My first patrol with 103rd and straight away you can feel how different the situation is from early 1916, there seems to be aircraft everywhere and in big formations.

The key to survival now seems to be height, if you're higher than your opponent you've got the biggest advantage straight away. You can see why many of those who were aces back in 1916, struggled somewhat with what they came up against in 1918.

As you can see from the pictures we gained plenty of height before heading off to the lines and we had a large group of aircraft. SPAD VII's.

As we get to the lines I spot a proper melee going on a little below me. I'm in good position to dive in and take out an enemy scout.

The Albatros is slippery and a proper game of scissors is in progress until I'm able to get right behind....from there he's a gonner, he disappears underneath me and the next I saw of him he was a crater in the front lines north of Chalons.

As I take stock all I can see is several enemy crates flying home. I could go after them with the SPAD's speed but they're low and over the front lines. Given past experiences in WOFF, I'm not going to take so many chances.

Attached Files 103SQ.jpgmelee.jpgseesaw.jpgsittingduck.jpg

"A great deal of an aeroplane could be holed without affecting its ability to fly. Wings and fuselage could be—and often were—pierced in 50 places, missing the occupants by inches (blissfully unaware of how close it had come until they returned to base). Then the sailmaker would carefully cover each hole with a square inch of Irish linen frayed at the edges and with a brushful of dope make our aircraft 'serviceable' again within an hour."