SKYWRITING

Minutes from April 29^th, 2000: 12 players present, approx $25 collected. Squadron fund balance is now $56.72.  The only disbursement was $10.45 to Stephen to reimburse the cost of the RBF XI cup. Financially, the squadron is in good health, especially since we no longer have the postage costs of mailing out hard copies. We should be in good shape by the time the Armistice Day Fits Tournament rolls around on November 4^th; we anticipate at least a $75 cost to run that event.

Please remember to write in the essentials when you fill out your post-game report for ISD. Like your name. And rank, plane you flew, pilots name, and his M/K record AFTER thats AFTER the mission you just flew. Saves the writer a lot of time trying to piece together the mission details.

The Allison Engine Squadron is flying on Friday, May 12^th, starting early in the evening. Interested parties can contact Scott Campbell or Matt Starr at mjstarr@iquest.net

Watch for big BIG changes coming soon to the Indy Squadron Dispatch Online. Some major surprises, and a continued revamping of the sites new look. (I say this whole ISD Online effort is deserving of a Masters Invitation this year, making Brian only the second Indy player to ever receive the honor. Either that, or theyd better change the promoting the game prerequisite).

GRAHAM NABS 11th RED BARON FIGHT

OConnell, Sir Walter Killed In Action

Record Attendance Draws 4 Aces to Battle

21 April, 1918, over the front (4/29/00, Dorys house)-Players from across the midwest gathered in Indianapolis on April 29^th for Red Baron Fight XI, including Fits veterans from Ohio, St. Louis and Chicago. This year roster:

British Camel 150s

2 Lt. Shane OConnell (Dory Oda) 17/4

Lt. Brimcomb Wood (Scott Campbell) 13/4

Sir Walter Gaines (Kevin Richeson) 7/0

Lt. John Philis (Stephen Dale Skinner) 3/0

Lt. Rich Littleton (Barton Stano) 1/0

German Fokker DrIs

Vz. Bruno Ulrich (Stephen Skinner) 20/11

Ltn. Rolf von Ekkius (Graham Shepfer as the Red Baron) 21/7

Ltn. Ray Ultz (Scott Jones) 5/1

Albatros DIIIs and DVas

Ltn. Ludwig Wolff (Brian Halberstadt) 8/3

Ltn. Albert Grohe (George Cunningham) 1/0

Unt. Dunzel (Rick Lacey) 1/0

Unknown Rookie (Matt Starr) 1/0

The pre-flight strategy for the Germans was to stay together and use their numerical advantage. Graham wisely warned that if they DrIs outclimbed their wingmen, theyd be at the mercy of the Camels. The game opened in the usual melee with planes stacked deep and lead flying mercilessly. Ltn. Ray Ultz (Scott Jones, 5/1) was among the early casualties, jamming both guns of his Tripe and taking a light head wound from Camel ace Lt. Brimcomb Wood (Scott Campbell, 13/4), who fired early and often in the opening moments. Ultz continued in the fight but was unable to make his crippled plane a factor. The Albs of (Matt, 1/0), Unt. Dunzel (Rick, 1/0) and Ltn. Grohe (George 1/0) tied up two of the Camels and severely damaged the previously-unkillable Sir Walter (Kevin, 7/0), whose legacy was established early after getting shot down on his first three missions. Sir Walter was completely defensive and limping to the outskirts of the fight when he had the misfortune of being spotted by Vz. Bruno Ulrich (Stephen, 20/11). Ulrich dove onto Sir Walters tail and cut loose and 8-hit burst, then tailed him and sent 5 more shells through the Camels wings. The Britisher slipped into a spin and the right wing folded back Sir Walter had used the last of his nine lives.

The Baron himself, Ltn. Rolf von Ekkius (Graham, 21/7), attacked British flight leader Shane OConnell (Dory, 17/4) and nearly killed him with a single burst. Ekkius fire hit OConnell with a light wound in the right shoulder and a no effect wound in the left arm. Additionally, OConnells Sopwith suffered a critical hit that sent it into a right bank and a few turns earlier, hed jammed one of his guns. He wisely cut his engine and began gliding the wrong direction away from the fight before he got struck by a lightning bolt on a clear day. By this time the sky was on fire all around him Sir Walter had just hit the ground; Lt. Rich Littleton (Bart, 1/1) continued to fire on Ltn. Ultz who shot a yellow flare for help. Ltn. Wolff (Brian, 8/3), fighting valiently against vastly superior aircraft, dove his Albatros to the rescue. Ultz would eventually be forced down by Littleton and credited as a kill, but Wolff had already flown far away from the fight and would not be able to score again. Ekkius closed in again, this time on Lt. John Philis with help from Grohe and Dunzel, the Baron isolated Philis and fired the fatal burst. Philis Camel plummeted earthward and crashed in No Mans Land. The only remaining Camel ace, Wood continued to fire at anything that moved Ulrich became separated from the fight and escaped with his kill Littleton and Wolff tried to get back into the fray and Shane OConnell turned his engine back on.

