Very exciting shots!
My RNAS week had been pretty quiet to start. A couple of airfield attacks with a little scattered air to air. Brought one down but saw little on my next couple of missions. We really pasted the airfield though! Amazing the difference when you have two full flights attacking. The biggest hazard was the near mid-air potential!!!
My last flight on the other hand was an intercept. After much fruitless searching, my wingmen peeled off though I struggled to see what they were attacking. As I wandered over to the group of planes clawing for altitude, I remember thinking, "Hmmm, is that a red cap spinner?" before the rounds started impacting my machine.
Having learned my lesson last time, I dumped the nose and ran like hell. Having also learned that this didn't work last time against the DV, I did my best break turn every time the Hun got close to gun range. Eventually I dragged him over a friendly balloon site and he bugged out. Whew! A close one and yet another lesson learned.
Back in 1915, Augustus has had a frustrating week. After three missions patrolling well behind the lines, he has seen a great deal of of nothing at about 90kph. Finally, yesterday we spotted our single ship top cover hightailing it back in our direction with two double-wingers in hot pursuit. The first time Augustus had seen the Nieuport C10 while in fighters and up close.
Though they had the altitude advantage, we climbed to attack anyway. I was reminded again how little power the EI has.
After losing my adversary in a poorly accomplished turn (a mistake), I decided to try to shoot the other N10 off my wingman (my second mistake). The first Nieuport came out of nowhere and put some rounds into me, holing my engine.
The smoke is coming from me....
Luckily, I managed to dodge the Frenchman and put my powerless craft down in a field near the lines.
Stinging from my first encounter with the Nieuport, I saddled up for the next mission, another patrol. Surprisingly, after days of never seeing another aircraft, we were bounced while taking off from Nieumunster. Payback time. I chased an N10 gamely in my unstable little craft. The Frenchman decided that discretion was the better part of valor and headed for home.
I chased him but watched as he pulled away from me with impunity...
....Hmmm, this is going to be a long war if the enemy can turn tighter AND fly faster.
It was as I scooted back home that I saw my wingman chasing another N10 right towards me. I gave the EA a short burst and, rather than running, he decided to stay!
What followed was the bravest exhibition of flying that I had seen in WOFF yet. I riddled the Frenchie a number of times. Perhaps his engine was losing power and he couldn't run. In any event, the Frenchman would break into me each time I tried to shoot him and engage me rather than making for the lines. He circled at suicidally low altitudes actually scraping the wing on the ground a few times. Eventually I got a long burst into him (with my very last rounds) and started him smoking. And still he continued to fight! Bravo!
Eventually, his engine must have begun to lose RPM and he set down near the lakeside. I saluted to him as I flew by.
My claim was not recorded though I saw him set down miles from the front. Perhaps he patched up his engine and made it home.
I'd like to think so...a man like that is too brave to die!
