Olham 164 Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) This was something I have rarely ever done - I let an opponent go. We had attacked a flight of 4 Sopwith Pup with a clear advantage in height and number. Two Pups went down under the guns of my wingmen, while I engaged a third one. But the first burst from my 08/15 LMG made my guns jam! The poor feller - his craft had several holes - froze in sheer terror. He didn't do anything but fly towards his lines. When my guns got clear, I lined up behind him, came clso and closer - and couldn't fire at him. He didn't try the faintest evasive manoeuvre; he flew straight on! Has I fired, I would have made minced meat of the boy. But I couldn't. I waved my wingmen back and flew the last two miles to the lines with him to make sure nobody else attacked him. I could see him clearly in his cockpit - staring forward. I could read "Ad Aura" on his fuselage, under the cockpit. At the front, I turned away. My wingmen must have been wondering, what that was. Well, I think it was a "mental jam" of my killer instinct. Turning away from him, I thought: "Hey, Tommy-boy - make something good of your life!" Anyone ever did something like this? Edited February 23, 2011 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 23, 2011 Nope!..I'm afraid I'm a merciless Killer!...if he's a noob, that's great!...another chalk mark, with less danger to me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JFM 18 Posted February 23, 2011 I'm with UKWM. I prefer they don't move so I can hammer them down with a minimum of shots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 23, 2011 . Actually Olham, I have done the same thing. Probably not wise in the long run, but like you I found myself unable to fire on the poor fellow. Go figure. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Polovski 428 Posted February 23, 2011 It's a tough one, let him go and he will come back and maybe take one of yours, but we are human and you have to do what you think it right. BTW that's an example of AI running for home I mentioned that does happen. His craft is damaged or he's had enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 23, 2011 Yeah, good example for running home, Pol. About my action (or non-action) - I didn't follow my thoughts, but rather my (irrational) feelings. It may well be, that the wrong type of witnesses would have got me accused for fraternization by a war crime tribunal. Carl Holler from Jasta 6, who was an entertainer and singer in his private life, and possibly a fellow easy to socialise with, was excluded from the Staffel, only because he had been drinking and talking with a French pilot the Staffel had brought down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dej 17 Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) LMF, Olham... that's what those heartless b'stards at HQ would do you for for... although it's a WW2 term, not WW1. But in this particular case it'll stand for Lack of Merciless Ferocity, rather than what it, sadly, normally signifies. Btw, that's 'Ad Astra' on that pup, it's from No. 46 Sqn and you certainly made it 'Per Ardua' for him today. Edited February 24, 2011 by Dej Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted February 24, 2011 nope, its give em the hammer before my wingman claims him Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IV/JG1_Kaiser 0 Posted February 24, 2011 Well done Oldham, you are certainly doing your bit to dispel the "Baby Eating Hun" sobriquet ! I pray it wasn't Butcher Harris you let go! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 Dej, I had no Latin in school. What do "Ad Astra" and "Per Ardua" mean? Kaiser, it wasn't Harris. I checked per Labels - no ace, just a frightened boy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 PS: ah, the internet - I found it: "Per ardua ad astra" means "through difficulties to the stars" and was the motto of the RAF (and maybe already of the RFC?) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morris 2 Posted February 24, 2011 Olham, only if I had no bullets left in my LMG and no ronds in my pistol. M Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 Good grief! So many butchers here... He was just a boy. Of course he may come back. And if he came back as a fighting man, I would fight him. But shooting in the back of a kid flying straight on in shell shock - what a victory would that be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 24, 2011 I don't understand you pussies!...this is total war!....If I was your commanding officer, I'd have you Court Marshalled for Dereliction of Duty!...PAH HUMBUG! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 Yeah, of course - if one would act like that, it would be better to have no witnesses against you. If men who don't kill kids are regarded to be "pussies" - well, then I take it as an honour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) Yeah, of course - if one would act like that, it would be better to have no witnesses against you. If men who don't kill kids are regarded to be "pussies" - well, then I take it as an honour. I'm just kidding ya!....What I do in a simulator bears no resemblance to what I'd do in reality!...gaming allows my alter-ego side to come out!....I'm merciless with a pixellated Sword, Gun or Fighter plane...but that's not me in reality! In the Total War series of games, if I capture a village, I put every man, woman and Child to the sword!.....but that's not me!...I faint if I cut myself shaving!! It gives me the opportunity to be the 'Bad Guy'....for once! Edited February 24, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 ....but that's not me!...I faint if I cut myself shaving!! Okay, that's more like - you had me worried there for a moment. It gives me the opportunity to be the 'Bad Guy'....for once! "Totally understood - I often try to wipe out whole enemy formations. Unfortunately, the ammo is always out, before I have achieved that - or I overlooked that one Tripe right behind me... