Rick Rawlings 138 Posted July 31, 2021 3 hours ago, TROOPER117 said: I see you met some of the 'sponge' Pfalz machines... they soak up the firepower! I know, right? At least one for sure went down. Mission details said the other one crashed out of sight, which was comforting even if I didn't claim it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted July 31, 2021 Karl Spieler Jasta 5 October, 1916 Near Cambrai I fired on two enemy recon craft the other day as we dove on their formation. Both were seen to go down, one in flames, but my claims were not confirmed... It seems our Rittmeister was caught out with the Anti-aircraft major's girlfriend, so to smooth things over, the kills were credited to ground fire from that unit. To make it up to me, the Rittmeister said he would let me fly one of the newer DIII Halberstadts from now on... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerhear 50 Posted August 1, 2021 How nice for you Rick! The Rittmeister took a little Flak...eh. My boy has gotten his 2nd kill and a few more missions under his belt. Doing well and staying alive. Most of the missions recently have been behind our lines, that helps. I looked at all the other wingman pilots who have kills. Looks like they never have to make claims, maybe it is because I'm on the 2nd easiest claims thingie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 1, 2021 I'm not sure how the claims rules work for AI? That's an interesting point. I couldn't do what you are doing as I only fly every third day or so, and wingman fall on the mission I am not "on"... John Rockitt 94th Aero June 1918 Near Toul There is a big old Dragon that sits directly to the north of our aerodrome, watching every move we make. No one dares take it down because it is a fire-breathing Dragon! But three of us had an idea: two would come around high and noisy to the north drawing the attention of the Dragon and it's fire-breath, while I would swoop in on idle power from the south and swat it down! And that's exactly what happened! Except that with these dumb Nieuports, even a gentle swoop down results in wings half torn off! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 2, 2021 Karl Spieler Jasta 5 November, 1916 Near Cambrai I have to say that I do enjoy the new DIII Halberstadt bus I have been given. The offset exhaust makes it much easier to see where your rounds are goi...OUCH!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 3, 2021 John Rockitt 94th Aero June 1918 Near Toul We were bombed today as payback for our aerodrome attack. We had a few minutes warning and were able to get up and start our climb to attack. I got to the flight first and tried to take on the lowest one, but he was tough! The good news is, I stalled them long enough for the rest of the flight to arrive and they shot my guy down. Plus, I returned with no holes in me which was nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 3, 2021 Karl Spieler Jasta 5 November, 1916 Near Cambrai It's taken me nearly a month to recover from the machine gun wounds that brought me down in my last mission. The men in the squadron have been great to me, even if there is a bit of resentment about me getting the DIII. Today I got to repay their kindness and trust with a mission over the lines, taking the fight to the very heart of the enemy, during which I was able to shoot down a SPAD and a Nieuport within close view of their very aerodrome! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TROOPER117 146 Posted August 3, 2021 What a sunset!!!... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 3, 2021 I know, right! It's the best part! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CastelEtzwane 23 Posted August 4, 2021 My RNAS-1/RAF-201 pilot is still hanging on. He's flown about 2 weeks worth of combat missions and spent a further 3 weeks in the hospital. Seems like the Hun pilots in the Flanders area during the summer of 1918 abound with pilots who know wots wot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 5, 2021 Hang in there! He doesn't know it but the war's winding down! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 6, 2021 John Rockitt 94th Aero June 1918 Near Paris They moved the squadron to th northwest, which made it a lot less likely that we would get bombed, but also made the flights to the front much more tiring. We have also been encountering the new Fokker scouts, triplanes and biplanes and getting rekt by them! (which is a word I predict will catch on sometime in the near future) We have lost so many pilots, their names blur in my mind. I fear I must follow soon! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 8, 2021 Karl Spieler Jasta 2 December, 1916 Near Pronville I have been transferred to Jasta 2. The situation was becoming untenable. The anti-aircraft major who didn't like our Rittmeister running around with his girl was friends with a general which brought scrutiny to the whole situation which sent me as the recipient out-of-turn of a Halberstadt DIII off to a new squadron. I made out ok, however, as I am now flying the new Albatros scout. I was shot up pretty bad the other day when I left the Nieuport I was attacking to clear the tail of von Muller from another Nupe. That left the other two to attack me, but I made it out with just a wing shot up... