.

A deeper warren, (or Werner), than you first anticipated, Epower?

.

Lou, Congratulations on the promotion. You really went out in style with the Brisfit!

Rain, when will Vogel return? We need some leadership.

Ltn. Ivan Immer
Roucourt, Jasta 12.
Sept. 29, 1917

Another beautiful day. Patrolling lines near Monchy, Immer's flight was attacked by Camels. The flight split in two with 3 after one Camel. Schobinger sent him to the ground. Immer climbed back up and engaged another. With his final burst the Camels wings collapsed and fell near Lens. Back at Roucourt, another new pilot, Chelein was killed. Just too keen.


Afternoon patrol Thelus to Monchy. Going south near Monchy Immer spotted 5 specks going north on the other side of the lines. They split into two groups and attacked from behind. Triplanes! A real merry go round. Immer got pot shots at passing machines and tried his best to avoid a collision. On pesky Englishman got on his tail and Immer could not shake him. All he could do is make sure he didn't find his mark.The Englishman finally called it a day and Immer did likewise and returned to Roucourt.

His Nieuport was rejected but the Camel was confirmed. His total now stood at

What?!? WHAT?!? His total now stood at WHAT?!? Auughh! The humanity!!! I must know!!!!!

Nice last picture, btw, MFair!

Rick, good to hear from you bud! I was born ignorant and had a relapse. His total stood at 15. Thats 15. Five multiplied by three or five plus 10. Had to check and see if I had any brain cells left. The early seventies plus my age is showing.

8+7= 15. 4+4+7= 15 2+6+7 = 15 In my Case it maybe 15 Days till my pilot flies
Due to my little doggie eating thru the controller Cord. Too bad, they don't repair those things outside of Hong Kong, But that's life !

.

MFair - Thanks for finishing that last sentence. I, like Rick, was in a dither wondering what Ivan's total actually is. 15, outstanding, a triple ace! Another bit of bling for his tunic soon I'm betting.

.

.

Carrick - You need to get that little doggie more chew toys. Hope it won't take too long to get a replacement cord.

.

I know and the doggie wonders why I always invite him to go outside. That set up goes these days ( except its wireless ) for over a hundred Bucks. Another off subject question has any one tried the Wireless controllers ?

Willi is finally back in the air.
I've never had this before, but I lost my wingman who had been with me for about 2 months (long time).
Watched him get a few victories, even get promoted.
Today he flew with out me (paper work etc) and didn't return...bummer
I actually felt a bit sad about it.


Last two days have been quite fun.
Had a scrap on both but nothing conclusive. Was fun to be a part of even though no one got hurt.
Yesterday's scrap was quite the show. There we where, all 10 of us warming up our engines, when out of the blue 7 spads said hello and started to strafe us!!
Had the wind up I can tell you.

.

Lederhosen - It's great to see Willi is back in the air. Tough loss on his wingman, and isn't this a great sim when it can make you actually feel sad about losing a virtual flying mate. Love your pilot's pic by the way, fantastic.

Carrick - No way to temporarily repair that cable?

.

Here are Freddy's EOM stats. Last time he'll be posting these as a Bristol pilot, which makes me a bit sad as well.



.

Hi Carrick...maybe I can help with the cable? I've done a fair amount of cable work, and my wife (who also works in our electronics assembly venture) was actually certified for doing aviation cable build/repair, both in the Navy and as a civilian

It might be something I can't do, depending, but you never know unless you try

No charge for the work, just you'd have to cover shipping and any parts required.

Let me know if you're interested.

.

kk, you Sir are a prince. An argumentative one on occasion, but a prince none-the-less.

.

No, I'm not.

.

LOL!

.

What’s all this? A fellow gets a hit on the noggin and by the time he comes around there are two full pages of posts.

MFair, that you are right. It is dangerous out there, but only because the enemy keeps sending airplanes up. At least Immer gets to clip some of their wings and send them packing. Congrats on the latest conquests.

Lou, no nurses this time. Injuries weren’t serious enough to get a serious treatment.
But seriously, Freddy in a Camel? God help us all, the Huns have no chance. MvR is already writing his will. Congrats on the transfer, promotion and the latest kills. That British Claims Board is a joke! Anything to boost morale.