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 24, 2011 . "In our fathers' time nothing was read but books of feigned chivalry, wherein a man by reading should be led to none other end, but only to manslaughter and bawdry." (Roger Ascham 1515-1568) . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 Oh, that was well recognised - and so much earlier already! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted February 24, 2011 . Yes Sir, enlightened and observant minds have noted such for centuries. I find Ascham's entire passage which this quote is from to be as true today as it was nearly 500 years ago. "English writers, by diversity of time, have taken diverse matters in hand. In our fathers' time nothing was read but books of feigned chivalry, wherein a man by reading should be led to none other end but only to manslaughter and bawdry. If any man suppose they were good enough to pass the time withal, he is deceived. For surely vain words do work no small thing thereunto of their own nature. These books, as I have heard say, were made the most part in abbeys and monasteries, a very likely and fit fruit of such an idle and blind kind of living. In our time now, when every man is given to know much rather than to live well, very many do write, but after such a fashion as very many do shoot. Some shooters take in hand stronger bows than they be able to maintain. This thing maketh them sometime to outshoot the mark, sometime to shoot far wide, and perchance hurt some that look on. Other that never learned to shoot, nor yet knoweth good shaft nor bow, will be as busy as the best, but such one commonly plucketh down a side, and crafty archers which be against him will be both glad of him, and also ever ready to lay and bet with him; it were better for such one to sit down than shoot. Other there be which have very good bow and shafts and good knowledge in shooting, but they have been brought up in such evil-favored shooting that they can neither shoot fair nor yet near. If any man will apply these things together, he shall not see the one far differ from the other. And I also, among all other, in writing this little treatise, have followed some young shooters, which both will begin to shoot for a little money, and also will use to shoot once or twice about the mark for nought afore they begin a-good. And therefore did I take this little matter in hand to assay myself, and hereafter, by the grace of God, if the judgment of wise men that look on think that I can do any good, I may perhaps cast my shaft among other for better game." . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 24, 2011 I wonder how often someone was allowed to fly off unmolested in reality? Personally, it's all well and good when your flying in OFF...at the end of the day, you're not going to get killed! I'm sure most airmen considered it a case of 'Kill or be Killed'....certainly MvR had no hesitation whatsoever in Killing Noobs!...he lost his own life trying to do just that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 Okay, now you got me to google the man. He had an interesting life for a schoolmaster, it seems. Teaching Elisabeth I., translating for Karl V. in Augsburg, writing about bow shooting and impressing Henry VIII. so much with that, that he got a monthly rent of 10 Pound for this - and he got his name remembered. Not to forget his work "The Scholemaster", which must have been the first European step towards a good education, I guess. Funny, that he already wrote against the common demoralization at court - we seem to witness the same with modern day's "monarchs" - the politicians. But I bet you would find similar complaints already among the Romans, and even earlier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 24, 2011 Okay, now you got me to google the man. He had an interesting life for a schoolmaster, it seems. Teaching Elisabeth I., translating for Karl V. in Augsburg, writing about bow shooting and impressing Henry VIII. so much with that, that he got a monthly rent of 10 Pound for this - and he got his name remembered. Not to forget his work "The Scholemaster", which must have been the first European step towards a good education, I guess. Funny, that he already wrote against the common demoralization at court - we seem to witness the same with modern day's "monarchs" - the politicians. But I bet you would find similar complaints already among the Romans, and even earlier. MvR????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) No, it was an answer to RAF_Louvert's post. I guess you're right, Widowmaker - and the killing of a newbie is an easy step forward on your victory list. Edited February 24, 2011 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 24, 2011 haha,,,silly me!..the thought of MvR being a school teacher was quite disturbing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
