Vasco 3 Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) Mein Herren! Please find below the daily report covering Jasta 4 operations for the 6th November 1917: Aircraft Allocation Jasta 4 had 16 serviceable aircraft serviceable for operations during the day. The names of the pilots allocated personal machines are listed below: 3 Fokker DRI - (Vasco, von Baur, Griphos) 6 Albatross DV - Axgrinder, Spawnrider, Dutch, Osten, Leadtongue, Burning Beard) 4 Albatross DIII OAW - (Siting Duck, SRC, Blue781, 1 spare) 3 Pfalz DIIIA - (Stumpjumper, Red-Dog, von Dudley) Mission 1 - Attack on Enemy Observation Ballons - T/O 08:15 Piloten Axgrinder - Mission Commander Sitting Duck Burning Beard von Dudley von Baur Spawnrider Dutch Osten Leadtongue Stumpjumper Red-Dog Griphos SRC Blue781 Spawnrider The Jasta was tasked to destroy a number of observation ballons seen aloft approximately 5 Km southwest of Amienterres. A certain amount of confusion between the pilots occurred during take off and lead to at least one minor collision during taxiing. This caused a delay while the damage was assessed and repaired prior to mission start. One pilot (von Dudley) had to take the spare Albatross DIII OAW as his Pfalz was considered too damaged to fly in the operation. The formation set out on a westerly heading towards the front lines and should have executed a dogleg southwest to bring them over Amienterres and the target. However, the formation had difficulty matching airspeed with the diffent types of aircraft in the formation and became scattered in the cloud. During an attempt to reform, elements of the formation were bounced by a large formation of British Nieuports which attacked through a gap in the cloud cover. During the dogfight 1 kill was confirmed for Spawnrider. Other members of the formation reported several collisions between Jasta members and the Nieuports because the combat took place in and out of cloud. I am sorry to report that von Baur, Leadtongue, Osten and Sitting Duck were victims of these collisions along with a like number of enemy planes. Axgringder, Blue781 and Stumpjumper were also lost during the engagement. With the remainder of the formation scattered, individual pilots continued across the lines in search of targets of opportunity. Both Red-Dog and von Dudley located the observation balloons and attacked seperately flaming 2; von Dudley's aircraft was seen to take fire from the ground and became uncontrollable. The machine was seen to crash in the vicinity of his kill. The surviving aircraft made their way back to the Marckebeeke airfield individually. Mission 2 - Patrol over Ypres - T/O 11:36 Piloten Vasco - Mission Commander Burning Beard von Baur von Dudley Griphos SRC Axgrinder Sitting Duck Red-Dog Leadtongue Spawnrider Stumpjumper As the Jasta had experienced difficulty maintaining formation during the previous sortie, the Jasta Commander (although contrary to policy) lead the sweep personally. Pilots of each aircraft type formed together while climbing in a right-hand circuit around Markebeeke until an altitude of 7,500' was attained. The Jasta Commander then ordered the various flights into position for the transit to the designated area for the patrol; placing the Fokker DRIs with him in the centre of the formation, the Albatross DVs and DIII OAWs high and to the left and right respectively and the Pfalz DIIIAs 2 Km ahead and lower than the main force. Using the DRIs with their low speed as the formation centre, the other flights were sufficiently seperated and able to weave rather than cut their airspeed to match the slower aircraft. In this way the integrity of the group was maintained throughout the sortie. Just prior to crossing our own lines into enemy territory, Stumpjumper spotted flak to the north and signalled enemy contact; these aircraft were identified as a large formation of French SPAD VIIs, which proceeded to dive onto the Pfalzs as they in turn, dived back below the main formation as instructed. The Jasta Commander then signalled the Albatross DVs to engage the SPADs as they passed beneath the main body in pursuit of Stumpjumper and his wingmen. Once combat was fully developed and it was established that there was not second group in support of the SPADs, a general engagement was ordered. The SPADs used their superior handling in the dive to out run all but the Pfalzs until approximately 1,000' above the ground, but they had already accounted for Sitting Duck before being forced into a turnfight. The kills achieved during the engagement were as follows: von Dudley 3 with Red-Dog, Burning Beard, Spawnrider and Axgrinder accounting for a further one apeice. Unfortunately, 2 of the Albatross DVs suffered structural failure whilst attempting to turn hard with the SPADs at high speed during the pursuit. These were piloted by Burning Beard and Leadtongue. Furthermore Axgrinder collided with a another SPAD shortly after acheiving his kill. When the Jasta had reformed and climbed back to a safer altitude, the Jasta Commander lead the formation back to Markebeeke as the amount of ammunition expended during the dogfight would have limited what the Jasta could have acheived once over the patrol area. It is becoming apparent that although the Pfalz is an unpopular aircraft within the service, in the hands of Stumpjumper and his team it is a truly formidable weapon; as opposed to the new Albatrosses which are exhibiting a degree of fragility not suited to high-speed combat. Mission 3 - Railyard Strike at Estree-Blanche - T/O 15:17 Piloten von Baur - A Flt Commander Burning Beard Osten Sitting Duck Dutch Spawnrider Stumpjumper Red-Dog Vasco Due to the limited number of pilots available for the final sortie of the day, the Jasta Commander