The weather has been dreadful for these final missions. Oh well, that's RiR I guess

So, you've jumped ahead a bit... are you going to save your last mission on the 31st until the final week (starting this Friday?

H

Yep, sorry for that. I tought this week was for 28th and 31st.

oh, no problem.

H

I just read the current Score...

I'm... the Leader of the Pack Tralalalala
Cool
Fokker rules

I'd be careful here... Parschau, Wintgens, Immelmann were as successful with Fokker E as you

Oh, I'm quite sure that I'll not be able to catch up with those Guys... look like I'm just @#1 because, I somehow fly around most EA - and watching the Landscape instead of being in potentially dangerous Situations...
But not this Time:


Somewhere behind the Lines...


Hauke Hartschlag's brand new FOKKER E4 arrived at the Field.


"The first Mission in this new Plane brought us near some Aviatiks, bombing the Lines. Our Task was to patrol the Area, but we thought, giving those 2 Seaters some Company, sure wouldn't hurt."


"That was a good Idea, because we engaged two of those new N11s, that were trying to attack the Aviatiks. One of them quickly disengaged and went home, the other one was... not so smart. My Wingman Merkl and me made sure, that this N11 won't threaten any more Aviatiks in the Future (Player's Comment: Damn Kill-Stealer LOL)
Merkl got his first Kill confirmed and recieved his Goblet shortly after."

Nice work Hptmn Hartschlag!

Into the last week of the challenge part 1 - I'll write a summary at the end of next week and then we'll prep for part 2.

Have fun flying RiR!

H

BTW:
How many Missions in Total are we flying? I'm not sure if I may have skipped a Week or so...

that was not an easy plane to shoot down!

Nice job Lederhosen.

I have finished my 22nd mission ... airfield attack. Not enough damage done to get kudos from the CO, but brought back both of my wingmen alive at least.

One more mission to go!!

March 31st:

Escort a flight of two Aviatik on a bombing run S of Verdun. Two Kette of Fokker EIII/EIV.

The weather was bas as previous days. I was able to meet the bombing squadron only thanks to the enemy AA burst:



After escorting them back, I got a report that the "target didn't sustained any serious damage". We don't have the same payload which land on trenches.. look here.



I mean, if a damn trench element is still undamaged the Kaiser should quit trying!

All planes get back to their base.

24 in total, minus any missed while in hospital!

H

Ok my new rig i7-6700k seems to be stable now, still do prefer my old i5-2500k setup, so I want to rejoin the Verdun group, as I did see some ex-DID are starting over

Still like to know:
Is it possible to start on the Caudron plane or the Aviatik-C, or do we stay to the N10/EIII
At what date to start as an re-starter

Mission 23: March 31, 1916 Railyard Attack

We shot up some rolling stock, but not enough hits to do much damage. The C.O. remains unimpressed; mon Dieu, what does he expect us to do with a single drum of Lewis ammo?

So, I think that is me done for Phase 1. Only 23 missions because we had one cancelled due to weather, yes?

Will stand by for Phase 2, unless countermanding orders come in from HarryH.

Correct sir! I've been busy with RL this past week but I will sit down during the Thanksgiving holiday and have one final phase 1 flight and tot up the final scores. I will also set the scene and provide the details for part 2. Let's take a one week break before we start. I want to see if any of the DiD pilots want to try their hand at RiR, now that their campaigns and the war is finally over!

H

Hi Dutch, we're now in the last week, so by all means hop in and fly any 2-seater you want, but you won't get much flying time before it's all over! Might be better to restart as a scout pilot in part 2... details to follow later this week.

H

Ok, like to report the last part of my first RIR challenge...

After spending 8 days in hospital and thus missing missions 8 and 9, H. Erich Hauptmann reported for duty on 17th of Feb., a Recon mission, flight of 2. Reccon flight was composed of 2 Aviatiks. Weather was good, did longtime patrol of the northern part of the front, no enemy sightings. The Aviatiks diverted to Sivry-sur-Meuse aerodrome, quite hilly surrounding there. They seemed to have felt uncomfortable with their approach and did a go around. Smart decision. Stayed with them until they managed to land safely with their second try.




My wingman had enough, left me and returned to base. Followed him. Spotted 2 specks on my way home. Avoided them and returned to base. No losses.

Mission 11, Close air support. Escorted 2 Aviatiks, they bombed an infantry camp south of Verdun. No serious damage, but no own losses either.



Mission 12, Balloon busting, B-Flight of 2, A-Flight supported with 3 Eindeckers. Battle of Verdun was raging meanwhile, a lot of action on the ground. Weather formed lots of clouds enroute, snowcovered ground. Went towards the target as a formation of 5. After having lost our comrades of A-Flight in the clouds we continued towards the target area. Spotted the balloon, and started our attack run. Before coming into range, the balloon was tumbling from the sky-and some specks in the vicinity - A-Flight has completed the mission!
Joined them when they egressed. But they were only 2 now...
Returned to Bechamps, signaled to my wingman to land here and entered a landing pattern together with A-flight. My wingman had other plans, lost sight of him. Flew around some time but was not able to find him.
After landing I learned that he was lost. The mission was rated as excellent, balloon destroyed, but we lost two of our brave men by enemy fire. Our squadron is down to 4 pilots now and we are awaiting replacements.

Mission 13, 26th of Februar. Still battle of Verdun. Flight of 4 Eindeckers, composed of A and B flights, the last pilots of our squadron, replacements are due for tomorrow. Went to the rendezvous point, did not find the Aviatiks and went on to the target area, north of Verdun.
We were engaged by 4 Nieuports head on, unable to avoid. Soon everybody was on his own, trying to survive. Was able to put some rounds in one Nupe, spinned out of sight. Looked for my men. Spotted a single Eindecker tangeling with a single Nupe. Went on to help him. The Nieuport began to feel uncomfortable and disengaged, but I saw my fellow pilot loosing control of his plane and spinning into the ground. Poor chap. Was looking for the rest of my flight but did not find anyone.

Went towards the friendly sides of the lines. Got sighting of a speck at my 2 o clock, co-alt. Biplane. Nieuport 10.
Should have turned left to avoid. But did not, took the fight, "no gutts, no glory, hehe" (silly me...). He soon had the upperhand. Was hit several times, tried to disengage, lost control, overspeed damage, crashed into the ground, on the enemy side...
Debriefing reports our entire flight was wiped out, total loss, one survivor, don´t know how he did this... "But we shot down enemy aircraft, who tried to attack our Aviatiks-Good show". What kind of definition of success is this!

My first RiR campaign is over, Hptm., no Rittmeister (meanwhile) Erich Hauptmann is dead. I am sad, but it was great fun. Thank you HarryH!

LowDrag, Commiserations, but kind of good timing if one has to die... at the end!

Also, good to see you being an attentive shepherd to the 2-seaters. It will be something you'll do quite a lot of in part 2, assuming you will be able to join

H

Thank you, HarryH. I am willing to join the next part of the challenge and looking forward to it.