War Unending: the air war
Sci-fi/war-Short story
War Unending: the air war
By James Scott
This post is inspired by a prompt from ironage.media the picture is “The Dirigible”
[ This is a selection of journal entries from Air Marshall Conrad von Nore. He was born to the middle class of Terrainan society but witnessed the beginning of the age of the air war during the Great War between Terrraina and Westveria and all the remarkable technological innovations that occurred during that conflict that would engulf our entire world.]
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2nd day of the 10th month of the 4th year of Otto the 3rd of Terraina: Mother, Father and my brother George went out the other night to watch the stars. The meteors were beautiful; I could only catch some of their beauty with my sketches. I also used the new camera that I bought from my summer job, and it looked like it was too dark to make out anything. I must talk to Mr. Hadley about nighttime photography and any tricks to get the pictures to come out better.
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15th day of the 4th month of the 8th year of Otto the 3rd: The paper just announced the damn war: Terraina and Westveria are at war. I have enlisted with my father's old artillery regiment, and with my knowledge of surveying and camera work, they have assigned me as an artillery spotter. Most people are happy about the war, because it will show our military might. But I'm more conflicted and bewildered by this war because; What could cause our former ally Westveria, to declare war on us?
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6th day of the 5th month of the 8th year of Otto the 3rd: The training is hard, and the artillery is loaded, but today I saw something truly grand- my first Airplane in person. They were flying over the base in training flights, and I saw them. They looked like wooden kites almost, but I would love to fly one, one day.
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30th day of the 11th month of the 8th year of Otto the 3rd: The infantry has dug in for a long campaign and the line has begun to solidify, and battles are being won in inches now. Cavalry has been massacred due to the machine gun. And the lines are starting to not move. I was given the rank of corporal today. I wrote my parents, but they have not written back yet.
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16th day of the 2nd month of the 9th year of Otto the 3rd: I have been selected for a special program to observe artillery strikes from the air since we are outranging our traditional observational post and are observing enemy trench position.
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1st day of the 3rd month of the 9th year of Otto the 3rd: I went on my first airplane flight, the two-seater is a little rickety, but it gets you in the air with a camera. I did my first observational flight over the trenches, and the pictures were of great importance. They will really help with our new offensives.
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6th day of the 4th month of 9th year: Well, we had our first death in the squadron not due to accident, we were met today by other Westverian planes, and they started to shoot at us with handguns, and they killed Mckinley, one of our own. We will get even with them when we mount a machine gun on the back of a two-seater and figure out how to fly her.
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1st day of the 5th month of the 9th year: after experimentation and a new engine, we could mount a light machine gun on the back of a two-seater. All the observers are volunteering for the chance to ride it even though it is dangerous. We had to ditch the camera equipment for this innovation. Mckinley and the others will be avenged.
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10th day of the 4th month of 9th year: I shot down my first plane from the back of a two-seater. I thought it would be glorious, but it felt like nothing. I can only imagine what it's like for the infantry. They must feel terrible.
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1st day of the 5th month of the 9th year: We got new planes last week but have had so many accidents with them we went back to the old ones. Got my 5th kill from the second seat, but the kills go to the pilot, so I don’t get credit. And so, the war goes on.
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10th day of the 5th month of the 9th year: The enemy has innovated something horrible no longer are we constrained by the two-seater. So how they have come up with a way to attack with only a one-seater shooting through the propellers.
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20th day of the 5th month of the 9th year: We have started to keep track of tail gunner seat kills; despite my previous 7, they have only given me 2. Oh well, that is the way of this war. Every time we get some sort of significant breakthrough where our superior numbers can come into play, the enemy innovates some horrible technological advantage to stop us.
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6th day of the 7th month of the 9th year: I got my tenth kill total with my gunner days; the tricky enemy pilot was hard to track. He swarmed around us like a fly, but I was always good with a fly swatter. Unfortunately, my pilot and I took a lot of bullets before we reached the ground. Carlson died, barely managing to land the plane. I must write his family as soon as possible. I will be hospitalized for a few days, but I was lucky. I have requested to join the next flight cadet class after I get out; it only teaches you to fly, nothing about tactics, but I have learned much of that with my time at the front.
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15th day of the 8th month of the 9th year: I completed my time in the hospital and received word that I would join the newest cadet corps due to my outstanding marksmanship with a machine gun. Rumor is that we will be getting a single seater of our own soon.
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20th day of the 9th month of the 9th year: I have completed cadet school, and the rumors are true. We got new planes with rotary engines that are air cooled. We are still befuddled by how the Westverians can shoot through the propeller, but I am determined to figure out how.
