Albert, totally right! Which malnourished Flieger would be able to carry all those awards? Would they even fit on one Ordenskissen?
I was also surprised the weather didn’t look like that advertised on yours and Lou’s pictures. There must have been a front right along the Front or Klaus was simply flying above the muck.
Looks like Murphy is a veritable two-seater scourge with a dash of a balloon buster. Congrats on the latest confirmation. The claims board is getting stingy again. They do appear to have better and worse days.
Time to make arrangements with Bella on Tuesday.

19 September, 1918 06:45 morning mission
Montingen, Verdun Sector
Jasta 18
Rittmeister Klaus Gustav Raben RAO AO PLM HHO EK1 EK2
Fokker D.VII
124 confirmed kills

Only one of the five claims made yesterday went to Klaus. One!!! Klaus knew it would be a miserable day.
They started off with a balloon attack assignment. Only three pilots would take part in this mad exercise. Ltn Richard Schleichardt and Ltn Hans Müller would accompany Klaus on this mission.
They were forming up and Klaus was looking down at the city of Metz below, thinking of all the people still in their beds. Children still in their deep sleep, men beginning to stir in their beds, gently nudging their mistresses imploring them to do something about their morning erections, women already thinking of ten things at the same time, birds chirping, dogs stretching, cats licking their own butts, bullets flying.
Bullets flying!
They haven’t even reached the first waypoint when the pestiferous SPADs attacked. Klaus immediately jumped on the tail of one of them and began to fire. The Franzose went into a dive and faked a spin, but Raben was too wise for that trick. He could see one of his wingmen go after him but was quickly dissuaded by another SPAD that dove after him firing his guns. Klaus stayed with his original target and rolled his Fokker to lose the excess speed. He continued to fire at his opponent and fired he did, but the incendiaries loaded for the mission did little damage. Finally, one of the wings came apart and the SPAD spun into the ground. Klaus looked behind to find another SPAD following him. He evaded, but lost him in the ground clutter. It was so difficult to spot those camouflaged planes against the ground in this morning light. He spotted him against the sky after the bandit climbed. He then switched to another target. New ones seemed to be arriving all the time at alarming rate. He dipped his nose to pick up some speed, but it made little difference. The enemy was pulling away and Raben had to resort to long range shots. He could see he clipped the starboard top plane and the enemy spun into the ground. Klaus could feel another of the enemy scouts breathing down his neck. He broke hard to avoid it, but lost him from view again. It was only after his latest adversary fired at him that he was able to locate him. The new SPAD was climbing and getting out of range. Klaus followed and observed. The enemy looked for an opportunity to get back at Raben, but the sly fox would not allow it. As soon as the Frenchman came anywhere close, Klaus opened fire. He probably would have had him, were it not for the two new SPADs on his tail. He had to disengage and introduce himself to the new arrivals. One of them responded in kind by firing at the Fokker, but missing completely. Klaus made another abrupt evasive maneuver and again lost the visual contact with his target. He reacquired him, but now the second SPAD made his introductions. Klaus stayed with the first one and punished him with a well aimed series of volleys. That SPAD also spun into the ground. It was now time for his wingman. Klaus spotted him coming around and faced his enemy. Raben’s Spandaus were ready for the next duel and as they passed each other, he fired his final burst.
“- Scheiße! Out of bullets!” It was time to bluff. Klaus was able to get on his enemy’s tail and stayed on it until the French pilot lost his nerve and directed his plane south. Raben waited for the SPAD to use his superior speed to create a significant gap between them before looping his Fokker and quickly heading home. The balloon would have to wait.

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19 September, 1918 12:35 noon mission
Montingen, Verdun Sector
Jasta 18
Rittmeister Klaus Gustav Raben RAO AO PLM HHO EK1 EK2
Fokker D.VII
124 confirmed kills
Awaiting three claim confirmations

HQ was adamant the balloon had to come down and ordered the entire Jasta to participate on this operation. Klaus developed a coolant leak and was forced to return early. The rest of the Staffel didn’t fare better and were intercepted by enemy machines over the target. They brought down three of the enemy planes, but not the gasbag. Klaus wondered if the misery will continue tomorrow.