Somme day I'll find you - part 1

Recently I took part in a game based on the Battle of the Somme organised by Funny Little Wars author Mr PW.  It took place in a garden somewhere in Eastern England and featured upwards of  200 54mm toy soldiers.  I took quite a few photos so I'll spread them over three or four posts..  This post will cover the initial air phase.

Above - the British airfield.  The aircraft are 1/32ish scale.  Also featured is my Hucks starter truck which you may recall from this earlier post.

British divisional HQ and aid post.  The ambulances are die casts while the command bus is the ghastly Airfix kit.

 The field of battle.  The total playing area was about 4 metres by 10.

Part of the German front line.  I built the dodgy trench sections myself while the (Atlantic Wall) bunker is an Italeri 1/72 plastic kit.

The Royal Flying Corps took to the skies to give the German positions a looking at.  This Sopwith Camel is masquerading as a recce flight.

The Brits also had a pair of observation balloons.  Any resemblance to a plastic bottle covered in hastily-painted paper is entirely coincidental...

 The wicked Germans were also aloft.  This delightful two-seater Albatross had been bodged by PW.

 The sinister German observation balloon...

 ...complete with sinister observer (a 28mm figure).

A load of Fokkers over the lines.  At least I think that's what my observer said.

More RFC recce.  This one is a 1/72 Oxford Diecast DH4 standing in for something rather less sophisticated.

 As it crossed the German lines the DH was assailed by a pair of Fokkers...

 ...and while it was hit, the observer had a go with his gun...

 ...and hit a Fokker!

 Meanwhile the other British recce plane had been hit by AA fire - known as 'Archie' in this era - as it crossed the lines.  As you'll by now have guessed, the ground to air fire was replicated by party poppers.  It works!

 Down it goes!  This is another lovely Oxford Diecast model, this time a Bristol Fighter.

 Happily the pilot survived and is seen here being led off for drinks in the German mess.