opposite sides of their chief, each giving a hand signal of exultation. Biggles, grateful that they had both with him, gave B2 a hand signal to ascend high and watch for other enemy fighters, he acknowledged then flew up. Biggles turned to B1 and was met with a hand signal plea to let him bust the first balloon; the chief gave a reluctant nod with a hand signal of caution.

The three fighter planes were Sopwith Camels armed with twin Vickers machine guns up front and a Lewis machine gun mounted on the side with special incendiary bullets. There were also Coopers bombs attached to the belly that could be dropped on an enemy.

B1's path to the first balloon with a black cross was nearly direct, only swerving slightly to avoid the several barrage balloon cables in between him and the target. Anti-aircraft fire began to litter the sky. The element of surprise was spent, but it got them close. As both observation balloons began to be winched down, the lookout in the first balloon bailed out, his parachute flaring out.

Biggles began his move on the second balloon, he had best destroy it before he has to get within range of the ground machine guns to defend it. A few moments were spent turning aside to take out two barrage balloons with the Lewis gun, he hit them both in quick succession and the incendiary bullets turned them into balls of fire. With the obstucting cables now falling to Earth, Biggles continued his direct strike run towards his primary target.

Anti-aircraft fire nicked his wing and tail, a look back at the latter brought relief when he saw that the plane's control wire was intact. If that taut wire at the rear was severed the Sopwith Camel would become a useless assemblage of metal and plummet to the ground in a random fashion.

B1 was almost within strike range of his target, he had avoided the anti-aircraft fire. Biggles saw a small balloon rising up from the ground to reach B1's flight path, it exploded close to the Sopwith when someone on the ground pressed a remote control. The plane got a little cooked but was still functional; B1 to. Twin Vickers machine guns fired at the huge gasbag, but the bullets only tore through the fabric without igniting the hydrogen.

"Not the Vickers. Use the Lewis gun." Yelled Biggles, Knowing that he could not be heard.

The attacking Sopwith then swerved right bringing his course alongside the balloon. B1 fired his Lewis gun at the target.

"No." Yelled Biggles. "Not now. You're too close."

It was pointless, his protest was absorbed by the wind. Incendiary shots hit The gasbag and an explosion lit up the smokey sky. A whoosh of fire leaped out in all directions and one immersed the Sopwith Camel in flame. Biggles saw the burning body of B1 jump out of the cockpit. That pilot preferred a short drop to his death than being incinerated alive in his seat.

James Bigglesworth saluted the fallen fellow aviator then resumed focus on his own target. Enemy fire suddenly strafed his left wing. The other German patrol plane was dive attacking it would have unleashed another lead shower had not itself been under attack. A string of machine gun fire tore through the enemy cockpit and hit the fuel tank; the Albatross quickly combusted. B2 was clearly on the ball, he stopped the enemy dive attack with one of his own.

Biggles gave B2 a thumbs up then signaled that he should resume his high point, the pilot obliged.

There was no sign of the enemy pilot leaving the inflamed plane. As the burning vehicle continued its final dive; the pilot, whether injured, unconscious or dead was in the fiery cockpit to stay.

Several of those balloon bombs were seen ascending towards Biggles' flight path. Seasoned expertise allowed the aviator to swerve away from each. They exploded when they reached his height, but for Biggles it was like driving a racing car through a series of chicanes.

Machine gun fire hammered out from the observation balloon's gondola. The lookout was brave but a bad shot, the plane's swerving didn't help him score a hit. It was commendable that he waited till the last minute, but when the time came to bail out, his rush condemned him. A hasty connection to the parachute in the bag and jump from the gondola ended with him dangling with his harness clumsily attached to a gondola support rope.

War did not allow James Bigglesworth to consider the unfortunate lookout. Many lives depended on him completing his objective. Turning his plane to the right, with a decent distance from his target, Biggles fired the Lewis gun at the black crossed gasbag and watched it erupt in a burst of hot orange. The blast warmed the aviator for a brief few seconds, then died away.

The dangling lookout was not burned but had a certain death coming as the inflamed gondola began its long fall to Earth taking him with it.

Biggles steered his plane to get clear of the anti-aircraft fire and head back to base. A smoke trail down below told of another plane shot down. His concern for B2 was answered when the support aircraft appeared beside him. B2 signaled that he had shot down another enemy fighter. Biggles gave a quick thumbs up, then tried to communicate through hand signals that they are usually in pairs, and he must look out for another enemy plane.

