Jasta 18
1 Hpt. Ishmael
PilotStatus: KIA
Squadron: Jasta 18
Aircraft: Albatros D.Va
AircraftStatus: destroyed
TimeIn: 1 hour+
narrative: We shot enemy in first engagement. Squadron got two victories.
Second engagement we got jumped. Would have been ok but a newbie pilot made the error of pulling back on the stick when he
was attacked instead of continuing with the formation. Myself and VB could have escaped but we tried to come to his aid.
That was our undoing.
Not certain how VB bit the dust but all of a sudden I was completely alone with four EA in my immediate area. I tried to
land the aircraft but rushed the landing, as a result, I bounced.
I tried restarting the engine as the aircraft acended, but my airspeed was too low to recover: she nosed over in the air.
All the same, the aircraft was almost leveled out when I hit the ground - but my speed was still far too high and the
aircraft exploded upon impact.
So ends the brilliant career of Hpt. Ishmael.
2 von Blur
PilotStatus: KIA
Squadron: Jasta 18
Aircraft: Albatros D.Va
AircraftStatus: destroyed
TimeIn: 1 hour+
Claims: I think I shot down an NME craft firing on our Bomber
narrative: Sortie 1:
Flew in formation over NML and spotted our bomber under attack and went in to assist. After dodging, circling,
twisting, and turning, I managed to get most EA off my wingman and decided to help our bomber which was under attack from
a SPAD. I opened a few rounds into him and watched as he broke off on a hard bank heading to the ground. I dont know if
he died or crashed, just wanted to save my Bomber. There were a few scattered nme's trying to buzz my wingman again so I
fired some "Scare" shots to make them break off. At that point all EA's at that retreated.
Sortie 2:
Flew around uneventfull till we spotted contacts high and low. I then was ordered to follow my CO into a Steep dive to
try to assist. There were 2 nme's below firing on our #4. At roughly 500m from the battle, 1 nme broke right which my CO
followed, and the other Broke Left. I followed the "lefty" and fired a few rounds. He then turned directly into my flight
path. I was going way too fast to try to alter course but I tried to evade anyway. I then broke off my wings and crashed.
CRACK, SPIN, BOOM!!! and the band played on...
3 WWPendragon
PilotStatus: KIA
Squadron: Jasta 18
Aircraft: Albatros D.Va
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: -1 hour
Claims: enemy #12 Spad
narrative: Followed FL to attack a plane that was shooting below. The shooter was a spad and i attacked him,
eventually driving him into the ground. I lost my flight leader in the battle but went to help some on who was attacked
by two enemies I think our #14 i got one opponent off his tail but the other suddenly shot about a million bullets into
me at once(I must have been lagging). Suddenly died and crashed.
4 Spandau
PilotStatus: KIA
Squadron: Jasta 18
Aircraft: Albatros D.Va
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: -1 hour
Claims: 1 Belgian Hd-1 #3 down in flames over no man's land.
Narritive: The day dawned gray and brooding over Flanders. Sporadic cloud cover over the front with no signs of clearing
up through the day. Hauptman Ishmael led us on this patrol duty.
Much of the patrol was uneventful, but near the end of our alloted time in the air, he signaled enemy aircraft and
led us into the attack. I had completely lost sight of Fw. Pendragon some minutes earlier as we pierced a layer of
overcast and have no idea of his fate.
It was a mad swirling melee, and I'm not even sure how many enemy scouts we were engaging, but I can
confidantly state at least two from my observations. I damaged slightly one SPAD, and found myself able to keep
on the tail of a Hanirot which I was able to send down in flames near Ypres. Rejoining our formation after
breaking off pursuit of a SPAD escaping from the battle area, Haupt. Ishmael again lead us into a fight. Though I
didn't spot them, several Rumplers were being attacked by enemy scouts which we engaged. I saw and took a
shot at a SPAD, but the rest of the fight I was unable to maintain visual contact.
We then landed at XXXXXX to replenish benzine and ammunition.
Taking off on our second patrol from there, too soon Hauptman Ishmael signaled enemy contacts, four of them in
the sun. He attempted to lead us off to safety, but the Belgians attacked. I spotted one diving upon me and
broke right to keep out of his sights,(He was close enough for the game to let me see prop disk graphics...)
managing to reverse on him and put some bullets into him as we passed. We passed through a couple of
evolutions and I was able to get a deflection shot into his wings and heard the sounds of wood snapping, he
dove away and I was then under attack by a Belgian Hanirot.
I was wounded and attempted to dive for my own lines to land. But while attempting to land under fire I ground
looped to my destruction. At least I had two of the Belgians low after my pelt, but have no idea how the others fared.
Jasta 27
6 Schwalbe
PilotStatus: ok
Squadron: Jasta 27
Aircraft: Albatros D.III
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: 1 hour+
narrative: Took off with 2 wingmen from J27 and patrolled the front. One of my pilots separated from our group.