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TROOPER117 146 Posted August 8, 2021 That was a bit hairy!... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 12, 2021 John Rockitt 94th Aero July 1918 Near Paris We finally switched over completely to SPADs, after us 2nd Leiutenants have been huffing and puffing to keep up with the others in our N28s for the last couple of weeks! I swear this war is trying to kill us! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 15, 2021 John Rockitt 94th Aero August 1918 Near Paris Things continue to be rough, even after transferring to SPADS. We lost four pilots the other day, against two Huns shot down, one of which was mine. We headed up to the front and ended up flying over a large group of Fokkers, and since we were a large group, I thought we would dive and attack. So I started to position myself, only to see no one else make a move. Surprised, I watched as they moved off to attack one lone DVII that had broken off from the main group. While that was wise on their part, I decided against diving into that mess and continued to watch the main group of Germans heading south. Soon I had lost track of everyone but did manage to attract the attention of another group of Fokkers coming in from the north. As one broke off to chase me, I lured him south and then turned to attack: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerhear 50 Posted August 20, 2021 Well S**t...I give up on the wingman protection program. Got Leibermann through 20 missions and he runs head on into a DVII. Just too much work and with my own bacon hanging out there to boot. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 20, 2021 That's going to leave a mark... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 20, 2021 John Rockitt 94th Aero September 1918 Somewhere in France... I am not even sure where we are stationed. I just got back from the hospital again. We tangled with a flight of Fokkers and everything was going fine until I stumbled into the unexpected edge of a cloud. Soon, I had no idea where I was going, but the huns stayed right with me and clipped me as I came out. But I'm back now, and need to have a bite before I figure out where l am... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TROOPER117 146 Posted August 20, 2021 Bugger!... or words to that effect! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 22, 2021 Karl Spieler Jasta 2 January, 1917 Near Pronville Inclement weather, mechanical failures and skittish enemies have kept us from seeing much action over the last few weeks. It has given me a good chance to fully recover from my last injury and I feel nearly as good as new, although my aversion to bullets in my body has probable grown by some small measure. Yesterday we went up to escort some Rolands over the lines (as if they needed it!) and, as luck would have it, we ran into a small flight of enemy recon craft headed the other day. I was able to follow one down to his crash at the lines and then we proceeded to a rather uneventful mission after that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TROOPER117 146 Posted August 22, 2021 Good flying there... although at one point I shouted 'bloody hell' and actually ducked! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CastelEtzwane 23 Posted August 23, 2021 (edited) On 8/20/2021 at 3:06 AM, jerhear said: Well S**t...I give up on the wingman protection program. Got Leibermann through 20 missions and he runs head on into a DVII. Just too much work and with my own bacon hanging out there to boot. Hehe - what part of that N28 didn't get shot up ? Even the landing gear are gone !! And I don't believe I've ever seen a propeller chewed off at the tips in WOFF. Synchronization gear quit working ? Or did the N28 bounce up after smacking the ground ? Edited August 23, 2021 by CastelEtzwane Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CastelEtzwane 23 Posted August 23, 2021 On 8/20/2021 at 6:56 AM, Rick Rawlings said: John Rockitt 94th Aero September 1918 Somewhere in France... I am not even sure where we are stationed. I just got back from the hospital again. We tangled with a flight of Fokkers and everything was going fine until I stumbled into the unexpected edge of a cloud. Soon, I had no idea where I was going, but the huns stayed right with me and clipped me as I came out. But I'm back now, and need to have a bite before I figure out where l am... I couldn't help thinking first and foremost about Rockitt's ground crew reaction to him wrecking their SPAD only a week after they spent all those extra hours painting it blue for him . . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Rawlings 138 Posted August 24, 2021 19 hours ago, CastelEtzwane said: I couldn't help thinking first and foremost about Rockitt's ground crew reaction to him wrecking their SPAD only a week after they spent all those extra hours painting it blue for him . . . They made him touch it up himself! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