If this communication was understood, he would never find out; a strong fusillade of bullets hit B2, cutting him and his aircraft virtually in half. As the support plane fell, an Albatross fighter pulled out of its attack dive and settled beside the last Sopwith Camel. When Biggles saw the German pilot there was mutual recognition despite goggles and head ware. This was Stalhein, Biggles ever recurring opponent throughout his combat career.

Stalhein motioned his arm for a signal, what he did was bring it to the level of his own chin, then with a stretched out palm, gave a prompt horizontal movement, much like cutting a throat. Biggles returned the gesture only to find his foe pulling out a Luger pistol.

A quick jerk of his control stick and Biggles' plane rolled under his opponents aircraft; a pistol shot ripped through the seat where his back was a moment ago. Looking up Biggles saw a couple of bombs attached to his enemy's fuselage belly; sure enough Stalhein guessed his position and let one drop. A swift swerve to the right allowed the target to only just avoid the falling death machine. That most necessary action allowed Stalhein to once again seize the initiative and maneuver behind the Sopwith Camel.

James Bigglesworth did not panic he had enough confidence left in him to try some evasive maneuvers, he never kept a straight course, that would give the German time to aim at him. He tried swerving right, Sopwith Camels were good at that, but his pursuer flew that Albatross so well that he couldn't be shaken off. Dive and swerve, spiraling, he would have tried looping if he wasn't certain the engine would stall; but Stalhein stayed on his back and was always a hair's breadth away from hammering those mounted machine gun bullets into his plane.

Upwards towards a hole in the cloud layer was the sudden new course of the desperate Brit. Stalhein followed; only the rising gradient preventing him from steadying his machine gun aim. Biggles achieved a vector that was almost purely vertical, knowing that his engine was only a inch away from stalling. He suddenly yawed right, applying full rudder and maintained the turn until he performed a near perfect u-turn then flew downward to charge the Albatross head on.

This maneuver was not new to aerial combat; Stalhein knew of its use throughout the war. What caused him to be caught off guard was the Sun, shining its rays into his face. Biggles chose this trajectory so that his plane would eclipse the bright star from his pursuer's view then blind him when the turn was half completed.

Twin Vickers machine guns fired as the Camel dive attacked its opponent, the bullets flooded the Albatross rear with lead. Stalhein could only fire his Parabellum gun blindly as the bright sun rays blurred his sight. A snapping sound amid the bullet hits was a virtual death knell for the German pilot. Biggles saw something give way near the enemy rudder; it was the control wire for steering; the shots had either severed or detached it.

The Sopwith Camel flew clear of the doomed Albatross as it began to helplessly whirl in the air. Without a functioning control wire, the German fighter's rudder was now subject to the wind, gravity and inertia. It flew wildly in small circles and would soon dive hopelessly to a crash landing.

The pilot jumped from the cockpit, narrowly missed being hit by the circling plane propeller. A parachute opened up and Stalhein was on his way to safety on the ground, his plane veered down into a near vertical dive for its final course.

Biggles veered his plane to face Stalhein's descent path, readying his twin Vickers machine guns for a last usage today. The falling German faced the triumphant Brit, without trying to veer his parachute out of the line of fire; that would be a panic move that the Camel could easily compensate for.

James Bigglesworth put his finger on the triggers as he faced his recurring opponent, gave a wide grin, held it for two seconds then steered his aircraft towards home, removing his fingers from the deadly mechanisms.

"Perhaps another day, on another adventure." Biggles said to himself.

The trip back to base was smooth despite the Sopwith Camel's damages. As soon as he landed Biggles was told to report to Major Gresham. Despite two whiskey bottles in the waste paper bin the base commander kept a professional posture while hearing the mission report and casualty list.

"I know what it's like to lose comrades in the air." He said with barely hidden despair. "Balloon busting has proved to be a very dangerous pursuit for this squadron. But you have achieved a difficult mission; which explains why you have been summoned by authorities above the top brass."

Major Gresham revealed a letter with a seal that most Generals wouldn't get to use.

"You are to fly to this American airfield where a particular flier is perfecting his aerial ability. Both of you will board a transport plane to London."