Careful Bud, that was close!

Happy New Year to all my RiR pilot friends! Just back from LA (Rose Parade!). Will be getting my two flights in sometime this week and will update the chart on Friday.

Stay safe up there!

H

Carl Wolff
May 28

Muller, Herrmann and myself were to escort two Aviatiks to observe troop movements along the lines north northeast so Arras. Muller, in an EIV was ahead of us as we neared Bapaume. He suddenly dove and it took me a second to spot the two DH2's he had attacked. I dove in after checking on Herrmann and before I could get there Muller dove out and crashed near our lines. I got in a good burst on the DH2 and he headed home. Herrmann followed. What the heck I says. I followed them a little at a higher altitude and soon the Englishman turned around once over his lines. Herrmann and myself took turns on him and Herrmann finally sent him to the ground. We regrouped and I headed for where I thought the observation machines might be.

North of Monchy, while trying to find the observation planes we spotted a lone machine headed west a little higher than us. I started a climb. At first I thought it one of the Aviatiks but something did not look right. A Caudron! We gave chase and as we crossed the lines. The words of my fellow pilot Alfons Kemper were on mind "A rookie pilot would", but my blood was up and I closed in as the gunner opened up on me. Quartering behind him I opened with 2 long bursts. I saw his engine start to smoke as I dove away and came around for another go.





We were north of St. Vasst and when I came for my second attack I heard bullets striking my machine but as I said, my blood was up. He started in a tight circle and loosing altitude with each turn. On one of the turns I thought we would collide!



Another burst and he crashed to the ground north of St. Vasst.



Herrmann and I landed at Douai as my machine was very sluggish. Back at our own base both our victories were confirmed!

Nice work MFair. Do keep a close guard over those Aviatiks ... especially if they are from Ss6. Alfons appreciates the protection!

Fantastic MFair! Congrats on being the first to bag one of those "new" Caudrons Great pics too!

H

Great reports altogether, keep it up, gents!

Just two reports from the week before Christmas for Paul McCudden...

13th of Mai, Arti Spotting, 1:35 flight time, no sightings of E/A, returned without losses




16th of Mai, Escort of 2 BE2, A flight, scheduled to bomb eny positions. No losses, but no enemy units were seriously damaged... Engaged an enemy Aviatik afterwards and damged her seriously. The claim was rejected though...

Hope to get some stick time the next days, to finish the missions for this week, May 19/22...

That's too bad, LowDrag. Nice to see you getting some EA encounters though!

H

My second mission as a rookie recon/bomber pilot in Ss6. May 22, 1916

Recon almost finished when our flight of two Aviatiks was jumped by two Nieuport 10's. Here is my flight leader in the process of being shot down.


I was next.
Injured by bullets, lost my lower left wing, lower right wing shredded, and motor dead.
The Aviatik was still flyable!! (kind of)
I steeply glided her down and actually landed. Thought I had a screenshot of that but must have pressed the wrong button.

Injured for 5 days. A miracle that I am alive.

Harry, thanks, it was a close run thing!

Lowdrag,, your still alive Bud, that is what counts.

Carrick, good to see you back up.

Scout, close one again! Our EIII's will do what they can but I'm afraid that is not much.

Supposed to be a cold one here in south MS tonight. Rain, then sleet. Will be back in the skies next week as I will be staying with the ponies. When it is cold AND wet they get put up.

77_Scout, I'm delighted that you are hanging onto that third pilot! Commiserations on the hospital stay.

Capt. Nelson flew two successful missions this week. Scoring points at last!! On the 19th he led a flight of three over the lines. After loitering for twenty minutes or so, and about to turn for home, two Aviatiks passed overhead. Nelson and his boys chased after them and managed to bring both down! Second mission was riding along with a lone BE2C to bomb the railyard near Vitry-en-Artois (again). Four hits, congrats from command!

Chasing the Aviatiks



Bringing the BE2C home





H

In the officer's mess at Baizieux, several pilots sat around a table in a dimly lit corner.