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1st day of the 10th month of the 9th year: They initially placed the machine guns on the wings, but we have found them too challenging to reload from there. I have recommended and tested that my machine be placed over my propeller for more accuracy.
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4th day of the 10th month of the 9th year: Success and victory. The new machine gun design worked in combat, escorting an observation group. I received my first kill. Now, I'm working on making the gun easier to shoot and reloading the gun easier.
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14th day of the 2nd month of the 10th year: I have become much more proficient at changing ammo, and my accuracy with the gun is murderous. I have my 5th kill solo pilot, two of which are enemy fighters which make me an ace pilot now. Unfortunately, we were unable to retrieve the fighters. But the question that annoys me still is why did Westveria turn hostile?
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10th day of the 3rd month of the 10th year: I have been ordered on a press tour of the country. I may even meet King Otto. As much as I was happy to leave the front for a while, I hated leaving my squadron the most. I have also been promoted from Flying Officer to Flying Sub-Lieutenant.
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17th day of the 6th month of the 10th year: The press is trying to work on this image of a glorious, scarfed, clean Airmen of the sky. How little does the press know of all the dirt, grime, oil, and blood that comes with the job. I have seen pilots attempt to put out fires only to catch fire from being so soaked in oil. The press is doing anything to escape the fact that this war is almost two years old, and no progress has been made. But we are seeing horrible innovations. The enemy is gaining ground, something the press knows but no one knows on the front. Still no one knows why we were attacked. Everyone has theories, like a shake-up in the government or someone power-hungry coming into power in the state. Still, our ambassadors were kicked out six months before the war, and they reported some strange behavior amongst the citizens but nothing to warrant this. So, it is a mystery as to why we are at war.
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6th day of the 7th month of the 10th year: I return to disaster. In my absence, my squadron has lost 40% of its combat strength and most older pilots. I must train the survivors and get one of those fighters intact.
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29th day of the 8th month of the 10th year: I spend most of my free time in briefings, either training new cadets or teaching old hats new tricks. The enemy has a technological advantage, but maybe we can have the tactical one. We have started approaching the enemy from the sun and pairing off so one pilot protects another. This leaves us less vulnerable to attack. We are beginning to drill into people to not leave their wingman, and it has started to reduce causalities. Now if the mechanics could only get us more reliable planes.
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14th day of the 1st month of the 11th year: We were moved to a new air base near Nadon, and last night was extraordinary. This new position is near the Godenstein border, which we have been pushed back to. Rumor is that they might join the war on our side. Well, I can say for certain that will happen because a Godenstein agent from their foreign service flew a Westverian T-23, their latest fighter, to our base. Mechanics and engineers from all over the front are analyzing it. I got a chance to look at the guns. They are more advanced, but the innovation is the fact that there is a gear that, as the weapon is about to fire, stops the propeller. This allows you to shoot through the propeller to allow for perfect timing. I have requested other engineers from many industrial firms to study this craft.
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15th day of 1st month of the 11th year: I was told today that Godenstein denies all involvement with the mission, and I captured the plane. I'm to be promoted to Lieutenant. My duties are to help train cadets and develop new fighter planes. Most of my air assignments have been transferred to other officers.
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20th day of the 3rd month of the 11th year: Developments on the new plane are slow but productive we hope to have our first interrupter gear fighter in the following months. We have had great innovations in engine design since Godenstein entered the war. Yet, despite our numbers, we are still being pushed back. The average life expectancy of a pilot is 6 weeks now. If you make it two months, you are sent on a press tour to get new recruits. The war is dire, but I can only imagine how horrible it is on the ground.
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4th day of the 7th month of the 11th year: our G-11 Newcastle is complete, and I insisted on the first combat flight. With a tri-wing design for more lift and a rotary engine that doesn’t shoot out as much oil as the first interrupter gear guns, she is devastating. I took her up with one wingman in a Newcastle and two-ten-man squadrons of the old G-9 camels, and I showed the Westies that we had a new king of the sky. I downed 5 enemy aircraft in one day, bringing me up to 15 kills solo. We must get this plane into production.
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12th day of the 10th month of the 11th year: Newcastle is turning the tide in the air, and we are on offense for a change. The observations have shown gaps in the lines, like in the early war, and we are beginning to move at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, we have heard that Moven and Vendenstan are also at war. We are curious if one of them got hit by meteorites.
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6th day of the 12th month of the 11th year: I have been promoted to captain for my work on the G-11, we are trying to develop new fighters and a new bomber to get deep behind Westverian lines for the crazy idea of dropping grenades from planes is not as dumb as was first visited.