Raine, with Steinmesser in the Claims Board’s waiting room it is all lost. You should catch up to Hahn in no time. Thankfully Ziggy isn’t out of it for long so he should be able to keep slightly ahead even if it is one out of six claims at a time.

Epower, I think Ziggy lucked out this time not having to spend any time in hospital, especially with the cow-spooking nurses in the area. Is Oliver still writing his after action report? He should look into hiring a secretary.

Carrick, are you sure that by mistake you didn’t grab the joystick instead of the leash when you took your dog for a walk? Stranger things have happened.

30 September, 1917
Ceurne, Flanders Sector
Jasta 36
Oberleutnant Zygmunt Dolf Hahn EK2 EK1 HHO PLM
57 confirmed kills

Zygmunt continues to experience bad headaches. His head was wrapped in bandages, another dressing was plastered over his nose. But he was alive and relatively unscathed. The doctor ordered him to avoid flying until the end of the month. This means he should be able to take his Albatros for a spin tomorrow. The good news is that his luck extends even to his claims. He had another two Camels confirmed.

EOM Stats:

Oberleutnant Zygmunt Dolf Hahn EK2 EK1 HHO PLM
Jasta 36
Ceurne, Flanders Sector
Albatros D.V (Uprated)
123 missions
104.02 hrs
57 victories
101 claims

Phew! *steps down from window ledge*

Vogel is back in action tomorrow at long last!

Oberleutnant Hans-Dieter Vogel, PLM, HHO, EK1, EK2
Jasta 12
Roucourt, France
Albatros DV (Uprated)
105 missions
69.06 hours
46 victories
93 claims

.

Raine - Great news! Hope to be reading about the Oberleutnant's continuing exploits very soon.

Rick - Glad you stepped back, we can't afford to lose you.

Fullofit - Wowzers, 57 confirmed victories! Ziggy will have to change his name from Hahn to Heinz.

.

1 October 1917
11 Squadron R.F.C.
La Bellevue, France

Captain Frederick Abbott and Lieutenant Thomas Yale, each man with a half-finished Murad sending smoky curls up into the calm morning air, leaned together against the trailing edge of the lower portside wing of Bristol A-7291. Major MacLean, at Frederick's request, had allowed the former team a final flight together during the morning sorties. Their last outing had been quiet, with the exception of a lone V-strutter Frederick had caught sight of crossing low over the mud south of Arras. A quick dive on the target and the old duo was in the process of bringing down the Alb when the gunners on the ground found their mark as well and set the fleeing Hun ablaze, denying Abbott and Yale one final shared victory. Such is war.

"You've come a long way since joining us back in June, Freddy. Never would have imagined it when we first saw you", Thomas teased good-naturedly as he took a drag off the cigarette.

"Haw!", the newly-minted Captain gave his now-so-familiar laugh as he slapped Yale on the back. "Looks can be deceiving, mine more than many. And truth be told, I've surprised myself really. But I never could have made it without you, Tommy old sport. You've watched over my backside like a mother hen and have kept me safe so many times. Not sure how I'll fare up there all on my own. If I wasn't mindful of my six before, I best be now, eh what?"

"Dam'd well better be, old sport. Head on swivel. And I pray to God you'll find a reliable wingman to pair up with." The Lieutenant gave his friend a concerned look, then quickly let it go. "Ah but you'll be stellar in that new scout. Hell, you've been flying the Bristol as if you were already in a Camel anyway!"

Yale's comment elicited another one of Frederick's "haws" at the precise same moment he was taking a long draw from the Murad, and the resulting coughing fit brought tears to Abbott's eyes. "(cough cough) God but I (cough) I'm going to miss you (cough) Thomas old chum", Abbott pronounced sincerely as he wiped his watering eyes while dropping the remnants of the offending cigarette to the ground and crushing it out.

"I'll miss you too my friend", Yale agreed. "But I expect you to come and visit us when they send you back over here. You can show us your new mount and bring us some fresh liquor as well. I'm sure we will have exhausted your reserves by then."

"By Jove, I shall!" Frederick exclaimed, his toothy grin shining across his face.


(to be continued)

.

