Avro Lancaster K.G 200

[tigercat]

As it's my modelling off season I'll try  a written What if .

20th August 1944

The Avro Lancaster flew unsteadily at a low level along the Thames Estuary . It trailed smoke from the port outer engine and its fuselage was riddled with holes . It was flying at a low level and had just passed Margate to Port .

On the Flight Deck Oberleutenant Hans Schmidt   bit his lip as he listened to a report from the rear gunner .

He turned to the flight engineer.

"Increase smoke on the port engine  "

In the rear turret  Gefreiter  Christian Meyer watched as the flight of two twin engined aircraft  approaching  from their Starboard Quarter .

"Zwei Britischer Moskito Oberleutenant ."

In the front turret  Obergefreiter Georg Gruber swivelled his turret to port as he scanned for threats .

Not far off he saw a cargo ship .He could just make out it's  name the S.S Richard Montgomery.

Aboard the Bridge of the S.S Richard Montgomery  they were preoccupied with anchoring off the north edge of Sheerness middle sands, an area designated as the Great Nore Anchorage as directed by Thames Naval control at HMS Leigh.

Hans Meyer was fighting back panic. Their plan to bomb London was compromised . Obviously the Moskito's were suspicious.

He turned the Lancaster's nose slightly to take  her towards and over the cargo ship .  His hand strayed towards the bombay release .

If they could bluff the Britischer  then maybe they could continue on their mission . If not they would bomb this cargo ship .

Their cargo of Herman's would do less damage dropped on this Verdamndt ship rather than on central London .

Aboard Mosquito S for Sugar , Flight Lieutenant Johnny Kavanaugh scrutinised the aircraft in front of him .

There was something slightly off  about this aircraft he wasn't  quite sure what . The unusual thing he could put his finger on was a slight patch of yellow in the black paint on the side of the Lancaster as if a some paint had flaked off revealing a previous layer.

Probably not important but why paint a Lanc yellow it was hardly a great camouflage colour .

Probably just  seeing things , probably just a trick of the light , probably just some poor Erk that copped a packet .

Just check her out , give the all clear and land in time to meet Maisey at the White Swan for a pink gin or two.

A flash of light caught his eye just the light catching the .303's in the rear turret . Hang on their was something not quite right  about the shape .

Surely Lancs had 4 guns  not 2 in the rear turret .

Several things happened in quick succession.

Gefreiter Meyer , shouted " Herr Oberleutenant in a panicky voice and triggered the 2 20mm cannon retrofitted in the Lancaster's rear turret .

Oberleutenant  Schmidt triggered the Bombay opening mechanism and pushed the throttles forward .

On the rear of the superstructure of the S.S Richard Montgomery, Able Seaman Eugene O'Neill  looked idly at the approaching aircraft .

He could tell from its markings and four engines  that it was a Limey Heavy . Looked like she'd been in the wars .

She was going to pass dangerously close  he thought .

He took his finger off the trigger of his 20mm and retrieved his cigarette case from the side of the gun tub .

Then had second thoughts about lighting a smoke  given Monty's cargo.

A hail of 20mm shells shattered  the Plexiglass of S for Sugar.

F for Freddie , S for Sugar's wingman  veered sharply to port

In the  lounge bar of the White Swan Maisie Doates shivered suddenly .

" Goose walked over my grave " she muttered to the barmaid
Then glanced out of the window criss crossed  with brown tape to protect from flying glass  looking over the Thames .

..........

[tigercat]

Oops forgot to move into completed section

No matter , enjoy particularly if you are aware of the background of the target ship 

[AeroplaneDriver]

Nice reference to "The Shepherd"!   

[tigercat]

Thank you glad someone spotted it