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30th day of the 1st month of the 12th year: Another press tour; will this war ever end? I focus more on the industries and building them up. I do my best training pilots, but I have stopped caring who you are and where you come from, just fresh meat for the grinder. I am surprised I have lived this long, but that is why command wants me away from the front lines more and more. The only good thing about the press tour is that I hear crazy rumors. Moven is working on some new lighter-than-air designs for what I suspect are bombing and observation. I have heard of these craft but have never seen one. Moven officially joined forces with Westveria to form the Compact, calling it the Pact for short. In response, we have formalized an alliance between Vendenstan, Westveria, and Terranina until this great war ends.
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10th day of the 5th month of the 12th year: I was excited today the G-12 Striker was going to make its combat debut. But the Pact beat us to the bomber. These Airships have bombed the city of Orleon, and we have no defense against them. The good thing about the G-12 is the ease of changing ammo belts from the pilot's position mid-flight; maybe we could use this to our advantage.
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6th day of the 8th month of the 12th year: We shot down an Airship with two artillery batteries at maximum elevation on a hill in Orleon mixed with G-12s with incendiary ammunition and took down an airship. Now we must build guns with higher elevation and keep building the Striker G-12.
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13th day of the 10th month of the 12th year: We have started bombing Pact supply depots with the new bombers in hopes that this will weaken the enemy.
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4th day of the 1st month of the 1st year of the interregnum (time between rulers): 4 days ago, a guard of the royal court killed the entire royal family. The country is in shock. They found a device attached to his neck. We have started to see these on Westverian soldiers. The country is in shock. A new government is being formed of the military to end this war.
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15th day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the new era: I have been promoted to Major and now oversee bombing under Air Marshall Von Stuben. We are making great progress destroying enemy supplies and will soon focus on enemy factories. We have reports of soldiers turning against civilians in the cities of Gront and Vista but finding accurate information behind enemy lines is difficult these days.
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12th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year N.E. (new era): We have retaken Prinva. In commemoration of this, I have been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. I just can't help thinking about all the good people we have lost in this war and how it must end. We are introducing a new heavy bomber to bring that day closer.
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16th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year N.E.: Prinva was destroyed by an airship containing a new device that destroyed several blocks. They must have used Helium with this balloon because incendiaries had no effect. This war is getting more desperate the closer we encircle the borders.
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20th day of the 6th month of the 2nd year N.E.: We are bombing dams now. We are not certain, but this new explosive comes from water somehow, so we are bombing facilities near the water to stop its manufacture. Despite this new weapon, we are gaining ground. And we have made contact with the Westverian resistance giving us new sources of technology and information. Screening for the chips, as they are being called those devices that make you act strange, has begun, but as with this entire war, we must be on our toes for innovation.
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5th day of the 10th month of the 2nd year: The war is ending, and Moven is fallen. The country collapsed. Years of starvation and bombing took their toll, and the country lost the ability to fight. Vendenstand is celebrating in the streets. I just got word today that I will be promoted to Colonel. But this is a sad news today. I learned that my brother died at the front, a suicide trooper destroyed his artillery gun position, and there were no survivors. This day greets me with great sadness. I must go home and see my parents.
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1st day of the 11th month of the 2nd year: The war is over. Just as our forces approached the Westverian capital, a massive explosion destroyed the city. I'm at home, so I don't know if there were survivors. I'm heading back to command in the morning to get some answers. Why did we fight this war?
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Date unknown year 2 N.E.: I returned to base in a haze when command ordered me for one last mission. I was to fly one of the new cargo planes with a small patrol of soldiers and scientists to a Westverian base. Something strange was found in a Westverian bunker that needed their expertise. We traveled to the base, and my luck held out no air patrols. It was a little creepy after all these years, with no patrols. We were met on the runway by the Westverian resistance. After running all the checks, they brought us underground. The place had more wires than a telephone hub. They said this was the central location of where the chips were broadcasting to. Deeper inside, we found something not quite machine yet not quite Terran in fact, I don't know what to make of it. It was squid-like, with tentacles everywhere and blue skin with machine parts coming out of it. The scientists are baffled by it, they look at its eyes and see machines inside. We take apart the mechanisms and some of them are made from materials not of this planet, but we are taking the parts with us for further study. We are certain from what the resistance and what we have learned from the Moven’s that this thing was controlling the country. And it is clearly not of this planet, but it explains the Pact’s ability to innovate well. This thing was telling the pact all its secrets. It must have been adapting to our world to invade us. That is why it didn't care how many died. All the aliens in this thing’s mind kill each other off, making it easier for its kind to invade. We must not stand ideally by in peace. We must use this new alliance to defend ourselves from our new enemy from the stars.