Tagebuch of Oblt. der Res. Hans-Dieter Vogel, PLM. HHO, EK1, EK2

Jasta 12, Roucourt, France


Part 40



Number 45 – nearly forgotten


29 September 1917

Back at last with my comrades. The latest wound has healed quickly and I will have the stitches for only a few more days. I see the medical officer from headquarters tomorrow. The Jasta has some new faces. Hochstetter has been sent home with pneumonia and Meierdirks has returned to Germany, transferred to another Jasta for service somewhere overseas. I have trouble remembering all the new names. Already in the short time that I was at the hospital there have been new pilots come and gone, their only memory a cloudy smudge on the adjutant’s chalkboard where the name was listed.

Most of the pilots are at the field. I myself have just returned. Joerke is not flying this morning and joins me for coffee in the front room. He throws a log on the fire and settles in. “Do you shoot?” he asks. For a moment I think we are talking about fighting Sopwiths but he corrects me. “That day we took the Benz over toward Vitry to look for your triplane, do you remember what we saw?” I shake my head.
“Come on, man! Partridges. Remember? A whole covey of them came low across the road.” Now I know what he is talking about.

“We would need shotguns,” I say.

“Problem solved.” Joerke smiles mischievously.

“Steinmesser?”

“Who else? The Compte has several locked rooms in the cellar – furniture, family portraits, great wines, and a cabinet full of shotguns. Steinmesser has already had the keys made.”

I think he sees the mild horror on my face. I have created a monster in Steinmesser and it will be a miracle if I survive the war without being stood up alongside him in front of a wall. Joerke has already put together a list of interested shooters. I notice that Schobinger is not on it.

“He is not used to shooting with mechanics, carpenters, and waiters,” explains Joerke. “We can put together a half-dozen or so beaters and two or three pickers-up.”

This affair already has too much momentum to stop. I nod my consent. “We’ll go on the first nonflying day that is not to miserable.” Joerke winks and smiles.

“God, this is a funny life.”


30 September 1917

I meet Steinmesser across the field. A dozen men are struggling to erect a new hangar. The British were back last night dropping bombs all about. They caught some damage in the village and one bomb destroyed a hangar and one of our machines. Fortunately there were no casualties.

We take a short stroll down a lane towards the church. I ask Steinmesser about the shotguns. He laughs.

“The old boy has stashed away all his good stuff in the back area of the cellar where the filthy Germans can get their hands on it.”

“Max!” I say. “I promised Baron Bequet we would respect his property. After all, we have forced him and his wife into three rooms at the end of the west wing. I don’t want to…”

Steinmesser cut me off. “There is no issue about not respecting his property. I simply needed to take inventory. You realise he has nearly 3000 bottles of wine down there? And some of it back to 1885. There is cognac. There is an entire room full of silver plate and cutlery. A collection of rifles, shotguns, and swords. Closets of furs. Paintings. There are preserves, too.”

“And you’ve taken none of it?” I ask.

“Perhaps a couple of bottles, no more. A mere service charge for taking care of things.”

A street vendor is selling roasted chestnuts and I buy two small pokes. “I won’t condone theft, you know,” I say.

Steinmesser nods.

“Is it good cognac?” I ask.

“Very good,” says Steinmesser. “I know a fellow who has the same kind of cognac. I’ll get you a bottle.”


1 October 1917

I return from the medical officer around ten in the morning, cleared to resume flying duty. We have orders to escort two Rolands to take photographs of the lines south of here. I will lead Koelpin, Standorf, Becker, and Neckel. But first we have lunch and I have the great pleasure to tell Neckel that he has been promoted to Feldwebel.

We take off and fly a little to the south of Douai, where we circle to 2500 metres and then begin our flight north to the rendezvous point. As we pass close to Roucourt, two enemy two-seaters approach from the east and I decide to give chase. I do not expect that we will be delayed more than five minutes. But the machines turn out to be the powerful de Havilland DH4 types and I soon realise we will not catch them. But just as I am about to turn north again, one of the two machines turns and dives that us! We meet head-on and begin an enthusiastic turning fight. The Englishman handles his larger bombing machine like a scout and despite trying every trick in the book I cannot get him in my sights for more than a second or two.

Now I am cursing myself. The minutes are ticking away and we have to be at our rendezvous point. Finally, the de Havilland rose onto its back and dives away. I will have one last chance at him and roll to follow, but as soon as I begin to dive there is a disturbing crack and the right side of my upper wing starts to vibrate. I throttle back and ease the Albatros into level flight. There is another cracking sound. Without time to lose I put down into the nearest field.

