Creaghorn 10 Posted February 4, 2010 (edited) november 1917 together with 3 of my mates of jasta 5 we went up to patrol the cambrai area behind friendly frontlines. though the mud was several klicks to the west, we could see enemy artillery barrage bursting onto so far untouched forests, fields and farms well behind german lines (by the way, very touching and well done, how the battle of cambrai is slowly carried into sofar untouched german territory). underway we saw a formation of several sopwith camels below us, flying to the east, so we placed ourselves into the sun and stalked them a while, giving them time to go deeper into our territory to cut off their way back and to watch for other hidden enemies. then we dove for attack. i was able to hit one camel from above and then zooming up again, using my energy, while the camel swerved around to avoid my fire. i made an immelmann (hammerhead) for another pass and hit again his wings and fuselage, trying to again use my energy to stay above him. as i looked back i saw him turn, looked almost like turning on a dime. i flew straight, looking for him who was still underneath me. i didn't want to get into the position of getting into a turnfight with him so i just watched the hostile aircrafts next move. he turned away so i dove again onto him with another long burst, thoug not seeing any sign of damage. the camel turned and dived away, then my wingman took over. i lost visual with my other mates and other enemies, so i continued my patrol and regrouped them after some nm (warp). everybody was still there. we made our patrol without any further incidents. on the way back half an hour later we encountered one lonely camel below us. i attacked him alone without signal for attack. we fought a while and everybody was able to hit the other with some bullets. me, trying to stay above him, booming and zooming, him with trying to get me into a turnfight. we fought like madmen finally i hit something vital and he left a trail of black smoke. after another burst he stopped beeing evasive and just flew straight away towards his lines. with this same burst i exhausted all my ammunition, which of course he did not know. probably he was wounded. i flew next to him. we flew side by side, looking at each others holecrippled aicrafts. i didn't see his face good enough but i could bet that he knew he was beaten and would accept any fate. i could not bring it over my heart to order attack to my wingmen to shoot him down, though the times of chivalry are over since at least a year ago. is just wiggled with my wings to say farewell and turned homewards. damn, what a sim Edited February 4, 2010 by Creaghorn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 4, 2010 Nice report, Creaghorn. Real mercy doesn't care, if you receive anything back, or if times for chivalry are over. It is more a kind of respect for the whole creation, and it's single beings. Even when the same being might shoot you down next time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 4, 2010 I genuinely feel some pity for guys plummeting down in flames, and totally vengeful when a wingman gets killed! I have lost pilots, when the 'red mist' has descended, and I attempt to take Violent Retribution!...a sometimes scary indictment of my personality I think! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Polovski 440 Posted February 4, 2010 Great story Creaghorn - hope you don't mind I re-posted it over at SimHQ forum too with some others from the guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted February 4, 2010 That's a great story Creaghorn. From time to time, it's impossible not to feel empathy towards our enemies in OFF. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wels 2 Posted February 5, 2010 (edited) Hello, thanks Creaghorn, great story ! There was another story (from Bishop ?) mentioned in some other forum about this german white clumsy two-seater plane, that would appear tumbling about the skies every morning near the allied aerodrome, for reconnaissance. The pilots said it was flown so badly, and the observer handled his gun so clumsily, that it became a sport to frighten it away without shooting it down. They would dive on it passing it by a meter and then observe how the pilot struggled to turn his crate around. I can completely understand this , maybe because most probably this pilot in the two-seater would have been me lol. However when i mentioned that this gets my sympathy, the answer was that if this reconnaissance plane was not shot down, it would gather information, and thousands would die just because of this. Certainly, there is always this pressure from command and politicians, and a "reason" to kill anyone instantly without mercy. If it wasn't propaganda, it had those "logical" reasons ... however it happened from time to time on all sides, and while those stories spread on the german side (certainly also to show off and emphasize how "cool" or chivalrous the german pilots were), it was not allowed officially to speak about it on the allied side (giving way for subordination, or worse). Different ideas or so it seems. The white plane was then finally shot down, when a young fresh pilot, eager for a "kill", shot it down. Its further absence was then mourned about, certainly with a wink. Greetings, Catfish Edited February 5, 2010 by Wels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Creaghorn 10 Posted February 5, 2010 Great story Creaghorn - hope you don't mind I re-posted it over at SimHQ forum too with some others from the guys. not at all, pol. cool stuff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Creaghorn 10 Posted February 5, 2010 (edited) here are some pics of the incident. probably it was roy brown whose life i spared, lol Edited February 5, 2010 by Creaghorn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