flew as a wingman to von Baur. As the objective was 60Km into enemy territory all aircraft took off with full fuel. Shortly after take off Red-Dog signalled engine trouble and had to return to base. von Baur lead the small strike force around likely areas of high flak density and enemy airfields to avoid being engaged before reaching the Estree-Blanche railyard. However, on final approach to the target, a large formation of Bristol F2Bs was seen to be lifting from the nearby airfield. The order was given to perform a single straffing run each and then climb to altitude to avoid being engaged by the low-flying F2Bs - unfortunately the British flight commander had other ideas. As soon as the first aircraft had made their pass they were engaged by the F2Bs and a general melee occurred on egress. In this engagement the new Albatrosses faired well in what developed into a low-speed low-altitude dogfight with Spawnrider accounting for 2 of the Bristols and Burning Beard 1. The Jasta commander dived directly into the dogfight to assist and sent another Bristol spinning into the ground - unfortunately not before the rear gunner had put several holes in his fuel tank which forced an engine-off landing shortly afterwards. From the Jasta Commander's position on the ground overlooking the railyard, the attack could be observed in detail; Dutch took fire from the rear guns of a Bristol and was seen to crash shortly afterwards, Stumpjumper sucessfully straffed the engine sheds but was hit by ground fire and also forced down, but the greatest amount of damage to the target was acheived by Sitting Duck - whether his tracers found fuel or ammunition the ensuing explosion caught his Albatross and flipped it into the ground by the engine sheds. The smoke rising from the crash could be seen for kilometres around. von Baur, seeing the Jasta Commander's aircraft on the ground attempted a rescue by landing in the same field, but groundfire accounted for his engine and placed him in the same position. As Stumpjumper, von Baur and the Jasta Commander watched our remaining aircraft depart to the east, we set off in the direction of our own lines on foot reaching Marckebeeke in the early hours of the following morning. The current tally of active pilots/kills is as follows: Spawnrider - 4 von Dudley - 3 Burning Beard - 1 Red-Dog - 1 Submitted respectfully on 7th November 1917, Vasco Officer Commanding Jasta 4 Edited October 13, 2009 by Vasco Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sitting_duck 3 Posted October 13, 2009 great job, as always, (and on time too!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red-Dog 3 Posted October 13, 2009 Fantastic report Herr Vasco. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vasco 3 Posted October 13, 2009 Thanks guys, Your feedback is always appreciated (as would a bloody spell checker - I'm still noticing errors after the edit button times out). I've also posted this report in the 'OFF BHaH: Reports from the Front' thread to make sure the SP-only flyers can see what we're up to. If anybody can assist with getting decent screenshots next Sunday I'll include them in the post. Vasco Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Axgrinder 0 Posted October 13, 2009 Very difficult this go around Vasco! Lot's of aircraft in the air at one time combined with lack of situational awareness created lots of collisions. I could see this happening quite often in real air combat during WW1. Novice pilots combined with the confusion of the new discipline of Dogfighting most certainly took its toll of planes and pilots. Inept flight leaders didn't help either - namely myself I warned you guys! Great work V. Keep it up and we will soon double our online players! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vasco 3 Posted October 13, 2009 Great work V. Keep it up and we will soon double our online players! ... And hence the problem that will be upon us shortly - unless the developers (blessings be upon them) tweak the code to allow us 32 or even 64 slots in an MP game, we're going to hit the 16 player limit very soon. Vasco Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stumpjumper 3 Posted October 13, 2009 i think the pflaz boys will defintly keep at it with this ac, great report vasco, once i get my systm back up and running better (128 agp card dosent cut it ill work on good screen shots aghain and its nice to notice tha the stump enabled spell checker i sent you is wokring great lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themightysrc 5 Posted October 13, 2009 (edited) Hi Vasco, Excellent report, although my lack of input is only too noticeable - I'll either try harder or go back to SP: we'll see! "I've also posted this report in the 'OFF BHaH: Reports from the Front' thread to make sure the SP-only flyers can see what we're up to." Can I suggest that you also post them at SimHQ on the OFF forum? There seems to be the fixed idea there that OFF isn't MP, and it would be most amusing to read the incredulous reactions of simmers who've spent years slagging off CFS3, only to find that an MP is there to be had... Cheers, Si Edited October 13, 2009 by themightysrc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stumpjumper 3 Posted October 14, 2009 Hi Vasco, Excellent report, although my lack of input is only too noticeable - I'll either try harder or go back to SP: we'll see! Si dont you dare go anywhere Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BH Dutch 1 Posted October 15, 2009 Excellent report Sir! I do not envy the one who makes reports for sure. Look forward to making the kill board in the near future. Really enjoy flying with yáll! Dutch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
