MFair, welcome back! A great start for Ian. The Gong Fairy should get ready with a few accolades for the young flier.

24 July, 1916 06:20 morning mission
Proville, Flanders Sector
Kasta 17
Feldwebel Otto B von Kenobi

They’ve been sent to Arras to spot for the artillery. As soon as they’ve arrived in the area, a flock of Nieuports appeared. They were expecting Das Rotkäppchen to come from the west, but this bunch showed up east of them, as if they saw them first and cut off their escape route. Otto tangled with one while Thiede took on the other one. The Nieuport was more maneuverable, but Otto put a few holes in him and forced him to retreat. The enemy was faster and could climb much better. He left von Kenobi behind. Obi followed, hoping for a damaged engine but it was a lost cause. He gave up the chase and turned back, hoping to catch others returning home, but instead he was faced with a Nieuport following him. After a few turns Otto caught the Frenchman in a climb and stuffed the scout full of bullets. Even Gunther got in on the action. He was sure the French scout was in no condition to dive nowhere else but into the ground and he looked for him down below, but the French plane wasn’t there. Apparently the damage wasn’t as bad as he thought. The Gaul was above him now and ready to escape like the first one, but then the engine gave up and Otto had an easy time taking his opponent out. He was first back at the base. Kette Eins showed up a few minutes later. Only Thiede was missing. Later in the day the phone call came that he had to put down at a closer airfield to patch up his petrol tank, but he would be back for the afternoon sortie. Otto, with his fingers crossed, made another claim with Artur Dietrich. The short man looked at the document suspiciously, made a squeaking sound but accepted it. He said he would make some calls to confirm but warned Otto not to hold his breath.



"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys,
The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain,
From out of my arse take the camshaft,
And assemble the engine again."