Fighting R.E.8s

[Olham 164]

Just did my first attempt to fly "Creaghorn style" (as a hunter, who tries to survive firstly)

but failed. My temper is just different - but I'll try it again.

 

Well, Daniel Mahlo had only two wingmen with him on a friendly frontline patrol; and he did

quite right to avoid a flight of six SPAD VII (something, Olham had never done!).

Then he spotted a flight of 4 RE8s from RFC-59, much lower, and flying into German territory.

So he went down to fight them. He came out below the last flying crate and pulled up the nose

firing. But meanwhile, the other three had gone a little lower, and peppered our Daniel.

So he turned around and approached again. This time, the RE8 broke away to the right and

dropped it's bombs. Also, while banking right, the rear gunner fired at me again!

 

I have never had so aggressively defensive RE8s before - great fighting, boys!

But well, on my next approach, they lost a wing, began to burn and went steep down.

Now I followed the other three, but they must have broken off their mission - they flew into

British territory, constantly lowering altitude to gain speed, it seemed.

And they where heading directly for a balloon base, as if to get help!

Dropping their bombs and this gaining of speed plus the balloon firing at me - they acted very

intelligent! I hit the last of them from 650 feet, but suddenly tracers zipped around my ears

from behind. I looked round to find myself hunted by three Bristol fighters.

 

As we where in between 4 British field, they could have started short before, or they must have

come down from high up - I hadn't had them on my list!!! (Very non-Creaghorn, so to say!)

 

I ordered my wings to attack them, and managed to shoot the one down, that had peppered my

Albatros before - of course my engine was damaged; from behind! - but my wings got shot down

quickly. I tried to escape, and even lost the right lower wingtip , cause I flew insanely low, but

those Brisfits slammed me right into the ground.

 

Anyway - by June 1917, the British two-seat crews must have got some more lessons on how

to defend themselves. Very good!

Edited September 14, 2009 by Olham

[zoomzoom 2]

Ahhh. your getting there Olham. Just a little further....think of the Panther, who stalks his prey unseen, until the exact momemt of attack. Then its over in a flash, and he's gone. You pursued them for too long, and let them suck you over to the wrong side. Temper that hot urge to fight, with some steely determination and keep it on your terms, not thiers. Who knows, if you had broken off the attack on the Re8's earlier, you may have drawn the Bristols after you over to your side of the line......then the trap is set again!

 

Good Job though! You are verrrrrry close to perfecting the hunting technique.

 

ZZ.

 

PS, If you encounter Bristols over enemy territory............leave. Otherwise you are rolling some BIG DICE.

Edited September 14, 2009 by zoomzoom

[Olham 164]

I know, Zoomzoom, I know!

Edited September 14, 2009 by Olham

[carrick58 23]

Yessssssssssssssssssss, get em olham. Actually I think that the dice are loaded in favor of the rear gunners. They seem to get hits with each burst. ( Rolands, Fes)

[Duce Lewis 3]

Nice relate there Olham

I sure hate them Bristols!

I think of the frontline as the line of death

Only bad things happen on the other side of it

It's tough to break off but dice are just too loaded in their favor

...did I mention I hate Bristols?

[Hasse Wind 46]

Two-seaters that shoot back are very unsportsmanlike. I prefer BE2c's - they know how to behave when attacked by superior German fighters flown by the Kaiser's elite. "The road to Pour le Merite is paved with good Quirks", as they say.

[Olham 164]

Yes, Brisfits are FIGHTERS, and they can ruin your day - or your whole campaign.

The "Quircks" on the other hand - I can hardly shoot at them poor bleeders.

They are sitting there one behind the other like boys in school, or sinners in the

church, and don't look back - get shot in the back.

Nasty way to get the Blue Max...

[Hasse Wind 46]

Nasty way to get the Blue Max...

 

But war is nasty, and it's not our fault the engineers of the Royal Aircraft Factory decided the Quirks don't need the ability to defend themselves.

 

It sure would be nice to actually get the Blue Max some day in OFF. My pilots always die before the 20th kill is confirmed. Though most of them never even get the 20 kills...

[Olham 164]

I get more than 20 together with one pilot - but they never get confirmed!

If I could attach bombs, I'd make a raid at HQ!!!

[Guest British_eh]

I get more than 20 together with one pilot - but they never get confirmed!

If I could attach bombs, I'd make a raid at HQ!!!

 

 

Vot, are u unappy vit te Faterland? Vot is zis nonzence abut ze claims are not convirmed. Vee vill not tolerate zuch blazphammy! Vee at HQ are alvays korrect! Unt now get back to ze Front and stop ze wineing.

 

Herr Hav Right

Administration OFF

Fatherland

 

 

German_eh

 

 

[themightysrc 5]

" it's not our fault the engineers of the Royal Aircraft Factory decided the Quirks don't need the ability to defend themselves."

 

Whilst said in jest, I really have to take issue with this.

 

BE2s had - not infrequently, and obviously poorly sited - a rear facing gun operated by the poor sod in the front seat. BE12s only had a front gun, AFAIK, as they were meant to be (laughably) scout aircraft. To increase the bomb load of a BE2, the observer - and therefore gunner - was frequently omitted, and thus the pilot went sans defensive armament over the German lines. A brave act indeed.

 

And do bear in mind that the engineers at the RAE were also responsible for that much less friendly or reviled device - the SE5a.

 

That is all. Over and out.