We continued to patrol the front. We did see one enemy machine but he dove away. THe rest of the day was uneventful.
12 Gewin
PilotStatus: ok
Squadron: Jasta 27
Aircraft: Albatros D.III
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: 1 hour+
Claims: none
narrative: had engine problems 2 times at the beginning but finally got that cleared up I continued on solo till I
met up with my new co we flew our assigned route with no resistance. On our second flight encountered 1 ea low running
for his lines but decided not to engage. The rest of the patrol was uneventfull.
14 Burkhardt
PilotStatus: ok
Squadron: Jasta 27
Aircraft: Albatros D.Va
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: 1 hour+
narrative: Took off on patrol with two others from my Squadron. We proceeded on our flight and upon nearing our N most
patrol point one of our machines developed engine trouble and had to head for the nearest AF. We continued and not long
after that, the flight leader signaled that he also was having engine trouble and headed for an emergency AF.
I proceeded on with the patrol and upon reaching the end of our rout, saw tracers low over the front. I dove down
trying to spot all that were engaged. There were quite a number of planes involved and I cautiously started down trying
to pick out friend from foe. I was confident that I was above all the combatants and was readying to dive on a NME when,
a Hanriot attacked me from behind. This fellow must have come in out of the clouds as I never saw where he came from. I
managed to shake him from me but he had place several good burst into my tail. I then found myself down in the midst of
the conflict. I saw two NME tailing a friend and I turned to pull them off. One of the attackers turned and we passed head
on. I was able to place a good burst into him and was sure we were going to collide. Some how we managed to miss each
other and I then found another NME passing in front of me which I was able to put a burst into. I then found two NME on
my tail. I was saved by one of our planes, who pulled them off. I again had taken a beating to my tail. I tried to turn
and get on one of my attackers tail but found that I had no rudder control and little elevator. I went into a stall but
somehow managed to get my nose down and pull out of it. Luckily I was not too far off direction when I pulled out. I was
able to horse my mount around toward my AF.
I continued to look back thinking any moment I would have another attacker on my tail but that didn’t happen. I did
think I saw one of ours being attacked by another NME but was unable to do anything about it. I only hoped it wasn’t the
brave pilot who had saved my skin. I proceeded home and had to bring it in fast so as not to stall. I managed to land it
safely, and at once the mechanics were working furiously on my plane to get it air worthy. After a while I was again able
to take off.
I took off and again patrolled our designated route. I did fly by our regroup area to see if I could link up with
anyone from my flight. After not finding anyone there, I proceeded on with the flight. Once again I approached the site
where the previous battle had taken place. I noticed two AC below. I circled trying to identify them and finally saw that
they were friends. I linked up with them and flew top cover. They proceeded on to the nearest AF and landed. Needing no
fuel or ammunition I circled thinking that they would again take off but after a while decided that they were not. I
proceeded back on my route and finished it up landing back at my AF with out further incident. I ended up landing at
the same time as some of my flight were coming in.
S!
Burkhardt
FA5b
9 Uhlan
PilotStatus: ok
Squadron: FA 5b
Aircraft: Rumpler C.IV
AircraftStatus: ok
TimeIn: 1 hour+
Claims: 1 trench recon, 1 artillery spotting
narrative: Took off solo and headed for grid C1-8 and photographed it C1-5, C1-2, and C2-9. While headed towards
Ypres to take the last shot I was scanning around and saw multiple contacts high behind me. I expected it was Jasta 18,
but when one of them dove on me and didn't respond to the F key I knew I was in it deep!
I saw dual struts and the yellow color that was obviously a SPAD. I checked my bearing quick and told Helmut to get
ready with his camera - it was going to get bumpy! I went into a slight dive with the SPAD just starting to open fire.
Helmut fired back till I bumped him to take his picture. He did and I concentrated on geting us out of there! Another
SPAD from the cloud of what must have been an entire squadron, dropped onto my tail and it looked like a lucky shot from
Helmuts Parabellum may have got him as he soon dropped to the earth. Another dropped from above to take his place, but
instead of me, he fired on my SPAD friend! As he pulled up I saw the red and blue of Jasta 18!!!
Soon there was a swirling dogfight and I saw there were still two SPADs and I turned on one to help keep the odds in
our favor. Alb #4 flew by and finished this fellow when I saw two green aeroplane diving on me. These turned after #4
as he seemed to be headed back to the rest of the flight. No match for Nieuport or Hanriots, and with a cargo of pictures
to get home, I ran for it and landed safely.
After refueling we took off just as 3 of Jasta 18 were coming in. We headed for C1-2 and began our artillery spotting
mission in C1-1,2 and C2-2 and 3. In C2-3 I spotted 4-6 planes high overhead headed west and turned north-east to open
the distance regardless of who they may be. I then flew back to base and landed.
Schwalbe in his stripped plane and Gewin of Jasta 27 came in to refuel and we spoke a bit, then they took off.
I helped roll the Rumpler into the hanger and went to get some sleep.