It was a crucial decision, but unavoidable. Twice wounded with another critical in his Camels tail, OConnell was falling fast over German lines. If he could just make it across the short distance of No Mans Land, a multitude of Australian ground batteries would come to his rescue and blast any German around him. He was halfway home when Ekkius made one last move. The Hun ace dove onto the Camels tail and opened up with another burst. OConnell took 4 left wing hits, bringing the total to 11! Sure enough, it caused a critical hit number 6/4 add one more hit to damage taken. The wing folded, and the British flight leader crashed to his death.

The final tally was a lopsided win for Graham (von Ekkius), whose 149 points gave him the highest total of any official Indy Squadron event winner in the groups 12 year history. It also gave him the honor of winning the biggest Indy Squadron game in history, with 12 players present. The final tally showed just how lopsided the contest was

1. Graham Shepfer (Ltn. Rolf von Ekkius, 21/7, DrI, survived)                 149 points

2. Stephen Skinner (Vz. Bruno Ulrich, 20/11, DrI, survived)                     85

3. Scott Campbell (Lt. Brimcomb Wood, 13/4, Camel, survived)              73

4. Barton Stano (Lt. Rich Littleton, 1/1, Camel, survived)                         69

5. Matt Starr (Rookie, 1/0, Albatross DIII, survived)                                   49

    Brian Halberstadt (Ltn. Ludwig von Wolff, 8/3, Alb DIII, survived)         49

7. Stephen Dale Skinner (Lt. John Philis, 3/0, Camel, KIA)                        48

8. Rick Lacy (Ltn. Dunzel, 1/0, Alb DIII, survived)                                       41

9. George Cunningham (Ltn. Albert Grohe, 1/0, Alb DVa, survived)           25

10.  Scott Jones (Ltn. Ray Ultz, 5/1, DrI, forced to land and survive)           22

11. Dory Oda (2Lt. Shane OConnell, 17/4, Camel, KIA)                              10

12. Kevin Richeson (Sir Walter Gaines, 7/0, Camel, KIA)                             8

HIGHLITES AND LOWLIGHTS OF APRIL 29th GAMING

Weissensteiner Scores 8^th Kill; George Blasts Balloon; Polio Blows Up Brian Before Exploding

April 29, 00, Dorys house-7 total games were played between two tables on Saturday the 29^th, including some breathtaking moments and fantastic escapes. George gets the Bravery Bordering On Stupidity Award for his relentless runs at a descending balloon. He eventually got it literally and figuratively. But hey, what about those rumors of you always read on the forum about George leaving the fight too soon? You couldnt tell by his play in Indy. He was in the thick of it every moment by all accounts, including his suicidal balloon run.

Dorys roster probably took the hardest hit of the day, losing the aforementioned Camel ace Shane OConnell (17/4). Graham must have had the biggest scare of the day when he flew into a 4-hit head on burst from Stephen Dales pilot in the Red Baron Fight. All of them went into the engine, and with this damage he managed to win the title by a runaway margin. Like wow.

Lt. Ralph Zolinsky (Scott Jones, 2/0, A/H fighters) got ripped out of a kill. An accomplished kill thief, Scott was on the other side of the coin this time as Stephen got credit for blowing Stephen Dales Italian pilot, Polio Luigi, into next week with an exploded engine. Ltn. Kurt Wiessensteiner (Stephen, 17/8, A/H fighters) is the 2^nd ranked Austro-Hungarian pilot in the current annual Fits Society Ace and Experienced Pilot Roster, and this victory has him pressing hard for the top spot. Unt. Helmar Frankkyl (Stephen, 19/3, Alb DVs) notched his 19^th mission but failed to score.

Rick Lacy turned out to be a great guy to play with and an experienced gamer, and we owe thanks to Barton for inviting him in on the fun. High hopes hell be back. Brian and his infamous Skull had their typical luckless day, with the Skull scoring not a single hit and rarely even getting a chance to miss. Scott Campbell and Matt returned to the Indy gaming table and are now doing double duty with their own Allison Engine Squadron. Kevin was able to make it back for the first time in months, and his Camel pilot, Sir Walter, finally bit the dust. It was really just a matter of time, given his record of crashing Camels on his own. Hed already been shot down 3 times, but thats likely not a consolation for Kevin. But beware rumor has it that Sir Walter has a long-lost brother who is also a Camel pilot.