I Bounced the AI

[Bullethead 12]

Last night my flight of 4 SPAD VIIs from No. 23 Squadron spotted 7 Alb D.IIs of Jasta 28w (I had to see who they were). The enemy were about 2000 feet lower and directly up-sun from us, but the geometry was perfect for a swoop on their tails, so I gave the attack order.

 

And then something happened unique in my OFF experience. They didn't see us coming, but kept on straight and level at cruising speed. My wingmen therefore easily flamed their tail-end Charlie. I'm ashamed to say I totally blew the pass myself--I was aiming for where I expected my target to go as I closed in, and when he did nothing at all, I was only able to get a couple bullets into him before I flashed by.

 

Anyway, the SPADs all carried on through and below the Albatri and I spiralled our dive back toward the lines, expecting the enemy survivors to be pursuing us by now. But they hadn't noticed and continued on as before, so I zoomed back up, circled back, and repeated the swoop. My wingmen got their first and flamed their new tail-end Charlie, and this finally woke them up, so I actually did better on this pass, because my target went where I was expecting . After that, it was a normal dogfight which we eventually disengaged from after getting 1 more of them.

 

This was SWEET! I have never before been able to sneak up on AI fighters like this. I didn't even think it was possible. Very nice to know you can bounce the AI from time to time .

[Rickitycrate 10]

Hey, waddaya know, huh? I hope that starts a more common occurance for you. Maybe they were a poor moral rookie squad. Some poorassed B flight ham and eggers. Up for a cup of coffee and didn't have thier hearts into it. You showed them what happens when you go fartin' about in Bulletheads domain. Bastids. Good one for you.

[Olham 164]

As far as I know, the clouds can hide you now, even for AI craft.

Also should it be possible to attack out of the sun without them noticing you.

Well done, Bullethead - THE classic attack form.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

Bullethead, I've also had an occasion where I was able to "surprise" the AI enemy. In my current campaign as Cedric Nelson flying the DH2 with 29 RFC, my two wingmen and I were able to come up through the clouds and attack four EIII's from below. It was really very exciting as I kept waiting at every moment for the Hun to break and dive down on us. But they kept winging along in their nice little formation as we crept up through the mist right under the trailing plane's tail feathers, at which point I signalled the attack and sent a stream of bullets into the last Einie. Pieces went flying and he began smoking and dove away, while the other three continued on straight for another 5 seconds or so before finally scattering and turning to fight. We mananged to send two more down out of control before losing sight of the fourth EA. Toasts were made round the dinner table that night I can tell you.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

[Bullethead 12]

I really can't explain how this happened. Jasta 28w is rated as "good" in early April 1917 when this happened. It was a rare gorgeous day for that time period with only a few tiny, widely scattered clouds, none of which were near this action. We were diving toward the sun, not out of it. Despite all this, they didn't notice us until 2 of them were already dead in separate swoops and a 3rd was in the process of dying. It just goes to show that everybody has a bad day. Maybe they were too engrossed in enjoying the lovely weather for a change to notice us.

 

I was feeling rather aggressive this hop. As a general rule, I never start fights with superior numbers (but in Bloody April, superior numbers usually start fights with me) and 4:7 were fairly steep odds. I just did it this time because it was my 1st time flying the SPAD in Bloody April and I wanted to know from the start what I could get away with in it. But the surprise swoops evened the odds before the real fight started, which was very nice .

 

Perhaps it's possible to surprise the AI more often than I've experienced so far. However, the majority of my flying so far as been in Bloody April in Pups and Fees, where the enemy is almost always much higher so the question never arises . The rest as been in the colossal battles of 1918, where things are too tangled up and nonstop to often find anybody to surprise.