Flugmeister Jacob Kühn, EK2 Marine-Feld-Jagdstaffel 1 Jabbeke airfield
9 confirmed kills
20th April 1918
The weather had improved today but it was late afternoon before the ground was fit for aircraft to operate.
Oberleutenant Saschenberg took the briefing and explained the whole Jasta would be heading down to Roulers to patrol around the railyard there which had been under attack recently.
Although the weather had improved it was hardly ideal, monstrous clouds remained and strong winds made heavy work of staying in formation.
The Jasta took off at 3.45pm and after forming up they climbed up to 4500 meters before heading out south towards Roulers.
After a couple of days of inactivity Jacob was ready. His memories of his previous flight were still vivid however and he scoured the grey mass constantly.
The Jasta were now south of Aertrycke airfield when out of the clouds ahead appeared several dots. Jacob saw them straight away and as they neared a cool determination swept through him. He recognised them as enemy SE types.
The SE's had height advantage so the Jasta nosed up and started climbing towards them.
Jacob waited for the attack he knew was imminent and sure enough, the SE's rolled and dived towards Jacob and the rest of Marine-Feld-Jagdstaffel 1.
Jacob instinctively pulled left and avoided the enemy's first pass. He came around and an SE zoomed in front of him for a second. Jacob fired and the SE rolled away and dived.
Just then Jacob saw another SE trying to get on his tail. He dived and then zoomed over and around. After several turns like that the Albatros had gained on the SE5 and put a burst into him.
The SE5 dived down but Jacob stayed with him. He was above the enemy aircraft now and the SE realised he had nowhere to go. He rolled left towards the lines but Jacob read the move and came up behind the enemy. He put an accurate burst into the SE and the enemy aircraft slowed.
Another burst from Jacob and the SE burst into flames with smoke pouring from the stricken aircraft, Jacob watched as it flew straight into the ground.
Jacob looked and saw several other Albatrosse nearby and they formed up. Oberleutenant Saschenberg signalled a return to base.
As Jacob climbed down he was met by Saschenberg and Leutenant Heinrich. "Excellent work Jacob, I saw you bring that SE down" confirmed Saschenberg. "Heinrich here also got one and Kette Eins are reporting three more downed" extolled the Oberleutenant.
"Five enemy aircraft destroyed and we all made it back, a few holes here and there but all safely back" finished the Oberleutenant.
Flugmeister Kühn completed his report and Saschenberg confirmed the claim.
"That's 10 confirmed kills now Jacob, you are showing the Marine-Feld-Jagdstaffeln off very well indeed Flugmeister and headquarters are overjoyed at our results today" explained Saschenberg.
Jacob celebrated the success with the rest of the Jasta that evening in the kasino.
"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."
