Last night I was winding up December 1916 for Capitaine Bonnaasie, when his flight of five N17s, patrolling well north along the front in Flanders, encountered three Fokker E IIIs coming south. They were from that naval unit way up North.

Five Nieuport 17s versus three Eindeckers at Chriatmastime 1916 was a recipe for slaughter. They were well flown, and did their best, but all three died.

Why anyone would send men into the fray in late 1916 flying Eindeckers is beyond me. That’s a WOFF career that would be extremely challenging. Good God! Not even an EIV! We are talking EIIIs.

I actually felt sorry for the last fellow, tangling with a trio of 17s by himself. I kept thinking he should just head for the ground and surrender. But he kept struggling until he was dead. At least he didn’t burn.

Nowi