The Glory and Tragedy of Hauptmann Gunter Mahlo

[Olham 164]

Oberleutnant Eisenberg

Jasta 12, 21. März 1918

 

This morning at 08:16 h, our flight of 3 Fokker Dr.1 started with our new leader, Hauptmann Mahlo,

for a patrol flight in foggy and cloudy weather. The enemy is everywere these days. At 08:37 h, we

spotted a flight of 3 SPAD XIII, tangling with our flight 1, some 2000 feet higher up.

Hauptmann Mahlo climbed fast, and attacked a SPAD, that had just shot down a Triplane, burning.

He made several good hits on the SPAD, big pieces came off, and finally it exploded at 08:40 h, north-

west of our field at Mont St.Martin.

Flight 1 had meanwhile destroyed one SPAD, the third flew off, heading east.

Hauptmann Mahlo followed it, and we witnessed, when the SPAD began to attack our field at Premont.

It hit and destroyed two craft on the ground; and it was so fast underway, that it took four attacking

rounds, before Hauptmann Mahlo could get behind the enemy. He gave the SPAD two good bursts, and

it nosed right down into the dirt behind a hangar.

We now headed back for home, but we ran into more enemies. A flight of 6 Sopwith Camel from RNAS-1

was in a tight turnfight with flight 1, cloase above the trees.

Our new Hauptmann went right into them and shot the first Camel down in his first turn. Later we found

out, it was RNAS ace Maxwell H Findley. It soon became obvious, that there were more aces involved.

 

Now I got worried, about how much ammunition our leader had left. But he did his best to help flight one;

in vain though. They fell like the leaves in autumn. Mahlo now climbed after another Camel, and when it

tried to escape in a dive, he got above it and shot a piece off the left wing.

The Camel swayed and turned, but a second burst finished it off.

By now, only Hauptmann Mahlo and I were left from both flights; and still three Camels with us. While I

could chase one off Mahlo's tail, the other two shot at him from two angles. He had no chance.

His plane was hit so hard, it drew a trail of smoke. He tried to make an emergency landing, as his engine

failed out. But around him only trees. He crashed fatally, and the wreckage burnt out.

 

With deep respect - Oberleutnant Eisenberg

[shredward 12]

Hubris. If he hadn't painted that aiming mark on his centre-section, he might still be alive.

Rest in Pieces.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Great account!......... always sad to hear of a leader going down first time out

[Olham 164]

Well, the RNAS-1 are a great pack. No reason to be ashamed, when you loose against them.

By the time I arrived, they had already killed most of flight 1; and they were still 5 - 6 Camels.

No, it's alright - I went into that like mad, trying to save some of them.

Honorable, maybe - but stupid.

[Rick Rawlings 138]

Hubris. If he hadn't painted that aiming mark on his centre-section, he might still be alive.

Rest in Pieces.

 

 

I believe it was actually because one of his wheels was painted blue and one painted orange. The iron oxide causes the orange paint, and thus that wheel, to be slightly heavier. Now, on a normal plane, this would not be a determining factor. However, coupled with the lack of vertical stabilizer on the DR.1 plus the amount of punishment that the craft had already sustained, this acted as an additional gyroscopic force that magnified the natural tendencies of the rotary engine to throw the plane out of balance and therefore we, at the NTSB, attribute this crash, some 90 years after the fact, to be due to the paint. Furthermore, Hauptmann Olham, we have determined that the most aerodynamically stable color for the Dr. 1 to be flat pink. So for future success over your enemies, we reccommend a nice, pink plane.

 

Sincerely,

RR, NTSB

[Dej 17]

Good report Eisenberg, we'll inform Gunter's family, I believe he has brothers in service too.

 

Now, Command would like to know where you acquired that colour camera, as some of the Fl. Abt. (Inf.) units are interested.

 

What was the total flight time, by the way. How quickly Death can come upon even the best of us, eh?

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

I believe it was actually because one of his wheels was painted blue and one painted orange. The iron oxide causes the orange paint, and thus that wheel, to be slightly heavier. Now, on a normal plane, this would not be a determining factor. However, coupled with the lack of vertical stabilizer on the DR.1 plus the amount of punishment that the craft had already sustained, this acted as an additional gyroscopic force that magnified the natural tendencies of the rotary engine to throw the plane out of balance and therefore we, at the NTSB, attribute this crash, some 90 years after the fact, to be due to the paint. Furthermore, Hauptmann Olham, we have determined that the most aerodynamically stable color for the Dr. 1 to be flat pink. So for future success over your enemies, we reccommend a nice, pink plane.

 

Sincerely,

RR, NTSB

 

LMFAO!!!!!!! :rofl:

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Here ya go Olham!.... This should keep all but the most persistant toilet door pushers at bay!

(as recommended by the NTSB report above!)

[Olham 164]

Hey, Rick - thank you and the investigators for trying to find out reasons for the early death of Gunther.

But it was just nothing else but stupidity. The wheels are both orange on the outside, and light blue on the inside.

But thanks anyway.

 

Dej - the colour camera is a special development by a secret WW1 air combat service, called "OFF". No one knows,

for whom they really work; they have an incredible knowledge about WW1 air combat, but don't seem to make much

money with it yet. Perhaps with their new power package called "BHaH" - the camera is included there. Sure worth buying!

 

LMFAO ??? NTSB ??? What's that all - my English isn't yet good enough, I'm afraid.

Rick and Widow - are you having fun? You don't expect me flying a pink Dr.1, do you? Rather the plane for Major Liebling.

And that's not pink, that's magenta, by the way! Brrrr - that would be one of the worst colour choices to make...

 

The Dr.1 skin above was changed rather subtly, by making the grey-green a bit different, adding the colour stripes and the

angle on the wing, a black cowling, and orange wheel caps.

Now I'm thinking of a black one, with orange or yellow bits - I'll send it, when ready.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Hi Olham, Yes..I guess it is kinda Magenta eh?..lol

 

The 'NTSB' are the 'National Transportation Safety Board' of the United States...they go out and investigate Plane Crashes etc.

[Wels 2]

Hello,

"nice" paintshop lol !

It looks like one of our german telephone "poles" - all german t-com "things" or official colours have changed from their classic yellow to magenta, or maybe pink some 15 years ago. I do not know which clever marketing idiot invented this - but there was a recent survey which turned out 95 percent of the people did not like it at all, and 3 percent said it does not matter to them. There is nothing worse than a rusty, magenta-coloured pole standing among otherwise nice houses, or trees. This is definitely optical environmental pollution. For your plane I vote for a magenta/violet/pink checquered pattern, so every allied pilot will be instantly blinded, or instinctively turns away from those colours.

 

Hrrm. I am sorry to hear our promising ace has crashed, we are all shocked and hope he's well wherever he is now. With a F1 or later Dr.I i always try to stay above the others, and only go down shortly to shoot - no allied plane is a match to the triplane in climbing, so you can always withdraw vertically. Good luck next time - good there IS a next time here ...

 

S!

Catfish

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Nice plane. Olham's that is, not that magenta bird.

 

And a good read as well. Please keep putting pen to paper Olham, (and the rest of you lot too), and post those bits of creative writing. I love 'em.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Rick Rawlings 138]

Here ya go Olham!.... This should keep all but the most persistant toilet door pushers at bay!

(as recommended by the NTSB report above!)

 

 

Yes, that would do. However, as a government agency, we cannot, of course, sanction the nonstandard spelling...

 

RR, NTSB