Fighting in a SPAD XIII

[Olham 164]

Today I created a French pilot to fly the SPAD. First name had to begin with a "D",

last name close to my family name Mahlo. So, Didier de St. Malo was born; he flies

with "Les Cigognes" (the "Storks") from Bergues/Bierne in late September 1917.

 

Short after takeoff, two groups from Jasta 4 appeared over our field: Albatros DIII

and Pfalz DIIIa. Some flown by aces.

My first measure was to climb steep up into the sun - no problem with 200 PS (HP).

I saw them coming down on flight 1, and they went lower all together. My flight was

now far higher, and I began my attack. I had sworn, not to turn much, and I didn't.

 

I attacked the silver Pfalz of Kurt-Bertram von Doring and hit him quite badly,

although the aiming didn't work too well - the SPAD XIII reacts so well to elevator;

must get used to that.

Right after passing the Pfalz, I pulled up steep - a real joyride in this crate!

Looking back, you see the opponents shrinking, helpless.

At the desired top of such climbs, I gave full rudder right, to reverse my direction.

And "zoom" I came down on them again. My second measure was, only to attack craft in

good position, and never to chase ONE SPECIFIC pilot, to kill him.

So, next zooming down, an Albatros was in best reach, and I came for it's tail.

But ace Kurt Wusthoff knew to turn left. I had allowed myself to follow a turn, as

long as it didn't bleed off my speed, and I could easily zoom out again. So I turned

a bit into his left curve and plastered him. The craft began to pull atrail of smoke.

 

Rocketing up again, I looked back over my tail fin. I was not at all in any danger.

Great; high turn, and down again!

Now the Pfalz crossed my gunsights again - so he got it this time! He was already very

handicapped - tried to climb, but couldn't really. He only got hit a little, the SPAD

(or me?) was so nervous, but it was enough. He drifted sideways. Zooming up again, I

watched him fall into some trees from my "eagle position".

Coming down again, it was now Menckhoff who got the next burst, and this time I really

hit him full hard; he turned almost on his back and crashed.

 

I zoomed up again and got an overview. My three wings where all there; I had never sent

them into the fight. All enemy craft destroyed, or had escaped.

I flew over to the other flight. Jean Seraphin Benjamin Emmanuel Bozon-Verduraz had lost

his two wingmen. (With such a name, first year in school is over, before you have spelled

it to the teacher).

 

I am THE Albatros fan, but wouldn't have said to be a Boom'n Zoom pilot. The Albatros can

also turn very well. But the SPAD could develop a second B&Z branch, and I guess, it can

even turn a bit, when you know her better.

In steep banks, I only pulled elevator - rudder seems to rather disturb her then; I used

it in banks up to 30°, and with nose down a little below horizon, then she'll turn well!

 

Result: The SPAD is a fighter to keep you safe, as long as you boom and zoom - and with

200 PS power, B&Z is great fun! I will continue this campaign!

 

PS: You'd like to fly an American campaign? Take the SPAD - and have fun!

Edited August 17, 2009 by Olham

[Fliegenhund 0]

Nice report, sounds like you gave them a sound lashing with the SPAD stick. That feeling of helplessness when a plane can continue to dive and then climb away is terrible (in sims anyway).

[Hasse Wind 46]

The hardest thing to do as a SPAD pilot (at least for me) is to not get fixated on a single target but to fire at opponents that are closest to your diving plane - it's easy to go chasing after one opponent, expend all your energy in the turn, and then realize you just lost the best advantage the SPAD has - speed. Probably the next thing that happens is somebody getting behind your clumsy brick of a plane and shooting you down in flames. And voila, end of a promising SPAD career.

 

You have to be even more patient with the SPAD VII, because there's only one MG and it takes longer to shoot anybody down - I really miss a couple of 20mm or 30mm guns then... Once I had a funny encounter with some Halberstadt D.II's in late 1916 (some poor Jasta was still flying them!) with my brand new SPAD VII: they were much more agile than my crate and were very successful at evading my attacks, but I completely dominated the situation, as the SPAD was so much faster than them. The temptation to turn after one of them to finish the job was great, but I knew they'd surely get me if I did that, so in the end I ran out of ammo and didn't manage to shoot down any Halbs, though I damaged a few of them. With the SPAD's great speed it was easy to disengage and fly back home - I must have been at least 50km/h faster than the Halbs!