The others return in an hour. The Romans were nowhere to be found and we learn that they were set upon by Camels shortly after takeoff. My machine returns to Roucourt on the back of a lorry.

Upon my return, the adjutant decides I need cheering up. I had completely forgotten to ask him about my two claims made on 24 September, the day I was wounded. Both have been confirmed. The Camel was number 45 and the Nieuport was number 46.

Lou, it’s Zygmunt Heinz because Raine has to catchup.
So, it’s off to England for our Captain. Oh, the mischief he will get into there. Hopefully all this mischief will include ladies and we all will be able to read all about it. Enjoy the time off.

Raine, I think it will be a first: a DiD career that ends in jail. That Steinmesser, what a character.
Congrats on the not-so-latest victories. 46. With Steinmesser’s help Vogel will be back in the running in no time.

1 October, 1917 05:45 morning mission
Ceurne, Flanders Sector
Jasta 36
Oberleutnant Zygmunt Dolf Hahn EK2 EK1 HHO PLM
57 confirmed kills

Hahn was back at it. After a short time off he was now sitting in his trusty Albatros. It was an early morning, sun was rising slowly over the eastern horizon. Leaves were starting to turn colour, crickets were still chirping. Fw Blasen walked by and noticed him sitting in the cockpit.
“- Are you alright, Sir?”
“- Hmm? Ja, I’m fine Blasen. I sometimes like to sit here and think.”
“- Very well, Sir. Glad you’re ok. Morning mission soon?”
“- Ja, frontline patrol between Lille and Lens. Wish us luck, Blasen!”
“- Hals und Beinbruch!” With that the scrawny Feldwebel left to get ready and prepare the machines for the flight.
The Front was quiet and there wasn’t much air activity either but while overflying Loos they did encounter a French Strutter. Zygmunt had him in his sights and firing, but the French gunner was very skilled or very lucky and perforated Hahn’s radiator. Zygmunt disengaged immediately and left the Sopwith for Hoyer to deal with. His engine seized as he was crossing into friendly territory and glided to Houplin aerodrome where damage was quickly repaired and Hahn could return back to Ceurne before the next mission.

YouTube Link



1 October, 1917 12:15 afternoon mission
Ceurne, Flanders Sector
Jasta 36
Oberleutnant Zygmunt Dolf Hahn EK2 EK1 HHO PLM
57 confirmed kills

In the afternoon Jasta 36 was sent balloon busting east of Armèntieres. After take off Ziggy waited for all to form up on him. Bohning was dragging his feet and Hahn had to turn around to pick him up. Suddenly Flak went off over the aerodrome. Zygmunt finally understood his wingman’s delay. A silver Nieuport came screaming down and began to chase the Albatrosen.
“- Brave, brave Britisher.” Zygmunt admired his foe’s spunk. “- But all for naught!” He chased the enemy scout amongst his fumbling wingmen. This one was good and Hahn had difficulty keeping up with him, but in the end his machine was too badly damaged and the pilot jumped out. Oddly, the plane continued on and it took a bit more firepower to bring it down.

YouTube Link



They were now forming up again to finally take out that blasted balloon. There was a delay again and Zygmunt watched with annoyance two of his wingmen peeling off and climbing. He looked up and could see nothing. “- What were they up to?” Finally he noticed a third dot and then Flak. Another Britisher! Ziggy was all over him soon enough and in the end, after some fancy flying that foe was now pasted all over French countryside.

YouTube Link



They were reforming after that last enemy went down, but one of the Albatrosen was still missing. Ziggy was getting fed up. Will they ever reach that observation balloon? He looked around. There, just behind, there he was and ... he was battling yet another Nieuport. Where do they come from? Zygmunt was soon joining the fight and damaging that Englander just like his predecessors. He had to back off or risk ramming into his tail. Bohning took advantage of the situation and finished off the Nieuport. Zygmunt sent a few volleys after the falling enemy plane as a parting gift.

YouTube Link



The balloon would remain hanging in the air for now. Zygmunt brought his crew back to Ceurne. There would be more opportunities to take the gasbag down.