"He's got four now! Only one away from being an ace. How does he do it?" said Nelson.

"It's the porridge" said Cavendish, authoritatively. "Puts hairs on their chests. too".

"So you're an expert on Scotchmen are you, Cavendish?" said McCudden, chuckling. "So what do we wear under our kilts then, eh?".

"I'd rather not answer that" said Cavendish.

"Well, I fully intend to catch and then overtake McCrotch on the victory tally" said Harlowe, as he knocked back his whiskey and headed off for his bunk.

......

Meanwhile, across the lines at Bertincourt, a party was going on...

"Fine display of flying and shooting Herr Wolff!" cried the commandant, raising his glass of schnapps in the air. Everyone cheered and patted Carl on the back. "Now you are equal with Hermann! I wonder, who will be the first ace in our squadron?"

.... latest scoring updated in post 1.

Lederhosen, you are a week ahead of everyone else

Missions this coming week are May 25 and May 28

Good luck everyone!

H

Who is running non default skins and the EIV campaign.
Because I do see strange non EIV skins on my wingmates and on the stationaire EIV planes at the airfield. I will post some screenshots later while I'm now on my Iphone.

@Dutch: Jasta 5 is, if you've integrated my E4-Skin. If you don't want them to fly it, just name the Skin different.

Okay, after John Hornet's Recovery, he flew the next 3 Missions. 2 of them were Arty-Spotting, the last was protecting A-Flight during a Bombing Mission.
"We protected a single BE, he threw one Bomb, it missed and we all went Home again. That were 70 Minutes of circling right into the Stratosphere before hopping over to the Target, dropping the Bomb and circling down again. So much Time for one Bomb? We have to organize Flights better..."

Here are some nice Impressions:

Harry, seems I am a week ahead also. Will hold off for a week. Appreciate the mention of Carl's victory.

Nice stories gents! Stay safe.

Nice insights of the officer's messes, HarryH great stories!

First chance I've had to post this due to work/life reasons.

Desmond Harlowe submitted another claimed E.A. , a Fokker over Arras.
However he was wounded in action whilst attacking the ATHIES enemy rail junction.
Hospitalized for 6 days! Light wound grazing the left armpit.
Kept grounded - precautionary.

Combat Report

Debrief

Liuetenants Walsh & Carey


Walsh Dive's home, turning over ARRAS


TWO Fokker scouts pursuing, the fight begins.

Down goes my 4th Claim, SW Edge of Arras

Attacking the Athies Rail Junction


Was wounded through the rest of the week. Next mission as May 25th! Finally can fly again.
I should start a German flier. Would love to see what you all have been up against from the start!

Cheers

Nice report Jenks! Some fine screenshots also.

May 28, 1916: Gentlemen, our mission for today was to assist the Arty chaps with fall of fire reports in and around the designated front sector. Kette Zwei progress was as follows: A total of 2 craft took off without incident. 2 machines got to the designated Patrol Area! 2 aircraft made it safely back to the airfield for landing! 2 machines landed safely! We shot down some enemy aircraft on this mission! Good Show!

Thanks to Kette Eins, we got a "good show" for downing enemy aircraft. My flight of two Aviatiks never saw a thing so not sure we deserve any credit. Happy to get through a mission unmolested for a change!!

Home sweet home.

Yep I'm always using your skins, but are these not bound to your own plane or jasta 5 specific as my flight is Jasta1 not jasta 5.

Edit did rename them removed the 5 from jasta 5, but still the same I think it has nothing the do with your skins as look at the photo's it is another planes skin, think an early Fokker D type. Strangely only the rotteflieger and all the stationairy planes on the airfield do have this skin. The other flight members use the default skin. I have installed only Fokker EIV skins, Pfalz skins and the SPAD skin, no MODs are installed. I did not have installed any non stock Fokker D type skins.

Another excellent report Jenks, packed with little details

H