[Olham 164]

Second flight was a Balloon defense mission. Near the balloon, we spotted 6 - 8 Albatros DV

from Jasta 11 - the red nose boys. I hit several craft hard, but my wings seem to have finished

them, as I didn't get a claim report. Short of ammo, and flight 1 vanished chasing some DVs,

I saw two more DV from Jasta 11, trying to destroy the balloon.

I ordered my two wings to attack, and fired my last rounds into one Albatros. My wings fought

the other. When ammo was out, I pulled out high. Only one wingman, Alain Leblanc, returned

from the other fight, and I ordered him to attack "my" Albatros.

It was great to watch his superb fighting and "dancing" with the Alb. The German with a far less

powerful craft performed elegant evasive and attack manoeuvers, and Alain answered them

most graceful.

But then the shock: I saw two wings coming off of Alain's SPAD, and he crashed into an acre.

Our balloon defense AA had hit him!

Now the German tried to climb up to me, guessing my ammo was out. But in a SPAD, it's when

you want to go home, you just go home. I climbed away from him and headed for our field -

he finally gave up.

Landing: I approached field full speed and came in flat. At touch down, I pulled throttle fully

back, and then cut the engine. She'll roll on right to the cantine with you, so make sure to

touch down at the beginning of the field.

 

Yes, Fliegenhund, from the German point of view, the SPAD is depressing - until you get the D VII.

[Red-Dog 3]

Ohlam the spad V11 is just as good, My new man the 'Le Fantome' is on 6 Albatros in 7 missions now.Every mission i've taken hits and the old bird gets you home it's a cracking crate once you get to know it. Can't wait for the XIII.

[Olham 164]

Yes, I thought so. Will try the SPAD VII too some time. But as an Albatros pilot, you are

just used to twin guns' fire power. The SPAD VII must be more challenging there.

But once I can aim and shoot better in SPADs, I'll try the VII.

After the change of the flight model, I can see, that the SPAD was a great fighter.

A joy to fly!

[Rickitycrate 10]

Now Red Dog you know Olham is a 2 gun man all the way.

[Red-Dog 3]

Now Red Dog you know Olham is a 2 gun man all the way.

 

 

I forgot Rickity,the only reason i fly the single gun is because i would miss twice as much with two.......

[SirMike1983 3]

The thing that does take a bit of time to master is the gunsight on the Spad XIII-- it's actually a very well-done, accurate sight, but it's way off to the right, so you have to work to get behind it.

[Olham 164]

Forget about gun sights, Sir Mike. I never use them, and shoot quite good.

Just get used to "feel" the point, where your tracers will go - after a while,

you get really good with it.

 

Rickity, I also fly an Eindecker campaign, and a Halberstadt campaign - but you're right,

I prefer to have two guns, if any possible. Cause, other than RedDog - I hit twice as much.

[badgerboy 0]

Is the roll rate really that slow on the SPAD 13 or am I doing something wrong?

[Olham 164]

Roll rate seemed acceptable for me, but it may decrease with nose up.

These crates change directions better with nose below horizon.

[Broadside uda Barn 0]

The camel is the real fighter on the front.

Try the camel Olham, it's the only plane that cant be killed, it can only kill you.

[Guest British_eh]

The SE5a best emulates Olhams Albatross DIII in flight mannerisms. The Camel would be an enormous step to the aggresive twitchy fighter, as she's too hot for me, and many of the Allied pilots to handle :}

 

 

Cheers,

 

British_eh

[Olham 164]

Sorry, Bub, but I kill any Camel in a Dr.1, anytime. Try it - it's an incredible turn fighter.

I flew the Camel, and she's a great turn fighter, but trickier than the Dr.1.

In a duell, I know which craft I'd pick.

Yes, the S.E.5a is more like the Albatros. The Alb seems to be very underrated here -

she's a good mix of energy and turn fighter. But maybe, if I had to fight human opponents

in her, I would not get very far. Once my new rig is achieved, I'll try some online fighting.

[Broadside uda Barn 0]

any camel?

I'd take that challenge

 

Too bad we dont have any online ways of settling these things

Last I heard, other than coop missions, online was full of warping and other issues....is it still that way?

[Olham 164]

Don't know, BuB, I'll only try any online flying, when I have a new rig, with a hardware

firewall and decent frps. But ask Sitting Duck - he does lots of online flying.